Strategic Case Analysis
58
Strategic Case Analysis
To remain competitive, established firms must
continually refine their ability to solve business
problems. This requires making good decisions.
Making a good decision requires choosing
among various alternatives, and research is
required in order to identify alternatives.
Good research requires asking and answering
the right questions.
Strategic Case Analysis: Questions
• Case analysis helps us learn how to ask good questions and to make
good decisions.
• Why do some firms succeed, and others fail?
• Why are some companies higher performers than others?
• What information is needed in the strategic planning process?
• How do competing values and beliefs affect strategic decision
making?
• What skills and capabilities are needed to implement a strategy
effectively?
Strategic Case
Analysis:
Requirements
• Strategic case analysis requires:
• Ability to evaluate business
situations.
• Going beyond the textbook
and rooting out essential
issues and causes of a
company’s problems.
Strategic Case Analysis:
Skills
• Strategic capabilities needed include the ability
to differentiate.
• Strategic capabilities also include the ability to
speculate.
• Strategic capabilities also include the ability to
integrate.
Conducting a Case Analysis: Preparation
• Investigate the situation.
• Analyze and research possible solutions.
• Gather the advice of others.
• Put yourself in the shoes of an actual participant.
• Are you a strategic decision maker?
• Are you the business founder or owner?
• Are you a member of the board of directors?
• Are you an outside consultant?
Conducting a
Case Analysis:
Step 1
• Step 1: Become familiar with the
material.
• Read quickly through the case one
time.
• Assess possible links to strategic
concepts.
• Read the case again, making notes.
• Evaluate application of strategic
concepts.
• Formulate an initial
recommendation.
• Go through the case again to assess
the consequences of actions you
propose.
Conducting a
Case Analysis:
Step 2
• Step 2: Identify problems.
• Some cases have more than
one problem to solve.
• Avoid getting hung up on
the case symptom.
• Try to articulate the case
problems.
• Some problems will not be
apparent until after you do
the case analysis.
Conducting a
Case Analysis:
Step 3
• Step 3: Conduct strategic
analyses.
• Determine which strategic
issues are involved.
• Use strategic tools to
conduct the analysis.
• Test your own assumptions
about the case.
Conducting a
Case Analysis:
Step 4
• Step 4: Propose alternative solutions.
• Develop a list of options – what are the
possible solutions?
• Evaluate the alternatives.
• Can the company afford it?
• How will competitors respond?
• Will employees accept the
change?
• How will it affect other
stakeholders?
• How does it fit with the vision,
mission and objectives?
• Will the culture or values of the
company change?
Conducting a
Case Analysis:
Step 5
• Step 5: Make recommendations.
• Make a set of recommendations
supported by your analysis.
• Describe exactly what needs to
be done.
• Explain why this course of action
will solve the problem.
• Indicate how best to implement
the proposed solution.
• Note: the solution you propose
must solve the problem you
identified.
Getting the
Most from Case
Analysis
Keep an open
mind.
Take a stand for
what you believe.
Draw on your
personal
experience.
Participate and
persuade.
Be concise and to
the point.
Think out-of-thebox.
Learn from the
insights of others.
Apply insights
from other case
analyses.
Critically analyze
your own
performance.
Conduct outside
research.
Case Analysis DecisionMaking Techniques:
Integrative Thinking
• Integrative thinking involves
making choices by reconciling
opposing thoughts.
• Asking heretical questions can
help challenge long-term beliefs
about how things work.
• Conflict inducing techniques can
be very helpful in arriving at
better solutions.
Because learning changes everything.®
www.mheducation.com
© 2021 McGraw Hill. All rights reserved. No reproduction or further distribution permitted without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill.
