case study, titled Storm King Mountain.

analysis of the case study

Case Analysis Method

• Background
  • Provide a short description of the background. Include details about the context
• Problem definition
  • Explicitly identify the major problem(s) in the case. One way that this can be expressed is to compare some desired state or objective with the actual situation
  • Consider both immediate and long-range problems
  • Identify the indicators, symptoms, etc. that suggest there is/are a problem(s)
  • Consider the relevant information (if provided) that describes the opportunities and challenges that exist in both the internal and external environments
• Analysis (identify the causes of the problem)
  • Prior to making recommendations or proposing alternative solutions, you should have a clear understanding of the underlying causes of the problem
  • The issue that needs to be addressed is simply: what is/are the root cause(s) of the problem(s) defined above?
  • Organizational problems are usually embedded in a larger context. Consequently, the decision maker must examine internal and external environmental factors over time to isolate causal factors. Answering questions, such as the following, may help in identifying the causes of the problem: Why did the problem occur? When did it begin? What effective practices should the leader pursue?
• Alternative solutions
  • Identify the feasible alternatives and relate back to the analysis of key environmental factors and HRM issues
  • Ensure that your proposed solutions/alternatives are consistent with the problem(s) and causes(s) identified, as well as with organizational capabilities, environmental opportunities, and threats
• Recommendations: select the best alternative(s)
  • Indicate the alternative(s) you have chosen to solve the problem. You may decide to recommend a combination of alternatives
  • It is important here to justify why you prefer/recommend a particular solution and why it will resolve the problem(s)
• Implementation
  • Indicate what steps should be implemented
  • Suggest a timetable: when to do it
  • Comment on potential problems that may occur (e.g., employee resistance)
  • Indicate who should be involved or responsible for the implementation (e.g., maybe someone is needed from the outside)
• Evaluation
  • If appropriate, comment on how the implementation should be evaluated