
The CASE Journal
Guidelines for authors
We welcome cases written about real people, in real organisations, who have to make real decisions. Cases can be developed from primary data and/or secondary data. Cases can have some information disguised which will need to be outlined in your research methods section in the teaching note, and the real individuals and/or company need to provide consent for the publication of the disguised case. We do not publish fictional cases.
Before you submit your case and IM, Compact Case and Teaching Note, industry note, technical note, critical incident or article to The CASE Journal, please check that your submission complies with the following:
Cases
- Do not include a synopsis or abstract – save it for the instructors’ manual.
- The case must be factual: that is, using real people, real companies, real situations – no composites. You may disguise the company and individuals involved (note that on the first page of the case), but this does not relieve you of the responsibility for obtaining a release.
- All cases must be written in the past tense, except for direct quotes. Cases written in the present tense will be returned without review.
- Cases do not have to have a decision focus; illustrative, descriptive, and analytical cases are welcome at The Case Journal.
- Use 1” margins, single spacing, and clearly numbered exhibits or appendices. Number all tables, appendices, attachments, illustrations, exhibits, maps, and other sorts of ancillary material sequentially, using the generic “Exhibit” as the identifier.
Instructors' manual
The instructors' manual should contain the following information (at minimum):
- Include an appropriate synopsis describing the context of the case, the dilemma being faced, and the discipline the case is relevant for.
- Detail a set of teaching objectives appropriate for the stated target audience.
- Provide a research methods section that details the types of data used to develop the case.
- Include a 90-minute multi-media teaching plan, including suggested classroom facilitation questions and activities.
- Include a set of assignment questions that align with the teaching objectives, and relate to the dilemma being faced in the case.
- Use recent literature, theory, or research findings to analyse the case study and provide model answers to the assignment questions.
- Include a specific set of instructions as to how this case can be used in a live environment and the ways in which an educator might want to consider adapting the teaching plan to use it in this way.
- You are welcome to include an epilogue of the case, of what really happened, if known.
Compact Cases
The CASE Journal publishes Compact Cases designed to provide sufficient information to motivate student learning, illustrate concepts and provide discussion opportunities in a shorter case format. Compact Cases must meet all of the guidelines for Cases, but are limited to 500-1,000 words in length (just about two single-spaced pages). Compact cases have a briefer Teaching Note (described below) instead of a full Instructor’s manual.
Teaching Note
Only Compact Cases utilise a Teaching Note. Do not utilise these guidelines for cases that exceed 1,000 words in length. The Teaching Note should contain:
- Abbreviated abstract
- Keywords
- Case usage (level and course)
- Learning objectives (usually one or two)
- Discussion questions (usually no more than three)
- Theory Discussion (more tightly focused than for full length case)
- Answers to Discussion Questions
- Teaching Tips/Activities
- Epilogue (if known)
- Authors must provide a structured abstract of no more than 400 words for their case, this is to be completed on the title page. The structured abstract is to be split into the following sections; Synopsis, Research Methodology, Relevant Courses and Levels & Theoretical Basis. Authors must also provide a minimum of 5 keywords for their case study.
Copyright
Teaching cases submitted for publication should not have been published before in their current or substantially similar form, or be under consideration for publication with any ISSN/ ISBN registered publication. Please see Emerald’s originality guidelines for details. Authors submitting teaching cases for publication warrant that the work is not an infringement of any existing copyright and will indemnify the publisher against any breach of such warranty. For ease of dissemination and to ensure proper policing of use, papers and contributions become the legal copyright of the publisher unless otherwise agreed. The editor may make use of iThenticate software for checking the originality of submissions received.
Permissions
Prior to teaching case submission, authors must clear permission to use any content that has not been created by them. Failure to do so may lead to lengthy delays in publication. Emerald is unable to publish any content which has permissions outstanding. The rights that Emerald require evidence of clearance for, are:
- Non-exclusive rights to reproduce the material.
- Print and electronic rights.
- Worldwide English language rights.
- To use the material for the life of the work (i.e., there should be no time restrictions on the re-use of material, e.g., a one-year licence).
When reproducing tables, figures or excerpts from another source, it is expected that:
- Authors obtain the necessary written permission in advance from any third party owners of copyright for the use in print and electronic formats of any of their text, illustrations, graphics, or other material, in their manuscript. Permission must also be cleared for any minor adaptations of any work not created by them.
- If an author significantly adapts any material, the author must inform the copyright holder of the original work.
- Authors obtain any proof of consent statements.
- Authors must always acknowledge the source in figure captions and refer to the source in the reference list.
- Authors should not assume that any content which is freely available on the web is free to use. Authors should check the website for details of the copyright holder to seek permission for re-use.
Emerald is a member of the STM Association and participates in the reciprocal free exchange of material with other STM members. This may mean that in some cases, authors do not need to clear permission for re-use of content. If so, please highlight this upon submission. For more information and additional help, please follow the Permissions for your Manuscript guide.
