http://web.utk.edu/~sjmcmill/Adv450/caseprep.

html How to Read, Analyze, Discuss, Write Reports of, and Present Case Studies
For Use in Classes Taught by Sally J. McMillan, Ph.D.
Case Studies and the "Real World" Reading the Case Discussions Writing the Report Presenting the Case

Case studies provide students and teachers with examples that can illustrate principles, provoke discussion, and facilitate learning. However, many students are unaccustomed to the case study method of learning. This document is designed to provide general guidelines that will help you make case studies a useful part of your educational experience.

Case Studies and the "Real World"

The cases we study in class are designed to incorporate realism. Nevertheless, it is important to realize that these cases differ from "real world" situations in several important respects. First, the information is "pre-packaged" in written form. By contrast, practicing managers accumulate their information through such means as memoranda, meetings, chance conversations, research studies, observations, news media reports, other externally published materials, and rumors. Second, cases tend to be selective in their reporting because most of them are designed with specific teaching objectives in mind. Each must fit a relatively short class period and focus attention on a defined category of marketing and communications problems within a given subject area. To provide such a focus - and to keep length and complexity of the case within reasonable bounds - it may be necessary to omit information on problems, data, or personnel that are peripheral to the central issue(s) in the case. In the real world, management problems are usually dynamic in nature. They call for some immediate action, with further analysis and decisions delayed until some later time. Managers are rarely able to wrap up their problems, put them away, and go on to the "next case." In contrast, a case analysis in class is more like a snapshot taken at a particular point in time. A final contrast between case discussions and the realities of management is that participants in class discussions are not responsible for implementing their decisions or living with the

consequences of those decisions. This does not mean, however, that you can be frivolous when making recommendations in class. There is no one "right" solution to any case - either in the classroom or the real world. Similarly, there is no one way of writing or presenting a case report. However, the following guidelines should familiarize you with the task of case preparation.

Reading the Case

It is important to gain a feel for the situation by first skimming quickly through the case. Ask yourself:

What sort of organization is the case about? What is the nature of the industry? What is going on in the external environment? What problems appear to face management? What are the communication strategies identified in the case? Are there additional communication strategies that might be relevant?

An initial fast reading, without attempting to take notes or underline, should provide you with some sense of what information is being presented for analysis. Then you will be ready to make a very careful second reading of the case. This time, underline key points and take some notes. In addition to the above questions, consider the following:

What decisions need to be made and who will be responsible for making them? What are the objectives of the organization itself and of each of the key players in the case? Are they mutually compatible objectives? If not, can they be reconciled, and will it be necessary to redefine the objectives? What resources and constraints are present which will help or hinder attempts of the organization to meet its objectives?

You should make a special effort to establish the significance of any quantitative data presented in the case. See if new insights may be gained by combining and manipulating data presented in different parts of the case. But don't blindly accept the data. With cases, as in real life, not all information is equally reliable or relevant.

Discussions
As you work in teams on cases, your team will need to begin with an in-depth discussion of the case. You should have read the case at least twice (as described above) before you begin your discussion of the case. To come to a team meeting without having read the case is unfair to your team members. In the team discussion, you should focus on both talking and listening. Throughout the discussion, try to synthesize all comments by all team members. Don't allow "group think" to set in. If you have different ideas from other people in your group, speak out! It can be useful for people with different ideas to debate their points with each other. But don't be so eager to participate that you ignore what others have to say. Learning to be a good listener is also an important element in developing managerial skills.

Avoid "rehashing" facts. Focus on commentary. Before contributing, ask if points you plan to make are relevant to what has been said and how they might redirect discussion.

Writing the Report

When you write a report of a case study, assume that your audience is a manager who has asked you to review the facts and make a recommendation. Prepare an action-oriented advisory report that presents concisely your analysis and recommendations. The body of the report (exclusive of executive summary and appendices) should be from six to 10 typewritten pages double-spaced, appropriately formatted in report form. Spelling, grammatical, and typographical errors indicate a lack of professionalism. The professor may provide you with some specific guidelines for individual cases that require sections in addition to or in place of those listed below. However, unless otherwise directed, you should use the following format in writing your reports.

The Report Format

I. Executive Summary (1 page, single-spaced) II. Report Main Body (6-10 page maximum, double-spaced) A. Statement of the Problem B. List of Critical Factors C. Definition of Alternatives D. Conclusion E. Additional Comments III. Appendices (tables and exhibits as appropriate) Label each of the parts with the subheading indicated. More detail is provided below on how to write each of these sections.

