1

HOW TO GLORIFY THE CASE STUDY

A Roadmap for MBA Students

What is a case study?

A case study portrays an actual issue faced by a person in an
organization. It simulates a real situation and makes the reader a participant, not
merely an observer. All case studies focus on an actual or a realistic
hypothetical business scenario with all its complexity, misconceptions, and too
little or too much information. Case studies appear to present information in a
straightforward, linear fashion – with an introduction, subheads, exhibits, and
conclusion

Importance of case study

Case analyses in some of your courses to enable you to demonstrate that you
can apply conceptual frameworks from your course to real situations and integrate
topics in your analysis. Case analyses also enable you to improve your critical
thinking and analytical abilities, your ability to evaluate sources of information
and your written communication skills.

Better than lectures.

One on the most underrated things about the case study method is that it’s fun

It is important to remember that there is no one correct answers to any

case analysis. As in real life, there is more than one way to interpret a case and
solve problems, so there is no single answer. The approaches, interpretations and
recommendations of different students will probably vary considerably. This

GIET CASSE STUDY SOLUTION TLR drlokesh71@gmail.com

 2

provides a useful opportunity to compare and discuss different analyses and

alternative solutions, which is a common practice in real life before finally
recommending one solution.

 First read the case twice and underline the important points use your pen to
distinguish what’s really important from everything else you highlighted. This
approach is particularly effective if you’re reading the case twice.
 Reading a case twice also improves your memory of key data points

 Identify the case either with question or without questions.

You can use this way to solve any Human Resource Management,
Marketing Management, Financial Management or other Management
related case study students of MBA can use the same method to solve case study.

The current corporate scenario urges the students to know about practical
applicability of management concepts in day- to - day operations. To get such
practical knowledge case study is one of the vital tools it enables the students to

General points

 Understanding the situation

 Locate the problem
 Analysis the case
 Find out various available suggestions
 Finally conclude appropriate solution.

This information glorifies you familiar with some methods to solve a case
study in management.

GIET CASSE STUDY SOLUTION TLR drlokesh71@gmail.com

 3

Case study can be two types

1. Case study with questions

2. Case study without questions.

1. Case study with questions:

Case will be given and some questions will be given at the end for which you have
to answer after analyzing the case completely. In this method there wants be much
problem will the complete case details are given problem will be in front of you.

The method to solve this type of case

 Start with an introduction wherein you will cover the complete case.
 Answer the questions one by one in a clear manner.
 The length of your answer must depend on the marks assigned for those
questions.
 Try to associate your answer with any of the concept of theory in the given
subject.
Eg. If case is related to general management you can relate it with principles,
Management MBO etc.
 Write a conclusion for the case for the main problem in the case.

In case there is a question like

If you are the manager what would be your reaction in the given situation.

You can answer in the following way

 List all the possible option in the given situation

 Select the best option from your view- point.

GIET CASSE STUDY SOLUTION TLR drlokesh71@gmail.com

 4

 Conclude it like why that is the best option by mentioning the advantages of such
option.
2. Case study without questions
In this type of case there won’t be any questions only complete case will be given.
And the students get confused about what to do with such type of case type. The
following are the ways in which a case can be solved and among those things
whichever is applicable or possible in that you can include it in the solution and
solve the case.

 Introduction of the problem. State the problem, the reason for writing this case
study, clearly and succinctly.
 Background on the company. A company’s past can greatly affect the present
and future state of the organization. Make sure your case study analysis
investigates the company’s founding, critical incidents, structure, and growth.
 Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the company.
 For example, the company may be weak in product development, but strong in
marketing.
 Identify the actors. Describe the key players, from the CEO to the plant floor
manager, in the study. Provide information on their education, how they got to
their current position, their business philosophy and their views and roles in the
problem the study is spotlighting.
 Evaluate the problem or the potential solutions. Make sure this section requires
the reader to think critically and analytically about the different paths to take.
Make sure to have enough information for a good analysis. Some of the areas you
can spotlight can be: corporate level strategy; business level strategy; business
strategy implementation and organizational structure.

