You are required to prepare a written case analysis. Written reports are generally more structured and more detailed than an oral presentation. Always avoid using jargon, vague or redundant words, acronyms, abbreviations, sexist language, and ethnic or racial slurs. And watch your spelling! Use short sentences and paragraphs and simple words and phrases. Use quite a few subheadings. Arrange issues and ideas from the most important to the least important. Use the active voice rather than the passive voice for all verbs; for example, say I recommend that the company diversify rather than It is recommended to diversify. Use many examples to add specificity and clarity. Tables, figures, pie charts, bar charts, timelines, and other kinds of exhibits help communicate important points and ideas. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.
Picture yourself as a consultant who has been asked by a company to conduct a study of its external and internal environment and to make specific recommendations for its future. Prepare exhibits to support your recommendations.
In preparing a written case analysis, you should follow the steps outlined here, which correlate to the stages in the strategic-management process and the chapters in our textbook.
*Not everything outlined here is required in your paper. Please view this as a general guideline*
Step 1 Identify the firms existing vision, mission, objectives, and strategies.
Step 2 Develop vision and mission statements for the organization.
Step 3 Identify the organizations external opportunities and threats.
Step 4 Construct a Competitive Profile Matrix (CPM).
Step 5 Construct an External Factor Evaluation (EFE) Matrix.
Step 6 Identify the organizations internal strengths and weaknesses.
Step 7 Construct an Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) Matrix.
Step 8 Prepare a Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) Matrix, Strategic Position and Action Evaluation (SPACE) Matrix, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix, Internal-External (IE) Matrix, Grand Strategy Matrix, and Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) as appropriate. Give advantages and disadvantages of alternative strategies.
Step 9 Recommend specific strategies and long-term objectives. Show how much your recommendations will cost. Clearly itemize these costs for each projected year. Compare your recommendations to actual strategies planned by the company.
Step 10 Specify how your recommendations can be implemented and what results you can expect. Prepare forecasted ratios and projected financial statements. Present a timetable or agenda for action.
Step 11 Recommend specific annual objectives and policies.
Step 12 Recommend procedures for strategy review and evaluation.
