Case Analysis Breaking the Rules Nancy Taggart worked in the customer service department at the Xemas Company. The Xemas Company manufactures industrial air conditioning systems and replacement parts for these systems. Xemas sold its products to large regional distributors, which, in turn, supplied and supported independent dealers throughout the United States and Canada. One night, Nancy received a call from one of Xemas dealers who seemed unduly agitated. The dealer said he had a customer who needed a part for his air conditioning system right away and the dealer didnt have the part in stock. He claimed he had tried to reach his distributor for the past two hours, but was unable to get through on the phone. He asked if Nancy could send the part overnight and then bill the distributor. The charge would then be included on the invoice the distributor sent the dealer at the end of the month. Since it was past the distributors normal operating hours, Nancy knew she couldnt reach anyone there. Furthermore, Nancy knew something was amiss, as Xemas had discontinued this type of shipping and billing practice because distributors had complained. They wanted to control all shipments to reduce the chance of selling to a bad credit risk. But even though Nancy knew the rules, she decided to break them, based on the seemingly urgent nature of the situation. The dealer said the customer needed the part immediately. Nancy decided customer service was the most important issue involved in the situation, so she sent the part out promptly. The next day, the local distributor was called. It turned out the dealer wasnt a regular customer of the distributor. Because of this situation, the distributor refused to pay for the part. While Xemas would try to get the dealer to pay directly to them, for the time being the company was out $150, the cost of the part. To make sure the books are balanced. Nancy wrote out a personal check for $150 to cover the cost of the part and sent it to billing. Within days, Nancy received a phone call from one of the firms executive vice presidents, Ramon Hernandez. Ramon told Nancy that he had received a call from a supervisor in the billing department. The person he spoke to was irate and insisted that something he done about his employer, Nancy Taggart, who had broken company rules. Ramon then asked Nancy for an explanation for her actions. After hearing Nancys story, Ramon stated that he agreed with the billing supervisor concerning the seriousness of the situation, and that actions did indeed need to be taken. He informed Nancy that she would hear from him the next day regarding those actions. The next evening, when Nancy arrived at work, a letter awaited her from Ramon. With a feeling of dread, Nancy opened the letter. Inside was a check for $150. Attached to the check was a note from Ramon. The note stated that Nancy was going to be given both a raise and a preferred parking spot.

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This section should provide general information on the issues surrounding the business problem and the proposed project or initiative created to address it. Usually, this section is completed last after all other sections of the business case have been written.

The Executive Summary of your Case Study must make the right impression on your readers. Its the first section they read. However, the Executive Summary must be the last part of the document you write.

Even if your case study is 300 pages, youll want to keep your executive summary to 10 pages or so. If your study is shorter, your summary should be as well. You might begin with an introduction, explaining why you prepared the case study even if it was because higher-level management requested it. Explain why the study was necessary. Describe how you conducted your research. Lay out your findings, then finish with your recommendations. With most executive summaries, quoting the corresponding report word for word is a bad idea, but when youre summarising a case or research study, its considered permissible to cut and paste portions of your recommendation section.

II. POINT OF VIEW

The Viewpoint or Point of View in a case study indicates the person who has the authority, ability, and expertise to recommend and decide how to solve your case study's problem. Once you have identified this person, you will assume his/her role in analyzing the problem. The POV should be somebody which is the least involved in the case to eliminate biases.

III. PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION AND ANALYSIS

Problem analysis therefore involves identifying the overriding problem and establishing the causes and effects related to that problem. A key element of this analysis will ensure that root causes, not just the symptoms of the problem, are identified and subsequently addressed in the project design.

IV. AREAS OF CONSIDERATION (at least 3)

The basic strategic variables for consideration as you make a plan for the future are products, services, customers, markets, finances, people, technology, and production capability. These are the areas of your business that you may continue as before or change, depending on your strategic goals.

V. OBJECTIVES [GENERAL AND SPECIFIC]

The aim of case analysis is for you to become actively engaged in diagnosing the business issues and managerial problems posed in the case, to propose workable solutions, and to explain and defend your assessments this is how cases provide you with meaningful practice at being a manager.

VI. FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVES

Each alternative must be compared to each criterion and its suitability ranked in some way, such as met/not met, or in relation to the other alternatives, such as better than, or highest. This will be important to selecting an alternative.

VII. Recommendations

The recommendations part should focus on the specific solution that should be adopted to address the entailed problems. You should explain how the solution solves the problem and if possible propose further action to help improve the situation under study. You should also explain what should be avoided.

VIII. FALL-BACK POSITION

A contingency plan is a plan made to take into account any circumstances that are not anticipated. Managers need to have these contingency plans to ensure their projects go as planned. The essence of a contingency plan is to ensure there are effective and appropriate responses to possible future events. In typical circumstances, a contingency plan is also referred to as Plan B. An instance of a contingency plan is when there is a plan for an outdoor party, but there is a sign of rain. A contingency plan will assist the party planners in knowing what is next in case it rains, like moving the party inside a tent. A contingency plan is the second plan in situations where the first plan backfires.

A fallback plan is a plan made in case the contingency plan fails. Sometimes the first and second plans fail, and a third plan, which is a fallback option, becomes necessary. This third plan is what is called a fallback plan or fallback position. When original plans fail, the contingency plans are actualized. If contingency plans fail, the fallback plans come in handy.