GIET CASSE STUDY SOLUTION TLR drlokesh71@gmail.com

 5

 Conclusion. Your case will need a conclusion. Rather than putting in your answer
in the case, leave the reader with some more questions.

SWOT Analysis

Strength weakness opportunities and thread. You have to list the strength
weakness opportunity and thread of the company, strength and weakness stands
internal in which the company can have a control over that and opportunity and
thread stands for external in which the company does not have any control.

Indentify the problems

Find out major issues in the case and highlight those problems consider
those problems as questions frame the problem in a proper way.

Find out the solutions

This is the part wherein you are going to give the solution for the case
exactly. In the previous step you have framed the problems here you need to give
solutions for each problem. Consider the problems as questions and start answering
for each question.

Step-1

You can answer the question straight away about what you feel. Like how
you reply to your other theory questions the same way you have to answer for
these questions. You can highlight the subheadings and quote some definition in
the answer if any concept is involved in that.

Step-2

GIET CASSE STUDY SOLUTION TLR drlokesh71@gmail.com

 6

You can explain your answer by aligning the answer with any theory
related to that. This method is not profile in all the case. But if it related to
employee motivation, marketing strategy etc. Then you can align your answer with
Maslow’s theory. This will fetch you more marks but are thing you need to be
clear that you must know the theory completely.

Styep-3

This method will take you in a proper direction take the question one by one.

Find the possible solution for each question and also write the advantages
and disadvantages.

If you have more than one options for the same problem list the option one
by one along with the advantage and disadvantage of each option.

Finally conclude the question and write the best option among the listed option
among the listed option and support your conclusion.

Hence you can follow any of the above said method to solve a case study in
management if no specific method is mentioned in the question paper. In each
method give an introduction and complete with conclusion and underline
where ever required and fetch more marks in cases.

Apply the Basic Context Frameworks

Every student eventually learns about the 3 C’s, 4 P’s, and Five Forces in the
course of MBA. While they’re generally not considered very sophisticated,
applying the basic context frameworks is a great starting point to your
analysis. It’s important to note that each framework and many components within

GIET CASSE STUDY SOLUTION TLR drlokesh71@gmail.com

 7

those frameworks may not always be relevant to your case. Despite this limitation,
it’s always good to lay out what information you have. Below are some examples
of very common context frameworks.

3 C’s

 Customer
 Competition
 Company

4 P’s

 Product
 Place
 Promotion
 Price

Five Forces

 Buyer Power
 Supplier Power
 Barriers to Entry
 Substitutes
 Industry Rivalry

Value Chain

 Research & Development

 Manufacturing
 Distribution

GIET CASSE STUDY SOLUTION TLR drlokesh71@gmail.com

 8

 Marketing & Sales

 Customer Service

Common analysis frameworks you should consider applying.

 Breakeven Analysis
 Criteria Matrix
 Financial Forecast
 Sales Projections
 Customer Lifetime Value Calculation
 Pricing Thermometer

Take a Side

One of the biggest mistakes people make when reading a case is not forming an
opinion. Generally at the end of a case, you’ll be presented with several different
options to pursue. Always be prepared to have an argument with someone,
because even if your classmates are cordial, many professors will chew you out if
you present something without evidence or examples.

Recommendations: Identify the courses of action needed to implement the best

solution.

A case is a scenario that gives you the opportunity to identify problems and
recommend a course of action in a business situation. The case may be real or
fictional, but will usually represent a complex situation with no ready solutions.

Writing styles

GIET CASSE STUDY SOLUTION TLR drlokesh71@gmail.com

 9

Writing styles will be unique to individuals developing a case, yet almost all
successful cases employ the following structure:
Title and Introduction
The title and introduction is very important and should be concise, easy to
read, and free from academic terminology as well as quickly capture the reader’s
attention.
Conclusion
In the conclusion, the writer should draw the reader’s attention back to the
protagonist of the case and briefly revisit the case study’s central problem.

Students are following the rules for solving the case study, because case
study helps to get maximum marks without difficulty.

Write properly neatly and clearly will fetch you more marks.

GIET CASSE STUDY SOLUTION TLR drlokesh71@gmail.com