Designing Rigorous Online Case Discussions: A Transferable Six-Step Spine for International Business Courses
Sandeep Puri
Asian Institute of Management, Philippines
Rameshwar Dubey
MBS School of Business, Montpellier, France and Liverpool Business School, UK
Shweta Pandey
SP Jain School of Global Management, Singapore
Raiswa Saha
JK Business School, Gurgaon, India
Volume 21: 2026, pp. 00-00; ABSTRACT
Online and hybrid business programs continue to expand worldwide, yet instructors
report difficulty in sustaining rigorous, discussion-based courses in virtual environments. This paper
proposes a simple, transferable spine for online case teaching grounded in predictable, high-leverage
routines. The six-step model, ASCEND, aims to establish a stable instructional rhythm by replacing
tool-heavy complexity, shifting routine cognitive processing to pre-class preparation using shared
templates, enhancing the visibility of in-class reasoning through structured participation roles, and
reinforcing accountability through concise post-class memos. These steps, namely scaffolded pre
class modelling, transparent calling rosters, time-boxed breakout production, poll–discuss–repoll
cycles, scribe rotation, and evidence-based memo writing, are adaptable across disciplines,
bandwidth conditions, and cultural contexts. Drawing on contemporary research in cognitive load,
online engagement, and case-based pedagogy, the paper demonstrates the spine’s workability,
outlines steps for immediate implementation, and identifies pathways for department-scaling
without eroding instructor autonomy. Practical guidance includes micro-scripts, equity
considerations, low-bandwidth variants, program-level operating plans, and light evidence sources
for continuous improvement. This practice-oriented contribution is a replicable blueprint for
rigorous, equitable, and work-ready discussion learning in international business education.
Keywords: online learning, case method, work-readiness skills, participative learning, instructional
design, virtual and hybrid pedagogy.
ORDER ARTICLE PERMISSIONS/REPRINTS/OFFPRINTS
To order permissions to include this article in textbooks, edited volumes, course booklets, online/digital course packs, etc., and/or to order multiple individual hard copies for classroom use, please use the appropriate form available on the Order Forms page or alternatively, contact the Publishing Editor pneilson@neilsonjournals.com directly.
