Case Study Problem: Xenon Pastries faces a problem handling larger orders as Christmas Day approaches. With an estimated 15% increase in customer demand, this is the most significant increase in their daily orders since 2012. The management aims to maximize profit opportunities given the rise in customer demand.
ACA #1: Hire part-time workers to increase staff numbers and meet the overwhelming seasonal increase in customer orders. Currently, Xenon Pastries has a total of 9 workers who are responsible for the accommodation of orders, preparation, and delivery of products, and addressing customers’ inquiries and complaints. Hiring 2 – 3 part-time workers can increase productivity and meet the daily order volume.
Disadvantages
ACA #2: Increase the prices of Xenon pastries’ products to increase revenues . This option can maximize Xenon Pastries’ profit even if not all customers’ orders are accommodated.
Case Study Problem: Delta Motors has been manufacturing motorcycles for ten years. Recently, the business suffered a gradual shrink in its quarterly revenues due to the increasing popularity of traditional and newly-developed electric bikes. Delta Motors seeks a long-term strategy to attract potential customers to bounce back sales.
ACA #1: Develop a “regular installment payment” scheme to attract customers who wish to purchase motorcycles but have insufficient lump-sum money to acquire one. This payment scheme allows customers to pay an initial deposit and the remaining amount through smaller monthly payments.
ACA #2: Introduce new motorcycle models that can entice different types of customers. These models will feature popular designs and more efficient engines.
1. how many alternative courses of action (aca) can a case study have.
Sometimes your instructor or teacher will tell you the required number of ACA that must be included in your case study . However, there’s no “standard” limit to how many ACA you can indicate.
As mentioned earlier, the case study’s ACA aims to enumerate all possible solutions to the problem. It is not the stage where you state the “final” action you deem most appropriate to address the issue. The case study portion where you explicitly mention your “best” alternative is called the “Recommendation.”
To help you understand the point above, let’s return to our Delta Motors example. In our previous section, we have provided two ACA that can solve the problem, namely (1) developing a regular installment payment plan and (2) introducing a new motorcycle model.
Suppose that upon careful analysis and evaluation of these ACA, you came up with ACA #2 as the more fitting solution to the problem. When you write your case study’s recommendation, you must indicate the ACA you chose and your reasons for selecting it.
Here’s an example of the Recommendation of the case study:
Recommendation
Introducing new motorcycle models that feature popular designs and more efficient engines to entice different types of customers is the most promising alternative course of action that Delta Motors can implement to bounce back its quarterly revenues and keep up with the competitive market. This creates a strong impression on the public of the company’s dedication to promoting high-quality motorcycles that can withstand changes in consumer preferences and market trends. Furthermore, this action proves that the company is continuously evolving to offer a variety of alternative models to suit everyone’s tastes. With proper promotion, these models can rekindle the company’s popularity in the automotive and motorcycle industry.
Written by Jewel Kyle Fabula
in Career and Education , Juander How
Jewel Kyle Fabula is a Bachelor of Science in Economics student at the University of the Philippines Diliman. His passion for learning mathematics developed as he competed in some mathematics competitions during his Junior High School years. He loves cats, playing video games, and listening to music.
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This Case Analysis Guideline will help you to have an idea of how to analyze a Business case properly. It will also give you pointers on how to construct and what to include in the different parts of your Case Analysis from the Point of View, Problem Statement, down to the decision-making, and Plan of Action.
May this post be of help to all of you, so you can come up with a better analysis of your group’s homework such as thesis or projects?
The Point of View refers to the perspective of the decision-maker or person who is in the position to make the final recommendations as mentioned in the case.
For example, the problem is related to the manufacturing division. It can be about Engineering, manufacturing processes, quality assurance, and warehousing. The possible decision-maker or point of view is the Vice President of the Manufacturing division.
If the concern or problem is related to product quality which is under a Quality Department within the manufacturing division, then it is possible to put the ‘Manager of Quality Department’ at the Point of View.
The Time Context is the time in the case when you will start your analysis. It can be an imaginary time or the last-mentioned date in the case. Make sure that you can justify the reason behind your given time context. Because if your stated time is not relevant, it is possible that your analysis is also not relevant.
Assuming that the problem arises during the summer / dry season in the Philippines. You cannot put June to November in the time context as it is usually the rainy/wet season in PH.
If the problem arises in 2021, you can use that year in time context. For example, ‘First Quarter of 2021’ or ‘February 2021.’
The Statement of the Problem defines the perceived problem in the case which becomes the subject of the analysis. You can present this in declarative or in question format.
For example: How to expand the business of Company A while in the middle of the current situation of the food industry.
The Statement of the Objectives are goals that the case analysis hopes to achieve. It should basically satisfy the test of SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound)
For example: To improve the company’s performance in terms of product quality in 12 months. Or to increase the company’s sales for its dog food product lines in 6 months.
For the areas of consideration in your case study, you have to state the internal and external environment of the company/firm through SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) Analysis.
You can indicate in the internal environment the facts relating to the company’s financial situation, manufacturing, marketing, and human resources.
For example, does the business have a high employee turnover rate? Does the business’ revenue continuously increase year after year? How about product quality, can it keep up with the industry competition? You should focus on the factors that can help solve the issues and problems that the business is facing .
For the external environment, indicate the economic situation of the city or country. If the government policy affects your business then you can also state it. Indicate here also your competition which company it is or which product. If your chosen company sells dog food or mobile phone, state your competitor.
Now that you have the list of the internal and external environments. You should now list your company’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.
Under ‘Strengths,’ of course, depending on what is stated in the case. You can indicate if the company is prominent in the industry, awards such as ‘Best Manpower Agency for 10 years,’ ‘Best Hotel in terms of service.’
For ‘Weakness,’ include if the company has a high manpower turnover ratio, lowest quality in the market, and low budget for marketing/advertisement.
