Important Points
Checklist of Case Report
Note: This checklist is intended to help you get the structure right on the case report; meeting this checklist does not guarantee a quality work.
Consulting Letter to CEO (not to exceed one page) • Use the tone of a formal letter, no need to include typical ending words such as “Sincerely XXX”. The letter should be written in such a way that, even detached from the rest of the report, the key messages can still get across to the CEO, including the strategy to recommend, the implications of adopting the strategy and important implementation issues (e.g., financing)
Key Issues • Obvious and pressing issues, hidden problems, long terms challenges, etc. These issues set a direction in terms of where your strategic alternatives should focus
External Assessment (four paragraphs)
Note: Don’t mention the name of the company in the three paragraphs about opportunities/threats; focus on the strategic group of which the focal company is a member. • Overview of the industry based on five-forces and PEST analysis (Exhibit 1); identify the strategic group here.
• Opp/threat #1: topic sentence that clearly specifies the opp/threat for the strategic group; evidence for the opp/threat; two sentences to propose two internal assets as key success factors for any firm to exploit the opportunity or neutralize the threat.
• Opp/threat #2: ditto
• Opp/threat #3: ditto
Internal Assessment (four paragraphs) • Describe the business of the company based on VRIO analysis (Exhibit 2)
• Str/weakness #1: topic sentence, evidence, and VRI evaluation of the strength (if weakness, discusses whether it can be transformed into a strength)
• Str/weakness #2: ditto
• Str/weakness #3: ditto
Financial Diagnosis (create Exhibit 3 and write this section only if financial data are available) • Use historical and cross-group comparisons as well as financial ratios to diagnose the organization’s
Note: This checklist is intended to help you get the structure right on the case report; meeting this checklist does not guarantee a quality work.
Consulting Letter to CEO (not to exceed one page) • Use the tone of a formal letter, no need to include typical ending words such as “Sincerely XXX”. The letter should be written in such a way that, even detached from the rest of the report, the key messages can still get across to the CEO, including the strategy to recommend, the implications of adopting the strategy and important implementation issues (e.g., financing)
Key Issues • Obvious and pressing issues, hidden problems, long terms challenges, etc. These issues set a direction in terms of where your strategic alternatives should focus
External Assessment (four paragraphs)
Note: Don’t mention the name of the company in the three paragraphs about opportunities/threats; focus on the strategic group of which the focal company is a member. • Overview of the industry based on five-forces and PEST analysis (Exhibit 1); identify the strategic group here.
• Opp/threat #1: topic sentence that clearly specifies the opp/threat for the strategic group; evidence for the opp/threat; two sentences to propose two internal assets as key success factors for any firm to exploit the opportunity or neutralize the threat.
• Opp/threat #2: ditto
• Opp/threat #3: ditto
Internal Assessment (four paragraphs) • Describe the business of the company based on VRIO analysis (Exhibit 2)
• Str/weakness #1: topic sentence, evidence, and VRI evaluation of the strength (if weakness, discusses whether it can be transformed into a strength)
• Str/weakness #2: ditto
• Str/weakness #3: ditto
Financial Diagnosis (create Exhibit 3 and write this section only if financial data are available) • Use historical and cross-group comparisons as well as financial ratios to diagnose the organization’s