The case response is the student's answer to the case question. There is no one right or definitive answer to a case question. However, a student should not conclude that there are no wrong answers. Case responses differ because of differing identification of issues and analysis of relations among issues, differing determinations of what the root or underlying issues are, and differing development of recommendations to resolve the root issues and, in turn, the other issues. Although a variety of responses are valid at every stage, some, clearly, are incorrect.

The case response format is not fixed; typically it depends on the case question. However, using a simple, standardized form will improve case responses and provide a context for unambiguous marking. It is recommended that students use the issue$$ analyses$-$recommendations framework, deciding for themselves, according to the particular case, whether to use the three headings or to combine the first and second or the second and third. The three parts are described and analyzed below.

Issues

Problems or issues are those attributes, factors, and$/$or activities that are wrong with the organization.

Students should read a case question once or twice to gather its essence. While reading, it is helpful to identify the issues by circling or highlighting them or by taking notes. Then, the student reviews these identified issues, adding to them any issues revealed by related analysis of financial statements and other supplementary information supplied.

In order to "size up$"$ the root issues, it is essential to have a clear understanding of the organization and its issues. This analysis can be accomplished in two steps. First, make a list of the issues. Arrange and assemble similar issues into groups. Explain the relationships among the groups or categories that emerge at this stage. The groupings should be governed by two criteria.

First, same or related issues should be grouped together; for example, all issues related to inaccurate financial information would go into one group. Second, associations among issues within a group should be specified; for example, inaccurate accounting information led to poor decisions on inventory orders.

Second, the relationship among the categories must be explained. This explanation should reveal the root issues. Once they are disclosed, the root issues should be linked in a logical sequence. This listing should show the dependent relationship between the other issues and their root issues. Care should be taken to account for any specific requests that arise because of the role assigned to the student. The request may specify the perspective the student takes in assessing the issues. Requests may also be understood as additional issues.

The primary reason for grouping and ranking issues is to detect the underlying pattern of root issues. Sometimes, issues may also be the same as the root issues. In others, the detection may be more difficult. For example, consider a manufacturing firm with several problems: sales are not growing as expected; customers are returning products; customer satisfaction with the product quality is declining; and rework has increased. The root issue, lack of quality control, causes the other issues. Specifically, there was no quality control in the production process. The absence of quality control led to more rework and to the shipping of defective products, which the customers then returned or refused to buy again, and persuaded others not to buy.

It is identification of the root issues that enables the student to specify succinctly what is wrong with an organization. Proper identification requires close reading of the entire case, including appendices. Some information may have little or no bearing on the issues. As in the real$-$life situations that case analysis seeks to emulate, the student must sift carefully through all discernible aspects of a situation in order to determine what is relevant.

Analysis

Analysis and issue identification are highly related. Analysis requires a thorough assessment of why an issue arose or exists, how various issues relate to each other, and which issues lead to others and are, therefore, the most crucial to an under standing of the root issues. The analysis section includes required quantitative analysis, e$.$g$.,$ cost$-$volume$-$profit variance analysis. The analysis discloses how well essential organizational functions are working, e$.$g$.,$ planning, controlling, and management information systems. Analysis can also reveal, when necessary, the strengths and weaknesses of the organization. The analysis may vary in complexity. It can be as simple as listing the supporting issues, or as complex as finding the root or underlying issues.

Some case questions have a singular answer either because of the context or because of the "required". Other case questions lend themselves to a series of alternatives for solving issues. Alternativ