In most courses in strategic management, students use cases about actual companies to
practice strategic analysis and to gain some experience in the tasks of crafting and implementing
strategy.
A
case sets forth, in a factual manner, the events and organizational
circumstances surrounding a particular managerial situation. It puts readers at
the
scene of the action and familiarizes them with all the relevant circumstances. A
case
on strategic management can concern a whole industry,
a single organization,
or
some
part of an organization;
the organization
involved can be either profit-seeking or
not-for-profit.
The
essence of the student\u2019s
role in case analysis is to diagnose and size
up
the situation described in the case and then to recommend appropriate action steps.
WHY USE CASES TO PRACTICE STRATEGIC
MANAGEMENT?
A student of business with tact
Absorbed many answers he lacked.
But acquiring a job,
He said with a sob,
\u201cHow does one fit answer to fact?\u201d
The above limerick was used some years ago by Professor Charles Gragg to characterize
the plight of business students who had no exposure to cases.
1
The truth is that
the mere act of listening to lectures and sound advice about managing does little for
anyone\u2019s management skills. Accumulated managerial wisdom cannot effectively be
passed on by lectures and assigned readings alone. If anything had been learned about
the practice of management, it is that a storehouse of readymade textbook answers
does not exist. Each managerial situation has unique aspects, requiring its own diagnosis,
judgment, and tailor-made
actions. Cases provide would-be managers with a
valuable
way to practice wrestling with the actual problems of actual managers in actual
companies.
The case approach to strategic analysis is, first and foremost, an exercise in learning
by doing. Because cases provide detailed information about conditions and problems
of different
industries and companies, your task of analyzing company after
company
and situation after situation has the twin benefit of boosting your analytical
skills
and exposing you to the ways companies and managers actually do things. Most
college
students have limited managerial backgrounds and only fragmented knowledge
1
Charles I. Gragg, \u201cBecause Wisdom Can\u2019t Be Told,\u201d in The Case Method at the Harvard Business
School, ed. M. P. McNair (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1954), p. 11.
tho1978X_pt2.qxd 10\/18\/2000 11:26 AM Page C-3
A Guide to Case Analysis C-3
about companies and real-life strategic situations. Cases help substitute for on-the-job
experience by (1) giving you broader exposure to a variety of industries, organizations,
and strategic problems; (2) forcing you to assume a managerial role (as opposed to that
of just an onlooker); (3) providing a test of how to apply the tools and techniques of
strategic management; and (4) asking you to come up with pragmatic managerial action
plans to deal with the issues at hand.
OBJECTIVES OF CASE ANALYSIS
Using cases to learn about the practice of strategic management is a powerful way for
you to accomplish five things:
2
1. Increase your understanding of what managers should and should not do in guiding
a business to success.
2. Build your skills in sizing up company resource strengths and weaknesses and in
conducting strategic analysis in a variety of industries and competitive situations.
3. Get valuable practice in identifying strategic issues that need to be addressed, evaluating
strategic alternatives, and formulating workable plans of action.
4. Enhance your sense of business judgment, as opposed to uncritically accepting the
authoritative crutch of the professor or \u201cback-of-the-book\u201d answers.
5. Gaining in-depth exposure to different industries and companies, thereby acquiring
something close to actual business experience.
If you understand that these are the objectives of case analysis, you are less likely to be
consumed with curiosity about \u201cthe answer to the case.\u201d Students who have grown
comfortable with and accustomed to textbook statements of fact and definitive lecture
notes are often frustrated when discussions about a case do not produce concrete answers.
Usually,
case discussions produce good arguments
for more than one course of
action.
Differences
of opinion nearly always exist. Thus,
should a class discussion conclude
without a strong, unambiguous consensus on what do to, don\u2019t
grumble too
much
when you are not
told
what the answer is or what the company actually did. Just
remember
that in the business world answers don\u2019t
come in conclusive black-andwhite
terms. There
are nearly always several feasible courses of action and approaches,
each
of which may work out satisfactorily.
Moreover,
in the business world, when one
elects
a particular course of action, there is no peeking at the back of a book to see if
you
have chosen the best thing to do and no one to turn to for a provably correct answer.
The
only valid test of management action is results.
If
the results of an action turn
out
to be good, the decision to take it may be presumed right. If not, then the action
chosen
was wrong in the sense that it didn\u2019t
work out.
