1

NOTI: The source of Ihe maIerial in Ihis noIe is "WriIing Cases,

fourIh ediIion, Leenders, MauffeIIe-Leenders, and Irskine,
Richard Ivey School of Husiness, The LniversiIy of WesIern
OnIario, ISHN o-1q-o-q. II is highly recommended IhaI
aspiring wriIers obIain Ihe compleIe IexI.


The OrganizaIion or OuIline of Ihe Case by SubIiIles


OullInIng lhe case by sublIlles has several major advanlages. Il gIves an Idea oI lhe InIormalIon
Ilow oI lhe IInIshed case. Il also sels a Iramework wIlhIn whIch lhe dala requIremenls can be
assessed. As a resull, lhe dala colleclIon and wrIlIng slages wIll be more orderly and easIer lo
execule.

The usual shae oI a case In oullIne Iorm can be reresenled as a cone slandIng verlIcally on Ils
oInl. The shae relales lo a narrowIng down or IocusIng rocess, ralher lhan lhe amounl oI
InIormalIon lo be collecled al each slage (see ExhIbIl 1).

The Dpenin Pcrcrcph

As shown In ExhIbIl 1, lhe oenIng aragrah Iorms lhe eyeIece or lens lo lhe case and sIls on
lo oI lhe cone.

Genercl Compcn cckround

The IIrsl sublIlle IollowIng lhe oenIng aragrah could be background, comany or lhe name
oI lhe organIzalIon. Irequenlly used olher sublIlles In lhIs early arl oI lhe case Include:
comany or organIzalIon hIslory, Induslry andJor comany overvIew, major
roducl(s)JservIce(s), lhe organIzalIon`s comelIlIve remIse, comelIlIon, IInancIal overvIew,
organIzalIon, geograhIcal coverage, lhe arenl comany, busIness unIls or subsIdIarIes.

z

ExhIbIl 1
Proosed Case OullIne by SublIlles


The OenIng Paragrah


General OrganIzalIon
Background


SecIIIc Area
oI Inleresl


SecIIIc Problem
or OorlunIly


AllernalIves


ConclusIon






Specific Arec of Interest

TyIcally, lhe nexl major sublIlle slarls lo Iocus on lhe major IunclIon or arl oI lhe
organIzalIon In whIch lhe key decIsIon maker works. Ior many cases, lhe decIsIon, roblem or
oorlunIly lIes In a arlIcular dearlmenl or IunclIon oI lhe organIzalIon. Ior examle, lhe
decIsIon may be In markelIng, accounlIng, IInance, roduclIon, human resources, InIormalIon
syslems or some olher areas oI lhe organIzalIon. AddIlIonal sublIlle olIons In lhIs seclIon may
Include: lhe hIslory oI lhe IunclIon, recenl changes, relalIons wIlh olher dearlmenls, maIn
resonsIbIlIlIes, challenges oI lhe IunclIon and slaIIIng.

An addIlIonal sublIlle oIlen used as arl oI lhIs area In lhe case deals wIlh lhe ersonal
background oI lhe decIsIon maker and olher key eole In lhe case. OlIonal sublIlles may
Include: lhe name oI lhe erson, lhe osIlIon oI lhe erson, ersonal background or ersonal
hIslory.

Specific Issue, Decision, Problem or Dpportunit

Iurlher IocusIng lakes lace by concenlralIng on lhe secIIIc Issue or decIsIon al hand. The
conlexl has been eslablIshed Ior lhe conlrIbulIng organIzalIon and lhe area wIlhIn whIch lhe
decIsIon Is laced. The number oI olenlIal sublIlles under lhIs seclIon wIll vary wIlh each case.
Samles could Include: lhe rojecl, lhe rojecl schedule, lhe new roducl launch, lhe

roduclIon rocess, lhe re-organIzalIon lan, lhe bank`s oIIer, lhe IInancIal lan, lhe syslem
slarl-u, lhe equImenl InslallalIon, lhe cuslomer comlaInl, lhe accIdenl and lhe merger
roosal. ThIs rocess oI narrowIng In as lhe case rogresses can be comared lo subsequenl
shols wIlh a camera wIlh a zoom lens. SlarlIng wIlh a wIde angle shol, subsequenl shols zoom
In on lhe subjecl under dIIIerenl sub-lIlles.

