Case Study HIV_Aids & Nurse Res.

Guide to Analyze a Case Study

A case study must not merely summarize the case presented; it should identify the key issues and problems outlined and assess alternative courses of action supported with research, drawing appropriate conclusions. In a letter format using APA current edition for sources used (minimum of 3 required) address:

1. The most important facts surrounding the case

2. The key issue/s presented

3. Alternative courses of action

4. An evaluation of proposed alternate solutions/courses of action

5. A recommendation of the best course of action

Each step is discussed in more detail below.

Step 1: The most important facts surrounding the case

Read the case several times to become familiar with the information it contains. Pay attention to any accompanying information such as charts, tables, or figures. Filter through for specific details and facts that pertain to the problems outlined; opinions, judgments, or decisions should be questioned. If key facts and numbers are not available, you can make reasonable assumptions appropriate for the situation. The ‘correctness’ of your conclusion may depend on the assumptions you make.

Step 2: Identify the key issue/s

Focus on the key issue or issues; there may be several listed so identify which is the most significant. Describe the problem or challenge in one or two sentences with an explanation of how the problem affects the strategy or performance of the organization. Explain why the problem occurred (ex. Changing environment, new opportunities, declining market share or inefficient business processes [internal or external]). Specify what type of problem it is (management, technology, organizational, or a combination). Once the type of problem is identified, think about what other factors contributed such as sufficient resources provided for performing that role or failure to utilize the resources provided.

· Technological Problem: look at the IT infrastructure, hardware/software, telecommunications, management of data. Are these being used effectively?

· Organizational Problem: look at culture, organizational structure, business processes, work groups, divisions among groups, relationships with other organizations, changes from external environment (government regulations, economic conditions, competitors, customers, or suppliers).

· Management Problem: look at manager leadership styles, monitoring of organizational performance, management decision-making, resources available?

Step 3: Specify alternative courses of action supported by research

List the courses of action the company can take to solve its problem or meet the challenge it faces. For information system-related problems, do these alternatives require a new information system or the modification of an existing system? Are new technologies, business processes, organizational structures, or management behavior required? What changes to organizational processes would be required by each alternative? What management policy would be required to implement each alternative?

Remember, there is a difference between what an organization “should do” and what that organization actually “can do.” Some solutions are too expensive or operationally difficult to implement, and you should avoid solutions that are beyond the organization’s resources. Identify the constraints that will limit the solutions available. Is each alternative executable and practical given these constraints?

Step 4: Evaluate each course of action

Evaluate each alternative using the facts and issues you identified earlier, given the conditions and information available. Identify the costs and benefits of each alternative. Ask yourself “What would be the likely outcome of this course of action? State the risks as well as the rewards associated with each course of action. Is your recommendation feasible from a technical, operational, and financial standpoint? Be sure to state any assumptions on which you have based your decision.

Step 5: Recommend the best course of action

State your choice for the best course of action and provide a detailed explanation of why you made this selection. You may also want to provide an explanation of why other alternatives were not selected. Your final recommendation should flow logically from the rest of your case analysis and should clearly specify what assumptions were used to shape your conclusion. There is often no single “right” answer, and each option is likely to have risks as well as rewards.