There is no one correct approach to organizing a written case analysis. However,
it is usually wise to think about the report as having three major sections:(1) identification
of the strategic issues and problems, (2) analysis and evaluation, and (3) recommendations.
The first section should contain a focused paragraph that defines the problem
and specifies the constraints and options available to the organization. Material in the
second section should provide a carefully developed assessment of the industry, market
and buyer behavior, the organization, and the alternative courses of action. Analysis
and evaluation should represent the bulk of the written report. This section should
not contain a restatement of case information;it should contain an assessment and interpretation
of the facts, qualitative and quantitative data, and management views. The last
section should consist of a set of recommendations. These recommendations should be
documented with references to the previous section and should be operational given
the case situation. By all means, commit to a decision!
A case and a written student analysis of it are presented in the appendix at the
end of the book. It is recommended that you carefully analyze the case before reading
the student analysis.