Case work – Your path to profitable success!

Tomas Hellström

SFE

The purpose of cases

What is a case?

A case is a story, often experienced by real people, which you can now ”experience” too.

comprehensive history of a problem–complete with data, multiple actors and often contending interests

can be formal written cases, a newspaper article, a movie clip, a radio/TV news story, a picture, a piece of art.

Cases ask of students to…

distinguish important from peripheral information, identify the problem(s) at hand and define its context

and parameters, identify a set of possible solutions, formulate strategies and recommendations for

action, and make decisions and confront obstacles to

implementation.

Analysis

How to run a case analysis

1. What is the situation—what do you actually know about it from reading the case? (Distinguishes between fact and assumptions -- > critical understanding)

2. What theoretical issues are involved? (Opportunity for linking to theoretical readings)

3. What questions do you have—what information do you still need? Where/how could you find it?

How to run a case analysis

4. What problem(s) need to be solved? (‘real’ grounds for conflict, different assumptions, sides of the argument)

5. What are all the possible options? What are the pros/cons of each option?

6. What are the underlying assumptions for [person X] in the case—where do you see them?

7. What criteria should you use when choosing an option? What does that say about your assumptions?

Common structure for case reports

Intro paragraph: Add value (don’t repeat). Use the elevator method. Good to begin with a short answer to the question: What is the point of this case?

Analysis: Present a structure of the case. What surprised me about this case? What is the critical context of the case?

Recommendations: These are outcomes of the analysis and the dilemmas it presents. Can be arranged into short, medium and long term. What next?

Presentation

Prepare

Develop a good understanding of the case and the assignment

Develop and ask the right follow-up questions connected to your assignment

Research and experience Come to the presentation with a plan for how

to present your analysis and your conclusions

Facts and values

Start out presenting and analyzing the important facts of the case (those relevant to your assignment). Keep repetition to a minimum.

Next deal with suggestions and evaluations, personal opinions etc.

Don’t be afraid to speculate widely, but save it to the end, and state what is based on facts and what is opinions.

Illustrations

Use a transparency with very few points on it. Use it to structure the presentation order.

Develop a ’whiteboard plan” for example: Left side of board: facts. Middle of board: major issues to be analyzed. Right side board: the different possible positions

to take and their consequences Divide up the work for the presentation

Class room practice

Be active Pay attention to fellow students Keep statements short and concise and

relevant to the issue Be constructive – suggest further ways of

analysing the case Don’t get involved in private conversations Show respect (creativity can be fragile)

End of lesson – now for the case work

Global Wireless Ventures

Let us try to understand the problem and help structure the decision for GWV.

Questions to consider:

1. What factors – social, technological, economical etc., should GWV consider as most important to them?

2. Compare the locations: What are the pros and cons at each location?