2. What is a Case Study?
A case study is a description of an actual
administrative situation involving a
decision to be made or a problem to be
solved.
3. A business case imitates or simulates a real
situation. … its purpose is to represent reality,
to convey a situation with all its cross currents
and rough edges – including irrelevancies,
sideshows, misconceptions, little information or
an overwhelming amount of it (Ellet, 2007,
p.13)
4. They help you think better!
Critical thinking, problem
solving, thinking alone and with
others
Improves writing skills
Learner makes knowledge with
assistance of expert
It’s all about the argument
Good managers need to be
able to think logically and
convince others to accept their
decisions
It’s a basic “function of the
executive” (Barnard, 1938) to
promote cooperation via
persuasion
Why use Cases in Business Classes?
It’s about arguments and persuasion
5. How do you Learn from Cases?
Learning happens alone and in groups
6. • Many educated in a lecture
orientation
– Central task is fact regurgitation
– Receiving knowledge, not making
knowledge
• Case method starts with
knowing facts, but then
conducts an analysis, makes
an informed critique, and offers
viable recommendations
Lectures vs. Case Analyses
Receiving knowledge vs. creating knowledge
7. Three main parts of a
good analysis:
1. Case Analysis
2. Case Discussion
3. Case
Writing/Presenting
What Makes for a Good Case Analysis?
Analysis, discussion, and presentation
8.
9. Third Person Case studies:
An external agency primarily publishes this type
of case study. This external research &
consulting firms validates the solutions
provide by your company to your customers
and publishes the same on its website.
Explanatory Case studies
These are primarily descriptive studies. They
typically use one or two instances of a
phenomenon or event to show the existing
solution. Explanatory case studies primarily
exist to familiarize the unfamiliar situation to
prospects and give them a brief overview of the
subject.
10. Instrumental Case study:
To gain insight into a phenomenon, an
instrumental case study is deployed. The focus
of this type of case study is not on the results
but on the phenomenon. It tries to make the
prospects discern the relationship between the
phenomenon and its solution.
Implementation Case study
This is perhaps the most important type of case
study for a content marketers. It compasses
how your business went about executing the
solution of a customer’s challenge.
11. Illustrative Case Studies: They typically utilize
one or two instances of an event to show what
a situation is like.
Exploratory (or pilot) Case Studies: These are
condensed case studies performed before
implementing a large scale investigation.
Cumulative Case Studies: These serve to
aggregate information from several sites
collected at different times.
Critical Instance Case Studies These examine
one or more sites for either the purpose of
examining a situation of unique interest
12. There are mainly Two types of case study
Open ended
Close ended
13. Step 1: The Short Cycle Process
Quickly read the case. Give a quick reading, you can
read only the first few and last paragraphs.
Figure out the following:
the decision maker in this case, and its position and
responsibilities
What appears to be the issue and its significance for
the organization
Reason for the issue arisen and the role of decision
maker
Level of urgency to the situation?
Give a sincere look to exhibits and the figures given.
Review the case subtitles to see what areas are covered
in more depth.
Read case questions (if any) This may give you some
clues about the main issues.
14. Step 2: The Long Cycle Process
A detailed reading of the case
Analyzing the case.
15. Read to absorb
Stating paragraph
Background information
Specific (functional) area of interest
The specific problem
Alternatives
Conclusion
16. The CaseAnalyses step1:
⚫ Defining the issue(s)
⚫ What appears to be the problem(s) here?
⚫ How do I know that this is a problem?
(differentiate the symptoms of the problem
from the problem itself)
⚫ Identify issues that need to be addressed
immediately? (differentiate between issues that
can be resolved within the context of the case)
⚫ Distinguish importance issues form urgent
ones. deal with important issues in order of
urgency
17. Analyzing Case Data
⚫Find out the reason behind the issue:
determine cause and effect for the problems
identified:
◦ resources
◦ people
◦ Processes
⚫Identify the area or people affected
most by this issues?
⚫Spot limitations and opportunities
⚫Analyze the numbers
18. Generating Alternatives
⚫ Be practical and implementable
⚫ Never give a decision which require further
investigation
⚫ Doing nothing
⚫ Avoid the meat sandwich method of
providing only two other clearly undesirable
alternatives to make one reasonable
alternative look better by comparison.
⚫ Think of obstacles present in the way of
implementing the decisions
19. Key Decision Criteria
⚫ Brief, preferably in point form, such as
improve (or at least maintain) profitability,
increase sales, market share, or return on investment,
maintain customer satisfaction, corporate image,
employee morale, safety, or turnover,
retain flexibility, and/or
minimize environmental impact.
