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Explore the strategic choices in building a dam for new industrial area, balancing costs and risks. A case study in effective decision-making processes with real-life consequences.
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Case Studies and Other Classroom Reality Shows Session III: Preparing Case Studies John Casey School of Public Affairs john.casey@baruch.cuny.edu
The Dam A new industrial/manufacturing area is to be built, which will be available to operate at full capacity in 5 years.To supply the needed water and power to the industrial area, it has been decided to build a dam on a nearby river. A dam of this scale will take 5 years to build. Initial surveys have indicated that there are two possible locations for the dam, but without further survey work – which will take one year to complete – there is a risk that the construction will collapse in one of the two locations. If the dam is started in the wrong place, it is predicted that it will need to be abandoned after one year of construction. If the dam is not built on time (i.e. in the 5 years), there will significant “delay costs”, based on the lost economic opportunities, delay in provision of employment, penalty to be paid to industrial site developer, etc. The costs associated with building the dam are: - Survey: 0.1 billion - Construction: 100 billion / year (x 5 years) - Delay costs: 500 billion / year
The Dam How/where do we build the dam – A or B? A B Survey: 0.1 billion Construction: 100 b/ year (x 5) Delay costs: 500 b/ year Industrial john.casey@baruch.cuny.edu (Adapted from a case used by Yehezkel Dror in his workshops in statecraft professionalism)
Definition of a case Content • 5 lines to 50 pages • Print, online, multimedia • Account of real circumstances • Presents context and development but not outcome Process • Student-centered • Active learning • Instructor as facilitator
Toxic Bosses Academic approach http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdcMsNokiIk Consultant approach http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSi5R8txxmI&feature=related Funny approach http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--nTCbAZpAw&feature=related Real approach – Kevin Johnson “The results guy” http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96890384
Robert Sterling Clark 3 Cases on nonprofit advocacy • Solid waste management • Foster care • Education funding “Traditional” cases + multimedia support Confidentiality issues