Case study method

The use of case studies is a widely accepted means of bringing theoretical concepts and practical situations together. It is not possible to take a class into an organisation and observe the subject matter of management or organisational behaviour in real life, hence a written case study outlining a real, or realistic, situation is the best available alternative.

When reading and studying a case study, it is possible to take two different approaches. The first of these is the ‘analytical’ approach where a case structure is examined to try to understand what has happened, and why. In this approach, you do not identify problems or attempt to develop solutions. The second approach is the problem-oriented method. In this approach a case is analysed to identify the major problems that exist, the causes of and possible solutions to the problems, and finally, a recommendation as to the best solution to implement.

This chapter describes the problem solving case study method. As with many tasks in business, there is no ‘one best way’ to analyse or write up a case report. Everyone develops their own methods of sorting and sifting through the information and presenting their findings. However, in this chapter you will find a format which may be useful when presenting your case reports. This format is outlined briefly below.

8.1 Some general issues

In a case study, it is crucial that you integrate relevant theory from the course and evidence from the case. Failure to attempt to integrate theory will lead to severe mark reduction or failure. Referencing of all non-original material is essential. You will lose marks for poor referencing.

Check your completed work for internal consistency. For example, make sure that you attempt to solve the key issues you have identified. Do not say ‘X’ is the major problem, and then recommend a solution to ‘Y’. Try not to be overly descriptive. Remember that you are trying to identify, analyse and solve the problems of the case using the relevant theories from the course, not just repeating what the text book, or case information, has stated.

8.2 Problem solving case format

This section should comprise a brief overview of the case, giving a brief background and noting any important assumptions made. (You will not have all the information you would like – so you may need to make some assumptions). As well as this, you should give a synopsis of your case report, noting very briefly the major problems identified and the recommended solutions.

• Problem identification and analysis

In this section, you should identify all the major problems in the case. Try to identify the underlying causes of problems, not just the symptoms. Seek advice from your tutor on the layout of this information. You should link each problem identified to relevant theory and also to actual evidence from the case. Remember, you must integrate theory and reference all non-original work.

• Statement of major problems

In most case studies, you will identify a number of problems. Most likely, there will be too many to actually ‘solve’ in the number of words allowed. Hence, it is crucial to state very clearly which are the major two or three problems, or key issues, that must be solved first. Therefore, this section is just a short concise statement of what problems you are going to solve in the remainder of the case. Half a page is adequate. Having once identified the key problems you can continually check back to ensure that you are actually attempting to solve them, and not some other minor problems you identified. This section is crucial to a good case report.

• Generation and evaluation of alternative solutions

While most problems will have a very large number of possible solutions, it is your task to identify and evaluate a number of the more appropriate (at least 2–3 for each major problem identified).

Each alternative solution should be briefly outlined and then evaluated in terms of its advantages and disadvantages (strong and weak points). Note: You must evaluate alternatives. It is not necessary to make a statement in this section as to which alternative is considered best – this occurs in the next section. Do not integrate theory in this section and do not recommend theory. Practical solutions to the problems are required.

• Recommendations

This section should state which of the alternative solutions (either singularly or in combination) identified in Section 6 are recommended for implementation. You should briefly justify your choice, explaining how it will solve the major problems identified in Section 6. Integration of relevant theory is essential here.

• Implementation

In this section, you should specifically explain how you will implement the recommended solutions. Theory cannot be implemented; you must translate it into actions. This includes explaining what should be done, by whom, when, in what sequence,what will it cost (rough estimates only), and other such issues. Remember, if a recommended solution cannot be realistically implemented, then it is no solution at all.

• Appendices (if any)
• Reference list

This will contain an alphabetical list of all the references you have cited in the body of the report. Do not include details of any sources you have not cited. Ensure the style used is correct and consistent.

Checklist for a case study