How to analyze a case study

Content

Steps
Tips
Warnings
What do you need

The situational analysis method is used by many professional educational programs, primarily in business schools, designed to display real situations to students and assess their ability to analyze important aspects of a given dilemma. In general, the case study should include: the background of the business environment, a description of the business, the identification of the key problem, the steps taken to solve the problem, an assessment of this response, and suggestions for improving the business strategy.

Steps

1 Review and describe the business environment relevant to the case study.
- Describe the nature of the organization in question and its competitors. Provide general information about the market and customer base. Indicate any significant changes in the business environment or any new business beginnings.
2 Describe the structure and size of the business in question.
- Analyze its management structure, employee base, and financial history. Describe your annual earnings and profits. Provide employment figures. Include details of private property, public property, and investment holdings. Provide a quick overview of business leaders.
3 Identify the key problems in the case study.
- There are likely to be several different factors. Decide which one is the main problem in the case study. For example, it could be expanding into a new market, competing reactions and marketing campaigns, or changing customer base.
4 Describe how the business is responding to these questions or concerns.
- Based on the information collected, follow the chronological development of actions. Please provide data included in the case study, such as increases in marketing costs, new property purchases, changes in income streams, etc.
5 Identify the successful moments of this development, as well as its failures.
- Indicate whether each aspect of development achieved its goal and whether the overall development itself was well thought out. Use numerical criteria to show if goals have been met. Also analyze broader issues, such as employee management policies, etc., so that you can talk about development in general.
6 Point out successes, failures, unexpected results, and inadequate measures.
- Suggest alternative or improved measures that could be taken by the business using specific examples and supporting your suggestions with data and calculations.
7 Describe what changes you would make to the business to implement the proposed action, including changes in organization, strategy, and management.
8 Conclude the analysis by revising the findings. Be sure to highlight what you would do differently. Demonstrate your understanding of the case study and your business strategy.

Tips

Always read the case study several times. Read only the basic details first. With each subsequent reading, look for information on a specific topic: competitors, business strategy, management structure, financial losses. Highlight phrases and sections related to these topics and take notes.
In the preliminary stages of case study analysis, no detail can be insignificant. The first opinion can often be wrong, and for a better analysis it is often necessary to dig deeper to find some unnoticed point that will change the whole situation.
When analyzing the case study of a consulting company, make sure that your comments are directed to issues related to the company itself. For example, if the company is engaged in a marketing strategy, focus on business success and marketing failures; if the company is in financial consulting, focus on its investment strategy.
Business schools, educators, prospective employers, and other evaluators want to see that you understand the business aspects of a case, not your mindful reading skills. Always remember that it is the content of the case study that matters, not the style or way in which the information will be provided.

Warnings

When analyzing, do not use passionate intonation. Business cases are a tool for measuring your business acumen, not your personal beliefs. Use your usual, disinterested tone when identifying mistakes or identifying flaws in your strategy.