Lecture

Knowledge
Managemen
t

June 2004

How to Deal
with a Case Study
Yale Braunstein
June 2004

How to deal with a Case

Study 1
Lecture
Agenda
Knowledge
Managemen
t

June 2004

1. Why Case Studies?

I. Agenda
1. Why Case
Studies?
2. How to deal
2. How to deal with
with them?
3. The report them?
3. The report

How to deal with a Case

Study 2
 Case Studies and
Practice
Lecture
Knowledge
Managemen
t - Interesting, real world
June 2004
situations with insights into
the studies of management
I. Agenda
1. Why Case
- Decision making
Studies?
2. How to deal with
them? - may become easier
3. The report

- better quality of decisions

- faster decision making
- Working in teams

How to deal with a Case

Study 3
Lecture
Case Studies Solutions
Knowledge
Managemen
t - Different from normal
June 2004
homework design
- Often more than one answer
- depends on assumptions and
I. Agenda
1. Why Case
Studies?
2. How to deal with
them?
problem definition
- Time is well spent
3. The report

- confidence in a decision-
making position
- parallels to real-world
situations
How to deal with a Case
Study 4
Lecture
Attacking the Case
Knowledge
Managemen
t - Problems with quantity of
June 2004
information
- first too much/later not enough
I. Agenda
1. Why Case
- Solution:
Studies?
2. How to deal
- seek additional information
with them?
3. The report - make assumptions
- Decide which questions to ask
- Instructor will be more interested
in the analyses and process than
in absolute correctness
How to deal with a Case
Study 5
 Steps of Problem
Analyses
Lecture
Knowledge

-
Managemen
t Read the case thoroughly
June 2004
- Define the central issue
- Define the firms goals
-
I. Agenda
1. Why Case
Studies?
Identify the constraints to the
2. How to deal
with them? problem
3. The report

- Identify all the relevant

alternatives
- Select the best alternative
- Develop an implementation
plan
How to deal with a Case
Study 6
 More on the Question of
Focus
Lecture
Knowledge
Managemen
t
Is there one issue or many issues?
June 2004
 The answer may not be simple or obvious
 Often it makes sense to organize the
I. Agenda
problem statement in a hierarchical way
1. Why Case
Studies?
 A single over-riding issue
2. How to deal
with them?  Additional issues, but usually
subsidiary to the main issue
3. The report

 Triage ( Auswahl )
– Deal with most important areas first

How to deal with a Case

Study 7
Lecture
The Report
Knowledge
Managemen
t

June 2004
- Written or oral
- Describes the solution of the
I. Agenda
1. Why Case
case
- Express yourself clearly
Studies?
2. How to deal with
them?
3. The report
- Explain the analyses and
logic
- Separate "facts" from opinion
- Lay out a plan for
implementating the decision
How to deal with a Case
Study 8
Lecture
Written Reports
Knowledge
Managemen
t - Short, well-organized report is
June 2004 better than a long, unorganized
one
I. Agenda
- Do not include trivial matters
1. Why Case
Studies? - Typical sections:
2. How to deal with
them?
3. The report
- executive summary
- problem statement
- alternatives
- conclusion
- implementation
How to deal with a Case
Study 9
Lecture
Oral Reports
Knowledge
Managemen
t
- State what has occurred – what is
June 2004 the case about?
- Describe the context
- changes in firm, industry,
I. Agenda
1. Why Case
Studies?
market
2. How to deal with
them?
- Typical contents:
3. The report
- description of the case
situation
- problem statement
- analyses of the key
alternatives
- conclusion
How to deal with a Case
- implementation
Study 10