pro Maurice, Case Study

ITM 125 Management Information Systems

GOLDEN GATE UNIVERSITY

The course project asks that you write a case analysis of Seminole Industries. Information on how to write

this case is found in this document. The Seminole case is found in the ITM 125 syllabus.

The case project paper must be posted to the DropBox for week 8 no later than midnight October

21st. No late papers will be accepted.

Read the following material carefully; it discusses the core concept you need to address in your paper:

A primary objective of the case analysis is to connect course content (material, frameworks, models,

managerial/business analysis) with the case discussion.

This connection may occur throughout the writing, but will certainly appear in the analysis and action plan

portions of your writing.

Formatting Requirements:

The paper must be formatted as a Microsoft Word file. The paper filename needs to be as follows:

"YourLastName ITM125 Case Study". Example: VickITM125CaseStudy.doc

The case should be 6-10 pages in length, total. The paper margins should not exceed 1" for top, bottom,

left and right. The paper can be single or double-spaced. Double spaced papers should be much closer

in length to 10 pages than 6 pages. Use a standard business font such as Times New Roman, Courier,

etc., 12-point font size.

Content Requirements:

There needs to be a title page with the first page of the paper, your full name, the course number, current

date, and a title such as "Seminole Case Study".

There needs to be an abstract or summary (on one page), an introduction, body and conclusion. In the

paper body each of the 7 numbered items below must be included, with a Heading that identifies where

each item begins.

Do not provide a table of contents, but be sure each paper section has a clear heading. A references

page is required. You must use at least 3 references, in addition to references from our text. Use APA

citations for your reference page and your in body citations.

Writing a case analysis:

This is a modified version of material found at

http://businessmajors.about.com/od/casestudies/ht/HowToCaseStudy.htm

1. Investigate and Analyze the Company’s History and Growth. A company’s past can greatly affect the present and future state of the organization. To begin your case study analysis, investigate the company’s founding, critical incidents, structure, and growth.

2. Provide analysis on the External Environment.

The second step in a case study analysis involves identifying opportunities and threats within the company’s external environment. Special items to note include competition within the industry, bargaining powers, and the threat of substitute products.

3. Identify Strengths and Weaknesses Within the Company. Using the information you gathered in step one, continue your case study analysis by examining and making a list of the value creation functions of the company. For example, the company may be weak in product development, but strong in marketing.

4. Provide a brief analysis of your findings to this point. Using the information in steps two and three, you will need to create an evaluation for this portion of your case study analysis. Compare the strengths and weaknesses within the company to the external threats and opportunities. Determine if the company is in a strong competitive position and decide if it can continue at its current pace successfully.

5. Make recommendations for the use of information Systems to be made as a result of steps 2, 3 and 4 above

Be sure you identify and explain at least 4 different IS solutions. Your recommendations should be discussed within the context of organizational change, levels of hierarchy, employee rewards, conflicts, and other issues that are important to the company you are analyzing.

6. Articulate an Action Plan What’s next? Create a reasonable action plan/conclusion with milestones, checkpoints, and pilot projects. Include also a structure (teams, for example) for fulfillment.

Components in the action plan should be based on and supported by the context of your case study analysis.

7. Conclusion The conclusion needs to be one half page or longer. Think of the case analysis as a story, and your conclusion as a statement that pulls the story together. The conclusion needs to reinforce the paper's core concepts.

Tips:

1. Know the case backwards and forwards before you begin your case study analysis. 2. Give yourself enough time to write the case study analysis. You don't want to rush through it. 3. Be honest in your evaluations. Don't let personal issues and opinions cloud your judgment. 4. Be analytical, not descriptive. 5. Proofread your work!

6. Be analytical, not descriptive.