Outline for Case Reports:

Please follow this outline for all written case reports. Please note that this follows the discussion below.

1. Situation Analysis

2. Assumptions and Missing Information

3. Problem Definition

4. Development of Alternatives

5. Evaluation of Alternatives and Recommendation to Management

6. Appendix – Used for exhibits such as pro-forma income statements and other detailed analyses.

The Case Analysis Framework

The case analysis framework presented here is a synthesis of the frameworks used by your professor and other marketing professors who use case analysis in their courses. It will provide a solid structure to organize the diverse information presented in a case.

As you work your way through this framework, or a similar approach to case analysis, we offer the following hints to increase your probability of success:

1. No one can analyze a case after reading it only one time, or even worse, doing the analysis during the first reading of the case. You should read through the case once just to get an understanding of the nature of the case. During the second reading, you can begin to structure and classify the issues as they appear. A truly comprehensive case analysis will probably require at least three readings.

2. Don’t get trapped into thinking the “answer” to the case is hidden somewhere in the case text. There is never a single answer to a case just as there is never a single marketing strategy that is appropriate for all situations. Each case is unique. Looking for tricks or shortcuts is not appropriate.

3. Make an effort to put yourself in the shoes of the decision maker in the case. The use of role-playing as part of the analysis can be very useful. It helps you gain some feeling for the perspective of the key parties at the time the case took place. After you have done several analyses,