Can Cases Replace Textbooks? : What would be required of the cases, would they require changes?

Sammanfattning: Case studies undeniably have great educational merits and provide real-world insight in a way that many textbooks do not, but can cases replace textbooks in the context of education? This literature review set out to answer this question and to determine in what ways case studies would have to change in order to be able to replace textbooks. Multiple sources, primarily existing case studies, were studied in order to determine what qualities of textbooks make them suitable for education and how these are reflected by case studies, and how well some case studies hold up to the standards of textbooks established. Several case studies were briefly reviewed with these criteria in mind, and the conclusion was drawn that while case studies certainly do have great educational significance and they do have their place in the classroom or lecture hall, as they are now they should not replace textbooks. It was concluded that despite their many strengths case studies need to put greater focus on teaching empirical theory as well as its practical applications in order to replace textbooks, but they should certainly continue to be used as literature in higher education.