Management Case Study Guidelines for Preparation and Writing

Candidates are responsible for choosing the Management Case Study topic.

Where appropriate, Candidates should discuss their proposed topic with the appropriate parties within their own organisation for any consideration toward confidentiality or privacy.

The Candidates should identify a topic related to their workplace and a process/event that they have actively been involved in and one that has provided the opportunity for them to demonstrate their leadership skills.

Examples of topics include but are not limited to:

• the development of aspects of improved communication in their workplace
• the introduction of aspects of an improved financial management system
• a change in committee structure
• the development of a new clinical program or service
• a change management process
• introduction of new technology
• an audit
• management of a complex incident e.g. Coroners case, Emergency Response, significant clinical incident, significant concern regarding a clinician
• service development, implementation and evaluation
• development of a Workforce or Strategic Plan.

The topic should allow Candidates to demonstrate:

• ability to identify an important health service management issue
• ability to assess and research the issue
• capacity to relate this appropriately to theory, knowledge and best practice
• ability to take management action
• ability to document the Case Study in a clear and professional manner.

It is important that the Management Case Study demonstrates a link between theory and practice. Hence, the assessment will involve an examination of the practical aspects of the management decisions and actions which are the subject of study. In addition, the manner in which the Candidate has drawn upon relevant theories and literature in analysing and addressing the issue will be considered. Utilising the developing skills of the Candidate, the available literature, and the Preceptor or Executive Coach, the Case Study should demonstrate an understanding by the Candidate why certain management strategies did or did not work in this instance.

The study is intended to extend the knowledge and skills of the Candidate. Both the preparation and the examination of the Case Study should be a learning experience. The study is not intended to be original research, but nevertheless, it should not have been submitted previously for other course work or another degree.


Undertaking the Study

Management Case Study Proposal
The Management Case Study Proposal will incorporate an outline of the proposed Case Study: the rationale for undertaking it, the specific objectives, the proposed methodology and expected outcome.

In determining an appropriate subject for study, Candidates must discuss their Proposals with their Preceptors. The Proposal must be signed off by the Preceptor or Executive Coach before being sent to the Censor for Research and Case Studies for endorsement. Any Proposal not signed off by the Preceptor or Executive Coach will not be considered.

The Management Case Study Proposal should be a maximum of 1,000 words.

The Management Case Study should demonstrate that the Candidate has developed further knowledge and practical skills in the subject area. It should describe a health service management activity and analyse it in terms of relevant management literature and practice. Any lessons for health service management practice should be identified.

The usual format for the Proposal is as follows:
 

Title – The title of your project
This should be a succinct but defining statement of the overall nature of your study.

Background – A description of the problem being addressed
The ‘problem’ is a description of what precisely the event or process improvement is and how it will be identified. This may include reference to key relevant literature or needs analyse.

If the problem is too broad for this Management Case Study, it is important to define the scope of the part of the problem you will be addressing.

Methodology – An outline of the actual course of action taken.
This is a statement of the overall approach, strategies or method you used.

RACMA Competencies
Outline the specific competencies from the RACMA Curriculum you will be discussing in your Case Study.

Please submit your Management Case Study Proposal with the Cover Sheet to your Preceptor.


Written Management Case Study

The written submission should consider the following:

• Why the topic is being presented?
• What was the problem/issue/challenge? Contextualise this and convey meaning about the importance of resolving the problem. Why was it a priority?
• What did you do to understand, determine a course of action, communicate, get agreement to and implement the course of action/response to the problem, and how effective was the outcome?
• What did you learn from this problem solving action – about organisation, management, people, systems, managing change, etc.?
• What research did you do to find a solution?
• How it was managed to conclusion/resolution?
• What was your role in the process?
• How did the Candidate’s development of the RACMA Core Competencies apply in the management of this situation?
• What skills and knowledge have you developed as a result of this activity?

Structuring your written Management Case Study

The final Management Case Study will be:

• Between 2,500 and 3,000 words (excluding references, title, footnotes, appendices).WORD COUNT MUST BE STRICTLY APPLIED, IN CASE OF EXCESSIVE WORD COUNT THE MANAGEMENT CASE STUDY WILL NOT BE FORWARDED TO THE MARKERS FOR ASSESSMENT.
• Appropriately referenced to relevant literature. Please note: Candidates may choose the Harvard or Vancouver referencing system.
• Appropriately related to the RACMA Core Competencies to demonstrate how the Candidate has attained and enhanced these as part of a learning process during Candidacy.

Declaration
A signed statement (as below) that the work submitted is your own and has not been submitted for any previous assessment.

 

Declaration:
“I hereby declare that the intellectual content of this Case Study is the product of my own work even though I may have received assistance from others in style, presentation and linguistic expression.

I also declare that I have addressed all ethical and legal considerations prior to submission.

This written Case Study has not been previously submitted in this form, for assessment at any time.

My Preceptor has read this case study and concurs that it is ready for submission.”

You should sign and date this declaration.

Submission

The written Management Case Study must be submitted in a WORD document to RACMA National Office via the eETP with the Management Case Study Cover Sheet (available on the web). The cover sheet must be signed by the Preceptor. The Preceptor should acknowledge on the cover sheet that the work is ready for submission and assessment by Censors.