How to Present a Case Study Bus 411

What is a case study? Describes a firms situation at some point in time All of these case studies are 2015 Analysis must reflect the correct time period End of fiscal year 2017 data You have the benefit of hindsight Contains mostly fact with some opinion Puts the reader on the scene Allows learning by doing The job to create a 3-year strategic plan for 3 years after the case (2018-2021)

Preparing Cases Analysis Need for Practicality Cases are incomplete Make reasonable assumptions and DOCUMENT your assumptions Need for Justification Support your decisions Need for Realism Be realistic Need for Specificity What, why, when, how, where and who Business people (and business professors) dislike generalities and vagueness Need for Originality Be original…there is no perfect answer If it were that easy everyone could do it! Need to Contribute Teamwork

Case method Student centered approach – discussion oriented What would you do? Why would you do it? When would you do it? How would you do it? Role of professor and other students is to cross examine presenters

Case Discussion Read the case Conduct Research Take notes SWOT Analysis Make recommendations Conduct Research The better you are at research the easier the analysis goes Prepare PowerPoint and presentation Example PowerPoint Wendys.ppt Get ready for Cross-Examination Peers Everyone should read all the cases! Instructor

Some question you should be able to answer What are the firm most important external opportunities and threats? Strengths ands weakness? How would you describe their financial condition? What are the existing strategies and objectives? Who are the competitors and what are their strategies? What objectives and strategies do you recommend? Explain your reasoning How does this differ from what they are doing? How do implement the recommendations? What problems do you foresee in implementation? How will you evaluate progress towards your recommendations?

Steps in Preparing Oral Case study See page 361-365 Identify Mission, Vision, Objectives, Strategies Develop New Vision and Mission Most are poor Identify internal strengths and weaknesses IFE Financial ratios Product Positioning Org Chart Identify external opportunities and threats Industry trends CPM EFE Analyze SWOT Matrix SPACE BCG IE matrix Grand Strategy Matrix Matrix Analysis Summary Give advantage and disadvantages of alternative strategies QSPM Recommend Long range objectives and Strategies to achieve them Show cost Specify how strategies are to be implemented and what results to expect EPS/EBIT Projected financials & new ratios Timetable or agenda for actions Recommend specific annual objectives (goal) and polices Recommend procedures for evaluation Balanced scorecard Be Original – Take chances Remember business rewards risk taking Be ready for Cross-examination

Making the presentation Organize with PowerPoints and graphics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbSPPFYxx3o Give overview Inform the audience if it is a team presentation Who does what Control your voice Manage Body language Do not read your notes or the power points-be fluid Use lots of visuals Be enthusiastic! Answer questions at the end

Case study Scenario You are a team of consultants presenting a Strategic plan to the board of directors of the company. 40-50 min. (you will be timed) ! You need to convince that board that you know what you are doing Whatever you recommend should be the preferred course of action for the company in question for the next 3 years Expect tough questions…be ready with answers Don’t propose something that has already been tried unless you know that it was a implementation problem and not a strategic choice issue Don’t BS.. you will get exposed

Tips for success Content tips Process tips Template In Blackboard http://www.strategyclub.com/ Process tips Divide the work Cover all bases Attempt to uncover flaws in your analysis Template In Blackboard

Research Tips Business Insights: Essentials Business source Complete Your best resources are the UMFK Digital Databases Business Insights: Essentials Business source Complete Newspapers (proquest) Value Line research center Wall Street Journal Academic Search Premier Census gateway Econlite Fed in print Other resources http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml http://finance.yahoo.com/ http://money.cnn.com/ http://moneycentral.msn.com/home.asp Investor relations web site for the company associated with the case study http://www.isc.hbs.edu/ Bad resources Web searches Friends and colleagues Tonyg.umfk.maine.edu

Case Presentation Analysis Company: Date: Presenting Team Members: Place comments after each rating. Ratings (circle the appropriate numbers). CONTENT Poor Below Average Above Superior 1. Mission and Vision Statement 1 2 3 4 5 2. Thoroughness, accuracy, and depth of external analysis 3. Thoroughness, accuracy, and depth of internal analysis 4. Identification and evaluation of alternative strategies using matrices 5. Quality, quantity, feasibility, and relevance of recommendations 6. Justification and support for recommendations DELIVERY 1. Organization of presentation 2. Professionalism of presentation 3. Use of visuals and color 4. Communication skills of team 5. Use of time (50 min presentation) 6. Handling of questions (up to 10 minutes) OVERALL EVALUATION:

Peer Review for Case studies In rating yourself and your team members, use a one- to five-point scale, where 5 = superior, 4 = above average, 3 = average, 2 = below average, and 1 = really weak. Add the scores to obtain a total score for yourself and the other group members. Put any comments you like on the bottom of this page.. If you receive a poor rating on this evaluation, your final case average will be lowered one letter grade. A superior rating may add points to the final case average. Put your name and your team members’ names in the spaces provided, one name at the top of each column. Names: Ratings: On time for all group meetings: Helped keep the group cohesive: Number of useful ideas contributed: Quantity of work done: Quality of work done: + Add Total Scores Here: