APPENDIX A
Instructions for Preparing a Written Case Analysis
Case Analysis
1 Read the first few paragraphs, then go through the case quickly, asking yourself,
“What broadly is the case about and what types of information am I being given to analyze?”
2 Read the case very carefully underlining key facts as you go. Try to put yourself in the
position of the decision-maker in the case. Identify the perspectives involved, including that from
which the decision will be made. Analyze the data presented and evaluate it in light of other
information included in the case. Try to understand the present situation, as well as its historical
origin and development. Use the exhibits to help you understand and/or interpret the text.
3 Decide what the major problems are and, if appropriate, prioritize them.
Determine whether the problems stated by individuals in the case are the real problems or whether
they are also symptoms of some larger issues that need to be solved. Identify any unstated, hidden
problems. Then go through the case again, sorting out the relevant considerations for each problem
area.
4 With the problems in mind, identify the feasible alternative courses of action. Determine
what additional information is necessary to evaluate the alternative courses of action.
Obtain that additional information.
5 Evaluate the alternatives to determine their attractiveness and decide what your specific
recommendation is to be. In doing so, use your understanding of the alternatives to
frame a solution to the problem(s), and predict and evaluate the probable consequences of your
solution.
Executive Summary 1 Page
The case write-up begins with a single-page executive summary which must be able to stand alone
and provide a busy top-level decision-maker with a complete briefing of the problem, what course
of action to follow and a succinct description of why. Identify the problem(s) concisely, using
whatever case facts are necessary to show significance and/or priority.
Analysis (1-3)
Give a short list of the key assumptions you make in your analysis, the logic of your argument
leading to your conclusion and the proposed solution. Assumptions should be justified if possible,
and the sensitivity of your recommendation to your assumptions should be assessed. Note that key
assumptions are not numerical estimates — defer numerical estimation assumptions to the tables.
Avoid generalities in your analysis. Be as specific as possible. Express your ideas clearly,
supporting them adequately with evidence, explanation, and references to appropriate exhibits. The
strengths and weaknesses of alternative courses of action should be developed. The analysis should
build to support your recommendation. Reasons for accepting or rejecting alternatives should be
stated and, if necessary, defended.
State your recommendation clearly and in detail sufficient to guide implementation. Make specific
recommendations and while your recommendations will rest on assumptions, your job as a
consultant to the decision-maker is not to give a list of contingent recommendations. Discuss both
the positive and negative results of following your recommendation. Explain why your
recommendation should be followed. Make sure that the recommendation follows logically from
your analysis.
Exhibits
Tables, charts, spreadsheets, or any other supporting materials may be attached as exhibits. Be
reasonable on the number of exhibits. Include only those exhibits that are needed to support your
arguments and tell the reader in the text of the paper what exhibits to look at and why. All exhibits
should be clearly labeled so that readers know what they should learn from them. Also any
assumptions and formulas you use to derive figures in the exhibits should be obvious to the reader.
Care in preparing your tables is important. A rule of thumb is that the tables should be able to stand
alone: i.e., they could be read by someone without reading the text and the reader could discern
exactly what they should learn from the table.
The full case report shall not exceed 8 pages (including exhibits). You should take the perspective
of an external consultant and write the case solution as a report to the decision maker(s) such as the
CEO, CFO, or Board of Directors. The document is to be typed with one-inch margins and double
spaced. Use a 10 point font or larger to type the document
