Analyzing business cases

Analyzing a business case involves time and effort. An effective analysis, or shred, is not quickly scribbled down a few minutes before class. The secret of any successful analysis is the integration of higher-level critical thinking skills, combined with a careful reading and interpretation of all the pertinent details within the case. A thorough case shred REQUIRES an analysis that probes beyond surface information, beyond what is obvious on a first or second reading.

Identifying and explaining each step is not always easy; sometimes there is no “right” answer. Nevertheless, each aspect of the case must be scrutinized. Remember, if the process were easy, we wouldn’t be practicing the shred. The long-term payoff, however, is well worth the labor today; far too many individuals in business do not take the necessary steps to “think through” problems, decisions, and consequences as evidenced by the numerous negative news stories resounding through the halls of corporate America.

PROCESS

Step 1: Use the Short Cycle Reading Process to familiarize yourself with the case.

a. Read opening and ending paragraphs

b. Who? What Why? When? How?

c. Take a look at the case exhibits

d. Quick review of case subtitles

e. Skim case body

d. Read assignment questions and reflect on them

Step 2. Read the case completely , from start to finish. Re-read the case with a writing utensil in hand making notes either on the case itself or on a separate piece of paper. Read the case for a third time, underlining key terms, key players, key stakeholders, and key issues that must be addressed. The better you understand the elements and details within the case, the easier the problem-solving process becomes.

Step 3. Complete the Short Cycle Process Analysis.

a. Who? Name and position

b. What? What are issues or problems?

c. Why? Why are there issues. What contributed to the issues?

d. When? Create a timeline for the case issues and contributing factors.

e. How? Evaluate the difficulty of the case analytically (what is your task?), conceptually (what theories or tasks will help resolve the issue?) and presentation (how difficult is the case? What info is relevant? What info is missing?)

Step 4: Reread and revisit the case with a close, careful reading and note taking. Your notes on the case should focus on the details you will need in to clarify the business problems faced by managers, the issues critical to solving the problems, the available resources on which managers can draw to determine an appropriate course of action, and which details included in the case can be delegated to background information.

Consider the following to help with your brainstorming/note-taking2:

· Define and state the problem

· Decide on the short-term objectives and the company’s long-term goals in this case.

· List the pertinent facts of the case and analyze how they play a part in the problem.

Step 5: Specifically state the business problem(s) facing management . Typically, at least one fundamental business problem is present. Problems can include tactical issues such as how a customer can collect monies from delinquent accounts to larger and broader problems such as problems associated with a company’s cash flow. Keep in mind that you may identify more than one problem and in complex cases often address several simultaneous problems.

List the different problems or issues you see and state them in the form of a question.

· A question of fact asks whether something is true or false; the answer can be verified.

· A question of value asks whether something is good or bad, desirable or undesirable.

· A question of interpretation asks for the meaning or explanation of a term.

· A question of policy asks what actions should be taken.

Develop a problem statement. After answering these questions, recognize the most significant problem and state it in one or two sentences. For example, “EK&G Products has low sales and high per-units costs, resulting in low profits.”

Step 6: Specify Goals/Objectives for the Managers Involved. Think about feasible/desired outcomes, as if you are the manager who must solve the business problems. Don’t restrict yourself to just thinking what the company ought to do, rather consider the most successful and desired outcome. The success of goals should be measurable. For example, if a goal is to increase sales at EK&G Products, state it as a quantifiable goal: Increase the sales at EK&G Products 10 percent by next quarter.

Step 7: Identify the Issues and Rank Them . Some issues are urgent and must be resolved immediately. For example, if OSHA comes to your business and says you have a dangerous workplace, they shut your business down, that is an urgent issue that must be addressed immediately. If OSHA sends a letter saying they will inspect your facility in three weeks, that is an important issue that needs your attention, but you have some time to resolve it. Herein lies the heart of the case; if you miss the most urgent critical issue, you miss the opportunity to solve the case to the satisfaction of involved stakeholders. Identify the issues and then rank them least to most critical. Remember that

· Some issues are interdependent

· Some issues are more important than others

· Each issue has a time dimension

· Some issues are merely symptoms of larger or deeper problems

Step 8: Consider Relevant Information and Underlying Assumptions . Accept that most of the information included in the case will not be useful and that you will never have as much information as you want to produce a solution. Such is life; unfortunately, not all of life’s problems have neat, tidy endings. Make a list of significant facts and events, e.g., with a small number of sales, the unit cost soared to over $250. Find and list what effect marketing dynamics, competitive factors, foreign competition, government regulations, etc., have on your organization? What factors in the organization are crucial? Has a merger had an effect on the organization’s culture? What about internal issues, such as just-in-time manufacturing, quality assurance, or human resource management? How do these operations affect the organization’s competitive advantage? What are your resources? Your investments, facilities, cash flow, ROI, and budget are the bottom line of strategy formulation and influence your analysis.

