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A student’s guide to analysing case studies
The purpose of this guide is to help you to maximise your learning when using
case studies. It outlines some key issues in using case studies for improving
learning.
After reading this guide you should be able to:
• Understand what a case study is
• Appreciate the benefits of using case studies in the learning of strategic
management and how their use can help develop key managerial skills
• Understand the key steps in analysing case studies
• Apply theoretical concepts and frameworks to the material in the case
• Identify and appreciate different ways to present case analysis
1. What is a case study?
A case study is a particular account of a set of circumstances faced by an
industry, specific organisation or individual. It provides information about a
real life business situation and gives examples of how strategic issues are
managed by real organisations. A case study describes an actual situation,
such as the current state of an industry and factors influencing it or, for
example, specific problems facing an organisation. Typical case scenarios in
strategic management might include, for example: an analysis of the external
environment in which an organisation is competing; the resources of the
organisation; and its core competences. In such a scenario you could be
asked to undertake a strategic analysis and identify the key issues facing the
organisation, now and in the future. Other scenarios might outline the
strategic direction the organisation is pursuing, where the task is to evaluate
those strategies. Alternatively, it might asses how an organisation has
implemented their strategy or the problems it has encountered in doing so.
Whatever the question(s), it will relate to a specific part(s) of the strategic
management process. When undertaking such analysis, you would be
expected to utilise relevant theoretical concepts and frameworks.
2. The benefits of using case studies when studying strategic
management
In learning about strategic management it is likely that you will engage in
lectures and tutorials on a weekly basis. The lecture material presented will
identify the key theoretical concepts and tools of strategy as well as some of
the key issues facing business managers in today’s competitive environment.
Whilst the lecture programme might identify some of the key skills required in
management practice today, they will not give you the opportunity to actually
develop some of those skills yourself. To learn a new skill, you need to
practice it. The case study allows you to engage in the practice of strategic
management by putting yourself in a decision maker’s position and forcing
you to grapple with real life business scenarios facing actual managers in the
workplace. At the same time, it allows you to test your understanding and
application of theoretical concepts and frameworks. The table below illustrates
some of the key skills you, the student, might develop in using case studies.
Table 1: Key skill development in using case studies
Analytical skills Case studies will usually contain both
qualitative and quantitative data. You
are forced to think through this
material, draw conclusions and justify
why you have reached those
conclusions.
Decision making skills When drawing conclusions, it is likely
that you will make decisions or
identify a specific course of action for
an organisation. In doing this you will
first have had to consider alternative
courses of action, evaluate those
alternatives and select the most
appropriate. You will also need to
justify why that course of action is the
most appropriate.