Under Opportunities, indicate if the country the company is located in a ‘Free Trade Zone,’ rising population which can equate to increasing product consumption. For example, increasing toothpaste consumption. The Philippine Government has a build build build program which means they will need an increase in cement usage.
The Assumptions are the factors that are not clear or not specifically stated in the case. You need to clarify these factors and state them as assumptions to limit the analysis.
In layman’s terms, you will list in the Assumptions the boundaries of your analysis. It will also help the panelist to understand the reason behind the items you list in your case analysis.
The Alternative Courses of Actions (ACAs) are the possible solutions to the identified problem. Each of the ACA must stand alone and must be able to solve the stated problem and achieve the objectives. The ACA must be mutually exclusive. In this regard, the student must choose an ACA to the exclusion of the others.
Also, you have to analyze each ACA in the light of the SWOT analysis and assumptions that is if there are any. You have to state clearly the advantages and disadvantages of each ACA. If the case contains enough information or data. Your stated advantages and disadvantages should be supported quantitatively to minimize bias.
The analysis of ACAs will state the list of advantages and disadvantages of each alternative course of action.
I have here examples of the courses of action. Again, these ACAs should be mutually exclusive and should solve the issues of the company. If the ACAs are somewhat related to each other, it is best to combine them and then think of a new one that is totally independent.
ACA 1. Increasing the Salary of the Employees
ACA 2. Reduce the Price of the Products Sold
ACA 3. Buyout the Competition
After the analysis of the different Alternative Courses of Action (ACAs), you can now come up with the conclusion, recommendations, and decisions. You do not need to repeat the analysis which you have done in the ACA section of the analysis.
To make this part clearer, it is best to come up with a decision matrix similar to the photo.
Decision Matrix Sample
Here are the examples of criteria that you can use in the decision matrix.
Recommendation:
Based on the decision matrix, ‘ACA 3 which is Buying out the competition is the best course of action to solve the problem.
The Plan of Action outlines the series of actions to be undertaken to implement the adopted ACA. The plan of action should reflect, the list of activities, the person in charge, the time frame, and the budget to implement the ACA.
TIME FRAME and Budget | ||
1. Meeting with the supervisors in the quality department | Quality Manager, and Supervisors | 1 day Budget: PHP 500 for Coffee and Snacks |
2. Meeting with the QA Supervisors and the quality rank and file personnel for the planned improvement | Supervisors and Rank and File Staff | 3 days Budget: PHP 1,000 for new equipment, food, and clothing |
3. Implementation of Improvement 1 | Rank and File Staffs | Day 4 onwards / Continuous Budget: PHP 500 per day for 1 additional manpower |
4. Implementation of Improvement 2 | Rank and File Staffs | Day 5 onwards / Continuous Budget: PHP 1000 per day for 2 additional manpower |
5. Monitoring of the Result | Supervisors | Day 6 onwards / Continuous Budget: PHP 10,000 for new computers and CCTV |
6. Update the Quality checking process manual | Quality Managers and Supervisors | Day 15 to Day 20 Budget: PHP 500 for additional writing materials, paper, printer, and photocopy machine |
To ensure that you have done the analysis comprehensively, it would be best to program the plan according to the basic functional areas. You should present the plan by having column headings for activity, person/unit responsible/ time frame, and budget.
*There you have it guys! May this business case analysis format and guidelines will be able to help students like you in coming up with a logical solution to business-related cases that your teacher gave your group. Good luck!!!
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Case analysis is a problem-based teaching and learning method that involves critically analyzing complex scenarios within an organizational setting for the purpose of placing the student in a “real world” situation and applying reflection and critical thinking skills to contemplate appropriate solutions, decisions, or recommended courses of action. It is considered a more effective teaching technique than in-class role playing or simulation activities. The analytical process is often guided by questions provided by the instructor that ask students to contemplate relationships between the facts and critical incidents described in the case.
Cases generally include both descriptive and statistical elements and rely on students applying abductive reasoning to develop and argue for preferred or best outcomes [i.e., case scenarios rarely have a single correct or perfect answer based on the evidence provided]. Rather than emphasizing theories or concepts, case analysis assignments emphasize building a bridge of relevancy between abstract thinking and practical application and, by so doing, teaches the value of both within a specific area of professional practice.
Given this, the purpose of a case analysis paper is to present a structured and logically organized format for analyzing the case situation. It can be assigned to students individually or as a small group assignment and it may include an in-class presentation component. Case analysis is predominately taught in economics and business-related courses, but it is also a method of teaching and learning found in other applied social sciences disciplines, such as, social work, public relations, education, journalism, and public administration.
Ellet, William. The Case Study Handbook: A Student's Guide . Revised Edition. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing, 2018; Christoph Rasche and Achim Seisreiner. Guidelines for Business Case Analysis . University of Potsdam; Writing a Case Analysis . Writing Center, Baruch College; Volpe, Guglielmo. "Case Teaching in Economics: History, Practice and Evidence." Cogent Economics and Finance 3 (December 2015). doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/23322039.2015.1120977.
The organization and structure of a case analysis paper can vary depending on the organizational setting, the situation, and how your professor wants you to approach the assignment. Nevertheless, preparing to write a case analysis paper involves several important steps. As Hawes notes, a case analysis assignment “...is useful in developing the ability to get to the heart of a problem, analyze it thoroughly, and to indicate the appropriate solution as well as how it should be implemented” [p.48]. This statement encapsulates how you should approach preparing to write a case analysis paper.
Before you begin to write your paper, consider the following analytical procedures:
Use these steps as the framework for writing your paper. Remember that the more detailed you are in taking notes as you critically examine each element of the case, the more information you will have to draw from when you begin to write. This will save you time.