Hence, the important thing for a student to understand in case analysis is that the
managerial exercise of identifying, diagnosing, and recommending builds your skills;
discovering the right answer or finding out what actually happened is no more than
frosting on the cake. Even if you learn what the company did, you can\u2019t conclude that
it was necessarily right or best. All that can be said is \u201cHere is what they did . . . \u201d
2
Ibid., pp. 12\u201314; and D. R. Schoen and Philip A. Sprague, \u201cWhat Is the Case Method?\u201d in The Case
Method at the Harvard Business School, ed. M. P. McNair, pp. 78\u201379.
tho1978X_pt2.qxd 10\/18\/2000 11:26 AM Page C-4
C-4 Cases in Strategic Management
The point is this: The purpose of giving you a case assignment is not to cause you
to run to the library or surf the Internet to discover what the company actually did but,
rather, to enhance your skills in sizing up situations and developing your managerial
judgment about what needs to be done and how to do it. The aim of case analysis is for
you to become actively engaged in diagnosing the business issues and managerial
problems posed in the case, to propose workable solutions, and to explain and defend
your assessments\u2014this is how cases provide you with meaningful practice at being a
manager.
PREPARING A CASE FOR CLASS DISCUSSION
If this is your first experience with the case method, you may have to reorient your
study habits. Unlike lecture courses in which you can get by without preparing intensively
for each class and have latitude to work assigned readings and reviews of lecture
notes into your schedule, a case assignment requires conscientious preparation
before
class. You
will not get much out of hearing the class discuss a case you haven\u2019t
read,
and you certainly won\u2019t
be able to contribute anything yourself to the discussion.
To get ready for class discussion of a case, you must study the case, reflect carefully
on the situation presented, and develop some reasoned thoughts. Your
goal should
be
to end up with a sound, well-supported analysis of the situation and a sound, defensible
set of recommendations. The
Case-T
UTOR
software package that accompanies
this edition will assist you in preparing the cases\u2014it contains a set of study questions
for each case and step-by-step tutorials to walk you through the process of analyzing
and developing reasonable recommendations.
To prepare a case for class discussion, we suggest the following approach:
1. Skim the case rather quickly to get an overview of the situation it presents. This
quick overview should give you the general flavor of the situation and indicate
the kinds of issues and problems you will need to wrestle with. If your instructor
has provided you with study questions for the case, now is the time to read them
carefully.
2. Read the case thoroughly to digest the facts and circumstances. On this reading,
try to gain full command of the situation presented in the case. Begin to develop
some tentative answers to the study questions from your instructor or in the CaseT
UTOR
software package, which you can download at the Web site for the text. If
your instructor has elected not to give you assignment questions or has not recommended
regular use of the Case-T
UTOR,
then start forming your own picture of
the
overall situation being described.
3. Carefully review all the information presented in the exhibits. Often, there is an
important story in the numbers contained in the exhibits. Expect the information
in the case exhibits to be crucial enough to materially affect your diagnosis of the
situation.
4. Decide what the strategic issues are. Until you have identified the strategic issues
and problems in the case, you don\u2019t know what to analyze, which tools and analytical
techniques are called for,
or otherwise how to proceed. At
times the strategic
issues are clear\u2014they are either stated directly in the case or easily inferred
from
it. At
other times you will have to dig out the issues from all the information
tho1978X_pt2.qxd 10\/18\/2000 11:26 AM Page C-5
A Guide to Case Analysis C-5
given; if so, the study questions and the case preparation exercises provided in the
Case-T
UTOR software will guide you.
5. Start your analysis of the issues with some number crunching. A big majority of
strategy cases call for some kind of number crunching\u2014calculating assorted financial
ratios to check out the company\u2019s
financial condition and recent performance,
calculating growth rates of sales or profits or unit volume, checking out
profit
margins
and the makeup of the cost structure, and understanding whatever
revenue-cost-profit
relationships are present. See Table
1 on the next page for a
summary
of key financial ratios, how they are calculated, and what they show.
If
you
are using Case-T
UTOR,
some of the number crunching has been computerized
and
you\u2019ll spend most of your time interpreting the growth rates, financial ratios,
and
other calculations provided.
6. Apply the concepts and techniques of strategic analysis you have been studying.
Strategic analysis is not just a collection of opinions; rather, it entails applying the
concepts and analytical tools described in Chapters 1 through 13 to cut beneath the
surface and produce sharp insight and understanding. Every case assigned is strategy
related and presents you with an opportunity to usefully apply what you have
learned.
