GOALS

THE MAIN PURPOSE IS TO DEVELOP STUDENTS ANALYTICAL SKILLS AND

FURTHER TO ENHANCE:

TECHNICAL SKILLS

CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF BUSINESS ISSUES

PROBLEM SOLVING TECHNIQUES

DECISION MAKING SKILLS

COMMUNICATION/PRESENTATIONS SKILLS

OBJECTIVES

1. Identification and Diagnosis of ISSUES/Problems.

2. Identify and justify CORE issue(s) or problem(s)
3. Make recommendations for possible resolution of problems.

STARTING OUT

1. Read the case first time Just read it.

2. Read the case SECOND time with more concentration.
3. Put the case aside and start with your READING LIST. Read Relevant
Text Book Chapters, Recommended Books, and Journals and Articles.

WORKING ON A CASE STUDY

1. Have the Three Highlighters/Visors with you

i.

Orange

ii.

Yellow

iii.

Green

2. Read the case THIRD time BUT very slowly and carefully.
3. You will use the Highlighters on your case itself.

USE OF HIGHLIGHTERS
i.

YELLOW: to highlight statistical/quantitative Data i.e. FACTS

ii.

GREEN: for important qualitative information.

iii. ORANGE: To highlight and identify the Problems/ Issues

DO USE the 3 Highlighters very Cautiously and Sparingly

EXHIBITS

EXHIBITS ARE VERY IMPORTANT. THEY ARE NOT GIVEN TO MAKE THE CASE
THICK. THEY ARE VERY USEFUL IN PROVIDING A COMPLETE PICTURE OF A
CASE AND ITS ANALYSIS.

MANY TIMES IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO START FROM THE LAST EXHIBIT OF YOUR
CASE AND WORK YOUR WAY BACKWARDS.

WRITE ANALYSIS OF YOUR EXHIBIT ON THE EXHIBIT ITSELF.

YOU WILL USE THE ANALYSIS OF THE EXHIBITS TO SUPPORT YOUR ARGUMENT
OF THE CASE.

EXHIBITS

BUSINESS POLICY CASES ARE COMPLEX AND HAVE A LOT OF EXHIBITS.

YOU MUST USE THE INFORMATION GIVEN IN EXHIBITS TO ANALYZE YOUR

CASE.

A BALANCE SHEET, INCOME STATEMENT AND CASH FLOW STATEMENT ARE

USUALLY GIVEN, AND YOU MUST WORK THE NUMBERS.

EXHIBITS

SOME CASES HAVE SEVERAL EXHIBITS WHICH HAVE A LOT OF FINANCIAL

DATA AND SOME CASES SUCH AS HRM HAVE OTHER TYPES OF CHARTS AND
FORMS AS EXHIBITS.

SO THERE IS A VARIETY OF EXHIBITS FOR EACH TYPE OF COURSE WORK AND

SUBJECT (E.G MARKETING STRATEGY)

USE EXHIBITS INTELLIGENTLY.

AFTER YOU HAVE USED YOUR HIGHLIGHTERS AND STUDIED THE EXHIBITS.
NOW you are ready to tackle the case.
ON ONE SCRAP PAPER: List and Number all the FACTS (Yellow).
ON SECOND PAPER: List and Number all the QUALITATIVE INFORMATION
(Green).

ON THIRD PAPER: List and Number all the ISSUES and PROBLEMS (Orange)
The above are your WORKING DOCUMENTS.
THE GROUP MEMBERS SIT DOWN TOGETHER AND NOW
BRAINSTORM/THINK/PONDER AND DO THE FOLLOWING:
Start to RELIST YOUR FACTS AND QUALITATIVE statements in order of
importance (Write short notes Why you did what you did)
A. THIS WILL REQUIRE CONCENTRATION and Time because you are
making Decisions about what is most important and least
important.
B. TRY TO IDENTIFY ONLY THE RELEVANT FACTS (QUANTITATIVE DATA) WHICH ARE
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND RELEVANT QUALITATIVE STATEMENTS WHICH ARE IN
LINE WITH THE ISSUES AND PROBLEMS (ORANGE COLOUR) YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED.

LOOK AT ISSUES/ PROBLEMS

(ORANGE COLOUR)

A. Do Brainstorming again. THIS time you are trying to RE-LIST all the
problems in the order of importance. (Write short notes why and
reasoning/argument for your decision)
B. Then identify the CORE PROBLEM by process of elimination of
other issues. (Write short notes on your reasoning)
THE LIST OF FACTS AND QUALITATIVE STATEMENTS SHOULD JUSTIFY
THE PROBLEMS/ISSUES IDENTIFIED BY YOU IN THE CASE.
A. WRITE YOUR CORE ISSUE/PROBLEM IN BOLD LETTERS.
B. AND JUSTIY Why you think this is the CORE problem. You have
written Short Notes in your scrap/rough work. Use these notes and
the facts and qualitative statements for this justification. THIS IS
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR ANALYSIS.