NOTE : If the process of preparing to write a case analysis paper is assigned as a student group project, consider having each member of the group analyze a specific element of the case, including drafting answers to the corresponding questions used by your professor to frame the analysis. This will help make the analytical process more efficient and ensure that the distribution of work is equitable. This can also facilitate who is responsible for drafting each part of the final case analysis paper and, if applicable, the in-class presentation.
Framework for Case Analysis . College of Management. University of Massachusetts; Hawes, Jon M. "Teaching is Not Telling: The Case Method as a Form of Interactive Learning." Journal for Advancement of Marketing Education 5 (Winter 2004): 47-54; Rasche, Christoph and Achim Seisreiner. Guidelines for Business Case Analysis . University of Potsdam; Writing a Case Study Analysis . University of Arizona Global Campus Writing Center; Van Ness, Raymond K. A Guide to Case Analysis . School of Business. State University of New York, Albany; Writing a Case Analysis . Business School, University of New South Wales.
A case analysis paper should be detailed, concise, persuasive, clearly written, and professional in tone and in the use of language . As with other forms of college-level academic writing, declarative statements that convey information, provide a fact, or offer an explanation or any recommended courses of action should be based on evidence. If allowed by your professor, any external sources used to support your analysis, such as course readings, should be properly cited under a list of references. The organization and structure of case analysis papers can vary depending on your professor’s preferred format, but its structure generally follows the steps used for analyzing the case.
Introduction
The introduction should provide a succinct but thorough descriptive overview of the main facts, issues, and core problems of the case . The introduction should also include a brief summary of the most relevant details about the situation and organizational setting. This includes defining the theoretical framework or conceptual model on which any questions were used to frame your analysis.
Following the rules of most college-level research papers, the introduction should then inform the reader how the paper will be organized. This includes describing the major sections of the paper and the order in which they will be presented. Unless you are told to do so by your professor, you do not need to preview your final recommendations in the introduction. U nlike most college-level research papers , the introduction does not include a statement about the significance of your findings because a case analysis assignment does not involve contributing new knowledge about a research problem.
Background Analysis
Background analysis can vary depending on any guiding questions provided by your professor and the underlying concept or theory that the case is based upon. In general, however, this section of your paper should focus on:
These aspects of the case are often in the form of behavioral responses expressed by individuals or groups within the organizational setting. However, note that problems in a case situation can also be reflected in data [or the lack thereof] and in the decision-making, operational, cultural, or institutional structure of the organization. Additionally, demands or claims can be either internal and external to the organization [e.g., a case analysis involving a president considering arms sales to Saudi Arabia could include managing internal demands from White House advisors as well as demands from members of Congress].
Throughout this section, present all relevant evidence from the case that supports your analysis. Do not simply claim there is a problem, an assumption, a demand, or a concern; tell the reader what part of the case informed how you identified these background elements.
Identification of Problems
In most case analysis assignments, there are problems, and then there are problems . Each problem can reflect a multitude of underlying symptoms that are detrimental to the interests of the organization. The purpose of identifying problems is to teach students how to differentiate between problems that vary in severity, impact, and relative importance. Given this, problems can be described in three general forms: those that must be addressed immediately, those that should be addressed but the impact is not severe, and those that do not require immediate attention and can be set aside for the time being.
All of the problems you identify from the case should be identified in this section of your paper, with a description based on evidence explaining the problem variances. If the assignment asks you to conduct research to further support your assessment of the problems, include this in your explanation. Remember to cite those sources in a list of references. Use specific evidence from the case and apply appropriate concepts, theories, and models discussed in class or in relevant course readings to highlight and explain the key problems [or problem] that you believe must be solved immediately and describe the underlying symptoms and why they are so critical.
Alternative Solutions
This section is where you provide specific, realistic, and evidence-based solutions to the problems you have identified and make recommendations about how to alleviate the underlying symptomatic conditions impacting the organizational setting. For each solution, you must explain why it was chosen and provide clear evidence to support your reasoning. This can include, for example, course readings and class discussions as well as research resources, such as, books, journal articles, research reports, or government documents. In some cases, your professor may encourage you to include personal, anecdotal experiences as evidence to support why you chose a particular solution or set of solutions. Using anecdotal evidence helps promote reflective thinking about the process of determining what qualifies as a core problem and relevant solution .
Throughout this part of the paper, keep in mind the entire array of problems that must be addressed and describe in detail the solutions that might be implemented to resolve these problems.
Recommended Courses of Action
In some case analysis assignments, your professor may ask you to combine the alternative solutions section with your recommended courses of action. However, it is important to know the difference between the two. A solution refers to the answer to a problem. A course of action refers to a procedure or deliberate sequence of activities adopted to proactively confront a situation, often in the context of accomplishing a goal. In this context, proposed courses of action are based on your analysis of alternative solutions. Your description and justification for pursuing each course of action should represent the overall plan for implementing your recommendations.
For each course of action, you need to explain the rationale for your recommendation in a way that confronts challenges, explains risks, and anticipates any counter-arguments from stakeholders. Do this by considering the strengths and weaknesses of each course of action framed in relation to how the action is expected to resolve the core problems presented, the possible ways the action may affect remaining problems, and how the recommended action will be perceived by each stakeholder.
In addition, you should describe the criteria needed to measure how well the implementation of these actions is working and explain which individuals or groups are responsible for ensuring your recommendations are successful. In addition, always consider the law of unintended consequences. Outline difficulties that may arise in implementing each course of action and describe how implementing the proposed courses of action [either individually or collectively] may lead to new problems [both large and small].
Throughout this section, you must consider the costs and benefits of recommending your courses of action in relation to uncertainties or missing information and the negative consequences of success.
The conclusion should be brief and introspective. Unlike a research paper, the conclusion in a case analysis paper does not include a summary of key findings and their significance, a statement about how the study contributed to existing knowledge, or indicate opportunities for future research.
