How to share lottery winnings? - Solution to a case from the Universidad Panamericana (Mexico)
Leading global business schools actively incorporate case studies into their educational processes, as they are based on real situations faced by companies and the narratives that these companies experience. A case study may focus on one or several subject areas and may include not only the actions of senior management, but also various employees. Case study development is a lengthy and labor-intensive process, yet an increasing number of educators and professors are developing these cases and publishing them in open sources.
Colleagues from the partner university Panamericana (Mexico) shared some of their cases with the School of Economics and Management after the delegation's visit in October 2024. One of the cases, 'The Scratch Dilemma', prepared by the Vice-Rector of the University, Carlos Lopez-Hernandez, was offered for consideration to the 3rd year students of the educational programme 'International Bachelors in Business and Economics' within the course 'Human Resource Management'.
The case tells the story of a real company that sent two of its employees on a business trip and paid for all their accommodation and travel expenses. The hotel group where the employees stayed often held lotteries with valuable prizes for the guests who checked in. As luck would have it, one of the employees won a brand new luxury car. In order to resolve the conflict that had arisen, the students had to decide: should the winning employee share the prize with a colleague and the company? The case was presented in the format of a business game 'Debate', where teams actively argued different points of view. Although the case was based on the realities of a Mexican company and all communication was in English, this did not prevent the students from finding and expressing original solutions that were fully applicable to the Russian business environment.
Ilya Medvedev, a third-year student in the International Bachelor’s Programme in Business and Economics, commented:
`The case turned out to be quite engaging. Our team was motivated to perform well in the debates, so we thoroughly prepared our arguments, anticipating possible objections from opponents, and developed a strategy for action. The assignment drew attention as conflicts often arise in professional settings, making it crucial to defend one’s position effectively.`
Business games are one of the most vibrant and effective methods of business education, becoming essential in all modern business schools. They cultivate students' ability to examine any problematic situation comprehensively, evaluate various potential outcomes, and identify optimal management solutions. Such skills prepare graduates of the School of Economics and Management for any challenges and complex contexts in contemporary business.
Kirill Popov, also a third-year student on the International Bachelor's Programme in Business and Economics, added:
`I really enjoyed working on this case. It felt like a real and immersive role-playing game, where everyone could test themselves and their skills, show their creativity and ability to discuss, and ultimately consolidate the course material closer to practice. It was fascinating to see the participants show different sides of themselves: actively debating, engaging in dialogue and defending their team's position as if it were a real court proceeding. I appreciate activities that involve the whole group; this seminar format particularly appealed to me.`
There is no doubt that more areas of cooperation will also be explored the Mexican universities, including joint case studies on intercultural communication, market entry strategies for Russia and Mexico, and managing multinational teams in a multinational environment.