Defining the Genre of the "Case Write-Up"

Although the case "write-up" is the dominant written genre in case-based businessschools, it is not well known to communication scholars. Modern genre theory provides a theoretical perspective for understanding the write-up according to its central purpose: preparing students to participate in the class discussion (oral analysis) of the case. Using discourse-based interviews with genre experts (MBAstudents and instructors at a case-based business school), the study shows that thewrite-up prepares students for classroom performance as problem-solvers, managerswho can act in business situations, and disciplinary thinkers who can apply academic knowledge to the real world. Each action-problem solving, making decisions, and applying disciplinary knowledge-comprises a set of "moves" in thewrite-up, such as offering recommendations and plans for implementation.Although students may effectively integrate the three actions and sets of moves intheir write-ups, they more often confront conflicting demands in preparing to perform for the oral case analysis. The written results are fragmented, even incoherent, case write-ups in the eyes of "outsiders." Defining the genre from the perspective of discourse "insiders," however, suggests that the write-up functions effectivelyin management classrooms to ensure students' engaged performance in the oralcase analysis.