Begin by synthesizing the core problems presented in the case and the relevance of your recommended solutions. This can include an explanation of what you have learned about the case in the context of your answers to the questions provided by your professor. The conclusion is also where you link what you learned from analyzing the case with the course readings or class discussions. This can further demonstrate your understanding of the relationships between the practical case situation and the theoretical and abstract content of assigned readings and other course content.
Problems to Avoid
The literature on case analysis assignments often includes examples of difficulties students have with applying methods of critical analysis and effectively reporting the results of their assessment of the situation. A common reason cited by scholars is that the application of this type of teaching and learning method is limited to applied fields of social and behavioral sciences and, as a result, writing a case analysis paper can be unfamiliar to most students entering college.
After you have drafted your paper, proofread the narrative flow and revise any of these common errors:
Bee, Lian Song et al. "Business Students' Perspectives on Case Method Coaching for Problem-Based Learning: Impacts on Student Engagement and Learning Performance in Higher Education." Education & Training 64 (2022): 416-432; The Case Analysis . Fred Meijer Center for Writing and Michigan Authors. Grand Valley State University; Georgallis, Panikos and Kayleigh Bruijn. "Sustainability Teaching using Case-Based Debates." Journal of International Education in Business 15 (2022): 147-163; Hawes, Jon M. "Teaching is Not Telling: The Case Method as a Form of Interactive Learning." Journal for Advancement of Marketing Education 5 (Winter 2004): 47-54; Georgallis, Panikos, and Kayleigh Bruijn. "Sustainability Teaching Using Case-based Debates." Journal of International Education in Business 15 (2022): 147-163; .Dean, Kathy Lund and Charles J. Fornaciari. "How to Create and Use Experiential Case-Based Exercises in a Management Classroom." Journal of Management Education 26 (October 2002): 586-603; Klebba, Joanne M. and Janet G. Hamilton. "Structured Case Analysis: Developing Critical Thinking Skills in a Marketing Case Course." Journal of Marketing Education 29 (August 2007): 132-137, 139; Klein, Norman. "The Case Discussion Method Revisited: Some Questions about Student Skills." Exchange: The Organizational Behavior Teaching Journal 6 (November 1981): 30-32; Mukherjee, Arup. "Effective Use of In-Class Mini Case Analysis for Discovery Learning in an Undergraduate MIS Course." The Journal of Computer Information Systems 40 (Spring 2000): 15-23; Pessoa, Silviaet al. "Scaffolding the Case Analysis in an Organizational Behavior Course: Making Analytical Language Explicit." Journal of Management Education 46 (2022): 226-251: Ramsey, V. J. and L. D. Dodge. "Case Analysis: A Structured Approach." Exchange: The Organizational Behavior Teaching Journal 6 (November 1981): 27-29; Schweitzer, Karen. "How to Write and Format a Business Case Study." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-write-and-format-a-business-case-study-466324 (accessed December 5, 2022); Reddy, C. D. "Teaching Research Methodology: Everything's a Case." Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods 18 (December 2020): 178-188; Volpe, Guglielmo. "Case Teaching in Economics: History, Practice and Evidence." Cogent Economics and Finance 3 (December 2015). doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/23322039.2015.1120977.
Ca se Study and Case Analysis Are Not the Same!
Confusion often exists between what it means to write a paper that uses a case study research design and writing a paper that analyzes a case; they are two different types of approaches to learning in the social and behavioral sciences. Professors as well as educational researchers contribute to this confusion because they often use the term "case study" when describing the subject of analysis for a case analysis paper. But you are not studying a case for the purpose of generating a comprehensive, multi-faceted understanding of a research problem. R ather, you are critically analyzing a specific scenario to argue logically for recommended solutions and courses of action that lead to optimal outcomes applicable to professional practice.
To avoid any confusion, here are twelve characteristics that delineate the differences between writing a paper using the case study research method and writing a case analysis paper:
The Case Analysis . Fred Meijer Center for Writing and Michigan Authors. Grand Valley State University; Mills, Albert J. , Gabrielle Durepos, and Eiden Wiebe, editors. Encyclopedia of Case Study Research . Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 2010; Ramsey, V. J. and L. D. Dodge. "Case Analysis: A Structured Approach." Exchange: The Organizational Behavior Teaching Journal 6 (November 1981): 27-29; Yin, Robert K. Case Study Research and Applications: Design and Methods . 6th edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2017; Crowe, Sarah et al. “The Case Study Approach.” BMC Medical Research Methodology 11 (2011): doi: 10.1186/1471-2288-11-100; Yin, Robert K. Case Study Research: Design and Methods . 4th edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing; 1994.
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N ow that you’ve defined the opportunity you want to pursue, you need to identify alternative courses of action you could take to seize that opportunity. This step comprises the following tasks:
• Generate a list of options or alternative courses of action.
• Gather input from stakeholders.
• Narrow your choices down to a few especially promising ones.
Let’s examine each of these tasks in more detail.
While building a business case, it’s vital to brainstorm a full set of alternatives rather than latching on to the first one or two good ideas that occur to you. The following pitfalls ...
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Learning objectives.
Decision making refers to making choices among alternative courses of action—which may also include inaction. While it can be argued that management is decision making, half of the decisions made by managers within organizations fail (Ireland & Miller, 2004; Nutt, 2002; Nutt, 1999). Therefore, increasing effectiveness in decision making is an important part of maximizing your effectiveness at work. This chapter will help you understand how to make decisions alone or in a group while avoiding common decision-making traps.
Individuals throughout organizations use the information they gather to make a wide range of decisions. These decisions may affect the lives of others and change the course of an organization. For example, the decisions made by executives and consulting firms for Enron ultimately resulted in a $60 billion loss for investors, thousands of employees without jobs, and the loss of all employee retirement funds. But Sherron Watkins, a former Enron employee and now-famous whistleblower, uncovered the accounting problems and tried to enact change. Similarly, the decisions made by firms to trade in mortgage-backed securities is having negative consequences for the entire U.S. economy. Each of these people made a decision, and each person, as well as others, is now living with the consequences of his or her decisions.
