Winners announced – The Case Centre’s 36th global Awards and Competitions
The Case Centre Awards and Competitions 2026 reflect the state of today’s rapidly changing global environment and the critical role of the case method in helping future leaders grapple with real-world complexity. This year’s winning cases bring the challenges shaping business decision-making directly into the classroom, from geopolitical instability and technological rivalry to sustainability and long-term resilience.
The relevance of this year’s Hot Topic competition, Leading in turbulent times, proved particularly striking. Four of the winning cases across all categories focus on business challenges arising from geopolitical uncertainty (including cases featuring Apple, ASML, Tottenham Hotspur Football Club and Ben & Jerry’s), underlining how closely case teaching is tracking the pressures faced by organisations worldwide. Sustainability also remained a strong theme, with three winning cases exploring sustainability-related issues, continuing the momentum seen in the 2025 awards.
Artificial intelligence also emerged as a key theme, with two winning cases focusing on AI. This included the Overall Award winner, which was also the most adopted case globally in 2025.
For the second consecutive year, the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) has won the most awards, taking home three in 2026 – Finance, Accounting and Control, Production and Operations Management, and Outstanding Case Writer – and bringing its total number of awards to 50, underscoring its enduring strength in case writing and teaching.
Vicky Lester, Chief Executive Officer of The Case Centre and chair of the judging panel, said:
“These awards showcase how the case method continues to bring the real world into the classroom, helping future leaders navigate complexity and make informed decisions in an ever-changing environment. From geopolitical uncertainty and sustainability challenges to the rise of artificial intelligence, this year’s winning cases reflect the issues shaping business today. We are also proud to see institutions like IMD consistently demonstrating excellence in case writing and teaching, inspiring students around the world.”
School highlights
International Institute for Management Development (IMD) won three awards: Finance, Accounting and Control for the seventh time, Production and Operations Management category for the eighth time, and Outstanding Case Writer for the third time. With this latest recognition, IMD’s total number of awards now stands at 50.
Three organisations each received two awards. Harvard Business School won the Overall Award for the fifth time and the Human Resource Management / Organisational Behaviour category for the second time. Massachusetts Institute of Technology secured the Overall Award for the first time and the Free Case category for the third time. Fox School of Business, Temple University also received two category awards, for Entrepreneurship and Strategy and General Management.
Copenhagen Business School won the Economics, Politics and Business Environment category for the second time. Several institutions won their respective categories for the first time, including School of Business, Conestoga College (Outstanding Contribution to the Case Method), Sasin School of Management (Ethics and Social Responsibility), Corvinus University of Budapest and KEDGE Business School (joint winners, Knowledge, Information and Communication Systems Management), Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University (Marketing), the University of Virginia Darden School of Business (Outstanding Case Writer: Hot Topic ‘Leading in turbulent times’), HEC Paris (Outstanding Compact Case), and the University of Sussex Business School (Outstanding New Case Writer).
For four institutions, it was their first success in these awards and competitions: Fox School of Business, Temple University; Corvinus University of Budapest; KEDGE Business School; and University of Sussex Business School.
Author highlights
Solon Moreira and Ram Mudambi each secured two category wins this year, in Entrepreneurship and in Strategy and General Management. Two authors were also recognised for repeat successes: Donald N. Sull secured his third win in the Free Case category (2026, 2022, 2021), while Carlos Cordon won the Production and Operations Management category for the second time (2026, 2011).
RESULTS IN FULL:
Awards
Overall winner AI Wars
Andy Wu, Matt Higgins and Miaomiao Zhang, Harvard Business School
Hang Jiang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Production and Operations Management Apple’s Supply Chain Transformation
Carlos Cordon and Nick Georgiev, International Institute for Management Development (IMD)
Outstanding Contribution to the Case Method Jane Gravill, School of Business, Conestoga College
Outstanding Case Teacher John Mullins, London Business School
Outstanding Case Writer Has Nike Lost Its Stride?
Ivy Buche and Goutam Challagalla, International Institute for Management Development (IMD)
Outstanding Case Writer: Hot Topic ‘Leading in turbulent times’ Tottenham Hotspur: Fielding Controversy
Serena Hagerty, Luca Cian, Amy Klopfenstein and Demitrios Kalogeropoulos, University of Virginia Darden School of Business
Now in their 36th year, the Awards have been global since 2011 (European Case Awards until 2010).
The Case Centre is the independent home of the case method and a registered charity. It is dedicated to advancing the case method worldwide, sharing knowledge, wisdom and experience to inspire and transform business education across the globe.