Consent to publish – release form
All teaching cases submitted for review must include appropriate signed permissions from case Protagonists, e.g., CEO; company directors or any employee given authority by the organisation; or the person or persons under review, granting full permission to publish the case. Written permission must also be obtained if you include any material for which someone other than yourself or the case subject/protagonist, own the copyright. Please see Permissions section above for more detail. Please refer to our Consent to publish – Release Form as an example of the required release form.
Defamation / Libel
If inaccurate, unsubstantiated or emotive statements are made about organisations or people in a submitted case, Emerald reserves the right to request changes to the text from the author or to reject the case prior to publication.
Critiques and reviews of organisations, products and services are acceptable but comments must be constructive and must not:
- Expose groups or individuals to hatred, ridicule or contempt;
- Cause them to be shunned or avoided;
- Lower them in the estimation of right-thinking members of society generally;
- Disparage them in their business, trade, office or profession.
Final Submission
Authors should note that proofs are not supplied prior to publication. The manuscript will be considered to be the definitive version of the teaching case. Therefore, any requests for changes after the final submission will not be granted. The author must ensure that the final submission is complete, grammatically correct and without spelling or typographical errors.
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Editor-in-Chief
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Christopher
Craig
Murray State University, USA
[email protected]
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Christopher
Craig
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Associate Editor
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Mike
Annett
MacEwan University, Canada
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David
Desplaces
Tommy and Victoria Baker School of Business, The Citadel, Charleston, USA - USA
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Keith
Harris
Kansas State University, USA
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Tulsi
Jayakumar
SP Jain Institute of Management and Research - India
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Ismail
Karabas
Murray State University - USA
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Oznur
Yurt
The Open University - UK
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Mike
Annett
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Editor Assistant
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Ben
McCormick
Murray State University - USA
[email protected]
-
Ben
McCormick
-
Publisher
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Melissa
Close
Emerald Publishing - USA
[email protected]
-
Melissa
Close
-
Journal Editorial Office (For queries related to pre-acceptance)
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Rimalee Vijay
Pillay
Emerald Publishing
[email protected]
-
Rimalee Vijay
Pillay
-
Supplier Project Manager (For queries related to post-acceptance)
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Rakhi
Verma
Emerald Publishing
[email protected]
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Rakhi
Verma
-
Editorial Advisory Board
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Erin
Bass
University of Nebraska Omaha - USA
-
Steve
Congden
University of Hartford, USA - USA
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Kelly
Fisher
West Chester University, Pennsylvania, USA
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Matthew
Fisher
Lam Family College of Business, San Francisco State University, USA
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James
Hilliard
Fox School of Business, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
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Sarah
Holtzen
Missouri Southern State University, - United States
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Patrik
Hultberg
Kalamazoo College, USA - USA
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George
Joesph
University of Massachusetts Lowell - United States
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Kenneth
Levitt
Frostburg State University, USA - USA
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Paddy
Lonergan
Manchester Metropolitan University - United Kingdom
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Anne
Macy
Paul & Virginia Engler College of Business, West Texas A&M University, USA
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Matthew J.
Mazzei
Samford University - United States
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Margaret
Naumes
University of New Hampshire (retired), USA - USA
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William
Naumes
University of New Hampshire, USA - USA
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Marlene
Reed
Baylor University, USA
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Stuart
Rosenberg
Monmouth University, New Jersey, USA
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Kathryn
Savage
Northern Arizona University, USA - USA
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Karin
Schnarr
Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada
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Vivian
Steinhauser
Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Joseph
Trendowski
Mount St. Joseph University - USA
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Sumedha
Tuteja
Department of Finance, Institute of Management Studies Ghaziabad, Ghaziabad, India
-
Jorge Manuel
Vareda Gomes
University of Lisbon, Portugal
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Miriam
Weismann
Florida International University - USA
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Rebecca
Wilson-Mah
Royal Roads University, Canada - Canada
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Angela
da Rocha
Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Brazil
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Erin
Bass
0.2
CiteScore 2022
0.2
CiteScore 2022
Further information
CiteScore is a simple way of measuring the citation impact of sources, such as journals.
Calculating the CiteScore is based on the number of citations to documents (articles, reviews, conference papers, book chapters, and data papers) by a journal over four years, divided by the number of the same document types indexed in Scopus and published in those same four years.
For more information and methodology visit the Scopus definition
0.1
CiteScore Tracker 2023
(updated monthly)
0.1
CiteScore Tracker 2023
(updated monthly)
Further information
CiteScore is a simple way of measuring the citation impact of sources, such as journals.
CiteScore Tracker is calculated in the same way as CiteScore, but for the current year rather than previous, complete years.
The CiteScore Tracker calculation is updated every month, as a current indication of a title's performance.