AddIlIonal lIlles may delIneale varIous asecls oI lhe Issue. These sublIlles mIghl well oullIne a
lIme Irame (Ior examle: Week 1, Week z, and so on) or lhey mIghl suggesl an evenl sequence
(Ior examle: desIgn, rololye, Ilol run and roduclIon run).

NOTE: A good case can lake one oI lhree dImensIons:

1. Slale lhe Iacls and leave lhe reader lo delermIne II lhere Is a
roblemJoorlunIly, and II so, whal should be done aboul Il?
z. IdenlIIy lhe decIsIon managemenl made and ask lhe sludenl lo crIlIque Il.
. Slale lhe roblemJoorlunIly and ask lhe sludenl lo delermIne whal should be
done.

Alternctites

Mosl Imorlanl decIsIons normally Involve a choIce among lwo or more allernalIves. The case
wrIler chooses whelher lo rovIde none, some, or all oI lhese allernalIves consIdered wIlhIn lhe
conlrIbulIng organIzalIon. The educalIonal urose and lhe decIsIon Irame cul choIce wIll
dIclale how many allernalIves lo Include. AllernalIves may be IdenlIIIed by caIlal lellers
(AllernalIve A), or numbers (AllernalIve 1), or by lhe lye oI decIsIon (such as The Make
AllernalIve or The Buy AllernalIve), or by lhe orIgIn oI lhe allernalIve (such as Cambell`s
Proosal and WIllIamson`s Proosal).

Conclusion

Every case requIres an endIng. Ior some case wrIlers lhe lasl sublIlle can sImly be lhe word
ConclusIon. OIlen, lhe case jusl ends wIlh a aragrah or lwo IollowIng lhe seclIon on
allernalIves wIlhoul a searale headIng. SInce lhe endIng oIlen conlaIns deadlIne InIormalIon,
olher sublIlles lIke The Nexl MeelIng, The Task Iorce Schedule, The Cuslomer`s ExeclalIons,
The DeadlIne, and The Board oI DIreclors MeelIngs are lyIcal olIons.

Dctc Requirements

The mosl dIIIIcull arl oI lhe Case Plan deals wIlh lhe lIslIng oI dala requIremenls under each
sublIlle. In lhe IIrsl lace, Il Is already a challenge Ior mosl case wrIlers lo vIsualIze whal lheIr
IInal case wIll look lIke In lerms oI major buIldIng blocks by IdenlIIyIng lhe sublIlles. Secondly,
Il Is dIIIIcull lo IdenlIIy jusl how much InIormalIon needs lo be Included In lhe case lo meel lhe
leachIng objeclIves. NaggIng In lhe back oI lhe case wrIler`s head may also be lhe worry lhal lhe
InIormalIon may nol be avaIlable In real lIIe. Il Is robably more aealIng lo go dala colleclIng
shoolIng Irom lhe hI so lo seak. Neverlheless, Il Is mosl Imorlanl lo go lhrough lhIs Iourlh
sle careIully lo hel avoId mIsunderslandIngs and lo IacIlIlale dala colleclIon, rovIsIonal
release, and lhe subsequenl wrIlIng rocess.

A case wrIler should nol ask Ior all avaIlable InIormalIon In lhe comany In hoes oI IIndIng lhe
relevanl and InlereslIng arls laler. The dala requIremenls lIsl Is a cuslom desIgned, laIlor
q
made secIIIcalIon Ior lhe necessary InIormalIon lhal wIll allow sludenls lo achIeve lhe
educalIonal objeclIves Inlended lhrough lheIr rearalIon and dIscussIon oI lhe case.

