UMass Case Study Project

Entry Details

The current case study book, "Cases in Club Management" is outdated and out-of-print.  There is a need for a new series of cases to be written about current club management topics including competency areas not covered in the old case study book, including areas such as accounting/finance; leadership; marketing and membership; sports -- including golf, golf learning centers, racquet sports, pools, marinas and waterfront areas; interpersonal skills; and communication including web design, mobile apps and club technology. A process for collecting case study "stories" was needed and developed based on both Harvard Business School strategies for writing great case studies and research on what works in case study development. Students in club management classes have worked over the last few years to suggest how to improve the existing old cases and in the advanced club management class have worked to write and develop new evolving case studies in golf operations; food and beverage; and waterfront club facilities and activities.  With student assistance through the UMass Student Chapter and the course instructor, Rod Warnick we have developed and test a case study data collection instrument in class and will implement at regional NECMA education sessions. The instrument has been refined to be used and data collected via a QUALTRICs survey data collection platform that works on mobile, tablet, laptop and desktop devices.

Implementation

Members of the New England Club Management Association (NECMA) have widely agreed that more and better case studies are needed as learning tools not just for students, but for entry level managers and all managers facing daily club management challenges. They have indicated that these case studies could be used in BMIs and other education sessions for further learning and practical club management applications. Currently we are targeting an Spring 2024 implementation at a monthly NECMA Event and the NECMA education coordinators are agreeable to conduct and assist in this educational session. We have also indicated to the Club Foundation that we would be willing to provide or conduct a session at the 2024 World CMAA Conference in Las Vegas if needed or the 2025 World CMAA Conference in Tampa.   Students love reading and solving the current old case studies, suggesting ways to update the cases, and have expressed high interest in learning about new competency areas via case study stories and problem solving solutions. The goal or vision here is "merge practical real-world issues specific to the competency areas taking place in the club management field with teachable concepts, research and readings in the classroom and the educational settings of BMIs and educational roundtables through the development and publication of a new series of club management case studies." This is both timely and needed in the profession.