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Case studies

How to analyse case studies

It is almost inevitable that during your time as a business student, a company or industry case study will be thrown your way to analyse.

As this is a skill you may not have previous acquired, here are a few tips to help you on the way to earning those top marks.

What is a case study?

A case study is a description of a situation involving a decision to be made or a problem to be solved. It can be a real situation, partially true with areas disguised for privacy reasons or could be a completely fictional case.

Most are presented in such a way that the reader takes the place of a manager or advisor whose responsibility is to make decisions or propose solutions to the problem at hand.
  • Mindset: Think of your case analysis as if it were really happening.
  • Question assumptions: When reading and reflecting on the case, continually question your own and others’ assumptions and assertions.
  • Be creative: Be adventurous and push industry boundaries – do not merely copy competitor’s actions or strategies.
  • Read the case frequently: As it is a work in progress, you don’t want to overlook details.


Group work

  • Divide: When preparing a case analysis as a group, divide into teams to work on the case study – it is very hard to all work on the project at the same time.
  • Capitalise on the strengths of each member: be sure to volunteer your services in your areas of strength.


Stage 1: Introduction, company background, historical analysis

For the rest of the case study to fall into place you must initially demonstrate a good knowledge of the company's present situation. Begin with a clear and precise overview of the company's situation and its strategy.

Stage 2: Analysing case data

This is usually the most challenging part of the case study:
  • Identify strategic issues: Do this early on in your paper along with key problems, demonstrating a good knowledge of the company's present situation. Be sure to pick up current topical areas such as CSR, current economic climate and effects of new legislation.
  • Be thorough: Don't skimp on detail in your analysis of the situation. By the same token, don't ramble if your point isn't going anywhere.
  • Be objective: Don't use ‘I think…’ but say ‘the analysis shows…’. This shows there is analysis and evidence to back up your conclusions.
  • Develop charts, tables, and graphs: These should expose the main analysis points 
Demonstrate that you have command of the strategic concepts and analytical tools to which you have been exposed.
  • Ask why or how did these issues arise: Try to determine cause and effect for the challenges identified. It may be helpful to consider the company's resources, people and processes.
  • Financial health: Check out financial ratios, profit margins, rates of return, and capital structure, and decide how strong the firm is financially.
  • Competence: Look at factors underlying the organisation's strategic successes and failures. Is the firm capitalising on its valuable resource strengths and competencies?
  • Competitive position: Is it getting stronger or weaker?


Stage 3: Strategic options:

Here you must highlight different ways in which the problem can be resolved.
  • Competitor analysis: Look at and always consider competitors actions upon the company and each proposed strategy.
  • Relevant stakeholders: Who will be affected by the decisions being made?
  • Internal knock-on effects: Always think of consequences of actions and effects on other aspects of company operations.
  • Keeping your current strategy: Minor adjustments are viable as long as this is fully justified.
  • Do not make two clearly undesirable alternatives to make your final recommendation appear more viable: This will be obvious and show very little imagination.


Stage 4: Recommendations:

Once the options have been identified, they must be evaluated to arrive at a decision:
  • Relevant: Your set of recommendations should address all of the problems or issues you identified and analysed.
  • Constraints and opportunities: Resources are normally a constraint, and hence priority allocations must be made.
  • Don’t be too risky: Avoid recommending any course of action that could have disastrous consequences if it doesn't work out as planned.
  • Actionable: Offer a definite agenda for action.


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TOP 5 TIPS
  • When working as a group, assign tasks rather than try to work on the same part together
  • Demonstrate a good knowledge of the present situation
  • Don't skimp on detail when analysing data. As long as it's relevant, keep it in
  • Make sure every alternative recommendation is viable
  • Offer a definite agenda for action

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