Identify the relevant facts in the case and consider them carefully. Separate facts from assumptions. Recognize further that need to subjectively interpret and assume other evidence not directly stated. Support your underlying assumptions with information and facts found in the case. Don’t confuse cause and effect; distinguish between facts, assumptions, and opinions. Find factors that the company or management can control. List your assumptions, e.g., A target market is not clearly defined.

Step 9: List Possible Solutions to the Problem . Solutions are strategies you will use to resolve the problem and reached the stated goal. There is always more than one solution to every problem. Listing possible solutions is a form of brainstorming which will later allow you to assign values to your ideas. e.g., find a small segment of retail stores or customer-intensive food service locations and market to that segment. As you identify solutions, list Pros (advantages) and Cons (disadvantages) to each. Consider the following-

· Write three alternative solutions to the problem and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each.

· Is one solution less expensive than another? Will one solution be more effective than another? Will one idea work more quickly?

· What criteria must you fulfill to accomplish each solution?

a. Analyze and evaluate alternatives; limit list to those with superior payoff. Relevant data bolsters the discussion of pros and cons of each.

Decision Criteria

Alternatives

 

Cost Time Ease of

Implementation

Customer

Satisfaction

b. Select the preferred alternative: Predict outcomes and choose the most reasonable solution.

Alternative A Best Possible Outcome
  Most Likely Outcome
  Worst Possible Outcome
Alternative B Best Possible Outcome
  Most Likely Outcome
  Worst Possible Outcome
Alternative C Best Possible Outcome
  Most Likely Outcome
  Worst Possible Outcome

Step 10: Choose the best solution and recommend the action you can support with evidence . Show why the ideas you thought superior will work. Use logic and reasoning as evidence, e.g., EK&G should examine the viability of the entire XYZ venture. If XYZ is a feasible product, EK&G should develop a business plan to include how to achieve increased sales in one or two markets. Be as specific as possible as the defense of your ideas lies in the details.

Step 11: Decide How to Implement the Best Solution. Having solid ideas are not enough, you must know how to put them to work. Implementation of your solution requires a plan of action. Identify the required, specific actions, a time line, resources, personnel, impact on the organization, and a way to measure results. An example of an action statement follows: Commissioned sales reps should aggressively pursue sales to restaurants and bars throughout California to stimulate sales and increase production to reduce the per-unit cost. Practical application of ideas is what is most helpful to managers.

Step 10: Explain How to Communicate the Solution . How should the message be communicated and to whom? Consider the needs of your target audience and the needs of stakeholders. Think as well about timing.

WHAT YOU SHOULD NOT EXPECT

More Information. For the most part, the information given in the case is all you will have, and you must make do with that. Do not alter the facts in the case.

A “right answer.” Case studies are often based on real companies and real events. No one can say for certain what would have happened if your ideas or other “better” ideas had been implemented. Although some ideas are clearly better than others, many different ideas or approaches will work. Some of the very best ideas may not have been used or thought of by the companies.

An explanation of what “actually happened” in the case. It doesn’t matter. What is important is to bring your own thinking and analysis to the case. This process leads to students learning how think through cases step by step, rather than jumping to a “right” answer.

A single discipline focus to each case. Authentic business problems are rarely, if ever, one dimensional. Cases may have central problems related to many different business dimensions including accounting, finance, operations management, human resources, marketing, or communication.

That your response will solve all the problems in the case. Try to focus on the most urgent, most important underlying problems first. Although you may wish to identify issues for further thought, you cannot and should not try to solve all the problems in the case.

YOUR TASK

In summary, your task is to read, identify, and understand the business problems in the case. By identifying, ranking and exploring the critical issues it contains, you should be able to propose a workable solution with pros and cons, explain how to get it started and how to communicate it to others within the business.

Note: The above outlined steps are meant to assist you with the writing applications associated with the cases. Most students tell me that one of the hardest aspects of writing is “getting started” and “overcoming writer’s block.” A detailed case shred incorporates the brainstorming, prewriting, and preparation stages necessary for the production of a memo or letter draft. Thus, the case shred is an organized, logical, and systematic means for eliminating those obstacles that stand in the way of “getting started.”

