howanalyzecase.docx

1、howanalyzecaseHow to Analyze a CaseAn Introduction to the Case MethodFor many of you, this will be the first course using cases that you have ever taken. The fact that this form of learning is new to you will naturally cause you some concern, and early on, some difficulty. Your textbook has twelve c

2、hapters that present aspects of the strategic marketing planning process, and a large number of “stories” about companies called cases. These cases give you the chance to look at the present situation facing an organization, and after a systematic analysis, make recommendations that will produce a c

3、hange in the results or outcomes. While you cannot be certain what that outcome will be, through the discussion and critique of your suggestions by fellow students and your professor, projections can be made about the foundation for the probable success of your recommendations.In this course you wil

4、l have the opportunity, through cases, to see how well you can assess and address a business issue or problem. The role of the case course is to provide you with the opportunity to utilize the knowledge you have gained to this point to evaluate and make recommendations to enhance the performance of

5、real organizations. This is not a substitute for real world experience in a job with an organization, but it is the type of learning that helps prepare you to begin using the business knowledge you have acquired.Analysis FrameworksBecause the process of learning through case analysis may be new to y

6、ou, we will devote much of this discussion to providing you with a framework to use in analyzing the cases found in your textbook. Such a framework is useful not only in analyzing cases in textbooks, but also in considering business situations described in publications such as The Wall Street Journa

7、l, Business Week, Fortune, and Forbes. In reality, most articles about companies in magazines and newspapers are mini-cases. The cases in your text tell stories, including facts, opinions, projections, results, expectations, plans, policies, and programs. As readers, we need some way to structure th

8、e information presented in a way that makes it more useable. Analysis frameworks provide a means to accomplish this end.There are several benefits in having a framework to use for analyzing situations. The first is that a framework provides comprehensive coverage of the topics and issues involved. W

9、ithout a framework, the analyst may overlook some issues. For example, a person might not consider the various effects of the economic environment facing the organization at a given point in time. Recommendations made without this consideration may not be appropriate, and they may even lead to the f

10、ailure of the organization. Another benefit of a framework is ease of communication. When everyone uses a similar framework to analyze cases, the terms each person uses person have similar meanings. This is a huge advantage in discussing cases in and outside of class. A final benefit is consistency

11、of analysis. A framework provides a blueprint to approach situations consistently every time. This is a great aid in getting started and conducting the analysis effectively and efficiently. Using the framework repeatedly will make you very proficient with it. In fact, experience shows that students

12、continue to use this framework in their jobs long after graduation. They continue to get these benefits, and in times of crisis, the framework gives them something to rely on in dealing with difficult situations.The framework presented in the remainder of this discussion is certainly not the only on

13、e that is useful in analyzing cases. We also cannot claim that it is the best framework. Your professor may provide his or her own framework, and if so, you should follow it. In all probability, it will be some modification of the one outlined here. As long as the framework provides you with the ben

14、efits outlined above, you feel it suits your needs, and you use it consistently, the case analysis process will be made more manageable and valuable.The Seven-Step Case Analysis FrameworkThe seven-step framework presented here is a synthesis of the frameworks used by your books authors in their many

15、 years of combined experience in teaching marketing. It has been improved over the years through discussions with other marketing professors who use case analysis in their courses. It is straightforward to use, and provides the benefits of comprehensiveness, communication, and consistency. It will n

16、ot, however, serve as a substitute for carefully reading (usually three or more times) and considering the cases. It will provide a solid structure to organize the diverse information presented in a case.As you work your way through this framework, or a similar approach to case analysis, we offer th

17、e following hints to increase your probability of success:1. No one can analyze a case after reading it only one time, or even worse, doing the analysis during the first reading of the case. You should read through the case once just to get an understanding of the nature of the case. During the seco

18、nd reading, you can begin to structure and classify the issues as they appear. A truly comprehensive case analysis will probably require at least three readings.2. Dont get trapped into thinking the “answer” to the case is hidden somewhere in the case text. There is never a single answer to a case j

19、ust as there is never a single marketing strategy that is appropriate for all situations. Each case is unique. Looking for tricks or shortcuts is not appropriate.3. Make an effort to put yourself in the shoes of the decision maker in the case. The use of role-playing as part of the analysis can be v

20、ery useful. It helps you gain some feeling for the perspective of the key parties at the time the case took place. After you have done several analyses, you will likely come up with your own additional procedures or guidelines that assist you with this process.Step 1: Situation AnalysisThe material

21、presented in a case is much like the communications we have in our daily lives. Usually our conversations involve the selection of a topic and then the discussion of that topic, and so it is with cases. The problem is that we end up with bits and pieces of information that by themselves are not very

22、 useful, but once organized, can be quite valuable in our assessment of the situation. The first step in the framework helps you organize the pieces of information into more useful topic blocks.The process of assessing a situation is widely accomplished through the use of SWOT Analysis (strengths, w

23、eaknesses, opportunities and threats). The issues and procedures involved in SWOT Analysis are fully explored in Chapter 4 of your text. Our role here is simply to reinforce the issues covered in SWOT and to emphasize its role in the case analysis framework.Looking at an organizations strengths and

24、weaknesses is the first half of Step 1. This involves looking at the organizations internal environment. Strengths are those aspects of the internal environment that can help the firm address a present problem, issue, or opportunity, while weaknesses are negative factors or deficiencies that do not

25、allow the firm to reach its full potential. One topic that should be addressed is the content and appropriateness of the current marketing plan. Is the marketing plan current? Do the key parties understand and utilize it? Was it developed with input from all levels of the organization? The organizat

26、ions financial condition may also present strengths and weaknesses. Is it in a solid position, and does it have, or can it acquire, needed funds at a reasonable cost of capital? Other possible strengths and weaknesses might include managerial expertise, human resources, product reputation and custom

27、er loyalty, patents and trademarks, age and capacity of production facilities, channel relationships, and promotional programs (sales force, advertising program, publicity, and sales promotion efforts). These are all issues that we want to consider in terms of both the present state of the firm and

28、identifiable trends.Students assessing a case situation see the importance of considering the organizations internal environment fairly naturally. The aspect of SWOT analysis that gives students the most difficulty is the external environment where all opportunities and threats reside. These are iss

29、ues that exist outside the boundaries of the firm. All opportunities and threats will exist at their present levels even if the organization in question does not exist. Technology, competition, the macroeconomic environment, regulation, and social and cultural trends are all issues that affect the s

30、uccess of an organizations strategies, but the organization has only limited influence on them.Because the power to affect the external environment significantly is usually absent, management must view the factors and forces present in the external environment as issues to be considered, but not usu

31、ally controlled. Managers should take steps to minimize the exposure to threats and to take full advantage of the opportunities. You might think of opportunities and threats as currents in a river. It is much easier to find a river whose currents will help take you where you are going than to try to

32、 make headway going against the force of the river.You may get hung up on several points when conducting a SWOT analysis. First, while a factor will usually fall into only one of the four categories, this is not always the case. A factor can be both a strength and a weakness, or an opportunity and a

33、 threat. For example, excess capacity in a factory would be a weakness from a production efficiency standpoint. But, it could be a strength if the firm is looking to introduce a new product because it will not have to build a new factory.The second and more serious issue is the difficulty in identifying opportunities. There is a tendency t