Your
instructor is looking for you to demonstrate that you know how
and
when to use the material presented in the text chapters. The case preparation
guides on Case-T
UTOR will point you toward the proper analytical tools needed to
analyze the case situation.
7. Check out conflicting opinions and make some judgments about the validity of all
the data and information provided. Many times cases report views and contradictory
opinions (after all, people don\u2019t
always agree on things, and different
people
see
the same things in different
ways). Forcing you to evaluate the data and information
presented in the case helps you develop your powers of inference and judgment.
Resolving conflicting information comes with the territory because a great
many
managerial situations entail opposing points of view,
conflicting trends, and
sketchy
information.
8. Support your diagnosis and opinions with reasons and evidence. Most important
is to prepare your answers to the question \u201cWhy?\u201d For instance, if after studying
the case you are of the opinion that the company\u2019s managers are doing a poor
job, then it is your answer to \u201cWhy do you think so?\u201d that establishes just how
good your analysis of the situation is. If your instructor has provided you with
specific study questions for the case or if you are using the case preparation
guides on Case-T
UTOR, by all means prepare answers that include all the reasons
and number-crunching evidence you can muster to support your diagnosis. Work
through the case preparation exercises on Case-T
UTOR conscientiously, or, if you
are using study questions provided by the instructor, generate at least two pages
of notes!
9. Develop an appropriate action plan and set of recommendations. Diagnosis divorced
from corrective action is sterile. The
test of a manager is always to convert
sound
analysis into sound actions\u2014actions that will produce the desired results.
Hence,
the final and most telling step in preparing a case is to develop an action
agenda
for management that lays out a set of specific recommendations. Bear in
mind
that proposing realistic, workable solutions is far preferable to casually tossing
out
top-of-the-head suggestions. Be prepared to explain why your recommendations
tho1978X_pt2.qxd 10\/18\/2000 11:26 AM Page C-6
C-6 Cases in Strategic Management
table 1 Key Financial Ratios, How They Are Calculated, and What They Show
Ratio How Calculated What It Shows
Profitability ratios
1. Gross profit margin An indication of the total margin available to
cover operating expenses and yield a profit.
Sales ? Cost of goods sold
Sales
Profits before taxes and
before interest
2. Operating profit margin An indication of the firm\u2019s profitability from
(or return on sales) current operations without regard to the
Sales
Profits after taxes
Sales
interest charges accruing from the capital
structure.
3. Net profit margin (or net Shows after-tax profits per dollar of sales.
return on sales) Subpar profit margins indicate that the firm\u2019s
Profits after taxes
sales prices are relatively low or that costs
are relatively high, or both.
4. Return on total assets A measure of the return on total investment in
the enterprise. It is sometimes desirable to
add interest to the after-tax profits to form
the numerator of the ratio since total assets
are financed by creditors as well as by
stockholders; hence, it is accurate to measure
the productivity of assets by the returns
provided to both classes of investors.
Total assets
or
Profit after taxes ? interest
Total assets
Profits after taxes
Total stockholders\u2019 equity
5. Return on stockholders\u2019 A measure of the rate of return on stockholders\u2019
equity (or return on net investment in the enterprise.
worth)
Profits after taxes
? Preferred stock dividends
6. Return on capital A measure of the rate of return on the total
employed capital investment in the enterprise.
Total stockholders\u2019 equity ? total debt
? Par value of preferred stock
7. Earnings per share Shows the earnings available to the owners of
each share of common stock.
Profits after taxes and after
preferred stock dividends
Number of shares of common
stock outstanding
Liquidity ratios
1. Current ratio Indicates the extent to which the claims of
Current assets
Current liabilities
short-term creditors are covered by assets
that are expected to be converted to cash in
a period roughly corresponding to the
maturity of the liabilities.
2. Quick ratio (or acid-test A measure of the firm\u2019s ability to pay off shortratio)
term obligations without relying on the sale of
Current assets ? Inventory
Current liabilities
its inventories.
3. Inventory to net A measure of the extent to which the firm\u2019s
Inventory
Current assets ? Current liabilities
working capital working capital is tied up in inventory.
Leverage ratios
1. Debt-to-assets ratio Measures the extent to which borrowed funds
have been used to finance the firm\u2019s
operations. Debt includes both long-term debt
and short-term debt.
