Case studies

BASICS
 A case is a description using words and numbers of
an actual management situation. The case paints a
picture of the setting of a business decision and
takes the student to the brink of the decision
without revealing what happened.
 A case study is a written story that serves as the
basis for a group discussion. It can foster a
classroom program of role-playing, simulation,
question answering, and discussion.
 A written case attempts to provide a synopsis of
past events in the life of an organization. It sets the
stage to make a decision by describing the context
from a number of different perspectives.
Quantitative and qualitative
 A good case will place you in the position of facing
a managerial challenge and preparing an action
plan. It will force you to determine what decisions
need to be made, justify them, and make
recommendations.
Advantages

 Hands-on practice. Mirrors what managers do in real life

 Combines theoretical concepts with real-life experience
 Subsequent application later in real situations
 An easy way to experiment with ideas and proposals
 Identify and deal with uncertainty
 Teaches decision making skills
Process in analyzing a case study

 Thre relevant facts of the case

 List the issues/problems
 What are the causes of the problems
 What are the courses of action available
 Evaluate the option
 Select the best option