AIC Case

Description

Case Studies – What and How to Write the Analysis Outline Introduction – restate the case in your own words. In 1-2 paragraphs highlight the key points (This helps to ensure that you are getting the important points). Problem statement – in 1-2 sentences, state wha the problem is and what the solution should focus on. 3. Analysis – Quantitative (This will be the longest part of the case. Usually 2 pages or so, but that is a rough guideline.) Baseline calculations You will have a minimum of two parts to the quantitative analysis. These cases are numbers based, therefore you need to show the current state (prove the current issue with numbers). This establishes the baseline which you will use to show that your next section, actually fixes the problem. This is the starting point of showing what the gap is. This part of the case is usually the longest. You need to show where you are getting your numbers from the case that are serving as the inputs for the calculation. Hint: As I discuss below, tables work really well for presenting these numbers. Solution calculations These solutions calculations are the evidence that you have solved the case. If you cannot get to this phase, this is a cue that you need to ask questions (see case discussion). This is showing quantitatively that you have bridged the gap. Hint: These will be the same calculation type as the baseline, just with the new numbers that show you have achieved the desired result. Excel and calculations You can include Excel output for calculations. If you do, please upload it with your write-up. You do not need to include all calculations in the body of the paper; place them in an Excel appendix. However, … Make them easy to read with adequate documentation. Note, this does not mean that you only have your analysis and numbers in the Appendix/Excel. You need to provide adequate detail in the body of the report. Example: Using the FC, revenue, and variable cost, shown in the table above, the break-even quantity is xxx. See Appendix (or Excel) for more details. That would be a good way to make sure that you have enough detail. A rule of thumb would be to ask if someone familiar with the calculations could reproduce your results. You need to include the supporting numbers in the body of the text. 4. Analysis – Qualitative (1-2 paragraphs) Use this section to discuss the non-numeric pros and cons of the solution. Are there any implemention issues, etc.? 5. Conclusion This is a short section to wrap up the case and expressly state what the solution to the case is. Alternative Style May students like to put the case study into a memo format. The easiest way is to write the case to the manager of the case that is trying to solve the problem. Act like a consultant and treat the memo as their guide to solving the problem. Notes and commentary You will note that there is no template for the case analysis other than what is above. The reason for this is that everyone has there own way of writing them, so develop your own format that best suits you. Note, I do not grade on format as long as you address all of the above points and follow the instructions on the rubric (see syllabus). Use tables and other non-verbal data presentation tools. All of the cases lend themselves to the use of tables, so if you find yourself writing a lot of numbers in a paragraph, think of how you could present the data in a table. Calculation hints: Be very careful of your units and how you build out the current capacity. If you baseline shows that no improvement is needed, start over again. You have missed an assumption or have some other error. Take a look at Unit 2’s materials on theory of constraints. It will prove to be very useful for the conceptual part of the case, the baseline calculations, and coming up with a solution. Case Studies: The following is a brief overview of how to approach case studies. Some perspective At the beginning of the semester and after the first case analysis, most students feel that case studies are their least liked part of the class. One typical reason is that most of you have never done anything like this and if you have done case studies they were very qualitative in nature. Thus, you are unfamiliar with how to do them and one of the best ways to learn how is through practice. Then, by the end of the semester, many students tell me that the cases are where they learned the most from the class. To help make this transition as easy as possible, I’ve developed the following information. Many people have some anxiety here as they haven’t had a strong analytical thinking background or education. This class is structured to prepare you and give you some experience in this realm of problem solving. So, don’t panic. Follow the lessons and materials in this class and you can do well. That isn’t to say that the process will be easy, but as with most things in life, the most valuable things are that which we have to work for. Minding the Gap The basis of any case study is to identify the gap. There is always some problem that you need to identify and provide a solution to. This gap is your focus and a guide to getting to a solution. One useful hint in this step is to read the case and then focus on the end that is asking you to provide some specific solution. Most people are sequential thinkers and believe it’s wrong to read backwards. Hint: break yourself of this habit quickly. With this gap in mind, read through the case and disregard anything that isn’t explicitly getting you closer to bridging the gap. All cases have a lot of extraneous information, called red herrings, that distract you – welcome to life (that is why listening is called an artform.) Keep going through the case until you exhaust your ability to find more information to fill the gap. Quantifying the gap For all quantitative cases, you need to quantify the gap. In this class, I call it establishing the baseline of what is the current state (see rubric). Without this crucial first step, you don’t know how much needs to be done, nor will you know if you actually “solved” the case (see Closing the Gap below). Methodologies This is the least creative thing for case studies in this class. I have structured the cases so that they follow along with the quantitative tools that are being covered at that point in the syllabus. So, don’t be creative here. Search the materials in the units that your just have or are covering. I have example videos and worked out problems from the book that will provide you with the how-tos for developing your quantitative solutions. Closing the gap This step is probably one of the most neglected parts of the case analysis. You MUST close the gap. The way to do this for quantitative cases is that you need to use the methodological tool and show that your solution actually does solve the problem. Hand waiving and other non-explicit forms of analysis here are not acceptable. You must show, beyond a shadow of doubt, that you have solved the case.