How To Write A Case Analysis

*Once you've completed this worksheet, the information from it needs to be condensed into about a 2-page summary for the written case analyses.

1. What is the company's mission? Is it a good mission statement?

2. What is the essential company background information?

3. What environmental forces are most critical?

4. Describe the key environmental threats and opportunities. Be specific.

5. What is the composition of the competitive environment?

6. What product or service does the company market? How deep is its product line?

7. What type (classification) of product does the company market?

8. Who is the target market for the product(s)?

9. Describe how the typical consumer buys the product -- and how much he or she buys.

10. Describe how the typical consumer uses the product.

11. What are the strengths and weaknesses of competing products/services? Be sure to examine obvious competing products as well as substitute products/services.

12. What is the sales history for the company's product/for the industry?

13. What is the sales forecast for the company's product/for the industry?

14. What is the current (and historical) market share for the product?

15. What is the financial health of the company? Be specific. Review key financial ratios/analyses -- and complete analyses yourself if not done in the case.

16. Describe the current positioning strategy of the product/service. Be sure to analyze success of current positioning.

17. How are competing products positioned? Again, be sure to examine a wide range of competing products.

18. What is the company's pricing strategy for the product? Does it make sense?

19. What is the company's distribution strategy for the product? Does it make sense?

20. What is the company's promotion strategy for the product? Does it make sense?

Solving the Case:

1. What is the underlying fundamental problem facing the company? Be specific.

2. What are the symptoms that led you to the main problem?

3. What are the causes of the symptoms and problem?

4. What other problems does the company face?

5. What are two alternative solutions to the main problem? Be detailed, specific, and comprehensive in your development of these two alternatives.

6. What criteria will you use to evaluate the alternatives you developed?

7. What are the expected outcomes of each alternative solution?

8. What is your final recommendation?

9. Describe your decision-making process in coming to your recommended solution.

*Once you've completed this worksheet, the information needs to be condensed into about the final three pages of your written case analysis.

The key to writing a successful case is related to three issues:

* First, using Part 1 of the Marketing Management Case Worksheets to develop a detailed overview analysis of the case; remember to keep the written aspect of this analysis to two pages.

* Second, using Part 2 of the Marketing Management Case Worksheets to clearly understand the main problem facing the company and develop original and innovative alternative solutions to the problem; this section should be no longer than three pages.

* Third, writing clearly and without errors, in a total of five pages -- double-spaced, normal font size and page margins. You can include unlimited appendices. Appendices do not count to the page total, and can include financial tables and charts, perceptual maps, summary exhibits, etc. The goal is to force you to write, edit, and rewrite to the point where you are able to fully address all aspects of the case in a concise, but fully