...Rubric for Case Analysis: As you are probably aware, case analysis is the most essential part of a business analyst’s toolbox. As such, it is of paramount importance that you learn how to do case analysis thoroughly. As with any analysis we follow a certain framework when we conduct case analysis. Please understand that the framework that we are going to follow in this class is one of many and there is disagreement among the academic and professional communities as to which one of these frameworks is the best. That said, in my humble opinion, the framework that follows is a good start to the case analysis process. What we gather from the initial analysis can then be used to direct functional departments (finance, supply chain, marketing etc.) to gather relevant data, which can be used to do further analysis. The initial analysis should follow the following process: ------------------------------------------------- Part 1 Points assigned: 15 (financial + external+ internal) A) Financial Analysis: Look for both accounting and economic measure of performance in the case. If any such indicators are not given in the case or you can’t calculate these indicators from the data provided in the case (i.e. profit-loss statement, balance sheet, and relevant data associated with WACC calculation etc.), skip this part of the analysis. However, if such data is present please go ahead and calculate relevant financial ratio and economic indicators of performance as instructed in the...
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...handle the numbers in case analyses. It contains hints and tips to guide such analyses, and it is intended for all functional areas of business analysis. The hints and tips range from the conceptual to the practical, from the complex to the blatantly obvious. The note's underlying philosophy is that, in case analysis, it is not true that there are people who are good at numbers and people who are bad at numbers. Ability to do numbers is not innate; it's all a matter of approach. How you attack numbers is what counts. There are good numbers habits and bad numbers habits. This note has been written to help the reader develop good numbers habits. Part One: The Essentials • Take it slowly: more haste, less speed. • Never pick up your calculator until you know why you are doing a calculation— what you intend to do with the result, how you plan to interpret it. • Always seek a reaction to the calculation's result by asking questions such as: What does this mean? What does it imply? Am I surprised? Is it good, bad, or indifferent? • One useful trick is to guess at the answer before you perform the calculation. Then, when you do it, you can see whether you are surprised or not. If you are surprised, you have found something to think about. Is your intuition just off, or is the result sending you a message? Either way you benefit: you make progress with the case and/or you train your business intuition. • In the final analysis (pun intended), calculations...
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...Summary of a guide to case analysis The guideline provides an overall strategies for us to explore our insights and analysis ability. First of all, it explains the importance of using cases to practice strategic management. Learning by doing is a point that the author points out, which means that students are assumed as a part of the company, and dealing with various situation, solving problems by applying tools and concepts, have the ability to create an action plan. There are 7 key strategies are illustrated. The first strategy is objectives of case analysis. It means in a given case, identifying the company and understanding the company’s current situation first, and do judgments critically, apply the right strategy to lead the firm to success. The point here is discussion, case discussions will bring more opinions to the problem, and it also provides an opportunity for students to develop the skills of managerial judgments and diagnosing the business issues. The second strategy is preparing a case for class discussion. Basically, it requires students be prepared before class, so that students will involve in the class discussion and contribute some reasoned thoughts, views with classmates. Suggestion also provided in the guideline, such as skim the case quickly, read the case thoroughly and so on. The third strategy is participating in class discussion of a case. Students do a lot discussion during the class, the content includes students participate in discussion, and...
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...QUALITATIVE METHOD OF CASE ANALYSIS EOPT THEORY INTRODUCTION Qualitative Case Analysis, as distinct from the Quantitative method, deals with organizational issues that impede or prevent companies from being effectively organized. Qualitative Case Analysis is typically used in Organizational Behaviour, Human Resource Management, Organizational Change, Industrial Relations or any venue that is significantly impacted by human interaction. This type of analysis identifies inconsistencies, incongruities and conflicts that are sub-optimal and allows the analyst to prescribe solutions that address both the acute problems facing the organization (the individual events or actions observed) and the chronic, underlying conditions that promote these sub-optimal conditions. 1. OVERVIEW The Overview is a 5 – 7 sentence paragraph that establishes the context in which any analysis or decision must be made for the case in question. This section of the report indicates to the reader that the analyst (You) understands the circumstances of the organization’s dilemma. The writer must identify the key people involved, most critical event or events the have happened and the situation that has resulted. Finally, the writer must detail the apparent decisions that must be made. Note: This is not an Introduction and absolutely no conclusions are drawn at this point. The writer is merely explaining what she perceives is the present situation. This is extremely important as the writer...