The dala secIIIcalIon should be done so well lhal anolher case wrIler could lake lhe Case Plan
and comlele lhe case jusl lhe way lhe orIgInal case wrIler Inlended. Thus, Il Is nol suIIIcIenlly
recIse lo ask Ior IInancIal slalemenls. Are lhese lhe Income slalemenl and balance sheel Ior
lhe lalesl year avaIlable or Ior lhe asl lhree years? Do lhey Include all oI lhe audIlors`
commenls and exlanalIons or nol?

Il Is nol suIIIcIenlly recIse lo ask Ior an organIzalIon charl. Is lhIs a charl showIng all lhe major
holdIngs oI lhe arenl organIzalIon? Or Is Il one showIng lhe lo managemenl slruclure,
IncludIng or excludIng lhe names oI lhe IndIvIduals holdIng lhe varIous osIlIons? Or Is Il a
charl showIng lhe organIzalIon oI lhe IInance dearlmenl al head oIIIce?

Il Is useIul lo slarl wIlh lhe absolulely vIlal InIormalIon wIlhoul whIch lhe case would be useless.
Then, II arl oI lhe urose oI lhe case Is lo searale relevanl InIormalIon Irom less relevanl
dala, lhe decIsIon as lo whal else lo Include can be made laler.

II lhe InIormalIon-secIIyIng lask Is done well, Il makes Il much easIer Ior lhe Iocal erson In lhe
case lo IndIcale: (1) whelher lhe InIormalIon was avaIlable lo lhe decIsIon maker al lhe lIme lhe
Issue was consIdered; (z) whelher lhe arlIcIalIng organIzalIon Is wIllIng lo rovIde such
InIormalIon Ior lhe case; and () whelher lhe suggesled dIsguIse Is arorIale.

ThereIore, lhe lask Is lo secIIy under each oI lhe major sublIlles whal InIormalIon slIll needs lo
be acquIred and whal has already been oblaIned beIore and durIng lhe InIlIal conlacl.

ThereIore, lhe crIlIcal queslIon In secIIyIng lhe dala requIremenls In a Case Plan becomes: Ior
resolvIng lhe decIsIon, roblem, oorlunIly or Issue under consIderalIon, whal does lhe reader
need lo know? Whal are lhe necessary delaIls aboul lhe comany or organIzalIon as a whole,
aboul lhe IunclIonal area or osIlIon, lhe key decIsIon maker and lhe Issue IlselI lhal lhe sludenl
musl know lo be able lo sle Inlo lhe osIlIon oI lhe Iocal erson? Whal Is suIIIcIenl
InIormalIon lo allow someone revIously nol IamIlIar wIlh lhIs sIlualIon lo erIorm a relevanl
analysIs wIlh some conIIdence and juslIIIcalIon and make a reasonable decIsIon?

The IollowIng commenls concernIng dala requIremenls wIll aly lo lhe major sublIlle areas oI
any case.

Genercl Compcn cckround

ThIs seclIon lells lhe reader In broad oullIne some relevanl Iacls aboul lhe organIzalIon as a
whole. Whal roducls or servIces are oIIered? Whal Induslry Is Il arl oI? Whal Is Ils hIslory?
Where Is lhe organIzalIon localed? Whal sIze Is Il and IInancIally where does Il sland? ThIs
seclIon Is Inlended lo lace subsequenl InIormalIon In conlexl. Ior examle whelher lhe
comany Is large or small and whelher Il Is IInancIally well oII or nol may serIously aIIecl lhe
range oI allernalIves whIch can reasonably be consIdered as erlInenl lo lhe decIsIon or roblem
al hand. Slandard InIormalIon under lhe headIng oI General Comany Background or Ils
equIvalenl Includes InIormalIon aboul lhe localIon, number oI emloyees, IInancIal slrenglh,
roducl or servIce oIIerIngs, growlh hIslory, Iulure growlh olenlIal, and comelIlIve remIse.

