Case Analysis Guide Long Format Mgmt4650

GUIDELINES FOR LONG-FORM CASE ANALYSIS

MANAGEMENT 4650

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

DR. GARY L. WISHNIEWSKY

Copyright 2007 – All Rights Reserved

GETTING STARTED

READ THE CASE COMPLETELY. DO NOT MAKE NOTES. PUT THE CASE ASIDE. REFLECT ON THE CASE INFORMATION.

READ THE CASE AGAIN AFTER HALF A DAY OR SO. NOW MAKE NOTES. BEGIN WITH THE CASE SITUATION: WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHY, HOW.

BEGIN TO SEARCH FOR THE

KEY FACTORS IN THE CASE.

Copyright  2007. Wishniewsky

GUIDELINES FOR CASE ANALYSIS

CONDUCTING FACTOR ANALYSIS IT IS DESIRABLE TO BEGIN BY IDENTIFYING THE SIGNIFICANT FACTORS IN THE CASE FIRST CONDUCTING CASE ANALYSIS IS LIKE BEING A DETECTIVE ONCE THE FACTORS ARE IDENTIFIED IT IS NECESSARY TO ANALYZE THEM TO FIND THEIR IMPORTANCE TO THE CASE Copyright  2007. Wishniewsky

CONDUCTING FACTOR ANALYSIS A GOOD WAY TO ISOLATE THE RELEVANCE OF EACH FACTOR IS TO CONSIDER THAT YOU HAVE ALL THE FACTORS INSIDE A GLASS CUBE YOU SHAKE THE CUBE AND THE FACTORS INSIDE VIGOROUSLY. THEN YOU VIEW THE FACTORS, AND THE CASE, THROUGH ONE OF THE FACES Copyright  2007. Wishniewsky

CONDUCTING FACTOR ANALYSIS AFTER NOTING DOWN VARIOUS FACTORS, YOU REPEAT THE PROCESS AGAIN UNTIL YOU ARE SATISFIED YOU’VE IDENTIFIED ALL FACTORS AND THEIR RELATIVE IMPORTANCE TO THE MAIN THEMES IN CASE NOW YOU ARE READY TO ORGANIZE THE FACTORS ACCORDING TO THEIR ORDER OF IMPORTANCE AND THEN FORMULATE YOUR CENTRAL ISSUE AND RECOMMENDATION Copyright  2007. Wishniewsky

SECTION ONE CENTRAL ISSUE

BRIEFLY STATE THE CENTRAL ISSUE IN THE CASE.

CONDENSE THE ISSUE INTO 5 TO 7 SENTENCES.

THIS MAY ALSO BE CONSIDERED THE "PROBLEM

STATEMENT" OR THE "OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT"

CONSIDER WHERE THE SITUATION

IS NOW, HOW IT DEVELOPED, WHY,

AND WHAT THE NEXT STEP(S) CAN BE.

WHEN APPLICABLE TO CASE FACTS, THE CENTRAL ISSUE SHOULD BE PROACTIVE AND LOOK TO THE FUTURE.

THE CENTRAL ISSUE SHOULD NOT BE A RESTATEMENT OF WHAT HAPPENED IN THE CASE IN THE PAST.

ASSUME WE HAVE ALL READ THE CASE. IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO RESTATE KEY FACTS.

USE CONCEPTS INSTEAD.

SECTION TWO

RECOMMENDED COURSE OF ACTION

WHAT ARE YOUR PROPOSED COURSES OF ACTION?

CONDENSE ANALYSIS INTO 6 TO 8 PARAGRAPHS.

WHAT SHOULD THE INDIVIDUAL, COMPANY, ORGANIZATION, GOVERNMENT, OR

SUBJECT OF THE CASE DO NOW?

THINK OF YOUR RECOMMENDATION AS “HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM,” OR “HOW TO SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY.”

YOUR RECOMMENDATION MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH THE SITUATION AND THE

FACTS PRESENTED IN THE CASE.

INTEGRATE YOUR UNDERSTANDING

OF MANAGEMENT, AND YOUR OWN

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE.

SECTION THREE SIGNIFICANT FACTORS

IDENTIFY THE KEY ISSUES IN THE CASE RELEVANT TO THE CENTRAL ISSUE AND TO YOUR RECOMMENDATION.

NUMBER THE SIGNIFICANT FACTORS IN ORDER

OF IMPORTANCE TO YOUR RECOMMENDATION.

YOU MAY BE BRIEF AND WRITE IN EXECUTIVE

SUMMARY FORMAT WITH BULLETS AND PHRASES.

USE STRATEGY AND MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS RATHER THAN SPECIFIC FACTS WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

SECTION FOUR JUSTIFICATION

THIS IS THE HEART OF THE CASE ANALYSIS.

NOW JUSTIFY YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.

BRIEFLY DISCUSS THE CENTRAL ISSUE AND

THE RECOMMENDED COURSES OF ACTION.

RELATE THE RELEVANCE AND THE

IMPORTANCE OF THE SIGNIFICANT

FACTORS TO THIS DISCUSSION.

THIS DISCUSSION MUST BE ANALYTICAL IN NATURE AND NOT REPEAT THE CASE FACTS.

CONVINCE THE READER THAT YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE THE ONLY WAY TO RESOLVE THE CASE SITUATION.

BE THOROUGH AND USE AS

MANY PAGES AS NEEDED

FOR YOUR JUSTIFICATION.

EACH RECOMMENDATION

MUST BE SUPPORTED.

SECTION FIVE FACTOR DISCUSSION

WRITE 2 TO 3 SHORT PARAGRAPHS FOR ALL OF

THE FACTORS IDENTIFIED IN SECTION THREE.

DISCUSS THEIR SIGNIFICANCE AND

RELEVANCE TO THE CENTRAL

ISSUE AND TO YOUR

RECOMMENDATION.

NOTE:

THE LONG-FORM

CASE ANALYSIS

SHOULD BE

DOUBLE-SPACED

ON AS MANY

PAGES OF PAPER

AS NEEDED.

THE LONG-FORM CASE ANALYSIS ASSIGNMENT

IS A GROUP PROJECT. ALL TEAM MEMBERS

WILL RECEIVE THE SAME

GRADE FOR THE CASE.

QUESTIONS

Case Analysis Guide Long Format Mgmt4650

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