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...fully later. Exhibits Many cases contain exhibits after the text portion of the case. Turn to the exhibits as they are referenced in the text to understand their context and content. Scrutinize them thoroughly. Some exhibits, such as financial statements or organization charts, may appear fairly standard. Still look for anything odd or unusual about them. Other exhibits are unique to the case and provide a summary or illustration of key data. Make sure that you understand the purpose of each exhibit. Part 2: Analyze the Case A generic approach to case analysis includes the following steps: A) define the issue; B) analyze the case data with focus on causes and effects as well as constraints and opportunities; C) generate alternatives; D) select decision criteria; E) assess alternatives; F) select the preferred alternative; and G) develop an action and implementation plan. Note that some parts of this model will not apply to every case and some aspects will receive more emphasis than others at different times during the course. Specific analytical approaches, techniques and tools may be applied depending on the course, type of case and your instructor's particular requirements. It may be appropriate to re-visit regularly any particular analytical model, framework or concept suggested by your instructor or outlined in the course syllabus. Individual Preparation 41 Step A. Define the Issue Your initial job in case analysis is to develop a clear and comprehensive...
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...275-7575 ext.53512 ctseng@mail.ncku.edu.tw Texts Ireland, Hoskisson, and Hitt (2009) The Management of Strategy: Concepts and Cases, 8th Edition, South-Western Press. Course Objectives In the past a few decades, the trend of globalization has rendered the world economies more interdependent. All businesses today (both international and domestic ones) are exposed to international competitive forces that can have serious consequences for their performance and survival. Such international competition especially brings new challenges and problems to corporations and managers directly involved in foreign markets. Among various issues arising from international operations, this course particularly focuses on the managerial challenges associated with strategy development and corporate management for those firms whose business activities transcend national boundaries. Specifically, objectives of this course are twofold: 1. to expose students to issues related to business strategy within the context of global markets and competition 2. to provide students with significant opportunities to develop oral communication and presentation skills Requirements and Grading Individual Activities: Participation 40% Exam (close-book) 20% Group Activities: Chapter Text Presentation and Discussion Leading 20% Case Analysis and Presentation 20% Participation: All students are expected to PREPARE for and PARTICIPATE in every class meeting...
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...Case Analysis Guide The Six Steps for Preparing a Case Analysis with excerpts from: “Teaching and the Case Method”, Barnes, Christiansen, Hansen; Harvard Business School Publishing. Professor Edward G. Wertheim, College of Business Administration, Northeastern University Why study using the case method? Stated simply, to teach you, the student, how to think. “The sole direct path to enduring improvements in the methods of instruction and learning consists in centering upon the conditions which exact, promote, and test thinking. Thinking IS the method of intelligent learning, of learning that employs and rewards mind. We speak, legitimately enough, about the method of thinking, but the important thing to bear in mind is that thinking IS method, the method of intelligent experience in the course which it takes”. * *From “Teaching and the Case Method”, Barnes, Christiansen, Hansen; Harvard Business School Publishing. Your Responsibilities: Participation in a case method class is futile without careful preparation. It is similarly futile to attempt to learn simply by listening to your classmates’ opinions of the “right answer”. Learning in a case method course is based on active participation in the generation of alternative solutions and creation of actionable strategies. The case itself is merely the conduit for discussion. Most students are disconcerted by the seemingly vast and disjointed information presented. Even though the prospect of a...
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...A Framework for Case Analysis Case analysis is a problem solving process. You are demonstrating in a systematic way how you have defined a key problem/issue, identified plausible, realistic alternatives (not necessarily limited by those suggested in the case), analyzed these alternatives using common criteria, and finally developed a complete set of recommendations. This process challenges your organizational and communication skills as much as your analytical and quantitative skills. Step 1. Situation Analysis. The first step in systematically analyzing an organization's marketing problems is to conduct a situation analysis. This is not part of the written case brief but it is needed before you can begin the problem solving process. Step 2. Define the Problem/Issue. Once you have conducted a thorough situation analysis, you can identify the problem(s) facing the organization. Be careful not to assume that the characters in the case are objective or accurate in identifying the problem or make a rush to judgment about the problem. Step 3. Identify plausible alternatives. What are reasonable options for solving the identified problem? While you should at least initially consider the options discussed in the case, do not assume that these are the best or even appropriate alternatives, especially if these options are not consistent with the problem. Alternatives should be plausible, not "straw men" that are just knocked aside in order to make a bee line for some obvious solution...
