Case Analysis for Week 5 Prepare the case “Calyx & Corolla” with your Study Group to turn in as a full case presentation, for electronic submission to ckrohn@chicagobooth.edu in Powerpoint or PDF Format only (plus backup spreadsheets as appropriate): 1.
Using a factbase built with the tools of 5Cs analysis, prepare a set of recommendations on marketing strategy for Calyx and Corolla (C&C). Be sure to address the following in your recommendations: •
The overall strategic objective(s) C&C should be aiming for given your analysis of the key business issues in the case. •
The type of basic strategy C&C should follow to achieve these objectives (cost leadership, differentiation for market share, or differentiation – niche), along with some specific operational metrics/milestone goals they should aim to achieve •
Your chosen approach to segmentation and the market segment(s) C&C should target •
The positioning you recommend C&C adopt for the target segment(s) and a brief explanation of the value proposition you recommend they offer •
Any critical limitations, risks or constraints C&C should plan to mitigate •
Qualitative/strategic and quantitative/financial rationale for these recommendations Please follow the directions in the Syllabus and those discussed in class regarding disallowed assistance and the application of the Honor Code to this assignment. The Syllabus includes a general set of criteria by which case presentations in this course are judged. In addition, here are some helpful hints based on where groups have tended to go wrong in the past: •
Make your key Summary recommendations up front. Think “Answer First.” Then use the rest of the presentation to justify your recommendations. This ensures you don’t waste presentation space by including extraneous information, and is more consistent with the way most senior executives prefer to receive information. In other words, do not simply present a series of analyses summarizing various aspects of the 5C’s. Instead, present your recommendations first, and then show the most relevant analyses that support your recommendation. •
You may assume the audience is familiar with the facts of the case, so you don’t have to explain the basics of the situation to the reader. •
Check your logic for consistency. Do your strategic objectives address the key business issues in the case? Is your choice of target segment(s) consistent with your strategic objectives? Is your positioning consistent with the needs / desired benefits of your target? •
Reality-check your recommendations, financial analysis and estimates. Is the plan you recommend for the company realistic given its resources, strengths, and weaknesses? •
Be sure to address the risks and limitations of your recommendations. No approach is risk-free. The best way to handle this is to acknowledge the limitations of your approach and then perhaps indicate how the company can mitigate any inherent risks. Sensitivity analysis can provide a good boost to your financial analyses (and help you reality-check as well). •
If you make assumptions, justify them. Don’t just pluck numbers out of the air without providing some reasoning as to why you selected them. Use an appendix slide if you don’t want to take up space in the main presentation flow to explain the rationale behind your assumptions.
