How to write a case study

What is a case study ?

• A case study helps students learn by immersing them in a real-world business
scenario where they can act as problem-solvers and decision-makers.
• The case presents facts about a particular organization.
• Students are asked to analyze the case by focusing on the most important
facts and using this information to determine the opportunities and problems
facing that organization.
• Students are then asked to identify alternative courses of action to deal with
the problems they identify.
 What is a business case
• A business case imitates or simulates a real situation
• The subject of cases varies enormously from a single individual or
organization to an entire nation
• Common purpose is to represent reality ,to convey a situation with all its
crosscurrents and rough edges
 Case must have
• A significant business issue or issues
• Sufficient information on which to base conclusions about the issue
 Common Case Elements

• Most “full-blown” cases have these common elements:

• A decision-maker who is grappling with some question or problem that
needs to be solved.
• A description of the problem’s context (a law, an industry, a family).
• Supporting data, which can range from data tables to links to URLs,
quoted statements or testimony, supporting documents, images, video, or
audio.
 Advantages to the use of case studies in class

• Students are actively engaged in figuring out the principles by abstracting

from the examples.
• This develops their skills in:
-Problem solving
-Analytical tools, quantitative and/or qualitative, depending on the case
-Decision making in complex situations
-Coping with ambiguities
Issues/questions to be addressed through the
Case
• What is the issue?
• What is the goal of the analysis?
• What is the context of the problem?
• What key facts should be considered?
• What alternatives are available to the decision-maker?
• What would you recommend — and why?
 Types of cases
• Decision scenario cases
• Problem/success factor diagnosis scenario cases
• Evaluation scenario case
 Format of case study
• Title
• Introduction
• Snapshot of Industry/company/Subject
• Objectives
• Discussion on evaluation /Decision/problem success factor diagnosis
• Challenges
• Road Ahead
• Appendix : Supporting tables/figures/videos
 Points to be strictly avoided in case
writing
• Copy and paste
• Sources of tables/Figures not mentioned
• No acknowledgement of experts
 Examples of areas for case study writing:
Decision scenario cases
• Lowering business costs
• Becoming profitable
• Generating more leads
• Closing on more customers
• Generating more revenue
• Expanding into a new market
• Becoming more sustainable or energy-efficient
 Examples of areas for case study
writing:Evaluation scenario
• Complying with government regulation/PEST
• SWOT
• 4P’s
• BCG
• Product life cycle
 Examples of areas for case study
writing:Problem/success factor diagnosis scenario
• Identify pain points of industry/company e.g. electric vehicles
• Identify success factors of the company e.g. Success of Paper boat. Boat