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...Welcome to the Case Analysis Coach This tutorial is designed to start you down the road toward becoming an expert at analyzing business cases. You'll learn how to identify and define the business concepts raised by a case, as well as to develop analysis-based solutions, recommendations, and action plans. These skills will prepare you for class discussions and exams. You will have access to a complete real case, called Komatsu Ltd. and Project G., so that you can apply what you learn to a concrete example. You will also get other helpful resources, such as a Case Analysis Worksheet and samples of classdiscussion notes on the Komatsu case that were prepared by real students like you. In addition, smaller excerpts from other real cases are used to illustrate some of the steps in case analysis. 1 Introduction to Case Analysis Types of Cases The "case method" is an approach to learning that encourages students to extract useful lessons from the experiences of others ("cases"). Students study accounts of specific events in order to discover general principles that they can apply in other situations. Cases tend to fall into one of three categories that sometimes overlap: • • • Decision Cases describe a decision faced by the case protagonist. The student ultimately must choose among a finite set of distinct decision alternatives. Problem Cases require a student to diagnose a problem in a business case and to formulate possible solutions. Evaluation Cases illustrate a business...
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...Notes on Case Analysis David Robinson, September 2008 Business school cases are quite long and complicated. We study cases not so much to find the right answer, but to train ourselves in systematic analysis so we will be effective decision makers in the business world. Successful case preparation depends on multiple readings of the case and multiple points of view. Multiple Readings of the Case If you attempt to analyze a case by pulling an “all-nighter” (waiting until the last minute, spend hours poring over the case and going line by line looking for insights) you will be overwhelmed. You should plan for multiple readings of the case over several days, complemented by group meetings and discussion. Multiple Points of View Even if you are preparing to write an individual brief, you should plan to discuss a case with a study group. You’ll notice that in business the major consulting firms always assign a team of people to each client, not just their single best industry expert. The reason for this is that no one person is likely to comprehend all the problems a firm faces. No two individuals are likely to have the same insights, but the combined wisdom of a team is likely to come up with a fairly comprehensive analysis. First Reading of the Case You should read the case first on your own—if you meet with your study group and open the case book and say, “OK, what’s this about?” there is every likelihood that your team will degenerate into “group think” (one person comes...
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...------------------------------------------------- Case Analysis Guidelines & Checklist Overview: In many ways writing a short analysis paper (including recommendations and/or conclusions) is like writing an “action memo” or executive memo in business. The following sections go over how to organize and format your written work here in class and in the business world to be attractive to the reader and effective in getting your point across. Approach: * Read the entire case carefully before you actually begin to write the paper, and make careful notes (including your emotional reactions, which can be useful). Try to read the case once at least a few hours or a day earlier, and then again when you are writing the paper. This will give you time to reflect on the issues, and to think out effective recommendations before you actually have to articulate them. * Relate your analysis and recommendations as specifically as possible to concepts of the course as presented by the textbook, cases, materials on the course web site, articles, and the various guest speakers and class discussions This is where you show what you have learned and are able to apply. * Remember that you have to make careful selections of what is most important in a case, and then develop a coherent, logical way (including useful section titles) to present your arguments using the outline below. Although you may use the guidance questions to help call your attention to interesting phenomena in the case or big issues or...