Because many decisions involve an ethical component, one of the most important considerations in management is whether the decisions you are making as an employee or manager are ethical. Here are some basic questions you can ask yourself to assess the ethics of a decision (Blanchard & Peale, 1988).
Despite the far-reaching nature of the decisions in the previous example, not all decisions have major consequences or even require a lot of thought. For example, before you come to class, you make simple and habitual decisions such as what to wear, what to eat, and which route to take as you go to and from home and school. You probably do not spend much time on these mundane decisions. These types of straightforward decisions are termed programmed decisions; these are decisions that occur frequently enough that we develop an automated response to them. The automated response we use to make these decisions is called the decision rule . For example, many restaurants face customer complaints as a routine part of doing business. Because this is a recurring problem for restaurants, it may be regarded as a programmed decision. To deal with this problem, the restaurant might have a policy stating that every time they receive a valid customer complaint, the customer should receive a free dessert, which represents a decision rule. Making strategic, tactical, and operational decisions is an integral part of the planning function in the P-O-L-C (planning-organizing-leading-controlling) model.
However, decisions that are unique and important require conscious thinking, information gathering, and careful consideration of alternatives. These are called nonprogrammed decisions . For example, in 2005, McDonald’s became aware of a need to respond to growing customer concerns regarding foods high in fat and calories. This is a nonprogrammed decision because for several decades, customers of fast-food restaurants were more concerned with the taste and price of the food, rather than the healthiness. In response, McDonald’s decided to offer healthier alternatives, such as substituting apple slices in Happy Meals for French fries and discontinuing the use of trans fats. A crisis situation also constitutes a nonprogrammed decision for companies. For example, the leadership of Nutrorim was facing a tough decision. They had recently introduced a new product, ChargeUp with Lipitrene, an improved version of their popular sports drink powder, ChargeUp. But a phone call came from a state health department to inform them that several cases of gastrointestinal distress had been reported after people consumed the new product. Nutrorim decided to recall ChargeUp with Lipitrene immediately. Two weeks later, it became clear that the gastrointestinal problems were unrelated to ChargeUp with Lipitrene. However, the damage to the brand and to the balance sheets was already done. This unfortunate decision caused Nutrorim to rethink the way decisions were made under pressure so that they now gather information to make informed choices even when time is of the essence (Garvin, 2006).
Figure 11.5
To ensure consistency around the globe such as at this St. Petersburg, Russia, location, McDonald’s trains all restaurant managers (over 65,000 so far) at Hamburger University where they take the equivalent of two years of college courses and learn how to make decisions. The curriculum is taught in 28 languages.
Wikimedia Commons – McDonalds in St Petersburg 2004 – CC BY-SA 1.0.
Decision making can also be classified into three categories based on the level at which they occur. Strategic decisions set the course of organization. Tactical decisions are decisions about how things will get done. Finally, operational decisions are decisions that employees make each day to run the organization. For example, remember the restaurant that routinely offers a free dessert when a customer complaint is received. The owner of the restaurant made a strategic decision to have great customer service. The manager of the restaurant implemented the free dessert policy as a way to handle customer complaints, which is a tactical decision. And, the servers at the restaurant are making individual decisions each day evaluating whether each customer complaint received is legitimate to warrant a free dessert.
Figure 11.6 Decisions Commonly Made within Organizations
In this chapter, we are going to discuss different decision-making models designed to understand and evaluate the effectiveness of nonprogrammed decisions. We will cover four decision-making approaches starting with the rational decision-making model, moving to the bounded rationality decision-making model, the intuitive decision-making model, and ending with the creative decision-making model.
The rational decision-making model describes a series of steps that decision makers should consider if their goal is to maximize the quality of their outcomes. In other words, if you want to make sure you make the best choice, going through the formal steps of the rational decision-making model may make sense.
Let’s imagine that your old, clunky car has broken down and you have enough money saved for a substantial down payment on a new car. It is the first major purchase of your life, and you want to make the right choice. The first step, therefore, has already been completed—we know that you want to buy a new car. Next, in step 2, you’ll need to decide which factors are important to you. How many passengers do you want to accommodate? How important is fuel economy to you? Is safety a major concern? You only have a certain amount of money saved, and you don’t want to take on too much debt, so price range is an important factor as well. If you know you want to have room for at least five adults, get at least 20 miles per gallon, drive a car with a strong safety rating, not spend more than $22,000 on the purchase, and like how it looks, you’ve identified the decision criteria. All of the potential options for purchasing your car will be evaluated against these criteria.
Figure 11.7
Using the rational decision-making model to make major purchases can help avoid making poor choices.
Lars Plougmann – Headshift business card discussion – CC BY-SA 2.0.
Before we can move too much further, you need to decide how important each factor is to your decision in step 3. If each is equally important, then there is no need to weight them, but if you know that price and gas mileage are key factors, you might weight them heavily and keep the other criteria with medium importance. Step 4 requires you to generate all alternatives about your options. Then, in step 5, you need to use this information to evaluate each alternative against the criteria you have established. You choose the best alternative (step 6) and you go out and buy your new car (step 7).
Of course, the outcome of this decision will be related to the next decision made; that is where the evaluation in step 8 comes in. For example, if you purchase a car but have nothing but problems with it, you are unlikely to consider the same make and model in purchasing another car the next time!
Figure 11.8 Steps in the Rational Decision-Making Model
While decision makers can get off track during any of these steps, research shows that limiting the search for alternatives in the fourth step can be the most challenging and lead to failure. In fact, one researcher found that no alternative generation occurred in 85% of the decisions studied (Nutt, 1994). Conversely, successful managers are clear about what they want at the outset of the decision-making process, set objectives for others to respond to, carry out an unrestricted search for solutions, get key people to participate, and avoid using their power to push their perspective (Nutt, 1998).
