Letter from the Editor
Citation
Morris, R.J. (2018), "Letter from the Editor", The CASE Journal, Vol. 14 No. 2, pp. 141-144. https://doi.org/10.1108/TCJ-02-2018-0035Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited
TCJ accomplishments and resolutions
Happy New Year! Now that 2018 has begun, it seems appropriate to look back on the accomplishments of 2017 and to make resolutions for 2018.
Looking back on 2017
2017 was a year of tremendous growth for The CASE Journal. TCJ expanded from three issues in 2016 to six issues in 2017. We published 29 cases in 2017 (up from 16 published in 2016). Case authors hailed from seven different countries (Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, India, the UK and the USA). North America was the biggest source of both authors and case users during the year.
In addition to the six issues published in 2017, TCJ issued a call for a special issue entitled “Underrepresented Perspectives: Blacks in Business.” Guest edited by Mary K. Foster and Pamela E. Queen, both from Morgan State University, the special issue will focus on teaching cases featuring black/African American women and men protagonists. Many cases have been submitted for the special issue and are currently under review. Look for the special issue to appear in the second half of 2018. In addition to featuring the stories, voices and experiences of individuals who are not often featured in cases, the special issue has also drawn the interest of individuals who are new to case writing and research. We welcome these scholars to the TCJ community!
Case downloads through Emerald’s e-Case Collection more than doubled from 2016 to 2017. In Table I, the top 11 cases ranked by downloads in 2017 are shown. Congratulations to these authors for creating cases instructors want to use in their classrooms! The top case by Ed Timmerman, Frank Morris and Al Lovvorn was the recipient of the 2015 Emerald Best Case Award.
Brian Stinchfield’s 2009 case entitled “Stakeholders and Corporate Environmental Decision Making: The BP Whiting Refinery Controversy” (published in TCJ, Vol. 6, No. 1) has been recognized as a best-selling case in the Ethics and Social Responsibility category for 2016 and 2017 by The Case Centre. Congratulations, Brian!
The quality of any journal necessarily depends on the quality of its reviewers and TCJ has benefitted from the contributions of 117 different reviewers during 2017. These reviewers poured over 124 original submissions and 80 revised submissions in the course of their work. TCJ strives to complete reviews within 45 days and 86 percent of the 2017 reviewers had an average time to review of 45 days or less. A remarkable six reviewers completed their reviews with an average time to review of zero days (completing the review in the same day it was assigned)! Reviewers are evaluated not only on quickness but also on quality. Table II shows the top ten TCJ reviewers for 2017 as ranked by number of completed reviews, quality of the reviews (as ranked by the editor) and timeliness of the reviews. These individuals are owed great thanks for their hard work in the review process. Their reviews made the job of editor much easier!
TCJ had much to celebrate in 2017 – more cases were published than ever before, a special issue was launched, case downloads doubled and reviewers excelled at completing high-quality and timely reviews. These activities will surely impact the quality and reputation of TCJ going forward. What else might we do to further enhance TCJ’s quality and reputation?
Resolutions for 2018
The New Year is a time when individuals make resolutions to accomplish personal goals or otherwise improve their lives. What are TCJ’s New Year’s resolutions?
Publish more high-quality cases: TCJ’s goal is to publish 40 high-quality cases in 2018. For this to happen, we will need an increase in submissions, good turnaround in the review process and shorter revision cycles. Many authors become discouraged when receiving a “major revision” letter on their cases and fail to complete the revision. Because TCJ is a developmental journal, a “revise and resubmit” is an indication of the editor and reviewers’ belief in the publication potential for the case. Authors who stick with it and submit revisions are almost always rewarded with publication. Make it a personal resolution to continue to revise your case.
Publish more compact cases: in 2017, TCJ published seven compact cases (cases of 1,000 words or less). These cases are in high demand with instructors and students. Sessions on compact cases will be conducted at several case writing conferences during 2018 such as The CASE Association Meeting in Providence, RI (May 2-5, 2018) and the WACRA Meeting in Rotterdam, The Netherlands (June 30-July 5, 2018). A special issue on compact cases is being considered for 2018 or early 2019.
Add two associate editors in 2018: associate editors are being added to the TCJ editorial team to more efficiently manage the growing number of case submissions. Experienced case writers will be considered for these two positions. Responsibilities include control of the peer-review process for allotted submissions, assisting with the development of TCJ’s pool of expert reviewers and serving as an ambassador for TCJ. Interested individuals may e-mail the editor (tcjeditor@gmail.com) for more information.
