Case Write-up Instructions:
- SWOT Analysis: A SWOT is a popular way to evaluate a business or case study. A SWOT helps you organize the case details into Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Please use a table format, per example below, to write up your SWOT. The SWOT should be written up on the top ½ of your first page.
| STRENGTHS: Strengths are facts about staff, managers, business products or processes that are positive. Examples. § A new promotion increase sales by 20% § The manager has 25 years executive experience |
WEAKNESSES: Weaknesses are facts about staff, managers, business products or processes that indicate something needs to be improved. Examples. § The company has never done market research § The company sales have declined by 15% for the past two years |
| OPPORTUNITIES: Opportunities are facts about something positive going on outside of the business (i.e., consumer trends, new technology) from which the company could benefit. § A local manufacturer is looking to partner with a marketing company § The government announces new incentives for companies doing business in Europe |
THREATS: Threats are facts about something potentially negative going on outside of the business from which the company might be harmed § A major competitor plans to relocate to the city § The company president reads an article about a new computer virus that destroys the databases of large companies |
- Issues: Identify the key issues facing the company profiled in the case and rank them. Please use a single list format to write up the issues by ranked importance (short term to long term). The issues section should be written up on the bottom ½ of your first page.
Ranking: Rank the key issues based on their short term or long term implication to the business.
- Short term – something the company must address quickly in the near future
- Long term – something the company needs to address after it first deals with the short term issues
Examples:
- Valuable marketing and sales data are being ignored when setting plans (short term)
- Product shipping delays are increasing expenses (short term)
- The company’s product return policy is confusing (short term)
- Internet marketing expenses are over budget (short term)
- Market share is decreasing (long term)
- AZ new competitive product will enter the market soon (long term)
- Consumer demand is fluctuating for the product (long term)
- Problem Statement: Write a concise problem statement on the short term issues.
Example.
- The company must meet with staff quickly to solve inventory and retailer return issues, also to develop a plan for improving internet marketing.
- Case Response:
- Recommendation (for HBR cases): What actions should the organization take to address the problem statement?
- It is expected that you will seek additional resources outside of the information provided in the case to provide a complete and current response. Your write up in this section should be limited to 2 – 3 pages.
- Recommendation (for HBR cases): What actions should the organization take to address the problem statement?
OR (depending on the type of case)
- Case Question Response. Answer the questions at the end of the case. Please number the questions and begin your response by stating the question you are answering (question should be stated single space, response should be double spaced).