The rational decision-making model has important lessons for decision makers. First, when making a decision you may want to make sure that you establish your decision criteria before you search for all alternatives. This would prevent you from liking one option too much and setting your criteria accordingly. For example, let’s say you started browsing for cars before you decided your decision criteria. You may come across a car that you think really reflects your sense of style and make an emotional bond with the car. Then, because of your love for this car, you may say to yourself that the fuel economy of the car and the innovative braking system are the most important criteria. After purchasing it, you may realize that the car is too small for all of your friends to ride in the back seat when you and your brother are sitting in front, which was something you should have thought about! Setting criteria before you search for alternatives may prevent you from making such mistakes. Another advantage of the rational model is that it urges decision makers to generate all alternatives instead of only a few. By generating a large number of alternatives that cover a wide range of possibilities, you are likely to make a more effective decision in which you do not need to sacrifice one criterion for the sake of another.
Despite all its benefits, you may have noticed that this decision-making model involves a number of unrealistic assumptions. It assumes that people understand what decision is to be made, that they know all their available choices, that they have no perceptual biases, and that they want to make optimal decisions. Nobel Prize–winning economist Herbert Simon observed that while the rational decision-making model may be a helpful tool for working through problems, it doesn’t represent how decisions are frequently made within organizations. In fact, Simon argued that it didn’t even come close!
Think about how you make important decisions in your life. Our guess is that you rarely sit down and complete all eight steps in the rational decision-making model. For example, this model proposed that we should search for all possible alternatives before making a decision, but this can be time consuming and individuals are often under time pressure to make decisions. Moreover, even if we had access to all the information, it could be challenging to compare the pros and cons of each alternative and rank them according to our preferences. Anyone who has recently purchased a new laptop computer or cell phone can attest to the challenge of sorting through the different strengths and limitations of each brand, model, and plans offered for support and arriving at the solution that best meets their needs.
In fact, the availability of too much information can lead to analysis paralysis , where more and more time is spent on gathering information and thinking about it, but no decisions actually get made. A senior executive at Hewlett-Packard admits that his company suffered from this spiral of analyzing things for too long to the point where data gathering led to “not making decisions, instead of us making decisions (Zell, et. al., 2007).” Moreover, you may not always be interested in reaching an optimal decision. For example, if you are looking to purchase a house, you may be willing and able to invest a great deal of time and energy to find your dream house, but if you are looking for an apartment to rent for the academic year, you may be willing to take the first one that meets your criteria of being clean, close to campus, and within your price range.
The bounded rationality model of decision making recognizes the limitations of our decision-making processes. According to this model, individuals knowingly limit their options to a manageable set and choose the best alternative without conducting an exhaustive search for alternatives. An important part of the bounded rationality approach is the tendency to satisfice , which refers to accepting the first alternative that meets your minimum criteria. For example, many college graduates do not conduct a national or international search for potential job openings; instead, they focus their search on a limited geographic area and tend to accept the first offer in their chosen area, even if it may not be the ideal job situation. Satisficing is similar to rational decision making, but it differs in that rather than choosing the best choice and maximizing the potential outcome, the decision maker saves time and effort by accepting the first alternative that meets the minimum threshold.
The intuitive decision-making model has emerged as an important decision-making model. It refers to arriving at decisions without conscious reasoning. Eighty-nine percent of managers surveyed admitted to using intuition to make decisions at least sometimes, and 59% said they used intuition often (Burke & Miller, 1999). When we recognize that managers often need to make decisions under challenging circumstances with time pressures, constraints, a great deal of uncertainty, highly visible and high-stakes outcomes, and within changing conditions, it makes sense that they would not have the time to formally work through all the steps of the rational decision-making model. Yet when CEOs, financial analysts, and healthcare workers are asked about the critical decisions they make, seldom do they attribute success to luck. To an outside observer, it may seem like they are making guesses as to the course of action to take, but it turns out that they are systematically making decisions using a different model than was earlier suspected. Research on life-or-death decisions made by fire chiefs, pilots, and nurses finds that these experts do not choose among a list of well-thought-out alternatives. They don’t decide between two or three options and choose the best one. Instead, they consider only one option at a time. The intuitive decision-making model argues that, in a given situation, experts making decisions scan the environment for cues to recognize patterns (Breen, 2000; Klein, 2003; Salas & Klein, 2001). Once a pattern is recognized, they can play a potential course of action through to its outcome based on their prior experience. Due to training, experience, and knowledge, these decision makers have an idea of how well a given solution may work. If they run through the mental model and find that the solution will not work, they alter the solution and retest it before setting it into action. If it still is not deemed a workable solution, it is discarded as an option and a new idea is tested until a workable solution is found. Once a viable course of action is identified, the decision maker puts the solution into motion. The key point is that only one choice is considered at a time. Novices are not able to make effective decisions this way because they do not have enough prior experience to draw upon.
In addition to the rational decision making, bounded rationality models, and intuitive decision making, creative decision making is a vital part of being an effective decision maker. Creativity is the generation of new, imaginative ideas. With the flattening of organizations and intense competition among organizations, individuals and organizations are driven to be creative in decisions ranging from cutting costs to creating new ways of doing business. Please note that, while creativity is the first step in the innovation process, creativity and innovation are not the same thing. Innovation begins with creative ideas, but it also involves realistic planning and follow-through.
The five steps to creative decision making are similar to the previous decision-making models in some keys ways. All of the models include problem identification , which is the step in which the need for problem solving becomes apparent. If you do not recognize that you have a problem, it is impossible to solve it. Immersion is the step in which the decision maker thinks about the problem consciously and gathers information. A key to success in creative decision making is having or acquiring expertise in the area being studied. Then, incubation occurs. During incubation, the individual sets the problem aside and does not think about it for a while. At this time, the brain is actually working on the problem unconsciously. Then comes illumination or the insight moment, when the solution to the problem becomes apparent to the person, usually when it is least expected. This is the “eureka” moment similar to what happened to the ancient Greek inventor Archimedes, who found a solution to the problem he was working on while he was taking a bath. Finally, the verification and application stage happens when the decision maker consciously verifies the feasibility of the solution and implements the decision.