Grow the editorial board: members of TCJ’s editorial board review submitted cases, advise on journal policy, identify and evaluate topics for special issues, and help attract new authors and reviewers. TCJ will increase the number of individuals serving on the editorial board in 2018 with an eye toward enhancing the geographic diversity of the members to better reflect the many areas of the world represented by TCJ’s authors and case users. Interested individuals may e-mail the editor (tcjeditor@gmail.com) for more information.
Develop more special issues: special issues increase case submissions, bring in new authors and have a positive impact on the reputation of the journal. Guest editors for special issues provide significant service and demonstrate their expertise in case writing and in a specific field of research. TCJ is scheduled to publish two special issues per year. Ideas are welcomed for 2019 special issues. Nominations and self-nominations for potential guest editors are also encouraged.
Continue to enhance TCJ’s image and reputation: although many individuals make New Year’s resolutions while few persist in completing them, this resolution is one that is paramount to the continued success of TCJ. For tenure and promotion, it is essential that authors publish in high-quality journals. At TCJ, we will continue to explore strategies for improving the perception and awareness of TCJ as a high-quality publication. We also are actively promoting the scholarly contributions of case research and writing. In April 2018, the TCJ editor will participate in a panel session at the AACSB International Conference and Annual Meeting (ICAM 2018). The session entitled: “Bridging the Research/Application Gap with Cases” will focus on case research and writing as a way of increasing schools’ impact. This is a tremendous opportunity for TCJ as we believe this is the first time this type of access and visibility has been achieved for cases research and writing at an important AACSB conference.
Just as TCJ’s accomplishments for 2017 were due to the many contributions of authors, reviewers, editorial board members and Emerald’s publishing team, the resolutions for 2018 cannot be realized without the help of many others. If we work together, we will have many great successes to report at this time next year. Here is to TCJ onward and upward in 2018!
In this issue
This issue includes four cases focused on a wide variety of companies, locations and issues. Each case has a strong Instructor’s Manual providing effective teaching strategies, theoretical linkages and complete answers and analysis to all discussion questions.
This issue also features an article providing a fresh perspective on the case writing process from the germination of an idea to publication of the case. The article is designed to provide assistance to case writers who are as yet unpublished as well as for experienced case writers who are in need a motivational boost (Tables III and IV).
Most downloaded TCJ cases in 2017
| Rank | Case |
|---|---|
| 1 | J.E. Timmerman, F. Morris and A. Lovvorn (2015), “Kumnandzi Macadamia importers: cracking the nut of self-identity”, The CASE Journal, Vol. 11, No. 3 |
| 2 | S. Li Sun and Y. Zhang (2015), “Qihoo 360: building a ‘free’ business model”, The CASE Journal, Vol. 11, No. 2 |
| 3 | S. Abhi and V. Venugopal (2017), “Daily bread – a gourmet pursuit”, The CASE Journal, Vol. 13, No. 2 |
| 4 | E. Demarais, S. Sheckman and G. Vega (2008), “Customer service at the Jewish Community Center”, The CASE Journal, Vol. 4 No. 2 |
| 5 | L.A. Hall, J. Bandyopadhyay and S. McNamara (2015), “Coffee, costs, and competition: a case exercise for managerial accounting”, The CASE Journal, Vol. 11, No. 1 |
| 6 | R.F. Wilson-Mah (2016), “How do you solve a problem like Lucinda?”, The CASE Journal, Vol. 12, No. 1 |
| 7 | I. Pollach (2016), “The logo change at Gap North America”, The CASE Journal, Vol. 12, No. 2 |
| 8 | M. Hudson and K.O. Hunter (2016), “Between righteous legacy and Pyrrhic victory – an administrator’s dilemma”, The CASE Journal, Vol. 12, No. 2 |
| 9 | E. Collins, K. Kearins, H. Tregidga and S. Bowden (2016), “Selling all good: how small new entrants can compete”, The CASE Journal, Vol. 12, No. 3. |
| 10 | Z. He and L. Chen (2017), “Maipu Communication Technology Co., Ltd: challenges in innovation”, The CASE Journal, Vol. 13, No. 3 |
| 11 | D. Desplaces and S.W. Congden (2017), “Expat pay & compensation: fair or not fair?”, The CASE Journal, Vol. 13, No. 2 |
Top 10 TCJ reviewers of 2017a
| Rank | Reviewer |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ken Levitt, Frostburg State University |
| 2 | David Desplaces, College of Charleston |
| 3 | Charles Carson, Samford University |
| 4 | Joseph Trendowski, Valparaiso University |
| 5 | Patrik Hultberg, Kalamazoo College |
| 6 | Joe Anderson, Northern Arizona University |
| 7 | Kathryn Savage, Northern Arizona University |
| 8 | John Ogilvie, University of Hartford |
| 9 | Rebecca Wilson-Mah, Royal Roads University |
| 10 | Steven Congden, University of Hartford |
Note: aThis ranking reflects a combined score of the number of cases or articles reviewed, the quality of the review (as assessed by the editor) and the timeliness of the reviews
Cases in this issue
| Case title | Authors | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|