Does lhe reader need an organIzalIon charl, IInancIal slalemenls, hIslory Irom lhe orIgIn lo lhe
resenl oI lhe comany, lhe sIze oI lhe organIzalIon In lerms oI number oI emloyees, lhe

roducl range, lhe comelIlIon, lhe Induslry, how long lhe resIdenl has been In oIIIce and whal
hIs or her ersonal background Is?

The Specific Arecs of Interest

Il Is almosl always necessary lo rovIde lhe case reader wIlh InIormalIon aboul lhe area wIlhIn
whIch lhe Iocal erson In lhe case works. Whal are lhe major resonsIbIlIlIes oI lhIs area wIlhIn
lhe conlexl oI lhe busIness as a whole? How many eole work In lhIs area? Whal Is lhe annual
budgel? How Is lhIs area organIzed? Is Il growIng, slable or declInIng In numbers oI eole and
budgel? Whal are lhe major challenges IacIng lhIs area? Is lhere anylhIng secIal or unIque
aboul Il?

Il Is also desIrable In mosl cases lo rovIde some background InIormalIon aboul lhe osIlIon
held by lhe key decIsIon maker In lhe case. Whal are lhe maIn job resonsIbIlIlIes oI lhIs
osIlIon and where does Il IIl wIlhIn lhe organIzalIon slruclure?

Allhough Il Is oIlen nol necessary Ior lhe urose oI lhe case, lhe ersonal background oI lhe key
decIsIon maker may rovIde a secIal louch. SInce lhe normal case assIgnmenl Is, II you were
In lhe osIlIon oI lhe key decIsIon maker In lhIs case, whal would be your analysIs and lan oI
aclIon and why?, lhe ersonal background oI lhe aclual decIsIon maker Is nol normally
requIred. However, such a background does gIve lhe case reader a chance lo see how IndIvIduals
move Inlo varIous osIlIons on lhe organIzalIonal ladder.

The Specific Decision, Problem, Issue or Dpportunit

ThIs seclIon oI lhe case rovIdes lhe IIrsl oorlunIly lo reIer lo lhe Issue InIlIally menlIoned In
lhe oenIng aragrah. Now lhe challenge Ior lhe case wrIler becomes lo secIIy lhe
InIormalIon whIch, In lhe case wrIler`s oInIon, lhe decIsIon maker mIghl reasonably have used.
Such InIormalIon wIll normally Include bolh qualIlalIve and quanlIlalIve dala relevanl lo lhe
Issue al hand. Included are Iaclual dala as well as lhe oInIons oI varIous eole Involved In lhe
Issue. Clearly, such InIormalIon wIll range wIdely deendIng on lhe Issue, decIsIon, roblem or
oorlunIly under consIderalIon.

Tecchin Note Hecdins

1. Case TIlle
z. BrIeI SynosIs oI lhe Case
. ImmedIale Issue(s) (the ccse decision mckers ke concerns)
q. BasIc Issue(s) (the instructors recsons for usin the ccse in the course)
. TeachIng ObjeclIves
6. Suggesled Sludenl AssIgnmenl
;. Suggesled AddIlIonal ReadIngJDala GalherIng
8. PossIble TeachIng AIds (such cs scmples, cdtertisin mctericl, photos, crticles, tideos,
computer prorcms, CD RDMs, tisitors to clcss)
q. DIscussIon QueslIons Ior Use In Class (lo use II lhe dIscussIon dIes or lo raIse Issues II
nol covered)
1o. Case AnalysIs (the cnsuers to the suested student cssinment questions)
11. AddIlIonal PoInls lo RaIse (beond the student cssinment questions)
1z. Suggesled TIme Plan (hou totcl clcss time miht be ditided)
1. TeachIng SuggeslIons
1q. Case TeachIng Plan (the instructors supplement to the Ccse Prepcrction Chcrt)