Case studies offer descriptions and data of situations from which you have to:
Firstly,
• Identify the key points or issues • Weigh up the situation • Identify the information you do have and that you need to know • Explore the website of the firm to explore and get more information about the firm’s current operations and strategies
Before you can:
• Define the problem/issues to be addressed precisely • Outline the objectives: the desirable outcomes • Identify resources/techniques helpful to opening up the case study • Generate ideas or alternative solutions
Then you can:
• Choose a “best fit” solution from the options (SWOT is compulsory, other choices are VRIO, competitive profile, bench marking, BCG portfolio matrix etc.) • Decide on an action plan • Outline what you need to suggest and how it can be implemented • Consider what might go wrong and how to monitor the success of the action plan
How to approach the case study?
Step 1. Read the case carefully and work on the following:
• What are the main presenting issues? • What the firm is doing right? What it is doing wrong according to you? • What is the current situation of the firm/enterprise? • What would happen if nothing is/was done? • What hard evidence (data — ratio analysis, financial data, marketing data etc.) is there that the situation needs action?
Once you have done this you can write the introduction to the case study analysis, which outlines the situation, the key issues, why these have arisen and required action. In this way you should avoid rewriting large chunks of the case study.
Step 2. Analyze the situation/issues clearly and ask yourself the following questions: