Paper details
The page limit for this paper is 7 double-spaced pages (not including cover page, exhibits, and bibliography)
using Times New Roman 12-point font. Do not add another double space between paragraphs. The cover
page near the top should provide DATE/TO/FROM/RE on separate lines appropriately spaced. A few lines
below include an Executive Summary (ES), single-spaced of 200 words or less. The ES essentially is a
synopsis of the most important elements of your report. Think of it as something to be read by someone who
does not have time to (or won’t) read your entire report. Hence, the ES should definitely include (but not
necessarily be limited to) your key results, conclusions, recommendations and expectations of results derived
from implementation. Include headings, relevant footnotes, labels, titles for exhibits, and page numbers.
A suggested general outline for an appropriate case analysis is provided below (your instructor may give you
additional instructions). However, remember that these are only guidelines. There is no “one best way” to
analyze cases or real world business situations. The case reports should have the following components:
Introduction: The introduction section should provide the reader with a clear sense of the purpose and content
of the Present a clear and concise statement of the problems that suggest themselves by the case material
provided. Describe briefly what the reader is going to find in the report, including analyses, findings, and
recommendations. The introduction should not be a summary of the case or a history of the company.
Analyses: Based on the analysis, what are major findings of the external environment and internal condition of
the firm? What is the firm’s strategy? Present a concise and relevant analysis of the internal and external
environments of the firm, including financial and economic analyses, graphs and spreadsheets of relevant data
and Remember that analyzing the situation is different from describing the situation. It is important that you
attempt to identify as explicitly as possible the relevance (or implications) of these current and prospective
environmental findings for your subject company. Your position in time (i.e., when you are conducting your
analysis) is when the case material ends (this is evident for all cases that you will be assigned).
Problems, Options: What root-cause problems (not symptoms) have your analyses identified? What are the
possible options to address the problems? Identify problems that you identified in your analysis (this is not the
same as symptoms from the case). Identify clear, concise and appropriate alternatives to resolve the problems
(if this is appropriate for the case in question). Once you have identified alternative options, you must
comparatively evaluate them. You cannot just pick one and say that it is the best.
Recommendations: What are the recommendations? Include your recommendations to the decision makers. If
you have not yet laid the ground work (i.e., rationale) for your recommendations, you should return to your
analysis and options evaluation, and do so before you state your conclusions and recommendations. Once the
recommendations are stated you should consider the feasibility of implementing them. Your implementation
plan is the best justification and defense of your recommendations.
What are the suggestions for implementing the recommendations? Present a clear, concise and appropriate
analysis of relevant implementation, evaluation and control issues (the extent to which this step is necessary
will vary from one case situation to the next).
Include an appropriate bibliography / citations of references.