Case Analysis Guidelines

The guidelines presented below have been designed to help you analyze the cases that

follow. The guidelines are presented in three stages, but they are not intended to be a

rigid format. Each question is designed to elicit information that will help you in analyzing and resolving the case. Each case is different, and some parts of the guidelines may

not apply to every case. The questions for discussion at the end of each case should be

addressed in any complete case analysis. Use the Issue$/$Problem Identification and Analysis$/$Evaluation steps to focus on generating and defending the most effective set of

recommendations possible because the objective of case analysis is making recommendations. In all stages of the case analysis, use the stakeholder, ethics, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility $($CSR$)$ concepts presented in the text.

Issue$/$Problem Identification

$1.$ Facts and Assumptions. What are the central facts of the case and the assumptions

you are making on the basis of these facts?

$2.$ Major Overriding Issues$/$Problems$.$ What are the major overriding issues in this

case? $($What major questions$/$issues does this case address that merit$($s$)$ their$/$its study

in this course and in connection with the chapter$/$material you are now covering?$)$

$3.$ Subissues and Related Issues. What subissues or related issues are present in the case

that merit consideration, discussion, and action?

Analysis$/$Evaluation

$4.$ Stakeholder Analysis. Who are the stakeholders in this case, and what are their

stakes? $($Create a stakeholder map to depict relationships.$)$ What challenges, threats, or

opportunities does each stakeholder face? What stakeholder characteristics are at work

$($legitimacy$,$ power, urgency$)?$

$5.$ CSR Analysis. What CSRs $($economic$,$ legal, ethical, philanthropic$)$ does the company

have, and what exactly are the nature and extent of these responsibilities to the various

stakeholders?

$6.$ Evaluations. If the case involves a company$$s or manager$$s actions, evaluate what the

company or manager did or did not do correctly in handling the issue affecting it$.$ How

should actions have been handled?

Recommendations

$7.$ Recommendations and Implementation. What recommendations would you make

in this case? If a company$$s or a manager$$s strategies or actions are involved, should

they have acted the way they did? What actions should they have taken? What actions

should the company or manager take now, and why? Be specific and include a discussion of alternatives $($right now, short$-$term, and long$-$term$).$ Identify and discuss any

important implementation considerations.