Cynthia Phillips, Msc, Phd

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NOTES FOR ANALYZING

CASES

CYNTHIA PHILLIPS, MSC, PHD

HOW TO PREPARE A CASE

As you read the case, keep in mind the time frame in which the case takes

place. Some cases may take place five or more years in the past. Remember,

that you are trying to identify and solve the problems presented in the case, not

the problems that might be present in the company today.

The following is a list of questions to ask yourself that will help you to prepare your

case analysis:

• Who is the principle character?

• What are his or her objectives (implicit/explicit)?

• What problems, opportunities and risks does the principle character

face?

• What evidence is there to help make the decision?

• What alternative courses of action are available?

• What criteria should I use to judge the alternatives?

• What action should I take?

• How should I convince others in the case and in the classroom that

my approach is best?

The use of the case method calls for you to first carefully read and to think about

each case (probably about two hours of study time for each case). If you are

presenting the case in a group, then the next step is to meet with the group to

discuss your individual efforts and come to a group consensus. This may not

always be a simple process, but the process, as well as the result of your

discussions, is important.

No single way works for everyone. However, some general guidelines can be

offered, and you can adapt them to the way which works best for you. Most

students seem to travel a general path which includes:

1. Read the case quickly; almost skimming it for the major issues. Ask

yourself: “What really is the case about and what kind of information

am I being given to analyze?” In particular, look at the first few and

last few paragraphs and glance over the exhibits. One of the most

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important objectives of this quick reading is to come away with a

sense of who the principle character is, and what his or her situation is.

2. Go back and read the case carefully. Annotate, highlight and

distinguish the important information, omissions and questions. Then ask

yourself: “What are the basic problems this manager has to resolve?”

Try to put yourself in the position of the manager in the case and to

develop a feel for his or her problems.

3. Note the key problems. Then go through the case again, sorting out

the relevant considerations for each key problem. Is this case really

about pricing? Or is pricing symptomatic of some deeper

management problems needing examination and resolution? Define

what you believe to be the basic problems.

4. Identify the relevant areas/questions for analyzing these problems.

Note each one on a separate sheet of scratch paper.

5. Go back through the case once again. Jot down on your work sheets

the facts that are relevant for each of your areas of analysis identified

in 4. Answer these analysis questions using the data available from the

case and making clear and well-informed assumptions about

necessary but missing information. “If they only had given me the

trade margins, I’d know what’s going on. Well, it says on p. 21 that

trade margins in related segments were about 23%, so if I assume they