Total debt
Total assets
2. Debt-to-equity ratio Provides another measure of the funds
provided by creditors versus the funds
provided by owners.
Total debt
Total stockholders\u2019 equity
tho1978X_pt2.qxd 10\/18\/2000 11:26 AM Page C-7
table 1 (concluded )
A Guide to Case Analysis C-7
Ratio How Calculated What It Shows
Leverage ratios (cont.)
3. Long-term debt-to- A widely used measure of the balance
equity ratio between debt and equity in the firm\u2019s long-
term capital structure.
4. Times-interest-earned Measures the extent to which earnings can
(or coverage) ratio decline without the firm becoming unable to
meet its annual interest costs.
5. Fixed-charge coverage A more inclusive indication of the firm\u2019s ability
to meet all of its fixed-charge obligations.
Activity ratios
Long-term debt
Total stockholders\u2019 equity
Profits before interest and taxes
Total interest charges
Profits before taxes and interest
? Lease obligations
Total interest charges
? Lease obligations
Sales
Inventory of finished goods
1. Inventory turnover When compared to industry averages, it
Sales
Fixed assets
provides an indication of whether a company
has excessive or perhaps inadequate finished
goods inventory.
2. Fixed assets turnover A measure of the sales productivity and
utilization of plant and equipment.
Sales
Total assets
3. Total assets turnover A measure of the utilization of all the firm\u2019s
assets; a ratio below the industry average
indicates the company is not generating a
sufficient volume of business, given the size
of its asset investment.
Annual credit sales
Accounts receivable
4. Accounts receivable A measure of the average length of time it
turnover takes the firm to collect the sales made on
credit.
5. Average collection period Indicates the average length of time the firm
Accounts receivable
Total sales ? 365
or
Accounts receivable
Average daily sales
must wait after making a sale before it
receives payment.
Other ratios
1. Dividend yield on A measure of the return to owners received in
Annual dividends per share
Current market price per share
Current market price per share
After-tax earnings per share
common stock the form of dividends.
2. Price-earnings ratio Faster-growing or less-risky firms tend to
Annual dividends per share
After-tax earnings per share
have higher price-earnings ratios than
slower-growing or more-risky firms.
3. Dividend payout ratio Indicates the percentage of profits paid out as
dividends.
4. Cash flow per share A measure of the discretionary funds over and
above expenses that are available for use by
the firm.
After-tax profits ? Depreciation
Number of common shares
outstanding
Note: Industry-average ratios against which a particular company\u2019s ratios may be judged are available in Modern Industry and Dun\u2019s
Reviews published by Dun & Bradstreet (14 ratios for 125 lines of business activities), Robert Morris Associates\u2019 Annual Statement
Studies (11 ratios for 156 lines of business), and the FTC-SEC\u2019s Quarterly Financial Report for manufacturing corporations.
tho1978X_pt2.qxd 10\/18\/2000 11:26 AM Page C-8
C-8 Cases in Strategic Management
are more attractive than other courses of action that are open. You\u2019ll find Case-TU-
TOR\u2019S case preparation guides helpful in performing this step, too.
As long as you are conscientious in preparing your analysis and recommendations,
and have ample reasons, evidence, and arguments to support your views, you shouldn\u2019t
fret unduly about whether what you\u2019ve prepared is \u201cthe right answer\u201d to the case. In
case analysis there is rarely just one right approach or set of recommendations. Managing
a company and crafting and executing strategies are not such exact sciences that
there
exists a single provably correct analysis and action plan for each strategic situation.
Of course, some analyses and action plans are better than others; but, in truth,
there\u2019s
nearly always more than one good way to analyze a situation and more than one
good
plan of action. So, if you have carefully prepared the case using either the CaseT
UTOR
case preparation guides or your instructor\u2019s assignment questions, don\u2019t lose
confidence in the correctness of your work and judgment.
PARTICIPATING IN CLASS DISCUSSION OF A CASE
Classroom discussions of cases are sharply different from lecture classes. In a case
class students do most of the talking. The instructor\u2019s role is to solicit student participation,
keep the discussion on track, ask \u201cWhy?\u201d often, offer
alternative views, play
the
devil\u2019s
advocate (if no students jump in to offer
opposing views), and otherwise
lead
the discussion. The
students in the class carry the burden of analyzing the situation
and of being prepared to present and defend their diagnoses and recommendations.
Expect a classroom environment, therefore, that calls for your
size-up of the
situation, your analysis, what actions you would take, and why you would take them.
