Page 32 - The Case Lab Book

Don’t Ignore Sources of Information

Few people have the ability to immediately see a route to a case study solution. So,
seek enlightenment where it is on offer.

Do not ignore the lecturer and the hints he may give on what is expected in the
analysis of the case or your peer group and how they see it.

DO talk to people
The collective brain is stronger than the individual one. Where the individual may make
intuitive leaps and see linkages it is the collective, through communication that often
provides the spark to ultimately light the way to a solution.

So if possible work with a group

b: Case Study Approaches

Business case study analysis: the first was and is the Harvard
approach, developed at the Harvard Business School and then
subsequently adopted by most of the major business schools
throughout the world. This approach was based on a systematic
study of the firm, in the context of the five main functional areas
of management:

- finance,
- marketing,

- production,
- personnel and
- general management (business management).

Developing from this approach were cases, which had ‘decision points’,
which were clearly identifiable. Generally, they tended to be based on

cases taken from the manufacturing sector.