A NASA scientist describes his decision-making process leading to a creative outcome as follows: He had been trying to figure out a better way to de-ice planes to make the process faster and safer. After recognizing the problem, he had immersed himself in the literature to understand all the options, and he worked on the problem for months trying to figure out a solution. It was not until he was sitting outside of a McDonald’s restaurant with his grandchildren that it dawned on him. The golden arches of the “M” of the McDonald’s logo inspired his solution: he would design the de-icer as a series of M’s! 1 This represented the illumination stage. After he tested and verified his creative solution, he was done with that problem except to reflect on the outcome and process.
Figure 11.9 The Creative Decision-Making Process
Researchers focus on three factors to evaluate the level of creativity in the decision-making process. Fluency refers to the number of ideas a person is able to generate. Flexibility refers to how different the ideas are from one another. If you are able to generate several distinct solutions to a problem, your decision-making process is high on flexibility. Originality refers to an idea’s uniqueness. You might say that Reed Hastings, founder and CEO of Netflix, is a pretty creative person. His decision-making process shows at least two elements of creativity. We do not exactly know how many ideas he had over the course of his career, but his ideas are fairly different from one another. After teaching math in Africa with the Peace Corps, Hastings was accepted at Stanford University, where he earned a master’s degree in computer science. Soon after starting work at a software company, he invented a successful debugging tool, which led to his founding the computer troubleshooting company Pure Software in 1991. After a merger and the subsequent sale of the resulting company in 1997, Hastings founded Netflix, which revolutionized the DVD rental business through online rentals with no late fees. In 2007, Hastings was elected to Microsoft’s board of directors. As you can see, his ideas are high in originality and flexibility (Conlin, 2007).
Figure 11.10 Dimensions of Creativity
Some experts have proposed that creativity occurs as an interaction among three factors: (1) people’s personality traits (openness to experience, risk taking), (2) their attributes (expertise, imagination, motivation), and (3) the context (encouragement from others, time pressure, and physical structures) (Amabile, 1988; Amabile, et. al., 1996; Ford & Gioia, 2000; Tierney, et. al., 1999; Woodman, et. al., 1993). For example, research shows that individuals who are open to experience, are less conscientious, more self-accepting, and more impulsive, tend to be more creative (Feist, 1998).
There are many techniques available that enhance and improve creativity. Linus Pauling, the Nobel prize winner who popularized the idea that vitamin C could help build the immunity system, said, “The best way to have a good idea is to have a lot of ideas.” One popular way to generate ideas is to use brainstorming. Brainstorming is a group process of generated ideas that follows a set of guidelines that include no criticism of ideas during the brainstorming process, the idea that no suggestion is too crazy, and building on other ideas (piggybacking). Research shows that the quantity of ideas actually leads to better idea quality in the end, so setting high idea quotas where the group must reach a set number of ideas before they are done, is recommended to avoid process loss and to maximize the effectiveness of brainstorming. Another unique aspect of brainstorming is that the more people are included in brainstorming, the better the decision outcome will be because the variety of backgrounds and approaches give the group more to draw from. A variation of brainstorming is wildstorming where the group focuses on ideas that are impossible and then imagines what would need to happen to make them possible (Scott, et. al., 2004).
We have seen that organizational creativity is vital to organizations. Here are some guidelines for enhancing organizational creativity within teams (Amabile, 1998; Gundry, et. al., 1994; Keith, 2008; Pearsall, et. al., 2008; Thompson, 2003).
And finally, avoiding groupthink can be an important skill to learn (Janis, 1972).
The four different decision-making models—rational, bounded rationality, intuitive, and creative—vary in terms of how experienced or motivated a decision maker is to make a choice. Choosing the right approach will make you more effective at work and improve your ability to carry out all the P-O-L-C functions.
Figure 11.11
Which decision-making model should I use?
Decision making is choosing among alternative courses of action, including inaction. There are different types of decisions, ranging from automatic, programmed decisions to more intensive nonprogrammed decisions. Structured decision-making processes include rational decision making, bounded rationality, intuitive, and creative decision making. Each of these can be useful, depending on the circumstances and the problem that needs to be solved.
1 Interview by author Talya Bauer at Ames Research Center, Mountain View, CA, 1990.
Amabile, T. M. (1988). A model of creativity and innovation in organizations. In B. M. Staw & L. L. Cummings (Eds.), Research in Organizational Behavior, 10 123–167 Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.
Amabile, T. M., Conti, R., Coon, H., Lazenby, J., & Herron, M. (1996). Assessing the work environment for creativity. Academy of Management Journal, 39 , 1154–1184.
Amabile, T. M. (1998). How to kill creativity. Harvard Business Review, 76 , 76–87.
Blanchard, K., & Peale, N. V. (1988). The power of ethical management . New York: William Morrow.
Breen, B. (2000, August), “What’s your intuition?” Fast Company , 290.
Burke, L. A., & Miller, M. K. (1999). Taking the mystery out of intuitive decision making. Academy of Management Executive, 13 , 91–98.
Conlin, M. (2007, September 14). Netflix: Recruiting and retaining the best talent. Business Week Online . Retrieved March 1, 2008, from http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/sep2007/ca20070913_564868.htm?campaign_id=rss_null .
Feist, G. J. (1998). A meta-analysis of personality in scientific and artistic creativity. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 2 , 290–309.
Ford, C. M., & Gioia, D. A. (2000). Factors influencing creativity in the domain of managerial decision making. Journal of Management, 26 , 705–732.
Garvin, D. A. (2006, January). All the wrong moves. Harvard Business Review , 18–23.
