HOW TO ANALYZEA CASE STUDY

Mohammad Sajjad HossainLecturerBusiness Administration DepartmentEast West University

How will your Family do in next 5 years?

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The Value ChainA company is a chain of activities for transforming

inputs into outputs that customers value – including the primary and support activities.

Case Study : Unsystematic Attempt

Identify Concerned Components External Environment Components

General environment components Industry environment components

Internal Environment Components Understand the existing value chain Importance of superiority

360º analysis

External Environment Components

General environment Economic Political/ Legal Socio-cultural Technological Demographic Global

External Environment Components

Industry environment Intensity of existing rivalry Bargaining power of suppliers Bargaining power of buyers Threat of new entrants Threat of substitute products

Reference: Porter’s 5 Forces Model

Identify Concerned Components External Environment Components

General environment components Industry environment components

Internal Environment Components Understand the existing value chain Importance of superiority

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The Value ChainA company is a chain of activities for transforming

inputs into outputs that customers value – including the primary and support activities.

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Building Blocks of Competitive Advantage

So What is a Case Study analysis?

More than simple description A text that refuses to explain itself Describes a situation in narrative form A Dynamic situation

Positions to Take

Case Study: Thematic Category

3 types of situations occur regularly in case studies:

1) Problems2) Decisions3) Evaluations and4)Hybrid

Case Theme: Problems

It is a situation in which:1) Something significant has happened2) And we don’t know the proper

explanation Here different models/tools and subject

knowledge come in to action. Accurate causal relationship is vital Operations management, marketing, finance

etc.

Useable Models / Tools Porter’s 5 Forces Model Product Life Cycle BCG Matrix SWOT Analysis Fishbone Analysis DuPont Analysis Fishbone Analysis

Case Theme: Decisions

What is the best strategy the company should pursue in future?

The decisions vary in scope, consequence, and available data

There is NO objectively correct decision

Case Theme: Decisions

1) Create/ consider decision options2) Create/ Consider decision criteria

1) Profit generation for company2) Value generated to customer3) Customer satisfaction index4) Annual customer/ revenue growth

3) Look for relevance evidence Find the decision that creates the best fit

between available evidence and criteria

Case Theme: Evaluations Evaluations express a judgment about the

worth, value, or effectiveness of:1) performance2) decisions, already taken3) outcome4) act etc.

Subject of evaluation can be an individual, a group, a department, entire organization, a country, even a region

Evaluation : Types1. Qualitative evaluation

Quality of leadership Different models based analysis

2. Quantitative evaluation Ratio analysis Breakeven analysis NPV analysis Revenue/profit growth analysis

Remember : Numbers are not ‘decisions’

Case Theme: Hybrid

Encompasses more than one theme Now-a-days hybrid cases are used

Steps of Case Analysis

Steps 1 Put yourself “inside” the case

Think like an actual participant Strategic decision maker Board of directors Outside consultant

Steps 2

Become familiar with the material Read quickly through the case one

time Use initial read-through to assess possible

links to strategic concepts Read the case again, making notes

Try to pick the theme of the case

Steps 3 Do external environment analysis

Inputs from general environment Inputs from industry environment

Do internal environment analysis Study the value chain Evaluate performance, decisions etc.

Steps 4 Try to identify the problem theme

Marketing related case/ finance related case/ strategic management case

There can be multiple subjects, involved Some cases have more than one problem

Avoid getting hung up on symptoms

Problem Vs Symptoms

Problem: Sales people are leaving the company Causes:

Improper training Unfair compensation Bad product Unrealistic quotas

Symptoms High turn over rate High training costs

Problem Vs Symptoms

Problem: In mature stage of product life cycle Causes

Maturing needs and wants Symptoms:

Increased Competition Price War More Regulation

Steps 5 Develop decision alternatives

Identify/ develop criteria

Go for a detail evaluation Use qualitative tools Use quantitative tools

Steps 5 Evaluate alternatives

Can the company afford it? Is the solution likely to evoke a competitive

response? Will employees accept the change? How will it affect other stakeholders? How does it fit with the vision, mission,

objectives? Will the culture or values of the company

change?

Step 6 Make a set of recommendations that your

analysis supports Describe exactly what needs to be done Explain why this course of action will solve the

problem Include suggestions for how best to implement

the proposed solution Develop Implementation Plan GANTT Chart

Key points: Find the problem or problems Establish causal relationship Develop decision alternatives Come up with recommendations Include the implementation plan Use tools/models Ask questions Read to understand

Questions ?

Evaluate alternatives Can the company afford it? Is the solution likely to evoke a competitive

response? Will employees accept the change? How will it affect other stakeholders? How does it fit with the vision, mission,

objectives? Will the culture or values of the company

change?