Term Paper Help-Guidelines for Case Study Analysis
Guidelines for Case Study Analysis
The following guideline serves as a basic outline and content description for a case analysis:
- The Introduction: Provides a summary with background, historical, and current information that sets the framework for the problem being analyzed. The author/student needs to define his/her perspective, i.e. department head, officer, consultant, etc. This section should be succinct and avoid extraneous details.
- The Problem: Identifies one major problem, as many corporations are rife with problems. The student must discern the difference between symptoms and problems. Some problems are complex with multiple facets; some problems only seem complex because of the multitude of symptoms. The student needs to differentiate. Students must relate the identified problem to concepts from the course. Additional problems may be identified, but should be noted as not being addressed in the case analysis.
It is important to separate the immediate problems from their more basic sources. For example, the immediate problem may be a high rate of absenteeism, while the more fundamental issue may be a poor motivational climate. How you define a problem determines how you go about solving it. A short-term solution for absenteeism is likely to be different from solutions which attempt to deal with motivational climate. Be sure to identify both the symptom and, more importantly, its underlying cause.
The problem identification should be supported with evidence drawn from the case and direct inferences. If assumptions are made they should be specifically identified and their basis justified. Inferences must be congruent with events in the case and logically drawn from both the presenting and cloaked symptoms. Inferences should be supported by scholarly research and directly relate to course concepts and events in the case.
- The Analyses: Uses the analytical tool that best addresses the problem and will offer potential solutions. Available tools include: (Security tools) Business Model for Information Security (BMIS), the CIA model, the Bell-LaPadula Model, the Graham-Denning/Chinese Wall Model, the Information Security Management Maturity Model (ISM3), (business tools) Porter’s five-forces model of industry, competition analysis, value-chain analysis, financial ratio analysis and many others. Tools encountered in this course and the course-of-study are especially appropriate.
- The Alternatives: (Sometimes referred to as alternative solutions.) Identifies a minimum of three alternatives and no more than four potential solutions, which give the writer the opportunity to put forth options from different categories of solutions; e.g. cost effective/short term, long term for the greater good, external market impact, internal culture/moral impact, the company’s vision, mission, and objectives, and stakeholder relations.
- The Recommendations: Outlines the course of action recommended and is often a blend of two alternatives. The recommendations must be supported by the analysis and should describe the course of action and how best to implement the solution. If specified by the instructor, the recommendations will include a plan for implementing and evaluating the proposed solution.
- The Conclusion: Summarizes the recommendations and allows for tying together any loose ends and establishing maintenance or evaluation of the implementation.
The entire case analysis should be well documented, citing any sources or external materials. Only specific quotes, paraphrases and facts need be cited from the course texts as they are assumed sources.
The extent and detail of the various sections will vary with the level of material available in the case study and the level of depth indicated by the instructor (usually provided as a page count).
