Case Write up
The cases we will cover typically fall into two categories:
1. The company is facing some problems and you are expected to diagnose the main problem and
its root challenges so that you can offer solutions to address them.
2. The company decision maker is faced with the task of making a strategic decision and you are
asked to make a recommendation based on the facts and other arguments in the case.
Your write up should take into consideration the questions that are asked about the case and what the
goal of the case is in terms of diagnosing a problem or making a decision.
Your write up should include three sections:
1. your position on the key question or the goal of the case.
2. key arguments made by you to support your position.
3. actions that you recommend for solving the problem and helping to implement the decision you
support.
1. Your position
In one or two paragraphs you should describe the main problem that the company faces and the
list of root challenges that have led to this problem. This sets the expectation of the reader as to
what your assessment of the overall case is and what you will elaborate on later in the paper in
terms of arguments that have led you to this conclusion.
2. Argument supporting your position
In this part you identify the cause(s) that led you to formulate your conclusion supported with
evidence and facts found in the case. Evidence is more than just mere facts; it may take a few
facts to arrive at evidence. For example, if a company’s sales are declining, its current assets are
not sufficient to cover its current liabilities, and the firm is highly leveraged, further borrowing
to diversify its product portfolio would not be advisable.
3. Recommended Actions
In this section you start out by stating a goal. Next you will state specific actions needed to
address each root challenge so that the firm can achieve that goal. Using a persuasive argument
as to why a specific action can contribute to solving a challenge is also part of this section.
Actions should be stated in steps that make logical sense starting with short–term steps,
followed by the long– term steps.
Provide a write–up in the discussion Board under “Case Write–up 1” or “Case Write–up 2”
by creating a thread using the name of the case as the title of the thread.