FINAL Case Instructions

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Maseno University *

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Nov 24, 2024

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Case Writing Assignment for HDCS 3303- Final Exam What is a case? A case is a description of a business situation faced by someone in an organization. Cases contain relevant data about the issue available to the key person in the case plus background information about the organization. What do students learn in writing a case? Cases are often used to enable students to learn about decision making by putting themselves in the shoes of the actual manager or individual interviewed in the case. In the case you are writing for HDCS 3303 you will analyze situations, develop alternatives, choose actions and implementation plans and communicate and defend your findings. These cases are used to test your understanding of retail theory, to connect theory to application, and to develop theoretical insight. Your case requires the consent and cooperation of the organization and the individual about whom the case is written. If preferred, anonymity of the organization, individual, and data can be assured through disguise. Your case can be submitted to the individual you are interviewing to verify the accuracy of the case content, and when satisfied, a designated person in the organization signs a release form permitting the University of Houston to use the case for this course. Why might an organization wish to participate in developing new cases? A case is a donation to the process of continuing improvement in retail education. The organization will increase its exposure to students who may be more responsive to their recruitment efforts. The organization may also choose to use the case in internal training programs, and may even benefit from the questions asked by the student case writer, as an impartial observer during the case development process. Case writing conventions This case assignment should be 5 pages in length. In addition the primary, secondary issues with answers, the questions and answers, and recommendations are additional pages beyond the 5 pages for the actual case. The one place in this case that the case writer injects their own opinion is in the questions and recommendations at the end of the case. 1. Cases are normally written in the past tense , third person, except for direct quotes and when presenting exhibit and appendix information. Quotes are a good way to add life to a case. Practice in presenting the facts in different ways also helps. For example, rather than writing: “Delbar was a medium sized company which employed about 700 people: One can write: “The president of Delbar said, ‘We now have 700 employees, quite a change from when my grandfather died in 1985 when we had only 170.’” 2. Facts, opinions and attributions - the relevant facts that were available to the decision maker have to be included in the case. If certain facts were not available to the decision maker, the case normally should say so. For example, “Mr. Roberts did not know the equipment replacement cost.” Since a case writer is just reporting the company’s story, his or her opinions are not to be included. Any opinions expressed in the case must be attributed to the people mentioned in the

case. Save the case opinions for the questions and answers and final recommendations. The writer can give the actual company decision made in the recommendation followed by the case writer’s recommendation. 3. Exhibits and appendixes - Exhibits are an economical way to present data and to provide the raw materials for developing student analytical skills. Tables of charts, forms, graphs, diagrams, pictures and maps are typical examples of the kinds of data displayed in exhibits. Exhibits typically come after the text of the case and are numbered consecutively in the order of their reference in the case text. All exhibits must be referenced in the text. Exhibits normally have three lines in their title: the name of the case, the exhibit number and the exhibit title. The normal assumption is that the exhibit information comes from company records and hence it is not necessary to provide a specific reference to that effect. If the data or materials are not from company records, a specific reference to the source of the information is given at the bottom of each exhibit. Sometimes, case writers construct exhibits based on the data collected. Examples include process flow diagrams, simplified organization charts or highlights of the historical financial performance. Appendixes are used to provide materials that are complementary or useful but not an integral part of the case. Appendixes normally are placed after the exhibits at the end of the case, are labeled A,B,C, and placed consecutively in order of their reference in the case. Information in an appendix is normally presented in the same tense as the original. The source of information presented in an appendix must be acknowledged. 4. There are 5 questions that you may ask as a case writer to improve your case. . What relevant qualitative or quantitative data is missing? . Is the information correct? . Are the descriptions and explanations clear? . Does the case have too much irrelevant information? . Has the case writer included personal judgments and included his or her own opinions? Opinions in the case should reflect the person interviewed or the individual. 5. Editing the case - Nine words, each starting with the letter C, form the case editing checklist: Congruence, Completeness, Consistency, Correctness, Conciseness, Clarity, Content, Coherence and Convention. The first three of these words focus on the content of the case itself. Congruence refers to the descriptions and data regarding products, services, processes or systems terminology in agreement with those of the actual organization, especially if this date is disguised. Completeness is checked by reading the text to determine if the decision maker’s story as well as the company’s story been sufficiently told? Are there gaps or omissions remaining in the story line?

Consistency is the check for the presentation of information in a logical and accurate style throughout the case. Correctness is checking for accuracy of content and facts. The next five C words apply to the language and grammar- correctness i.e. written in the past tense and are the words spelled correctly? Are the grammar and punctuation correct? Conciseness asks the question; would some information appearing in the case be better presented in the form of an exhibit? Clarity is checked by using words in a precise and clearly understood manner. Are the words commonly used in everyday conversation? Control is assessing if the subtitles are appropriately chosen? Do the paragraphs adequately develop and frame ideas? Does the first sentence of the paragraph contain the main point? Does the last sentence of the paragraph add closure to the idea being developed? Are the paragraphs logically grouped under each subtitle? Coherence refers to using appropriate words or phrases to link sentences and parts of sentences. Are there logical transitions between ideas in the paragraphs and between the proceeding paragraphs? Linking words and phrases, such as however, consequently, furthermore, by contrast, on the other hand, and as a result of, help make sentences and paragraphs clear and coherent. The last C is following the conventions of case writing. Moving from writing the case in the past tense and following with including a Case Title page, using the same font style, heading arrangement, double spacing, bolding and title guides for exhibits. When cases contain information from published sources beyond the company records, the source should be footnoted at the bottom of the respective page of the case. 6. The last look- have I met the requirements? - Have you completed 5 pages, the editing check, reviewed the formatting from title page to end of paper, given credit as appropriate, received clearance from the company or disguised the case, included exhibits and appendixes, added the questions and answers and recommendation section? Some questions for consideration on the interview - Changes in organizational quality, changes in competition- new market thrust, innovation changing the entire market and delivery of products, need for capacity expansion, changes in distribution, inventory management, needs for re-engineering, changes in trends of organizational structure, need to change location of organization, changes in managers at the top, changes in profitability, need for robust redesign, changes in company ownership, turnover in staff and personnel, emerging threats, SWOT analysis, changes in demand, changes in production, organization going through merger/ acquisition….Other considerations are what is the most interesting “decision” you faced in the last 12 months? Please tell me the story. What are your current challenges? Please tell me the story. Or what is the greatest competitive challenge your company has faced in the last two years? Please tell me the story? Where will this company be in the next five years… what

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changes would you envision? Please describe what you might expect to happen. Here are just a few to consider…. Relook at the text chapter titles for areas of questions.

FINAL Case Instructions

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