SEPTEMBER 22, 2018

A GUIDE TO CASE ANALYSIS

RUDYARD KIPLING

SUMMARY ON A GUIDE TO CASE ANALYSIS

MOHAMMAD TAZ UDDIN
16274018
EMBA FALL 2018, BRAC UNIVERSITY

SUBMITTED TO
ABU DAUD KHAN
INSTRUCTOR, CORPORATE STRATEGY
EMBA FALL 2018, BRAC UNIVERSITY
WHY USE CASES TO PRACTICE STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT?
It provides us detailed information about real life business situation like conditions and
problem of different industries and it gives us examples of how strategic issues are
managed by real organizations. We can get twin benefit of boosting our analytical
skills and exposing us to the ways companies and managers actually do things. We can
get extra help from cases for on−the−job experience by
(1) giving us wider coverage to a variety of organizations, industries, and strategic
problems; (2) convincing us to assume a managerial role (as opposed to that of just
an observer); (3) providing a test of how to apply the tools and techniques of strategic
management; and (4) asking us to come up with pragmatic managerial action plans
to deal with the issues at hand.
OBJECTIVES OF CASE ANALYSIS
1. Practice of strategic management is a powerful way for us to accomplish five things
2. To increase our understanding of what managers should and should not do in
guiding a business to success.
3. To build our skills in sizing up company resource strengths and weaknesses and
weaknesses and in conducting strategic analysis in a variety of industries and
competitive situations.
4. To get valuable practice in identifying strategic issues that need to be addressed,
evaluating strategic alternatives, and formulating workable plans of action.
5. Enhance your sense of business judgment, as opposed to uncritically accepting
the authoritative crutch of the professor or ˆback−of−the−book˜ answers.
6. Gaining in−depth exposure to different industries and companies, thereby
acquiring something close to actual business experience.

This is an idea of the case analysis to enhance our skills in sizing up circumstances
and dev eloping our managerial decision about what needs to be done and how to do
it. Case analysis provides us an expressive rehearsal at presence manager to
become vigorously involved in identifying the business issues and managerial
difficulties demonstrated in the case, to suggest workable solutions and to defend &
explain our assessments.

PREPARING A CASE FOR CLASS DISCUSSION

To prepare a case for class discussion, the followings approach is suggested:
1. Skim the case rather quickly to get an overview of the situation it presents.
2. Read the case thoroughly to digest the facts and circumstances.
3. Carefully review all the information presented in the exhibits.
4. Decide what the strategic issues are.
5. Start your analysis of the issues with some number crunching.
6. Apply the concepts and techniques of strategic analysis you have been studying.
7. Check out conflicting opinions and make some judgments about the validity of all
the data and information provided.
8. Support your diagnosis and opinions with reasons and evidence.
9. Develop an appropriate action plan and set of recommendations.

PARTICIPATING IN CLASS DISCUSSION OF A CASE

 Participating in case class students do most of the talking, carry the burden for
analyzing the situation and be prepared to present and defend their diagnoses and
PAGE 1
 recommendations. It is to be expecting students to do most of the talking and
participation in class discussion, be prepared for the instructor to probe for
reasons and supporting analysis, tolerate challenges to the views expressed, do not
be shocked if you change your mind about somethings as the discussion unfolds
and learn a lot in class as the discussion of a case progresses.
 In participating in the discussion, make a conscious effort to contribute, rather than
just talk.
 Avoid the use of “I think”, “I believe”, and “I feel”; instead, say, “My analysis
shows” and “The company should do because .”
 In making your points, assume that everyone has read the case and knows what it
says;
 avoid reciting and rehashing information in the case instead.
 Prepare the notes (usually two or three pages worth) and bring to class and rely on
them extensively when you speak. There is no way you can remember everything
off the top
 of your head
PREPARING A WRITTEN CASE ANALYSIS
We might have assigned a specific topic around which to prepare our written report
or, alternatively, we may be asked to do a comprehensive written case analysis,
where the expectation is that we will (1) identify all the pertinent issues that
management needs to address, (2) perform m whatever analysis and evaluation is
appropriate, and (3) propose an action plan and set of recommendations addressing
the issues you have identified.

PREPARING AN ORAL PRESENTATION

It is a common in nature that we will have a case assignment for oral presentation
that will gives us an opportunity to hone our presentation skills.

The preparation of an oral presentation and written presentation both require

identification of the strategic issues and problems confronting the company, analysis
of industry conditions and the company’s situation, and the development of a
thorough, well−thought out action plan.
Oral presentations will be performed in a group participation. As per instructor’s prefer
the group will prepare their presentation to be strongly focused on the group’s
recommended action plan and supporting analysis and arguments.
We should take great care in preparing for the presentation focusing good set of slides
with good content and good visual appeal is essential to the quality presentation
regardless the sty le preferred by our instructor.
Group members should carefully plan and rehearse our slide show maximize impact and
minimize distractions. To get attention of the audience, we should care about slide, not
too many graphics, images, colors and transitions that may divert the audience’s
attention.

RESEARCHING COMPANIES AND INDUSTIES VIA THE INTERNET A ND

ONLINE DATA SERVICE
As per instructor permission we may be allowed to use internet to do further research
on the industry or company.
In recent day it is relatively easy to find company financial information, mission and
vision statement, values statement, codes of ethics, and strategy information in their
Websites. To include additional information on the industry or company situation, we
must care about instructor approval.
PAGE 2