Sage Partners with NPR’s Planet Money on New Series of Digital Business Case Studies

Sage has partnered with NPR’s Planet Money podcast on a new series of interactive, educational business case studies designed to keep students engaged and excited about economic and financial concepts. These case studies are part of the Sage Business Cases collection, which are available to academic libraries through purchase or subscription. 

NPR’s Planet Money podcast helps listeners understand the economy through brief, entertaining episodes. By pairing these episodes with teaching notes, discussion questions, and classroom exercises, Sage Business Cases provide real-world stories of business successes and setbacks from global industries. The 20 peer-reviewed cases are built around Planet Money episodes and cover topics such as: 

  • The origins of the Federal Reserve 

  • The pricing and production of M&Ms 

  • The marketing and sales implications of direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical ads 

“We’re happy to collaborate with Sage to contribute to this innovative way to incorporate Planet Money podcasts into the university classroom,” said Jenna Molster, manager of rights and permissions at NPR. 

“As an independent company dedicated to supporting student success, we are uniquely positioned to think creatively about the development of case studies through Sage Business Cases,” said Kiren Shoman, Sage senior vice president. “This is Sage's first foray into developing cases and teaching notes alongside podcasts—an innovative approach to the case method—and we're excited for their use amongst students and their teachers.”   

The cases, licensed by NPR, are hosted on the Sage Business Cases platform. They do not include advertisements or music. 

“The cases engage students on many levels,” said Peter Goulet, professor emeritus of management at the University of Northern Iowa. “They require students to use the skills and principles they developed from their coursework and apply these concepts to business more generally. The cases are succinct, flexible, and sure to engage the students in a variety of interesting experiences." 

Use Sage Business Case’s trial access to view the M&M Anomaly case study and accompanying teaching notes. 

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Sage is a global academic publisher of books, journals, and library resources with a growing range of technologies to enable discovery, access, and engagement. Believing that research and education are critical in shaping society, 24-year-old Sara Miller McCune founded Sage in 1965. Today, we are controlled by a group of trustees charged with maintaining our independence and mission indefinitely.  

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