Conduct a case study analysis based on two scholarly studies that are related to cultural training for employees of the Coca Cola Company.

HOW TO ANALYZE A CASE STUDY

INTRODUCTION

Case study helps students learn by immersing them in a real- world business scenario where they can act as problem-solvers and decision-makers. The case presents facts about a particular organization. Students are asked to analyze the case by focusing on the most important facts and using this information to determine the opportunities and problems facing that organization. Students are then asked to identify alternative courses of action to deal with the problems they identify.

A case study analysis must not merely summarize the case. It should identify key issues and problems, outline and assess alternative courses of action, and draw appropriate conclusions.

THE FIVE STEPS

1. Identify the most important facts surrounding the case.

2. Identify the key issue or issues.

3. Specify alternative courses of action.

4. Evaluate each course of action.

5. Recommend the best course of action

STEP ONE – IDENTIFY THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTS

Read the case several times to become familiar with the information it contains. Pay attention to the information in any accompanying exhibits, tables, or figures. Many case scenarios, as in real life, present a great deal of detailed information. Some of these facts are more relevant than others for problem identification. One can assume the facts and figures in the case are true, but statements, judgments, or decisions made by individuals should be questioned. Underline and then list the most important facts and figures that would help you define the central problem or issue. If key facts and numbers are not available, you can make assumptions, but these assumptions should be reasonable given the situation. The "correctness" of your conclusions may depend on the assumptions you make.

STEP TWO – IDENTIFY THE KEY ISSUE OR ISSUES

Use the facts provided by the case to identify the key issue or issues facing the company you are studying. Many cases present multiple issues or problems. Identify the most important and separate them from more trivial issues. State the major problem or challenge facing the company. You should be able to describe the problem or challenge in one or two sentences. You should be able to explain how this problem affects the strategy or performance of the organization.

You will need to explain why the problem occurred. Does the problem or challenge facing the company comes from a changing environment, new opportunities, a declining market share, or inefficient internal or external business processes

STEP THREE – SPECIFY ALTERNATIVE COURSES OF ACTION

List the courses of action the company can take to solve its problem or meet the challenge it faces. 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 given these constraints?

STEP FOUR – 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 FIVE – 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.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

You now understand the five steps on how to best analyze a case study. The analysis should help you to understand the case and to have a good idea on selecting the proper alternative for the case.