Executive Summary
The executive summary is to be written in memoranda form (single-spaced) from your team to the manager. It provides an overview of the report to follow. The executive summary generally consists of five paragraphs, each of which concisely summarizes sections A through E of your report. The executive summary should be no more than one page in length. Be particularly careful of your writing in this section. You are selling the manager on your ideas and even a single typo can make you look unprofessional.

Statement of the Problem

Concisely state the question to be resolved in your report. Include any sub-parts of the problem and all requirements that have been established for a satisfactory solution. Indicate also any critical restrictions that have been placed on the acceptable solution such as limitation on monetary expenditures, time, distribution in activity, or personnel. State the problems in terms of possible action to be taken (e.g., "How to improve . . . so as to achieve . . . without an undue expenditure of . . .?"

State the problem, not the symptoms. Unless your diagnosis of the problem is correct, all subsequent decision making will be flawed. Also be sure that you have indicated the significance or importance of the problem. What will be the implications of a delay or donothing decision? The length of the problem statement may vary from case to case. However, in general you should be able to state the problem in one page or less.

List of Critical Factors

Do NOT try to summarize all the data in the case. Instead, focus on the key factors that will impact on how you plan to resolve the key problem you identified. A simple bullet-style list of problems is acceptable in this section. Don't comment on the factors, just identify them at this point. Again, length may vary, but usually your list of key factors should fit on one page or less.

Definition of Alternatives
This is the heart of your case analysis. There is very rarely a single solution to any problem. In this section you need to identify multiple courses of action. As a rule of thumb, you should identify three alternatives. In some cases, you may wish to identify as many as five alternatives. In rare cases, you may identify only two. You should carefully and concisely identify both the pros and cons for each alternative that you identify. You might firmly believe that one solution is best. Still, you should provide a balanced discussion of all alternatives that you have identified. Because this section is the "heart" of the of the case report, it will be the longest section of your written report. Typically, it will be from three to five pages long. Remember, to be clear and concise. You may be tempted to write multiple pages for each alternative. However, you MUST keep your full report to a maximum of 10 pages.

Conclusion
Spell out your recommended program of action, that is, the alternative solution that you recommend. Your recommendation should be an outgrowth of imaginative and thorough identification of all the alternatives or possibilities which might reasonably overcome other obstacles involved in the problem. Base your choice upon a critical evaluation of the "crucial" differences between alternatives. Make sure you indicate how you anticipate overcoming potential negative factors associated with your plan of action. This section is short. Don't rehash information from the definition of alternative section. Simply state in one page or less which alternative you think is best and why. It is often good to conclude with a strong call to action.

Additional Comments
Conclude with any final comments that you believe need to be communicated to the manager. Use this section to show your full grasp of the case and to include any points you wish to make that fall outside the structured format above. This section is optional.

Appendices

In writing your reports, it is not necessary to include any of the data tables or other exhibits directly from the case report. However, if your case analysis includes some new detailed information (for example a timeline or a comparative analysis) you should include this detailed information in appendices.

Presenting the Case

Case presentations in class will usually be limited to 15 minutes (you will be notified in advance of any changes to the time requirements). You should also be prepared for up to five minutes of questions/comments from your classmates and/or the professor after your presentation. It will NOT be possible for you to cover everything that is in your written report in this time. Nor should your presentation necessarily follow exactly the format of the written report. Your presentation should have a strong opening and closing. You should also touch on the key points from your written report. Make sure that you clearly identify the problem. The primary focus of the presentation should be on what you recommend and why. This may require you to synthesize materials from several sections of your written report. Equipment will be available for PowerPoint presentations of every case. It is more important that you use PowerPoint to help you organize your presentation than that you take advantage of all the "bells and whistles" of this presentation software package. PowerPoint reduces both the effort and cost of preparing a presentation. You can create all your graphics digitally and incorporate them into the presentation. It is not necessary for every member of the group to participate in the presentation. It might be difficult to shuffle everyone on and off "stage" in your 15-minute time slot. Nor is it usually a good idea for one person to be solely responsible for the presentation. Handing off portions of the presentation among team members helps keep the audience attention while also highlighting transitions in your material. However, all students are expected to have some experience with presentations throughout the semester. If some students are not participating in presentations, the professor will talk with them individually and provide coaching as needed in presentation skills.