⚫ Measurable: at least to the point of comparison, such as
alternative A will improve profitability more that alternative B.
⚫ Be related to your problem statement, and alternatives.
If you find that you are talking about something else,
that is a sign of a missing alternative or key
decision criteria, or a poorly formed problem statement.
21. Recommendation
You must have one! Business people are
decision-makers; this is your opportunity to
practice making decisions. Give a justification
for your decision. Check to make sure that it is
one (and only one) of your Alternatives and that
it does resolve what you defined as the
Problem.
23. Electronic Industries Ltd., Faridabad is
producing electric bulbs, water coolers, air
coolers and refrigerators. Recently, it added a
new line of production, i.e. electric motors both
for domestic and agricultural purposes.
It needed one electric engineer with B. Tech.
qualification to look after the new plant
producing electric motors.
Presently, five electric engineers with B. E.
qualification are working as Assistant Engineers
in the existing plant.
24. Cont...
The company advertised for the post of Chief Engineer
(Electrical) for its new plant. It received twelve
applications out of which five are Assistant Engineers
working in the existing plant. The company used
techniques of preliminary interviews, tests, final
interview, medical examination and finally selected
Mr. Anil, employed in the existing plant of the
company.
He is fourth in the seniority list of the Assistant
Engineers in the present plant. The company served
the appointment order to Mr. Anil and he joined as
Chief Engineer in the new plant.
But the three Assistant Engineers in the existing plant
moved the issue to the court of law/ top management
contesting that the selection of Mr. Anil is not valid as
he does not have seniority among the Assistant
Engineers in the existing plant.
25. Cont...
Questions:
(1) Analyze the problem in the case.
(2) Is it necessary to promote only seniors to
higher Posts in an organization? Why? Why
not?
26. Solution Step 1 – Summary
Electronic Industries Ltd. Needed one electric
engineer with B. Tech. qualification to look after
the new plant producing electronic motors. The
company has made the advertisement for the post
of Chief Engineer (Electrical), for which it received
twelve applications. Out of twelve applicants, five
applicants are Assistant Engineers working in the
existing plant. The company has selected Mr. Anil,
for the post of Chief Engineer (Electrical), by not
considering the claims of other candidates who are
senior to Mr. Anil. The Assistant engineers moved
to the court, because the company did not consider
the seniority as the criteria for promotion.
27. Step 2 Identification of Problem
▷ Here the case is related with Promotion policy,
where promotion is not given on the basis of
seniority. Other employees who are senior to
Mr. Anil, they are not agreed with the decision.
They think that it is unfair. It is necessary to
solve this problem.
28. Step 3 – Assumptions
1. Relation of all other staff members is not good
with Mr. Anil
2. Mr. Anil is too close with top management, so he
is recommended by them even if his performance
is low.
3. Mr. Anil is performing better than all other
employees since last few years and it is above the
required standards
4. Mr. Anil is getting rewards and recognition
because of his best performance
5. Promotion given is only based on merit, not
seniority.
6. Company does not have fair promotion policy.
29. Step -4 Consequences of Problem
Seniority based promotion will lead to have
demotivation among young more competent
employees
Young and competent employees will
dissatisfy with the working environment. It
may lead to have greater turn over.
Merit based promotion will lead to have
frustration among senior employees as they
think promotion is influenced by personal
relations, biases and union pressures.
They may feel insecure and may even quit the
organization.
30. STEP 5 - Analysis
Before deciding anything, first it is necessary
to know the promotion policies. As there are 3
types - on the basis of seniority, on the basis of
merit and on the basis of both. Each method
has its own pros and cons.
If we have only seniority basis, it has some
demerits, like young employees may feel
demotivated & it lead to have turnover.
If we have only merits basis, here also
demerits like, biases, favoritism, discrimination
etc. may occur. And it creates frustration in
senior employees
31. Step 6 - Alternate solutions
Have communication with all the employees
and motivation has to be given to the
employees to perform well.
Detailed records of service, performance etc.
should be maintained for all employees, to
avoid charges of favoritism.
Listen to the other employees and negotiate
with them or Convince them about correct
decision taken by the management.
Establish a fair promotion policy i.e. on the
basis of both seniority and merit.
