Academic Case Study

A rather confounding academic activity for students given the need for “extracting” the essence of the assigned case i.e. What, Why, How….it happened??? cum formulation of solutions that will be challenged by Assessor during presentation or in submitted report.

Application of critical thinking is essential for “unraveling” the many decisions that can be adopted, more so in corporate strategy, strategic management and marketing cases. For example, in “business strategy cases”, students often champion China as the sole targeted market towards “salvation of company fortunes”, a rather myopic viewpoint given the “richness” of newer emerging countries (CIVETS), frontier markets, advantages of home country, Prahalad “Bottom of the Pyramid”…..

Africa Frontier Market

http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2008/09/pdf/nellor.pdf

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/28/us-column-deaenlle-timps-idUSBRE92R0IF20130328

http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/the-new-brics-on-the-block-which-emerging-markets-are-up-and-coming/

Some factors for considerations when formulating solutions:

evaluation of alternatives
rationales of recommendations (Key decision criteria)
cost/benefit
time period (short/medium/long)
capacity, capability and commitment of organisation
risk assessment and management
impacts of solutions on organisation (reputation, market share, finance, investor confidence…)
feasibility, piecemeal, simplistic … solutions
competitors, authorities….reactions
application of models (Porter 5 forces, Ansoff Matrix, Swot….)
valid assumptions, likely scenarios