Guide to case study assignments

In brief, here is what you should know:

•       Read and respond to the specific instructions for the assignment in Blackboard as well as the guidance here and information in the case study reading.

•       Always respond to each part of assignment instructions

•       Always turn in both a written message and the spreadsheet you developed.

That’s it. The rest of this document simply elaborates on the above points.

More guidance. Case studies are brief narratives presenting a business situation or problem requiring your thoughtful analysis, assessment and recommendation. Some case studies involve real-world situations while other cases are fictional. Be aware that, just like in real-world situations, cases do not always present the all necessary information in a complete or well-organized fashion. Part of the assignment is making the best of the information available to reach a well-supported conclusion.

The instructions in this Guide are a supplement to the specific instructions that will accompany each case message assignment on Blackboard. The specific instructions provided in assignments on Blackboard take priority, supplemented as needed by these general instructions.

Each case message assignment will require your submission of two files in Blackboard: a written message, submitted in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format, and a spreadsheet submitted in Microsoft Excel format.

The written message assignment. The written message briefly describes your recommendation and analysis as called for by the instructions. Write this message as if it were the body of an email from you, the business analyst, to the person or company as indicated in the assignment instructions. Your message must include the following five parts:

1.       Greeting: You might begin with the more formal “Dear Dr. Brown” or a still professional but slightly less stuffy “Hello Dr. Brown.

2.       Context: Follow with a line providing the context of your message, for example, “I have been asked to look over your options for the Indian Mall Shoe Store and make a recommendation.”

3.       Main points: Next, a few lines with the main points of the message. Put your substance here. Briefly describe your analysis with an emphasis on the key features of the case necessary to come to a well-grounded decision.

You may organize in one of two ways: recommendation first or recommendation last. Probably self-explanatory, but with “recommendation first” the first line of the section states your recommendation clearly and follows with an explanation; with “recommendation last” you explain your reasons first and end with a clear recommendation.

The explanation should (a) briefly describe the calculations or other analysis you employed in examining the case, (b) explain how the results of your analysis support your recommendation, and if helpful (c) identify the economic principle or concept that helps makes sense of the situation.

Length is tricky. You need to explain enough to be persuasive, but modern email style is to keep messages brief. Long, complicated messages are harder to follow. For these assignments, while keeping it brief as reasonably possible, do explain the analysis completely.

The shortest that the main points section can be for a simple assignment is at least three sentences. The longest you would want to go is four paragraphs. Most messages will fall between these extremes.

4.       Last line: Customarily you end a professional email with a brief statement indicating a next step. In our case something generic like, “Let me know if you have any questions, or if there is some other way I can help” will usually fit. Adapt the line to the particular assignment as makes sense.