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Step 1 - Read The Case Step 2 - Read The Case Again

The document provides steps for analyzing a case study: 1) Read the case study twice to understand the facts and issues 2) Employ an analytical framework to structure your analysis, such as outlining the facts, issues, and writing an analysis paragraph 3) Consider additional frameworks for analysis including identifying problems, decisions, evaluations, or rules within the case 4) View analysis as a process that involves understanding the case, reaching a conclusion supported by evidence, and considering alternative conclusions The overall process emphasizes repeatedly reading the case study to gain understanding, structuring analysis using appropriate frameworks, and treating analysis as an iterative process of developing a supported conclusion.

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40 views

Step 1 - Read The Case Step 2 - Read The Case Again

The document provides steps for analyzing a case study: 1) Read the case study twice to understand the facts and issues 2) Employ an analytical framework to structure your analysis, such as outlining the facts, issues, and writing an analysis paragraph 3) Consider additional frameworks for analysis including identifying problems, decisions, evaluations, or rules within the case 4) View analysis as a process that involves understanding the case, reaching a conclusion supported by evidence, and considering alternative conclusions The overall process emphasizes repeatedly reading the case study to gain understanding, structuring analysis using appropriate frameworks, and treating analysis as an iterative process of developing a supported conclusion.

Uploaded by

AG
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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How to Analyze A Case

STEP 1 READ THE CASE


STEP 2 READ THE CASE AGAIN

Having said that, case analysis is not about merely reading the case, but
about thinking about the case. Of course, if you havent read it your going
to have a difficult time thinking about it.
Reading is never the primary resource of the case analysis. Reading is
merely an instrument directed by the thought process that makes meaning
from the text (The Case Study Handbook, Ellet 2007, p.20).

How to Analyze A Case

STEP 3 EMPLOY A FRAMEWORK TO HELP YOU


ANALYZE THE CASE

I suggested one example for a framework.


Outline the
FACTS
ISSUES
Then write your analysis in a paragraph format
YOUR ANALYSIS

How to Analyze A Case

STEP 3 EMPLOY A FRAMEWORK TO HELP YOU


ANALYZE THE CASE

Another Framework for helping you to understand a case might be to look at types of situations which are likely to occur in cases.
Problems
A problem is a situation in which something important has happened, but we dont know why it did.
Cases usually provide many examples of problems.
Decisions
Many cases are organized around an explicit decision. For example We Googled You.
Evaluations
Cases may ask for your evaluation of a set of circumstances.
For example: A new CEO evaluating the performance of her company.
Rules
Rules often occur in Qunatitative cases.. We probably will not encounter a case with rules (an example would be a takeover or
acquisition evaluation).

IME 375 How to Analyze A Case

STEP 4 CONSIDER THE CASE ANALYSIS AS A


PROCESS

How do you know when to conclude study of the case?


When you understand it?
When you are familiar with the information in the case AND when you
have come to a conclusion about the main issue AND you have
evidence showing why your conclusion is reasonable AND you have
thought about other possible conclusions and you can document why
yours is preferable.

IME 375 How to Analyze A Case

Think about the case as a staff meeting


You will argue for one set of actions
Your nearest competitor for the next promotion will argue for
the opposite set of actions and will try to discredit your
arguments.
The next screen shows the winning case study from a national competition. The
Case was We Googled You. If you would like to read the case itself (before you
read the winning entry in the Harvard Business Review comptition), here is the
link.
http://www.vital.co.kr/harvard/hmmplus/hmm11_kr_quickpath/hiring/base/resources/WeGoog
ledYou.pdf

IME 375 How to Analyze A Case


The winner of the June 2007 Interactive Case Study is Ananda Ganguly, a software development manager in Redmond, Washington.
Ananda's winning response:

What ought to be and what is do not always match. A professional manager must balance his personal convictions (which
in this case may be sympathetic to Mimi) with the ground realities.
The facts are:
(a) information on the Internet remains forever and can be searched easily,
(b) 'Googling' people is a very common practice, and
(c) Chinese government, which plays a dominant role in the business practices in China, is unfriendly towards protesters
like Mimi.
If she is hired, Hathaway Jones will have a hostile and powerful government to deal with in China, and this will seriously
jeopardize the company's plans. A good business decision is to not hire her for the Shanghai job.
The next consideration would be to hire her to work behind the scenes as a consultant on the China project. However, this
will not work because of;
(a) the nature of the job requires involvement on the ground in China, and
(b) this can result in a strained relationship with the new head of Shanghai store, and
(c) the assignment will not suit Mimi's career aspirations.
Good employees can make a difference, however, and Hathaway has a flagging US business that needs reinvigorating.
That Mimi's political views are at odds with those of the Chinese government is only a problem if we consider her for the
one job of as head of a Shanghai store. Hathaway should look at Mimi in a broader context, and can use her strong core
business skills and US retailing experience for improving the US business.

IME 375 How to Analyze A Case

According to Julia Kirby, senior editor at Harvard Business Reviewwho manages


the case study section and judged of this contestGanguly was chosen because "I
appreciated that he did three things in such short space.
First, he took a stand on whether or why it's legitimate to use information found by
Googling as input to a hiring decision.
Second, he underscored the cultural dimension of the case, noting the particular
challenge of its being a China-based position.
And lastly, he offered a pragmatic solution that lets the CEO have it both ways."
Congratulations Ananda, and thanks to all those who participated in this event.

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