Do not be dismayed if, as the class discussion unfolds, some insightful things are said
by your fellow classmates that you did not think of. It is normal for views and analyses
to differ
and for the comments of others in the class to expand your own thinking
about
the case. As
the old adage goes, \u201cTwo
heads are better than one.\u201d So it is to be
expected
that the class as a whole will do a more penetrating and searching job of case
analysis
than will any one person working alone. This
is the power of group effort,
and
its
virtues are that it will help you see more analytical applications, let you test your
analyses
and judgments against those of your peers, and force you to wrestle with differences
of opinion and approaches.
To orient you to the classroom environment on the days a case discussion is scheduled,
we compiled the following list of things to expect:
1. Expect the instructor to assume the role of extensive questioner and listener.
2. Expect students to do most of the talking. The case method enlists a maximum of
individual participation in class discussion. It is not enough to be present as a
silent observer; if every student took this approach, there would be no discussion.
(Thus, expect a portion of your grade to be based on your participation in case
discussions.)
3. Be prepared for the instructor to probe for reasons and supporting analysis.
4. Expect and tolerate challenges to the views expressed. All students have to be will-
ing to submit their conclusions for scrutiny and rebuttal. Each student needs to
learn to state his or her views without fear of disapproval and to overcome the hesitation
of speaking out. Learning respect for the views and approaches of others is
an
integral part of case analysis exercises. But there are times when it is OK to
tho1978X_pt2.qxd 10\/18\/2000 11:26 AM Page C-9
A Guide to Case Analysis C-9
swim against the tide of majority opinion. In the practice of management, there is
always room for originality and unorthodox approaches. So while discussion of a
case is a group process, there is no compulsion for you or anyone else to cave in
and conform to group opinions and group consensus.
5. Don\u2019t be surprised if you change your mind about some things as the discussion
unfolds. Be alert to how these changes affect your analysis and recommendations
(in the event you get called on).
6. Expect to learn a lot in class as the discussion of a case progresses; furthermore,
you will find that the cases build on one another\u2014what you learn in one case helps
prepare you for the next case discussion.
There are several things you can do on your own to be good and look good as a
participant in class discussions:
\u2022
\u2022
\u2022
\u2022
\u2022
Although you should do your own independent work and independent thinking,
don\u2019t hesitate before (and after) class to discuss the case with other students. In
real life, managers often discuss the company\u2019s problems and situation with other
people to refine their own thinking.
In participating in the discussion, make a conscious effort to contribute, rather than
just talk. There is a big difference between saying something that builds the discussion
and offering
a long-winded off-the-cuff
remark that leaves the class wondering
what the point was.
Avoid the use of \u201cI think,\u201d \u201cI believe,\u201d and \u201cI feel\u201d; instead, say, \u201cMy analysis
shows\u2014\u201d and \u201cThe company should do . . . because\u2014\u201d Always give supporting
reasons and evidence for your views; then your instructor won\u2019t have to ask you
\u201cWhy?\u201d every time you make a comment.
In making your points, assume that everyone has read the case and knows what it
says; avoid reciting and rehashing information in the case\u2014instead, use the data
and information to explain your assessment of the situation and to support your
position.
Bring the printouts of the work you\u2019ve done on Case-TUTOR or the notes you\u2019ve
prepared (usually two or three pages\u2019 worth) to class and rely on them extensively
when you speak. There\u2019s no way you can remember everything\u2014especially the results
of your number crunching. To
reel off
the numbers or to present all five reasons
why,
instead of one, you will need good notes. When
you have prepared
thoughtful
answers to the study questions and use them as the basis for your comments,
everybody
in the room will know you are well prepared, and your contribution
to the case discussion will stand out.
PREPARING A WRITTEN CASE ANALYSIS
Preparing a written case analysis is much like preparing a case for class discussion, except
that your analysis must be more complete and put in report form. Unfortunately,
though,
there is no ironclad procedure for doing a written case analysis. All
we can offer
are some general guidelines and words of wisdom\u2014this is because company situations
and management problems are so diverse that no one mechanical way to
approach
a written case assignment always works.
tho1978X_pt2.qxd 10\/18\/2000 11:26 AM Page C-10
C-10 Cases in Strategic Management
Your instructor may assign you a specific topic around which to prepare your written
report. Or,
alternatively,
you may be asked to do a comprehensive written case
analysis,
where the expectation is that you will (1) identify
all
the pertinent issues that
management
needs to address, (2) perform whatever analysis
or evaluation is appropriate,
and (3) propose an action
plan
and set of recommendations addressing the issues
you have identified. In going through the exercise of identify,
evaluate, and
recommend,
keep the following pointers in mind.
