How to Put More Strategy into Your 'Taxes and Business Strategy' Course : A Case-Method Approach

This technical note provides the design for a case-method course called Taxation and Management Decisions taught in Darden's MBA program. The course is a general management course, and is designed specifically to exclude mergers and acquisitions, which are taught in another elective. While the entire course is taught through the case method, students discuss and analyze a mixture of cases and press articles and exercises. The case method is an incredible way to more fully integrate tax and non-tax factors into a strategic discussion in the classroom. This technical note provides a framework for others, who might be interested in a case-method approach, think about how to structure their classes. Although the case method is a more applicable teaching method for tax education than its current use reflects, case-method teaching may not be the best method for all environments. Adjustments to strict case-method teaching may be needed for such factors as the experience and future professional goals of the students, the norms of the institution, the number of students, and the purpose of the course (to disseminate information or to develop judgment and leadership)