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...How to Approach a Case This is not the only approach that exists, but it’s a worthwhile one to try as you get started. 1. GETTING ORIENTED It’s useful to think of a case analysis as digging deeper and deeper into the layers of a case. 1. You start at the surface, Getting Oriented and examining the overall case landscape. 2. Then you begin to dig, Identifying Problems, as well as possible alternative solutions. 3. Digging deeper, Performing Analyses you identify information that exposes the issues, gather data, perform calculations that might provide insight. 4. Finally, you begin Action Planning to outline short-, medium-, and long-term well-defined steps. Typically, you’ll need to repeat this process multiple times, and as you do, you'll discover new analytical directions, evolving your assessment of the case and conclusion. a. Case Analysis Overview Analyzing a case is not just about digging. It’s also about climbing back out to examine what you’ve unearthed, deciding what it means, determining what to analyze next, and digging some more. Often your examination of information about a problem will change your idea of what the real problem is and about what to analyze next. The process is similar to when a detective investigating a crime shifts his or her opinion about the most likely suspect as more clues come to light. Gather your materials and tools. These include the case and any other related materials to supplement your reading...
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...ARCTIC MINING CONSULTANTS Case Synopsis Arctic Mining Consultants is a mining company that deals with mineral exploration. In this case study, the project given is staking 15 claims in Eagle Lake, Alaska. The project Manager was Tom Parker, who has a wide experience and specialized knowledge in all nontechnical aspects of mineral exploration. He is a geological field technician and field coordinator for Arctic Mining Consultants. He assigned his previous field assistants John Talbot, Greg Boyce and Brian Millar to help him complete the project. The job required them to stake at least 7 lengths each day in order to be completed on time. However, the whole team has became very tense and agitated, especially Tom Parker, as the deadline was just around the corner and there’s still many to be finished within the limited time. The problem became worse with the way Tom managed and treated his team. The only motivation to the team was the $300 bonuses promised by the company when the job is done on time, otherwise, they might wished to give up already. This happened because working as a field assistant and in long-working hours only giving them low wages, which is considered unreasonable compared to what they have to do. During the eight hard days, everything had actually proved the strengths and weaknesses of each of the team members, including Tom. Case analysis symptoms 1) What symptom(s) exist in this case to suggest that something has gone wrong? The symptom(s) to suggest...
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...1. Would a TNA be needed in this situation? Why or why not? If yes, who would you want to talk to? Training Needs Analysis is a formal process required for the purpose of identifying the training gap that is in existence and its related training need. Considering the IMP case analysis, training needs analysis is required since there are different sectors within the organization which require an individual to possess the necessary skills to perform the expected work within that department. In addition, training is also offered to people working within the ‘different sectors’ in that organization despite the fact that equality is not displayed while offering that form of training. Talking to the HR manager at North America International Airport’s about training needs analysis is a good idea since the HR manager is the one with the authority over the individual’s directly concerned with training such as Mr. Pettipas. 2. Based on the case as presented above, what KSAs need to be trained? From the case analysis at IMP, it is evident that there are several knowledge, skills and abilities that have to be addressed during training to all the employees within those departments. Leadership skills need to be addressed since the HR was not able to assist Ms. Dillman in her case which portrayed that he lacked the leadership skills. Technician skills required for the metal sheet shop needs to be trained since Ms. Dillman lacked knowledge on the requirement of a metal sheet shop technician...
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...✓ Materials Needed Performance Measurement & Control Systems for Implementing Strategy: Text and Cases, by Simons, Robert. Prentice Hall, ISBN #0-13-234006-2 Cases in Management Accounting & Control Systems 4th Edition, by Allen, Brownlee, Haskins and Lynch, Pearson-Prentice Hall, ISBN #0-13-570425-1 Freakonomics: A Rouge Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything, by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, Harper Collins, ISBN#0-06-073132-X ✓ University Communication with Students All email communication from the University is sent to the student’s wsu.edu address. Please be sure that you have set up the link to forward your personal email address (aol, hotmail, etc.) or you will miss announcements and information that is very important to you. This is the email I use to contact you regarding class matters. If you change your email address, be sure to update again. ✓ Catalog Course Description with Prerequisitites 3credits: Managerial evaluation of budgeting, cost accounting, and financial analysis techniques; their utilization in control of operations. (pre-requisite acctg 550 or equivalent). Please note that pre-requisites are strictly enforced and that students will be disenrolled if they do not have course pre-requisites). ✓ Instructor Course Objectives Knowledge and Skill Expectations: Students should have the knowledge and skill level to record economic events, read and analyze financial information through the topic areas covered...
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