How do you answer a case study in management?

This article will help you to answer the question – How to solve a Management case study ? You can use these simple ways to solve any case study of Human Resource Management, Marketing Management, Finance management or other Management specializations. Further students of MBA, MMM, MPM, BBA, and other management courses can use these simple steps or the same method to solve a management case study.

The current corporate scenario urges the students to know about the practical applicability of management concepts in day-to-day operations hence to get such a practical knowledge case study is one of the vital tools.

Management case study

Management Case study is a highly recommended method in teaching and learning process because it enables the students to:

• Understand the situation
• Locate the problem
• Analysis of the case
• Find out various available suggestions
• Finally, conclude the appropriate solution.

Case studies are included in the Syllabus of management degrees in almost all Universities. But, the pattern for solving these case studies varies from university to university.

Generally students are not sure about which method they have to follow to solve a management case study. This article makes you familiar with some methods to solve a case study in Management.

Case studies can be of two types:

a) case study with questions
b) case study without questions

Let us see some interesting methods to solve both the type of case studies.

How to Solve Case study with questions

The case will be given and some questions will be given at the end for which you have to answer after analyzing the case completely. Moreover in this method there won’t be much problem as the complete case details are given, the problem will be in front of you. Here you just have to answer the questions given below.

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The method to solve management case:

• Start with an introduction wherein you will cover the complete case.
• Answer the questions one by one in a clear manner (*)
• The length of your answer must depend on the marks assigned for that question.
• Try to associate your answer with any of the concept or theory in the given subject. For example, case is related to general management you can relate it with Principles of management MBO etc).  And highlight that ( do this only when you are sure about the concept)
• Write a conclusion for the case for the main problem in the case.

(*) In case there is a question like “if you are the manager what would be your reaction in the given situation”.

You can answer in the following way:-

• list all the possible options in the given situation

• select the best option from your view-point

• conclude it like why that is the best option by mentioning the advantages of such an option.

b) case study without questions:-

In this type of cases, there won’t be any questions only complete case will be given. And the students get confused about what to do with such type of case type. The following are the ways in which a case can be solved and among those things whichever is applicable or possible in that you can include it in the solution and solve the case.

Introduction:

Give a detailed description of the case in two or three paragraphs and cover all the major issues in the case in your introduction.

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SWOT analysis:-

Strength Weakness Opportunities and Thread. You have to list the strength weakness opportunity and the threat of the company. Strength and weakness stand internal in which the company can have control over that and Opportunity and Thread stand for External in which the company does not have any control.

Identify the Problems:

Find out major issues in the case and highlight those problems consider those problems as questions. Frame the problem in a proper way.

Find out the solutions:-

This is the part wherein you are going to give the solution for the case exactly. In the previous step you have framed the problems here you need to give solutions for each problem. Consider the problems as questions and start answering for each question.

Model 1

You can answer the question straight away about what you feel. Like how you reply to your other theory questions the same way you have to answer these questions. You can highlight the subheadings and quote some definition in the answer if any concept is involved in that

Model 2

You can explain your answer by aligning the answer with any theory related to that. This method is not possible in all cases. But if it related to employee motivation, International Trade Blocks, marketing strategy etc then you can align your answer with Maslow’s Hierarchy theory, Trade Blocks theory and BCG model etc.. This will fetch you more marks but one thing you need to be clear that you must know the theory completely.

Model 3

This method will take you in the proper direction. As said earlier consider the problem as question. Take the question one by one. Find the possible solution for each question. And also write the advantages and disadvantages for that solution. If you have more than one options for the same problem list the options one by one along with the advantages and disadvantages of each option. Finally, conclude the question by comparing the option and write the best option among the listed option and support your conclusion.

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Eg. Refer this case MAKAR Gained profit by missed opportunity & lost wealth

In this case, if the question is like “what would have Makar done to save the company without removing the employees”

• Give an Introduction
• List down the options one by like

A. Expanding the businessB. Expanding the marketC. Lease a part of a production plant to another company

D. Close the plant partially