CASE ANALYSIS

A case analysis method of study provides experiential educationlearning by doing. Therefore, the amount of learning students receive from an individual case is directly related to the amount of work they put into it. A major goal of the use of cases is to allow students to gain experience in problem solving. Cases help students learn to: develop an understanding of problems, learn how to dissect the various factors relevant to a problem, learn how to think creatively about solutions to a problem, learn to critically and thoroughly evaluate alternative solutions, learn how to make a final decisionone that you are willing to move forward with and one that you feel confident in supporting. Through the use of cases, students learn that the most obvious solution is not always the best solution. The only way to discover a best solution is to consider all (the emphasis here is on the ALL) possible alternatives, to identify the potential positive and negative outcomes for all alternatives possible, and then to select which alternative course of action seems best, based on their analysis, and marketing theory, concepts, and principles. Students need to understand the basic factual and theoretical foundations for marketing management to make such decisions intelligently. There are no right and wrong answers, but some recommendations are better supported than othersconsumers after all, are the ultimate judges of strategy, not the instructor (brilliant as he may be grin). Students should also understand from the outset that this outline for cases is one developed for this class (although it is typical of approaches used in many classes). There are no universal rules for case analysis. Therefore, if students are in another case course, the format may be slightly different. Thats just the way life is. Outline for Analysis of Cases 1. Problem Statement This statement should state clearly, conciselygenerally in one sentence: who the decision maker(s) is (are); what problem(s) is (are) faced for which a solution/answer must be decided upon; and when (how urgently) a decision must be made. The problem statement is not a discussion of all the ills of the world. However, some discussion of the context of the problem is often required to assist the reader/listener in understanding the implications of the problem and in differentiating symptoms from underlying causes. Such an understanding usually requires insights gained from step 2, situational analysis which illustrates the iterative nature of the case analysis process. Gaining insight into the urgency of the problem will help inform long-term and short-term recommendations. Note: a problem is not something that is wrong; it is a need. In most cases, your problem statement will be something like this:

Mr. X needs to decide.., before April 15th, The marketing manager must develop..., within the next year XYZ Corporation has 6 months to determine. 2. Situation Analysis Students adopt the role of the decision maker or a consultant asked to assist the decision maker. To better understand the nature of the problem, possible solutions, and constraints to these solutions, the decision context needs to be understood. Over time students will learn a number of analytical tools and processes for conducting situational analysis. SWOT analysis, discussed in Chapters 2 and 3 of the text, is recommended as a simple preliminary approach. In this approach students review the facts, opinions, and preferences identified in the case and evaluate strengths of weaknesses of the organizations internal environment and opportunities and threats in the organizations external environment. An assessment of the internal environment may include strengths and weaknesses relating to: - Current Strategy & Performance (such as mission, goals, strategies and outcomes) - The Organization Itself (such as systems, processes, structure, and culture) - Skills, Abilities, Resources, Technologies and Other Assets of the Organization - Beliefs, Values, and Preferences of Senior Management and Other Key Stakeholder An assessment of the external environment may include opportunities/threats relating to: - Political, Legal, Economic, Socio-Cultural, Technological, and Other Trends - Consumer / Customer Behaviour - Industry / Market Conditions, Structures, and Norms - Competitive Conditions and Expected Reactions The objective of this analysis is to (1) identify the underlying causes of the problem(s) identified in Step 1, and (2) identify key factors (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) that have implications for, or bearing on, the problem and potential solutions. This is your chance to do further research to gather information. DO NOT USE OPINIONS! Situational analysis may suggest a need to re-specify the problem statement, re-assess the relative importance and urgency of problems, or suggest some potential solutions. Students should be encouraged to pay special attention to the numbers in the cases. As would be required of a manager, it is expected that students support their recommendations with relevant analyses and calculations. It helps to identify potential alternatives and then use the situational analysis to assess those alternatives. To help differentiate relevant from irrelevant information, students should confront each piece of information with the following question: does this provide support for or ammunition against a recommendation and if so, how? Key strengths and opportunities generally provide evidence to support alternative courses of action while key weaknesses and threats provide evidence against. Hint: think like a trial lawyer facts!!!.

3. Alternatives This section should identify three or four viable alternative solutions to the problem and discuss the positive and negative outcomes for each. For example, one possible alternative for nearly every problem is to do nothing. What will happen if nothing is done? Will the company continue to face declining sales? Will a competitor or the government take legal action? Will the competition continue to erode our market share? While it is difficult to thoroughly discuss more than a few viable alternatives, students should be encouraged to identify ALL possible alternatives before weeding them out or combining them. In marketing cases, alternatives usually center around different target markets or different strategies for reaching the same target market. BE CREATIVE!!! Try brainstorming with someone. Consider the alternatives which appear at first to be a bit ridiculous. What would happen if you do that? Are there any reasons why it might work? Many instructors would much prefer case discussions filled with creative, outside-the-box alternatives that have some basis of support, to being presented with boring unimaginative ones. (This is not a license to ignore sensible alternatives.) Note: you must include either in the alternatives or recommendations section of the case discussion a presentation of quantitative analyses such as break-even when appropriate. 4. Recommendations At this point students must make a decisionthey are not allowed to sit on the fence. They have to decide which of the alternatives that they have considered is the most appropriate course of action and why. The focus is on the whydefending their decision. In most cases, students should also discuss the specificsstrategies and action plansfor how the alternative plan will be implemented. This part of the case analysis will provide a rough but fairly complete blueprint of what the organization should do to solve the problem. As a check, students should go back and review their problem and alternatives. Does this recommendation solve the problem as stated? Was this recommendation listed as one of their alternatives? If not, the statement of the problem, the alternatives section, or the recommendation needs more work. Relax, take it step-by-step, check throughout the process that you are on-track, think like a consultant (would the client pay me for my report?) and, most of all, have fun.