The document provides an introduction to the case study method, outlining its definition, benefits, and techniques for effective implementation. It emphasizes the importance of thorough analysis, structured presentations, and developing analytical skills through practice in various contexts. The author stresses that successful case study presentations should not merely summarize but rather analyze and provide value, guiding students to avoid common pitfalls.

1. The Case Study Method:
An Introduction
By
Michael McDermott
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

2. The Case Study Method
 What is it?
 Why use it?
 How do I become accomplished at it?
 Where can I practice it?
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

3. What is it?
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4. The Case Study Method: Making a
Presentation
 For a student this involves the following parts:
 Processing: Performing the analysis
 Preparing: putting together the presentation
 Presenting: Delivering the presentation
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5. The Case Study Method: Facilitating a Class
Room Discussion
 This involves the following parts:
 Processing: Performing the analysis
 Preparing:
 Identifying the primary question – “the big issue”;
 Identifying the secondary questions that when answered contribute to
answering the primary question;
 Developing the structure of the discussion
 Facilitating:You MUST NOT simply pose a series of questions as
your take the class through the case study – this results in a
SUMMARY of the case not ANALYSIS
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6. Processing a Case
 This is not just reading the case;
 Nor is it simply getting a highlighter pen;
 It demands that you look at each sentence, each exhibit and
see to draw out assumptions, inferences, facts;
 This takes time!
 Ideally, I like to go through the case and use an Excel or Word
document to take notes, record thoughts, pose questions.
 What? Show me what you mean.
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

7. Processing a Case
The Case
The “Story”
My Response
Sentence 1
In 2014 the long-established, highly
successful, US company X paid $20bn
to acquire company Y based in Japan,
its first ever acquisition, as it sought to
enter the Asian market.
In what way is this company
successful? Where? Wonder how it
achieves success? Is its success today
the same as in the past? What was it
buying? Why did it want to make this
acquisition? If so successful why
acquire another company? Why has it
never made an acquisition prior to
now? Why is wanting to enter Asia? Is
this the best way to enter Asia? Has it
entered other regional markets? Were
more suitable takeover target
available? Etc etc
Sentence 2
Repeat as above.
Repeat as above.
Sentence 3
Repeat as above.
Repeat as above.
Paragraph 1
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8. Processing a Case
 Now you can see from the previous slide that it is impossible
to answer the questions posed based upon the information
provided in sentence 1.
 However, I am now on track to seek the answer to these
questions as I progress through the case study.
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9. How long does it take to undertake this
process?
 Obviously it depends on the length
 A 500-word article may take an hour
 A 20 page case study may take 4-8 hours
 “Practice makes perfect”
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

10. How do I Perform The Case Study
Method?
 Assume that the author has included each sentence for a good
reason…. So make sure you consider the implications of such
 What assumptions or conclusions can you make when you
read a sentence?
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

11. How do I Perform The Case Study
Method?
 You need to consider the importance of all aspects of the




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case study:
The text
The tables
The exhibits
The figures
© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

12. Preparing
 A presentation that adopts a standard formula in terms of
structure is not ideal
 However having said that there are some structural issues that
need to be adhered to – a PEST at the end is wrong; a SWOT
before PEST and Internal analysis is in the wrong sequence
 The higher the quality of processing, the easier it is to
prepare the presentation
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

13. Preparing: my advice
 Identify what you consider to the key question that needs to




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be addressed in the case
Then identify some secondary questions and structure them
in a manner that is logically consistent and which develops a
good ‘flow’
Do not overwhelm the ‘listener’ or ‘reader’ with a very large
number of questions that do not appear to have a clear flow;
Answering each secondary question as you go along should
make sure the argument developed is robust
Provide clear conclusions
© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

14. Presenting your analysis in PPt
Do’s
Don’ts
Add value
Simply provide a summary
Facilitate comparisons
Make such impossible
Tables work
Rely on excessive amounts of
text
Focus on presenting your analysis Fall in love with charts that look
on each slide
good but fail to hammer home
the key finding
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

15. This Class vs Others
This Class
 The presentation should
not require commentary –
your PPt in the business
world may only be read by
others
 Often presenters best-
points are not made in the
PPt! Avoid that mistake
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu
Other classes (as described by students)
 The PPt is simply an
aide-memoire
 Assess based mainly if
not exclusively upon the
oral presentation

