A Comparison of the Effectiveness of the Small Business Institute Case Method

Abstract

The perceived effectiveness of the Small Business Institute (S.B.I.) case approach to teaching business was compared to that of three traditional methods of instruction. The S.B.I. approach was judged to teach in the greatest depth, provide the best chance to use what has been learned, provide the best opportunity for individualized instruction, and require the most self-motivation. The students with the higher grade point averages believed that lecture discussion and the S.B.I. case approaches taught them the most; the students with the lower grade point averages stated that the large group lecture and traditional textbook case approaches taught them the most. The study's design permitted an investigation of the effect on the respondents' replies of whether the focus of the study on the S.B.I. case method was made explicit. Disguising the focus produced responses somewhat less favorable to the S.B.I case method.