MONCTON, NB – The Crandall University Faculty of Business Administration is pleased to announce that Management Professor Robert A. MacDonald, holder of the Stephen S. Steeves Chair in Business Administration, and Ms. Frannie Branswell, Marketing and Communications Associate, have been recognized with the “Special Award for Innovation in Case Writing” by the North American Case Research Association (NACRA) for their scholarship in the domain of employee relations and interpersonal conflict.
The award celebrates the authors’ development of a graphic case study based on qualitative field research. “Like many case studies we sought to explore a ‘real-life’ business dilemma through the construction of a compelling narrative followed by intensive analysis,” said Professor MacDonald. “The material difference with our work, however, is that the narrative unfolds in an illustrative format – in many ways like a comic book. This mode of presentation is a bit out of the ordinary for case studies, and its uniqueness should help capture students’ attention.”
Ms. Branswell, who developed the graphic component of the research project, stated that “I feel very grateful to have been asked to take on the challenge of assembling the visuals for this case, and I could not have imagined a better outcome than NACRA acknowledging our creativity. This award represents a tangible recognition of our efforts to ‘change the case writing game’ and is certainly something I will cherish for years to come!”
NACRA is a scholarly organization of researchers, mostly in the business disciplines, who support the exploration, writing, and teaching of case studies. The organization’s academic publication, the Case Research Journal, is recognized as the leading academic journal for case investigation in North America. “NACRA’s recognition of our research is a strong affirmation of the Business Faculty’s ability to produce internationally recognized scholarship,” said Professor MacDonald. “There are good things happening at Crandall, and I thank God for enabling Frannie and I to have a part in his achievements.”
The Crandall University Faculty of Business Administration offers concentrations in Accounting, Management, Marketing, Economics and Finance, and General Business Administration. The Faculty’s motto “Excellence. Integrated.” speaks to its goal of being a global leader in the provision of values-based business education.