16. What is the Case Study Method?
 A case study is a description of a company’s evolving
performance
 The authors’ presentation is descriptive
 The students’ presentation must be analytical
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

17. What is the Case Study Method
 Action Learning
 Problem solving
 Analysis is based ONLY on the material in the case itself
 Do not undertake any additional research
 More often than not the case provides subtle clues – be
sensitive to such
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

18. Why Use the Case Study Method?
 The emphasis is upon developing life-long skills
 It’s like riding a bicycle
 Once you can do it, you have it for life
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

19. The Case Study Method
 The case study is full of ‘evidence’
 The aim is to analyze this evidence and present a coherent
evaluation of the company’s decisions and actions
 And to provide logical recommendations that would
enhance the competitiveness of the business
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

20. Why Use the Case Study Method?
 The skills gained are precisely what businesses and
organizations need and value
 Trust me such skills are extremely rare
 Even in many ostensibly successful businesses, the lack of
such skills is alarming
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

21. When and Where Can I Practice the key
skills?
 In class, you are provided with written case studies
 However, every day you are exposed to a number of ‘case
studies’
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

22. When and Where Can I Practice the key
skills?
 When you go to a restaurant you are going to leave
having performed case study analysis?
 You will have formed a clear opinion of that supplier
 Based upon your experience you have analyzed all
aspects of the supplier in terms of your customer
experience
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

23. When and Where Can I Practice the key
skills?
 When you are reading the business section of the newspaper,
you can be more reflective and conduct your own analysis of
the company based upon what you have read
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

24. When and Where Can I Practice the key
skills?
 In short, everywhere
 This class is seeking to develop a new or improved mindset
 One in which you see the world through a new ‘lens’
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

25. When and Where Can I Practice the key
skills?
 So open your eyes!
 Consider all those businesses that you deal with or
observe
 Which ones are on the right tracks strategically?
 Which ones do you think are out of synch?
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

26. Common Reactions
 This is new
 This is different
 This is difficult
 All the above are true
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

27. Common Reactions
 “I need direction”
 But you are seeking to develop rare skills
 This is not ‘strategy by numbers’
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28. The Reality…It’s Like Golf
 Many of us play golf
 Playing regularly will improve us
 Many may become average players
 But very few become exceptional
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

29. Presenting The Case Study
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30. Common Failings
The most common failings at first are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
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Failure to identify any issue(s)
Present a condensed, descriptive overview of the case
study
Use text only and demand too much from the
audience/reader
Or put together endless graphs and bar charts that are
attractive, but offer no analysis
Focus on manifestations of problems rather than their
causes
Failure to provide any analysis
Focus upon tactical issues as opposed to startegic
© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

31. Common Failings
 In every slide you need to provide added value
 That means helping the reader/audience by offering analysis
 Slides that only summarize the case study are worthless
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

32. Presenting The Case Study
 In terms of presentations help your reader/audience
 Use Tables to facilitate comparisons
 Use Tables to show clearly the impact of issues
 Avoid relying only on text
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

33. Example of Using Table
Factor
Variable
Impact on
Company
Impact of Issue
(1-5)
Political
Ban on imports
from Asia
Opportunity
5
Economic
Weak US $
Threat
5
Web 2.0
applications
Threat
3
Social
Technological
© McDermott, 2014,
mcdermottm1@nku.edu
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34. Example of Using Table
Company A
Company B
Company C
Founded
Domestic
Presence
Location of
international
operations
Generic strategy
Target market
Market share
© McDermott, 2014,
mcdermottm1@nku.edu
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35. The Case Study Method
 Make use of standard tools of strategic analysis, but do not
allow them to result in a rigid approach to problem solving
 Be creative in use of Tables, Figures etc
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

36. The Case Study Method
 Above all, you must avoid simply regurgitating the case study
 This is the key challenge to overcome
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

37. The Case Study Method
 Above all, you must avoid simply regurgitating the case study
 This is the key challenge to overcome
37
© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

38. The Case Study Method
 Above all, you must avoid simply regurgitating the case study
 This is the key challenge to overcome
38
© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu

39. The Case Study Method
Any Questions?
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© McDermott, 2014, mcdermottm1@nku.edu