case study 1

Case Analysis – Learning from Cases

Prepared by Dawn Rovers

Last edited Jan. 26, 2018

Why are cases used?

Cases enable you to learn by doing and by teaching others. What you learn becomes deeply ingrained and stays with you. The repetitive opportunity to identify, analyze and solve a number of issues in a variety of settings prepares you to become truly professional in your field of work.

The Three Stage Process of Learning with Cases

1. Individual Preparation (should take about half of the total time dedicated to each case)

2. Small Group Discussion (should be a short period of time where you discuss your point of view with a small group of peers. You are encouraged to discuss this case with your peers prior to the formal large group discussion)

3. Large Group Discussion (should take about half of the total time dedicated to each case. This is the time in the classroom in a large group discussion where the question presented in the case is resolved by the entire group)

Standard Case Question

“If you we in the position of the main decision maker in the organization presented in the case, what would be your analysis of the situation described and what action would you take and why?”

How should students approach case analysis in order to be ready to discuss in the large group discussion?

Adequate time must be spent in the individual preparation. This is key to success. A two-step process is required for this course:

1. The Short Cycle process

2. The long Cycle Process

Case Preparation Worksheet:

Short Cycle Process:

(Scan the case first to get the top level, first impression info. NOTE you haven’t yet read the whole case in detail here. These are some things you should be thinking of. Completing this section after a first scan of the case can improve your overall analysis immensely. Please take the time to complete this Short Cycle Process. No marks are associated with this activity by your overall analysis of the case will be more efficient and more focused if you take the time for this activity.)

Step 1: Read opening and ending paragraphs

Step 2: Identify who? What? Why? When? How? Related to the issue or challenge at hand

Step 3: Take a quick look at the case exhibits

Step 4: Take a quick look at all the subtitles in the case

Step 5: Skim the body of the case (read first and last sentence of each paragraph)

Step 6: Read the assignment questions and take some time to reflect

You might want to take a few notes for your own understanding. The following charts help to put the overall case into perspective. You may also wish to map out the organizational structure of the company in question, particularly for a CRM case.

Long Cycle Process:

(Read the case in detail. Much, much deeper analysis is required here. This is the section I look at extensively to generate your grade for this effort.)

Part 1: Read the case fully

Part 2: Analyze the case

Step 1: Define the issue at hand

Step 2: Analyze the case data

Step 3: Generate alternatives

Step 4: Select your decision criteria

Step 5: Assess the alternatives you have chosen based on your decision criteria

Step 6: Select your preferred alternative

Step 7: Develop an action and implementation plan

Step 1: Define the issue at hand

Step 2: Analyze the case data

Step 3: Select your Decision Criteria (with CRM focus)

Each criteria must help you to evaluate the problem but must not favour one solution over the other. Each must be mutually exclusive. Finally, you should have a mix of qualitative and quantitative.

Step 4: Generate Alternatives

Each alternative should be strategic in nature, and propose a distinctly different way forward to solve the problem posed in the case. The most important aspect of comparing alternatives is a detailed and balanced assessment of the merits and tradeoffs of each alternatives. This includes how well each alternative satisfied key decision criteria and fits with key insights from your internal and external analysis above.

Step 5: Assess the alternatives you have chosen based on your decision criteria (with CRM focus)

A table provides an efficient overview of the merits of each alterative in relation to criteria. However, following this chart, you must also include a discussion of the analysis inside this chart.

Step 6: Select your preferred alternative (with CRM focus)

Step 7: Develop an action and implementation plan (with CRM focus)

· Who? What? When? Where? How?

· Timeline for all actions to be taken

· Every implementation plan should have at least 1 strategic overall direction and 5 related tactics which are actionable for the next 6-12 months