World Case Teaching Day:
ESCP's Commitment to Excellence in Case-Based Learning
How ESCP Business School is shaping the next generation of business leaders through the case method
Every year, business schools across the world celebrate World Case Teaching Day, a moment to reflect on the importance of the case method in management education. At ESCP Business School, this day represents a reaffirmation of a longstanding tradition of excellence in case writing, teaching, and innovation.
Classrooms at ESCP come alive as students take on the role of executives, entrepreneurs, and policymakers, making tough decisions under uncertainty. This experiential approach—where students must debate, defend, and refine their ideas in real-time—is the foundation of the case method, an approach that has shaped generations of business leaders.
To explore this further, we sat down with Professor Ezequiel Reficco, Associate Professor of Management and Editor of ESCP’s Case Project (CaP), to discuss how the case method is evolving and how ESCP is leading the charge in case-based education.
The Power of the Case Method in Business Education
At its core, the case method is about decision-making in uncertainty. Unlike traditional lecture-based teaching, it forces students to grapple with ambiguity, conflicting data, and strategic trade-offs—much like they would in real-world leadership roles.
We humans tend to forget very quickly the things we learn passively. But when we engage actively—when we are forced to analyse, debate, and defend our decisions—we retain that knowledge for life," explains Ezequiel. "The case method excels at precisely that: developing critical thinking and communication skills that are essential for business leaders.
Ezequiel ReficcoAssociate Professor
This philosophy is deeply embedded in ESCP’s pedagogical DNA, where case teaching is a way of cultivating leadership, ethical judgment, and strategic acumen.
Building a Case-Writing Ecosystem at ESCP
While ESCP faculty have long been producing compelling cases, much of their work remained isolated efforts until recently. Recognising the need for a more structured approach, the school launched the Case Project (CaP)—an initiative designed to provide faculty with resources, funding, research assistance, and expert reviews to develop world-class teaching cases.
"When I arrived at ESCP, case writing was happening in silos. Faculty members were producing great work, but there was no institutional mechanism to support them," says Professor Reficco. "We created the Case Project to change that—to foster collaboration, provide the necessary infrastructure, and elevate our impact globally."
CaP offers a structured support system that includes case writers, proofreaders, expert blind reviewers, and financial support to ensure high-quality case production. "This allows faculty to focus on crafting compelling narratives while ensuring their work meets the highest pedagogical standards," notes Ezequiel.
Since its inception, the initiative has grown significantly, expanding across all ESCP campuses and producing cases that are now reaching global audiences through platforms like Harvard Business Publishing and The Case Centre.
This collective effort has yielded impressive results. Martin Kupp, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Strategy at ESCP, has been recognised among The Case Centre’s Top 50 Bestselling Case Authors for 2023/24, securing the 40th position. His case on digital transformation at Faurecia became a bestseller in 2024, highlighting his influence in the field of case method teaching. In addition to his case-writing contributions, he has led over 40 workshops globally and co-published The Ultimate Case Guide in 2024, a practical resource for educators and professionals. "Cases like these don’t just help students understand abstract concepts—they make them wrestle with the kinds of problems they’ll encounter throughout their careers," Ezequiel notes
What Makes a Great Teaching Case?
So what separates an average case from a truly impactful one? According to Ezequiel, successful cases share a few common traits:
- Brand Recognition: "People like reading about the brands they interact with in their day-to-day life. However, lesser-known companies can also make for effective cases when the underlying dilemmas are compelling."
- Relevance to Real-World Problems: "The best cases align with current business challenges, addressing issues that matter both to students and to educators."
- Counterintuitive Takeaways: "Another thing that I’ve found over the years is that the most powerful cases present counterintuitive ideas that challenge students' initial assumptions."
- Storytelling: "A case should not just present information but immerse students in a narrative, requiring them to use their cognitive resources to uncover insights and make decisions."
Wok: A Sustainable Restaurant Chain?
One case that exemplifies these principles is Wok: A Sustainable Restaurant Chain?, a teaching case co-authored by Ezequiel Reficco about a mid-sized restaurant chain in Colombia that challenges fundamental assumptions about corporate strategy, sustainability, and financial success.
Wok was founded in Bogotá in 1998, and by 2011, it was on a path to becoming Colombia’s first 'green' restaurant chain. The company fully integrated social and environmental sustainability into its value chain. However, as the case unfolds, students realise that these responsible business decisions come with significant challenges. Wok had to decide how far it could push its sustainability agenda without compromising its competitive position.
"With traditional management thinking, companies tend to focus on short-term financial gains," says Ezequiel. "However, Wok was making long-term commitments to sustainability that didn't always translate into immediate profits. By the end of the discussion, students start questioning their own assumptions about what makes a company successful."
The case is designed to challenge intuitive thinking. "It forces students to examine contradictions," explains Ezequiel. "At first, Wok’s choices seem to go against the logic of cost efficiency. But as students explore the case further, they begin to see that sustainability can itself be a strategic advantage. That’s why the discussion is so engaging—it dismantles traditional business assumptions and encourages deeper thinking."
Cultural Diversity in Case Teaching
ESCP’s international faculty brings a wide range of perspectives into the classroom, enriching both case teaching and case writing. "Having a diverse body of faculty enriches what we do in our classrooms and extends to the intellectual products we create," says Ezequiel.
While cases aim to teach universal principles, their real impact often lies in how those principles are applied across different cultures
The key here is to discuss universal phenomena, but to also explore how their interpretation changes depending on national and cultural contexts," explains Ezequiel. "For example, platform theory is the same across the globe, but understanding the success of Qihoo [a successful Chinese platform] will require students to consider the context of China in their analysis, which is quite different from Europe. That difference sparks curiosity and makes case discussions even more engaging.
Ezequiel ReficcoAssociate Professor
This ability to highlight the nuances of business decisions across cultures is a defining strength of ESCP’s case teaching. "When students see that a business principle they assumed to be universal actually plays out differently in different markets, they become more attuned to the complexities of global business," says Ezequiel. "It teaches them to think beyond their comfort zones and prepares them for leadership in a world that is increasingly interconnected."
The Future of Case Teaching: Technology and Beyond
Case teaching is evolving rapidly, and new technologies are expanding the possibilities for how cases are taught. "In the last 10 years, we’ve seen multimedia impacting the world of teaching. A case is no longer just a text-based document—some cases now use entirely digital formats," says Ezequiel.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) also presents new opportunities for case discussions. "It’s not impossible to imagine AI-powered tools, like GPTs, helping students prepare before class by engaging them in intelligent discussions," says Ezequiel. "If we figure out how to do that well, it could amplify the impact of teaching—allowing one professor to reach more students more effectively."
However, the real challenge with AI is ensuring it trains students to think critically, rather than simply providing them with answers. "We don’t want AI to just download information onto students. Instead, it should challenge them—highlighting flaws in their arguments, asking targeted questions, and making them reflect on their reasoning."
Celebrating Excellence in Case Teaching
As World Case Teaching Day reflects on the role of case-based education, ESCP continues to contribute meaningfully to this field through its strong case-writing ecosystem and commitment to innovation in teaching. With its growing body of internationally recognised cases, a dedicated case-writing ecosystem, and an unwavering commitment to innovation in teaching, the school continues to shape the next generation of business leaders—one case at a time.
So, whether you’re a professor looking for cutting-edge materials, a student eager to tackle real-world business dilemmas, or an industry leader keen to see the next generation of decision-makers in action—#WorldCaseTeachingDay is a celebration of what makes business education truly impactful.
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