Cases are richer than readings. They usually involve multiple issues -- all the "blooming, buzzing confusion" of the real world. They deal with real people in real organizations. Case analysis can help you to increase your knowledge about the principles and theories of management by putting them in a context. Cases also can help you use your reading knowledge to analyze specific problems and issues.

The purpose of a case analysis is to help you sharpen your judgment. The case should compel you to face a particular situation, to evaluate all its aspects, to identify possible courses of action and to predict results, and to select the best course of action.

In a case, it is clear there is something wrong, but defining the problem is as much of a challenge as is finding a solution. In a real organization, managers are constantly receiving information, trying to discern patterns in the information, and taking action based on their perceptions of these patterns. A case provides a similar situation. There is a mass of information to be digested and sorted. You will find some irrelevant information included in most cases and some key facts that are not available.

There is no one "correct" way to analyze a case but here are some suggestions as a guideline.

How to Read a Case. A quick once-through reading to find out what's happening is a good way to start. Plan several readings and have a pad and pen handy for notetaking. Highlighting doesn't work as well unless you use several colors, because you need to categorize information. A pad with several columns marked off may be more helpful. Some of the columns might be as follows:

• Case of Characters. Make notes about the people in the case: names, position and experience, background, personal characteristics, relationships and perceptions of the situation.
• Chronology. List major events with their dates in a column.
• External Environment. What's happening in the outside world that might drive internal changes?
• Problems. Identify the problems facing the company during the period of the case. Don't worry about what has happened after the end date of the case. It's irrelevant to your analysis.

Analysis of Case Material. Analysis of the case means "taking the case apart" to identify cause-and-effect relationships. A case is like a complex puzzle; analysis corresponds to finding the clues and fitting them together so that the puzzle can be solved. Your analysis can be quantitative (although we won't stress this method in this class) or you can use more qualitative analytical methods.

Quantitative Analysis. If you wish to use a quantitative approach, you may find it helpful to convert the tables given into more useful ways to understand the data. For example, convert information on unit sales, advertising expenses, use patterns, etc. into percentages if possible. Percentage figures are more informative than absolute numbers because they allow easier comparisons from year to year without being misled by overall growth. Manipulate the quantitative data in any way that seems appropriate and informative. This will help you spot trends and focus on strengths and weaknesses.

Qualitative Analysis. A strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis is an aid for both generating and evaluating alternatives. A columnar list of facts and opinions, problems and alternatives is useful (indicated above). Of course, not all cases are problem-oriented. Some of the organizations we may study are highly successful. If you see the case you are analyzing as representing a successful organization, a column heading to use in place of problems might be "Threats to Continued Success."

Other columns you might use are as follows:

• Major Issues. What do you see as the underlying issues that cause the presenting problems?
• Appraisal of Strategy and Actions Taken. How do you assess the strategy described in the case? What are the positive and negative impact of actions taken, in your opinion?
• Alternative Strategy and/or Action Plans. What other approaches might the organization use?

• Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Approaches. In evaluating alternatives, think through the implementation of each alternative by listing pros and cons. No solution is perfect, and consideration of positive and negative aspects will give you a feel for the trade-offs that are made in supporting a given alternative.
• Selection of Best Strategy and/or Actions. Tell why this seems best to you. If you can demonstrate that you are aware of the trade-offs, it will show that you have done a thorough analysis.

Generalizations from the Case. Once you have done the analytic work, step back from the case and consider what you have learned from the case analysis that you might be able to apply to your future career either as a manager or employer.

Revised 3/1/99.
If you have any questions or comments about this guidelines, please contact Evelyn Daniel