� Adapted from O’Rourke: Management Communication, 2nd ed. and from Penrose, Rasberry, and Myers 2001

2 Vogt & Fuller CSUF, 2002-used by permission

Using our essay writing service.

Our working experience, customer feedback, and market resources have brought about the creation of an exclusive online service: Academiagrades.com. Have you ever wanted to do all of your homework to the best of your abilities but got stuck on the very first task on your to-do list? We know that you deserve your rest, quality time and we are ready and able to handle all your research and academic requirements.

Writing papers is a common source of headaches for students everywhere, especially if they intend to produce something their instructor would consider “excellent”. If you seek professional help with your essays, know that our essay writing service is 24/7 ready to take on your task. Our skilled writers can help you with any assignment you may find hard. Discover what benefits you get by asking us to complete your paper.

Timely delivery

We have delivered more than 98% of student’s papers before the deadline so far. Order your writing task from us and we will send it exactly when you expect it. Great result in a short timeframe. We’re here for you day and night. Connect with customer support around-the-clock for any s or urgent questions.

Proofreading

For that professional touch we go over all finished work check spelling grammar and formatting to make sure the assignment looks polished and excellent. All our essays are checked for plagiarism before hand over as well an extra set of experts in our QA department to examine on the quality.

Re-writing

If you have done the research and need our specialist to make it worthy of top marks, we will completely rewrite your paper while we guarantee originality. Ask your writer for adjustments and you will have them in no time.

Flexible prices

We often write papers on client friendly price on our website, and you can always choose a longer deadline to save a bit on the price of your . The more pages you also reduces the price considerably.

Customer satisfaction

At Academiagrades.com we know that half of the process depends on customers and their ability to articulate instructions in an effective way. Their views on desired final products must be made clear to the writers. The diversity of the s we receive has also enable us to largely improve our analytical and research capabilities. Working in the field of academic assistance for a relatively long period we understand that the customer can effectively manage the s by consistent communication with the writer.

We offer a convenient, simple and unique platform for collaboration between customers and professional writers willing and able to dedicate their skills towards customers’ academic success. Our company support team as well as regulations are excellent and easy to work with for the customer thus fostering professionalism. Our focus is to be a reliable partner and create a long term cooperation with you. For those pursuing personal development, as essay-doyen we look forward to offering you numerous interesting projects and opportunities for self-improvement.

Our company is one of the largest and most reliable essay writing services in the world. We provide all forms of assignment help including essay writing, research writing help, calculations help, statistics help, and custom essays help. We have provided custom writing services to thousands of students around the world. We are also among the most affordable essay help service in the world.

Use our service today and experience from academic experts.

Place your order
(550 words)

Approximate price: $22

Calculate the price of your order

550 words
We'll send you the first draft for approval by September 11, 2018 at 10:52 AM
Total price:
$26
The price is based on these factors:
Academic level
Number of pages
Urgency
Basic features
  • Free title page and bibliography
  • Unlimited revisions
  • Plagiarism-free guarantee
  • Money-back guarantee
  • 24/7 support
On-demand options
  • Writer’s samples
  • Part-by-part delivery
  • Overnight delivery
  • Copies of used sources
  • Expert Proofreading
Paper format
  • 275 words per page
  • 12 pt Arial/Times New Roman
  • Double line spacing
  • Any citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, Harvard)

Our guarantees

Delivering a high-quality product at a reasonable price is not enough anymore.
That’s why we have developed 5 beneficial guarantees that will make your experience with our service enjoyable, easy, and safe.

Money-back guarantee

You have to be 100% sure of the quality of your product to give a money-back guarantee. This describes us perfectly. Make sure that this guarantee is totally transparent.

Read more

Zero-plagiarism guarantee

Each paper is composed from scratch, according to your instructions. It is then checked by our plagiarism-detection software. There is no gap where plagiarism could squeeze in.

Read more

Free-revision policy

Thanks to our free revisions, there is no way for you to be unsatisfied. We will work on your paper until you are completely happy with the result.

Read more

Privacy policy

Your email is safe, as we store it according to international data protection rules. Your bank details are secure, as we use only reliable payment systems.

Read more

Fair-cooperation guarantee

By sending us your money, you buy the service we provide. Check out our terms and conditions if you prefer business talks to be laid out in official language.

Read more

Order your essay today and save 30% with the discount code HAPPY