Case Study Preparation Guide
Case Study Preparation Guide :Read the case thoroughly before writing your response. Identify the format of your Case AnalysisThe format of your case analysis will be specified in the “required” section of the case assignment. It may be a short memo, a letter or a comprehensive report, etc. Regardless of the format, your  case write-up should be concise, well organized, logical and persuasive.Identify your role and consider who the users of the information areYou must identify your role and understand how your role will affect the decision of the users of the information. You will also need to consider who the users are and what information will help them in making their decisions.Identify any constraints and criteria related to the case and decision makingConstraints impose limits on how you van account and report. For example, are there any contracts or rules that impose limits ? Do not list constraints unless they are used in your analysis. Constraints you identify should be used in your analysis and ultimately on your recommendations.Analyze the SituationA considerable part of your case data analysis is devoted to interpreting the information contained in the case, drawing appropriate inferences and making logical deductions. You must ask yourself what analysis can be performed that will assist the manager in identifying possible course of action to resolve the problem.
In doing your analysis, you may have to make certain assumptions. Not all assumptions are reasonable. Make sure you evaluate the reasonableness of your assumptions. All assumptions must also be stated in your analysis.Define the Issue and Prioritize themIt is important to start off with a clear understanding of the issue (s) to be resolved. Your ultimate decision must address the issue (s) that you have identified. If you fail to clearly identify the issue, your ultimate decision may not make sense to the reader of your responses.Not all issues are equally important. The key is to prioritize them. The importance of various issues depends on the objectives of the decision maker in the case and the consequences of the issues.Identify Alternative Courses of ActionThe next part of the case solving process deals with trying to remove the cause(s) of the problem(s) by developing a number of ways to address the issue(s) of the case. Try to be creative and think widely. Refer to your own knowledge or past experience as well as to any theory you may have learned. Make your alternatives realistic and plausible in view of your casual analysis and understanding of the issue(s). A decision requires that there be a choice among alternatives and thus there must be more than one solution to the problem that you have previously identified.