Our resources thrust participants into the heart of real-world scenarios, from crisis management in the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic to cross-party education reform in Brazil.
Many of our resources are available on The Case Centre distribution platform. Educators who are registered with the site can access free review copies of our case studies, teaching notes, and other materials.
To inquire about our other cases or background materials, please contact us at casecentre@bsg.ox.ac.uk.
How to write case studies for public policy education
What makes an effective public policy case? Cases can be designed to suit public policy education by focusing on protagonists faced with complex, ambiguous challenges while acting in the public interest. These protagonists are often situated within diffuse power structures, are accountable to a wide array of stakeholders, and must make trade-offs between competing values. This guide provides an introduction to writing public policy cases including concrete advice for choosing and researching compelling settings and protagonists.
This document is designed to help faculty develop case studies for schools of government and public policy. While cases are most commonly used in business education, they can be designed to suit the unique needs of public policy education. What makes public policy cases particularly distinctive is their focus on protagonists (ideally) acting in the public interest. Not only do these case protagonists tend to face broader, more ambiguous aims than their business counterparts, but they also function within more diffuse power structures and are accountable to a wider array of stakeholders. These distinguishing features inform how public policy cases are both written and taught.
This document provides an overview of what public policy cases are, delineating them from more-familiar business school ones, and offers specific guidance on how to write public policy cases to help educate future government leaders.
Building better judgement amongst policymakers using the case-study method
How can educators prepare students for the unique challenges of public service? When information is limited, outcomes are uncertain, and time is of the essence, public leaders need to access judgement skills to resolve difficult situations. This guide explores how the case method teaches current and future public leaders to make better decisions by: immersing them in complex, real-life scenarios; exposing them to diverse competencies, characters, and commitments; and giving them the space to reflect on choices.
This document provides an introduction to the case method in policy school settings. Public leaders frequently face difficult decisions where outcomes are uncertain and time is of the essence. Under such conditions, decision-makers often rely on instinct rather than careful scientific or ethical reasoning. However, as this document explores, it is possible to educate future decision-makers with the reflexes for better judgement. Individuals can develop the skills of good decision-making with practice working through difficult decisions; exposure to diverse competencies, characters, and commitments; and the space to reflect on choices. The challenge lies in providing students with such opportunities. For those schools that wish to hone students' judgement in preparation for the hardest decisions of public policy, this document argues that the case method offers a promising pedagogical opportunity.
Berlin Brandenburg International Airport: A symbol of unity and growth?
In 1991, German officials announced plans to develop the Berlin Brandenburg International Airport (BBI), a new, large airport that would replace the three existing Berlin airports. Not only did officials believe that BBI could support air traffic growth, become an aviation hub, and revitalise the economy, but they also hoped it would represent a new chapter in Berlin’s history: one unified airport for the recently reunited city.
To achieve their vision, German officials established Berlin Brandenburg Flughafen (BBF) in 1991. The company, jointly owned by the German federal government and the states of Brandenburg and Berlin, was to oversee the planning, development and, eventually, operations of BBI. However, BBF struggled to make progress. Eventually in 1997, hoping to bring in much-needed expertise and capital, BBF decided to privatise. The first attempt at a tender was unsuccessful: just two consortia submitted final bids and the losing consortium sued BBF shortly after the result was announced. The courts ruled that the tender had violated procurement laws, cancelled BBF’s contract, and ordered the company to start the privatisation process again. Now in 2002, a second tender had resulted in just one bid, with a price considerably lower than BBF had anticipated and a number of contentious terms. Facing pressure to make headway with the new airport, BBF needed to decide quickly how to proceed.
- Identify key principles and challenges of major-project leadership and governance;
- Evaluate good and bad practices in forging public-private partnerships and in developing procurement strategies.