MGT 2328 Introduction to Management Fundamentals Case Methodology Manual

Objective of Case Analysis The objective of case analysis is to develop your analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities. As you proceed through your business studies and your career, you will frequently be asked to analyse and solve business situations. Case methodology provides you with a systematic and methodical approach to doing so. What is a Case?  A business situation which has existed in a firm to which a solution is not given.  A collection of facts with which the analyst is required to work within in order to achieve the best possible solution.  A “cof” which the real business person doesn't ordinarily have collected in such a concise form. Preparing to Complete a Case Analysis Step One: The Short Preparation 1. Read the case. You should then be able to answer the following questions: a. Who is the decision maker in this case, and what is their position and responsibilities? b. What appears to be the issue or concern, problem, challenge, or opportunity and its significance for the organization? c. Why has the issue arisen and why is the decision-maker involved now? d. When does the decision-maker have to decide, resolve, act or dispose of the issue? What is the urgency to the situation? 2. Review the exhibits and appendices to see what numbers have been provided. 3. Review the case headings to see what areas are covered in more depth. 4. Review the case questions if any have been provided. This may give you some clues are what the main issues are to be resolved. You should now be familiar with what the case study is about, and ready to begin the process of analyzing it. Many students mistakenly believe that this is all the preparation needed for a team discussion of a case study. If this was the extent of your preparation, your ability to contribute to the team discussion would likely be very limited. You need to go further to prepare the case using the next step. One of the primary reasons for doing the short preparation process is to give you an indication of how much work will need to be done to prepare the case analysis properly. Step Two: The Long Preparation At this point, the task consists of two parts: 1. A detailed reading of the case, and then 2. Analyzing the case. When you are doing the detailed reading of the case study, look for the following sections: 1. Opening paragraph: introduces the situation; 2. Background information: industry, organization, products, history, competition, financial information, and anything else of significance; 3. Specific (functional) area of interest: marketing, finance, operations, human resources, or integrated; 4. The specific problem or decision(s) to be made; 5. Alternatives open to the decision maker, which may or may not be stated in the case; and 6. Conclusion: sets up the task, any constraints or limitations, and the urgency of the situation. MGT2328 Most, but not all case s