Everyone should get equal opportunity for
having promotion
32. Step 7 Best solution
Establish a fair promotion policy i.e. on the
basis of both seniority and merit. So that we
can remove the demerits of only seniority basis
and only merit basis. And hence everyone will
get equal opportunity and they will be
motivated to work efficiently. And
Management should communicate with the
employees and explain them about the
promotion policy.
33. Question-answers
Is it necessary to promote only seniors to higher
Posts in an organization? Why? Why not?
Answer-As per my opinion, it is not necessary to promote
only seniors to higher Posts in an organization. Because
In seniority based promotion, the length of service of
employees in the same organization is taken into
consideration. It is welcomed by employees as well as
unions, because there is no scope for favoritism,
discrimination and subjective judgement. However,
such promotion demotivates the young and more
competent employees and results in greater employee
turnover. So this method is not appropriate as per my
opinion. One can implement seniority as well as merit
based promotion. So that we can remove the demerits
of only seniority basis and only merit basis. And hence
everyone will get equal opportunity and they will be
motivated to work efficiently.
34. Chandshekhar the vice president of Advance
Photonics Ltd. (APL) Sunil one of APL’ s top
software engineer. He was asked for a private
meeting by Sunil.
Chandshekhar came to know that some of the
employees wanted to quit the job with reasons
ranging from long hours , stressful deadline, to
decompress or just to spend time with their family.
Chandshekhar had released that real reasons too
leave the job , is having too much money which
gave them financial independence and therefore
were able to choose where they want to work.
35. The meeting with Sunil took place after few hours. He
going to leave Advance Photonics Ltd, at that time
Chandshekhar tried to Persuade Sunil to remain with
APL by putting some demands with him.
1).Giving him up to 3 months unpaid leaves, with full
paid benefits.
2).Workplace improvement with latest computer
technology or solving problems with co-workers.
3).Providing him to large workspace with better Park
behind the campus like building.
36. 4).25% pay rise significantly and more share options.
Because the Sunil was one of the APL’s valued
employee and the company would suffer if he left.
The meeting ended with Sunil promising to consider.
Chandshekhar offer of higher pay & share options.
Two days later, he received his resignation in writing.
Five months later, he heard that he had joined a new
start up software company in the area.
37. 1.Do financial Rewards have any value in
situations such as this, where employees are
relatively wealthy?
2.If you were Chandshekhar ,What strategy, if
any, would you use to motivate Sunil to stay at
APL?
3.Of What importance is job design in this case?
38. 1.Do financial Rewards have any value in
situations such as this, where employees are
relatively wealthy?
No, because Chandshekhar has not identified the
real problem of Sunil , he was feeling work is
little bit routine. he needs to take time off.
Giving financial benefit for the sunil has no
value because he regularly received call from
other companies and some of them offered
more money
39. 2.If you were Chandshekhar,What strategy, if
any, would you use to motivate Suzanne
Chalmers to stay at APL?
Change in workplace environment.
Increase job satisfaction
Increase staff’s motivation.
Division of work.
Appointing technical persons
40. 3.Of What importance is job design in this case?
To recruit the employees and to clear about the job description
and design what is actually require for job in this company.
Job design includes details such as
How many hours per day the job should be
Where providing on the job and of the job training
Job rotation
Job enrichment
.
Here the important of job design is to maintain the
work ,life balance, motivation, ability and situational factors
The importance of job design, job enlargement, job
rotation, job enrichment, job satisfaction is needed
41. The importance of job design, job enlargement,
job rotation, job enrichment, job satisfaction is
needed.
42. CASE STUDY
Mr. Gupta is the proprietor of Gupta & Sons, a retail enterprise. He is a well-known
businessman. However, when the firm's management changed, the new management
made significant changes to the company. They proposed that if we increase the
lighting in our retail store than many customers are drawn in by the store's lighting
and purchase a number of items. They set up a massive lighting system to enhance
sales of goods. At the same time, they consider their salesperson, who may be
preoccupied with informal chat or gossip, resulting wastage of time. As a result, they
installed cameras in strategic locations. He also installed a camera in the storeroom to
avoid wasting time. They also implement a new method that involves moving
workers from one section to another for 15 days so that workers have a thorough
understanding of each section. They started use of new technique of personnel
suggestions box in their office and asked the employees to put their complaint and
suggestions in that box. Management of the company analyzed those suggestions and
complaints for the welfare of company and employees, and if they received good
ideas they implement in organization and if find any doubtful suggestion and
complaints they called employee for their counseling.
However, after 6 month examined their sales they found that instead of sales
increased it decreased significantly.