Identification
3
It is essential early on in your paper that you provide a sharply focused diagnosis of
strategic issues and key problems and that you demonstrate a good grasp of the company\u2019s
present situation. Make sure that you can identify the firm\u2019s
strategy (use the concepts
and tools in Chapters 1\u201310 as diagnostic aids) and that you can pinpoint whatever
strategy
implementation issues may exist (consult the material in Chapters 11\u201313
for diagnostic
help). Consult the key points we have provided at the end of each chapter for
further
diagnostic suggestions. Review the study questions for the case on Case-T
UTOR.
Consider
beginning your paper with an overview of the company\u2019s
situation, its strategy,
and
the significant problems and issues that confront management. State problems\/
issues
as clearly and precisely as you can. Unless it is necessary to do so for emphasis,
avoid
recounting facts and history about the company (assume your professor has read
the
case and is familiar with the organization).
Analysis and Evaluation
This is usually the hardest part of the report. Analysis is hard work! Check out the
firm\u2019s financial ratios, its profit margins and rates of return, and its capital structure,
and decide how strong the firm is financially. Refer back to Table 1, which contains a
summary of various financial ratios and how they are calculated. Use it to assist in
your financial diagnosis. Similarly, look at marketing, production, managerial competence,
and other factors underlying the organization\u2019s
strategic successes and failures.
Decide
whether the firm has valuable resource strengths and competencies and, if so,
whether
it is capitalizing on them.
Check to see if the firm\u2019s strategy is producing satisfactory results and determine
the reasons why or why not. Probe the nature and strength of the competitive forces
confronting the company. Decide whether and why the firm\u2019s competitive position is
getting stronger or weaker. Use the tools and concepts you have learned about to perform
whatever analysis or evaluation is appropriate. Work
through the case preparation
exercise
on Case-T
UTOR
if one is available for the case you\u2019ve been assigned.
In writing your analysis and evaluation, bear in mind four things:
1. You are obliged to offer analysis and evidence to back up your conclusions. Do not
3
rely on unsupported opinions, overgeneralizations, and platitudes as a substitute
for tight, logical argument backed up with facts and figures.
For some additional ideas and viewpoints, you may wish to consult Thomas J. Raymond, \u201cWritten
Analysis of Cases,\u201d in The Case Method at the Harvard Business School, ed. M. P. McNair, pp. 139\u201363.
Raymond\u2019s article includes an actual case, a sample analysis of the case, and a sample of a student\u2019s written
report on the case.
tho1978X_pt2.qxd 10\/18\/2000 11:26 AM Page C-11
A Guide to Case Analysis C-11
2. If your analysis involves some important quantitative calculations, use tables and
charts to present the calculations clearly and efficiently. Don\u2019t just tack the exhibits
on at the end of your report and let the reader figure out what they mean and
why
they were included. Instead, in the body of your report cite some of the key
numbers,
highlight the conclusions to be drawn from the exhibits, and refer the
reader
to your charts and exhibits for more details.
3. Demonstrate that you have command of the strategic concepts and analytical tools
to which you have been exposed. Use them in your report.
4. Your interpretation of the evidence should be reasonable and objective. Be wary
of preparing a one-sided argument that omits all aspects not favorable to your conclusions.
Likewise, try not to exaggerate or overdramatize. Endeavor to inject balance
into your analysis and to avoid emotional rhetoric. Strike phrases such as \u201cI
think,\u201d
\u201cI feel,\u201d and \u201cI believe\u201d when you edit your first draft, and write in \u201cMy
analysis
shows,\u201d instead.
Recommendations
The final section of the written case analysis should consist of a set of definite recommendations
and a plan of action. Your
set of recommendations should address all of the
problems\/issues
you identified and analyzed. If the recommendations come as a surprise
or do not follow logi<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In most courses in strategic management, students use cases about actual companies to practice strategic analysis and to gain some experience in the tasks of crafting and implementing strategy. A case sets forth, in a factual manner, the events and Read More …<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-182670","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/182670","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=182670"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/182670\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=182670"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=182670"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=182670"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}