Two task 2 pages due in 12 hours

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5.1CaseStudyCoverSheetSituationAnalysis.docx

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5.1 SITUATION ANALYSIS/ SAMPLE COVER PAGE

FOR CASE STUDY REPORTS

Name of Case Study Report: ___________________________

COURSE NUMBER AND NAME

Name of Professor: ______________________

Due Date: __________

Name/ ID# of Team Members:

_________ __________

5.1 Situation Analysis/Size-Up/Assumptions

The first activity that you should carry out is to read the material, identify and collect any necessary data/information and to provide structure to the resulting data. This activity takes place before you deal with the issue of the problem statement. In the size-up, you try to identify critical issues and to draw both logical and critical inferences from the resulting data. Most students tend to do a good job on collecting and summarizing the data. Where they do poorly is in the drawing of critical inferences, (What does such data imply? What does it mean? What can happen as a result?). Summarizing data is useful but remember that your professor is already familiar with the facts that you are summarizing. If all that you do is to summarize then you have not really generated any real value to the report.

To draw the critical inferences from the symptoms you identify, remember the “what happens if this were to be allowed to continue?” question. Pose it repeatedly to the symptoms you identify. If the application of this question results in findings of little importance, then the data that you have looked at may be of limited value. This is where the sense of urgency for action becomes apparent. Through the use of deductive reasoning, inferences must be linked directly back to the symptoms occurring in the case.

In some cases, the size-up focuses on critical aspects of the firm, the market, the products, competition or the customer. In other cases, the size-up focuses attention on certain “facts” that cannot be ignored. In other cases, the size-up identifies critical constraints.

Also included in this section is your view of the vision of the firm (if it exists at all). The vision describes to management how the firm provides value in the market and how it differentiates itself from its competitors. The vision statement often plays a critical role in how you select, evaluate and structure the alternative and recommendations that you present the firm. What if there is no vision statement? Then you should propose a hypothetical vision statement that complements the future strategic direction of the firm.

In short, the size-up provides a context-rich setting for the report; it prepares the ground for both the problem statement and the analysis. It identifies issues and constraints as well as identifies the symptoms from the problems.

Assumptions: There should be a subhead within the size up area of those assumptions being made during the analysis as cases are riddled with gaps. This section is not to become a mental dump of all that you discuss in your group. Rather, it is an identification of those gaps in facts that do not appear in the case specifically, but you are assuming must exist in order to complete your analysis. Assumptions are very common when analyzing a case study and students should try to confirm with their professor how many are desired for each report, (i.e. is there a limit as to the number of assumptions your professor will allow?).

(Name of Case Study Report Goes Here) ________________

5.1 Situation Analysis

P#1: Name of Organization ___________________________________________________________

Location of Organization _________________________________________________________

Type of Product/Service Provided __________________________________________________

Industry ______________________________________________________________________

Sector (circle one) Private Public

Number of Employees _________________

Unionized or Non-unionized workforce? ____________________

List the main characters & their job titles:

* __________________________

P#2: Summarize the events of the case – do not use quotes, do not use specific events . . .provide a general overview of situation at this organization. . .try to keep to under 200 words as a rule of thumb.

NUMBER ALL PAGES

P#3: List all the symptoms occurring in this case (try to find at least 4)

(i.e. There is low employee morale in the workplace).

· _________________________________________________________

· _________________________________________________________

· _________________________________________________________

· _________________________________________________________

· _________________________________________________________

P#4: For every symptom listed above, write an inference (an interpretation that leads to a prediction of what would occur if allowed to continue). If you have 4 unique symptoms, then you will have 4 unique inferences; five symptoms, then you will have 5 inferences . . .etc.

(i.e. It can be inferred that if employee morale continues to decrease in the workplace, the organization could experience higher levels of absenteeism or in extreme cases even higher turnover as employees seek a different workplace that will provide greater job satisfaction.)

1. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ASSUMPTIONS: Note this is a subhead under section 5.1. List at least 3 assumptions that you are making about the case situation. No limit here – but consider those elements you need to clarify and state in order to complete your analysis further on in the report. Explain why you are assuming such.

(i.e. We assume this organization does not have a full-service HR department because if they did, employees would have been provided the necessary orientation and training when hired to know the expectations of their job – including skills, knowledge, abilities and other attributes required.)

1. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________