Useful Language for Writing Case Analyses

Stating the central issue or problem:

• The underlying issue with Sunshine University’s budget problems is . . .
• A major problem for HealthCo is its organizational culture . . .
• . . . is the most difficult challenge the company faces . . .

Presenting the key decision to be made:

• The CEO needs to decide whether to . . .
• She will need to consider _____________ when making her decision.
• The investors have asked her to choose from . . .
• She has to weigh these options against her most important priorities, which include . . .

Identifying the central causes of a problem:

• The current financial problems A.J. Comics faces can be traced to four causes.
• Acme Motors’ outdated client software suggests a need to invest in information technology.
• The division’s problems stem from three sources: a lack of new vision, Rogers’ leadership weaknesses, and a misaligned organization.
• This cultural difference is due to . . .

Stating your recommendation:

• I recommend that . . . / I would not support . . . / I suggest . . .
• Clarkson needs to [action step 1], [action step 2], and [action step 3].
• The team should persuade senior management to . . .
• Ms. Davidson should adopt a less autocratic management approach . . .
• The most significant change that Acme Rentals should implement is . . .
• CJ, Inc. needs to consider changing its return policy in order to address . . .
• First, Yepez must understand . . . From day one, he should . . . He then needs to . . .

Relating your recommendation to important criteria or priorities:

• These four changes are critical to meeting all of the project objectives.
• Adding a more pet-friendly product line would ensure that . . .
• Option four satisfies the CEO’s most important criteria for growing the business.
• Lowering the product price is the best decision as it satisfies the criteria of . . .
• Based on the main priorities of the company, Facebook should . . .

Providing reasons for your recommendation:

• Anita should choose to sell because . . .
• Because growing the business is most important to investors, Ms. Amore should . . .
• Since using eco-friendly cleaning products is crucial to upholding the company’s image, Happy Earth must continue to purchase its stock from GreenWorks.

Presenting alternative options as less effective

• The founders should not choose to . . .
• Implementing this change would decrease trust in leadership and . . .
• The option to relocate their headquarters abroad could impact . . .

Showing the weaknesses of alternative options

• While the other two options have their advantages in terms of improving overall product quality, Anita should pursue . . .
• Although outsourcing presents significant cost savings, it would negatively affect supply chain control.
• Even though a move to cloud storage offers attractive benefits, it nonetheless conflicts with the IT department’s proposed security measures.
• The CEO’s claim that telecommuting helps employee performance is unsubstantiated by productivity measures. Conversely, . . .
• Smith suggests lowering costs, but analysis of similar restaurants’ recent sales challenges this . . .

Making an evaluation

• The current organization cannot succeed because . . .
• This is a good sign that . . .
• Rogers has to take much of the responsibility for . . .
• Toys R Us and Amazon’s collaboration created value and exceeded expectations of . . .
• Nevertheless, when we look at the accounts receivable, the collection period has worsened.
• The strategy to allocate a portion of the budget to marketing is effective only if management also continues to develop a better product.

Applying analytical frameworks¹

• Locke’s Goal Setting Theory asserts that setting specific goals tends to encourage work motivation (Robbins et al., 1998) . . .
• Reviewing the results of the case study, Taylor (1980) concludes that the theories of job enrichment and employee motivation . . .
• According to Lee (2014), co-working spaces have the potential to . . .