Written Case Assignments
You must turn in four written case analyses. The cases are found in the coursepack.
You may choose to complete any four of the six case assignments listed. Only the FIRST FOUR of those six you complete will be graded (i.e.: you will not be given the four best grades if you do more than the four required).
When preparing a written case analysis it is important to be thoroughly familiar with the case. This means that you should read the case for both general impressions and for specific facts. In writing a case analysis you are required to provide evidence from the case to support your assessments. Only data taken from the case may be used in supporting your answers. No outside sources may be used.
Each written assignment has a specific purpose. They are designed to help you develop skills at sifting through lots of data about a company and its industry, and finding that information which can help you understand why the company is or is not successful.
Once you understand what drives company’s performance, only then can you see what needs to be done to correct strategic deficiencies and ensure future success.
Information on written case assignments
• Use single-spaced, 1” margins, Times New Roman, 12-point font with a maximum of 2 pages per assignment.
• Do not overuse bullet points. Elaborate and support your answers.
• Stay in the time frame of the case. Written assignments should present the situation as it exists at the time of the case, i.e., only use the information and data available from the case, not what you know now about the company. No outside research is necessary.
• Grading includes quality of argument as well as consistency with answer key. There
are right answers to most of the questions. Thus, this is not about your opinion but
your accurate use of the frameworks and concepts presented in the class. That is, look at the case analyses as a practical test of your ability to use concepts to analyze and understand a complex situation. In addition, having the right answer but with a poor argument or incomplete evidence will also reduce your grade.
• Answer the questions provided. In your answer, include both the logic you used and evidence from the case to support your answer. Number your answers to correspond to the question you are answering.
• Cases are done individually. Duplicate cases will be considered cheating (see
“Academic Dishonesty” below).