| Competing with the grey market: Puzey and Payne in Zimbabwe Keywords: strategic management, developing economies, turnaround strategy Audience: undergraduate and graduate students in International Business Management |
Amon Simba, David Smith and Tatenda Dube | The case study analyzed competition in the automobile industry in Zimbabwe – a developing economy. Puzey and Payne was established during the 1987 colonial era. The company endured a prolonged period of rapid car and spare parts sales but saw decline in 2012. Following a management buyout (MBO) deal in 2013 the decline in sales proved to be its real dilemma and it required strategic decisions to diffuse the impact of the “grey markets.” Government policies added to the company’s problems |
| Under Armour: repositioning for the global stage Keywords: strategic management, leadership Audience: undergraduate, graduate or executive students in Business Policy and Strategy, General Management, Sports Marketing, Leadership or Organizational Behavior |
Constance James and Keith Whitney | Over the last two decades, under armour has emerged from being the “underdog” in the sports apparel and footwear industry with a fierce attention to performance and great skill at picking up-and-coming athletes who emerge as superstars. This case underscores its administrative heritage, competitive strategy and growth potential as a global player in a highly competitive industry. It addresses the tension between being a performance brand while launching lines for women vs technology applications and conflicts between its growth strategy and macroeconomic forces. It highlights areas in which it has succeeded against macroeconomic forces and where it has not |
| Thorby-Wando Marine Refit, Inc.: refurbishing a supplier selection tool Keywords: vendor analysis, supplier assessment and selection, Delphi technique Audience: undergraduate students in Purchasing, Materials Management and Supply Chain Management |
John Timmerman, Serhiy Ponomarov and Frank Morris | Rick Jamison, as Project Manager for the highly profitable Mega-Yacht division of Thorsby-Wando Marine Refit Inc., has been assigned the task of revamping the supplier evaluation and selection tool used by the company in view of the evolution of the business from a small boat storage and repair facility into a full-service large boat and mega-yacht repair and refit facility. Rick gleans ideas from a colleague at another facility in preparation for re-crafting the current supplier evaluation tool. Rick becomes acquainted with how the Delphi method could be used to achieve consensus among members of the buying center to arrive at key factors and their proportionate weights for use in the supplier evaluation tool |
| Navy expeditionary logistics Keywords: supply chain management, logistics, operations management, military Audience: senior undergraduate or graduate students in Operations Management, Supply Chain Management or Logistics |
Keenan Yoho and Uday Apte | Continuous process improvement has been widely taught in business schools and has yielded real results and success in both for-profit and non-profit sectors. Though there have been many cases developed for use in business schools, few, if any, situate the topic in a military context. Further, expeditionary logistics presents managers with special problems of being removed from their supporting enterprise systems that process, track, and/or control of such logistical elements as purchase orders, inventory, distribution, receivables, and fulfillment. We present a case in a military setting that exposes students to the challenges of expeditionary logistics and takes them through the fundamentals of process analysis and process improvement |
Article in this issue
| Article title, keywords and audience | Authors | Abstract |
|---|---|---|
| Crafting a teaching case study: Ideation to Publication Keywords: case writing, pedagogy Audience: upper-level undergraduates and graduate students interested in pedagogically based research, novice and experienced case writers |
Erica Berte, Vijay Narapareddy, Marlene Reed and J. Kay Keels | “I think I would like to write a case. What do I do now?” The aim of this article is to answer this often-asked question by presenting a useful guide for case writers which examines the entire process of case writing beginning with the initial idea and proceeding through required stages leading to publication of case studies. Further, this guide seeks to emphasize that case writing is a form of research, not just story telling. Ultimately, the increasing interest of scholars in researching, writing, and publishing pedagogical cases provided the impetus for this paper. The four major case writing processes identified in this article include Ideation (idea generation), Creation (crafting the case study), Application (creating the Instructors Manual) and Publication (publishing the case). Each of these four processes is presented in detail including examples, pitfalls and resources. This work is intended to assist novice, as well as experienced, case authors who seek advice on crafting and publishing pedagogical cases in refereed journals. Resources presented in this article should be helpful especially for aspiring and as yet unpublished case writers |