For more information and methodology visit the Scopus definition
The CASE Journal is abstracted and indexed by
- Scopus

Case writing competitions
We partner with various organisations around the world to offer a range of case writing competitions. Our competition winners receive international recognition and a cash prize, and cases may be considered for international publication.
Find out how you can apply and details of our previous winners.
News
Winners of the 1st Indigenous Voices Case Writing Competition announced
We are very pleased to announce the winners of the Indigenous Voices Case Writing Competition. This competition aimed to provide a home for Indigenous scholars within the Emerald teaching case ecosystem. Due to the historical underrepresentation...
Winners of the 2023 Emerald/Case for Women competition
In partnership with The Case for Women, Forté, and Graduate Business Curriculum (GBC) Roundtable, Emerald Publishing is pleased to announce the winners of The Case for Women 2023 case writing competition. The aim of this global competition is to...
The Case Journal 2022 Best Case award
Emerald Publishing and The CASE Journal are pleased to announce the winner of the 2022 Best Case Award. Every year, the editorial team at The CASE Journal selects one case from the previous year's volume to receive the annual Best Case Award which...
Changes to TCJ's Author Payment Policy
Effective immediately, TCJ is pleased to announce that we will begin paying all cases $100 upon publication. The decision to update our author payment policy coincides with the renewal of TCJ's collaboration with our long-time partner, The CASE...
Winners of the 2021 TCJ Compact Case Competition
Emerald Publishing and The CASE Journal are pleased to announce the winners of the 2021 TCJ Compact Case Competition. Unlike traditional 8 - 10 page case study narratives, compact cases are designed to be read in 15 minutes; allowing an immediate...
2020 CASE/Emerald Best Case Award winner announced
The CASE Association have recently announced the winner of the 2020 CASE/Emerald Best Case Award. Criteria included: Quality of the case based on: Engaging writing style Timelessness and significance of the subject matter A...
TCJ Editorials
Recent editorials from TCJ: Case research methodologies: The difference between storytelling and research - Rebecca J. Morris The student case writing assignment - Rebecca J. Morris Responding to reviewers - Rebecca J. Morris The...
The CASE Journal accepted into Scopus
We’re delighted to let you know that TCJ has been accepted into Scopus. This is fantastic news, endorsing the quality of our content, and an important step in cases being acknowledged as a valuable academic contribution and a fantastic...
2018 CASE/Emerald Best Case Award Winner Announced in Delaware
The CASE Association recently announced the winner of the 2018 CASE/Emerald Best Case Award during The CASE Association’s 2019 Annual Meeting in Wilmington, Delaware. Criteria included: Quality of the case based on: Engaging writing style...
The CASE Journal welcomes compact cases for publication
The CASE Journal (TCJ) welcomes new submissions for compact cases (limited to 500-1,000 words). The goal is to make cases accessible, readable and more engaging for students. TCJ’s Editor Rebecca Morris explains: “Compact cases offer a...
Components of a Compact Case
Compact Cases are intended to be no more than 1,000 words in length (about two single-spaced pages). Keep this in mind as you write by watching the word count as you write. In Microsoft Word, the word count can be viewed in the bottom...
Literati awards

The CASE Journal - Literati Award Winners 2020
We are pleased to announce our 2020 Literati Award winners. Outstanding Paper Startup on a budget: winning new customers without breaking the bank Heidi M.J. Bertels ...
The CASE Journal (the official journal of The CASE Association) presents students with a modern interpretation of discussion-based teaching, and equips the next generation of business professionals with the acumen to solve strategic problems in enterprise.
eISSN: 1544-9106
Aims and scope
The CASE Journal (TCJ) invites submission of the following:
- Cases: TCJ publishes factual teaching cases spanning the full spectrum of business and management disciplines.
- Compact cases: These cases must be factual and are limited to 500-1,000 words. The goal is to make cases accessible, readable and more engaging for students.
- New forms: TCJ is interested in exploring new types of cases that go beyond the conventional models. Cases utilising innovative technology or twists on traditional formats are welcome.
- Articles and conceptual papers: TCJ also invites submissions of articles relating to case teaching, case writing, case reviewing, and similar topics. Conceptual papers and papers reporting original research as well as the applied implications of others’ research in terms of case teaching, research, and instruction are welcome, as are creative learning, research and writing methods that have been tested in the classroom or in practice, including critical incidents and industry or technical notes.
All cases must be accompanied by an Instructor’s Manual providing the target audience, relevant theoretical concepts or models, research methodology, discussion questions, and suggested responses and teaching strategies.
Virtual special issues
Compact cases - virtual issue
Unlike traditional 8-10-page case study narratives, compact cases, which can be read in 15 minutes, allow for an immediate classroom discussion around a single theme.
Responsible consumption – virtual issue
Find out more about our virtual special issue on responsible consumption.

This journal is aligned with our responsible management goal
We aim to champion researchers, practitioners, policymakers and organisations who share our goals of contributing to a more ethical, responsible and sustainable way of working.






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