Gundry, L. K., Kickul, J. R., & Prather, C. W. (1994). Building the creative organization. Organizational Dynamics , 22 , 22–37.
Ireland, R. D., & Miller, C. C. (2004). Decision making and firm success. Academy of Management Executive, 18 , 8–12.
Janis, I. L. (1972). Victims of groupthink . New York: Houghton Mifflin; Whyte, G. (1991). Decision failures: Why they occur and how to prevent them. Academy of Management Executive, 5 , 23–31.
Keith, N., & Frese, M. (2008). Effectiveness of error management training: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93 , 59–69.
Klein, G. (2001). Linking expertise and naturalistic decision making . Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Klein, G. (2003). Intuition at work . New York: Doubleday; Salas, E., &.
Nutt, P. C. (1994). Types of organizational decision processes. Administrative Science Quarterly, 29 , 414–550.
Nutt, P. C. (1998). Surprising but true: Half the decisions in organizations fail. Academy of Management Executive, 13 , 75–90.
Nutt, P. C. (2002). Why decisions fail . San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.
Pearsall, M. J., Ellis, A. P. J., & Evans, J. M. (2008). Unlocking the effects of gender faultlines on team creativity: Is activation the key? Journal of Applied Psychology, 93 , 225–234.
Scott, G., Leritz, L. E., & Mumford, M. D. (2004). The effectiveness of creativity training: A quantitative review. Creativity Research Journal, 16 , 361–388.
Thompson, L. (2003). Improving the creativity of organizational work groups. Academy of Management Executive, 17 , 96–109.
Tierney, P., Farmer, S. M., & Graen, G. B. (1999). An examination of leadership and employee creativity: The relevance of traits and relationships. Personnel Psychology, 52 , 591–620.
Woodman, R. W., Sawyer, J. E., & Griffin, R. W. (1993). Toward a theory of organizational creativity. Academy of Management Review, 18 , 293–321.
Zell, D. M., Glassman, A. M., & Duron, S. A. (2007). Strategic management in turbulent times: The short and glorious history of accelerated decision making at Hewlett-Packard. Organizational Dynamics, 36 , 93–104.
Principles of Management Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
Either-or dilemmas reduce the capacity of clinicians to manage ethical predicaments. Wise practitioners generate multiple courses of action prior to making a decision. It is important to consider the possible consequences to each course of action that is identified, including for all stakeholders. An important way to evaluate these different courses of action is to consider their congruence with commonly accepted moral principles. When working in pupil services, a professional's primary responsibility is to the student, however, there are also responsibilities that the practitioner has to the other stakeholders. Clinicians can help students improve their moral development by engaging them in ethical decision making, thus collaborative decision making should be the norm. In doing so, however, clinicians should assess the student's readiness to participate in ethical decision making. If students are too young, immature, cognitively delayed, or suffering from a mental illness, the practitioner should ensure parents are partners in the process.
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16 USC § 1532(1)
The problem under discussion came up in 2015 when Coca-Cola was accused of manipulating consumers’ behavior by sponsoring research on obesity (Ward, 2015). The incident has had a diverse impact on the company’s image. The active criticism accompanied by the naturally declined demand for soft drinks has caused a 4% sales fall (Reuters, 2016). Hence, the problem needs to be addressed promptly in order to raise the company’s revenues.
It is assumed that the company should launch new research that will be more transparent or diversify its product line in order to restore its reputation and revive the interest in its production. Otherwise, the company’s image might always be associated with the ethics scandal.
The main problem is that the Coca-Cola Company tried to raise the declining demand for its products and push up the sales by carrying out research on obesity that emphasized the importance of sport and intentionally overlooked the harmful effect of the sugar fizzy drinks. The incident provoked a large scope of public criticism that influenced the company’s image. The company’s sales have been falling for the past four quarters.
There is also a series of sub-problems related to the issue. First and foremost, the fact that the University of Colorado returned the money, which Coca-Cola invested in the research project, makes the matter worse. Hence, it overtly admitted the invalidity of the research findings (O’Connor, 2015).
Secondly, the soft drink tax implemented in Europe has had a negative impact on the company’s sales. Thus, a recent study has revealed that the increased costs of low-calorie drinks that compose a significant part of the Coca-Cola product line make consumers reshape their behavior (Tiffin, Kehlbacher, & Salois, 2015).
Finally, it is the general public interest in a healthy lifestyle that encourages consumers to withdraw from sweet beverages. Therefore, Coca-Cola’s products seem to be gradually losing its competitive advantage.
It is critical that the company revives the public interest in its products and pushes up the sales. In order to achieve this aim, it is important to restore the company’s reputation that was influenced negatively by the ethics scandal in 2015. Recent studies prove the assumption that a positive reputation that implies social responsibility helps to improve a company’s performance significantly (Chernev & Blair, 2015).
Table 1 “Coca-Cola SWOT Analysis”
There are two alternative courses of action that can be proposed in the framework of this case study:
The decision should base on the analysis of the long-term perspectives. Hence, it is considered rational to choose the alternative solution that can bring profit not only in the nearest quarter but in prospect as well.
In accordance with the set decision criteria, it is assumed reasonably to select the first alternative course of action. Thus, it is recommended that the Coca-Cola Company focuses on diversifying its product line. This decision will help to gain an additional competitive advantage. It will also enable the company to restore its reputation after the ethics scandal of 2015.
First and foremost, the company needs to study the changing market environment. In other words, it is essential to point out the key characteristics of a new healthy product. Secondly, the company will design and produce the product. Finally, it will add it to the product line and launch a powerful advertising campaign to attract the consumers’ attention. It is critical that the advertising campaign puts a particular focus on the healthy qualities of the promoted product.
The table below represents the targeted timeline for the plan’s implementation.
Stage # | Description | Timeline |
examining the consumers’ demand | 1 month | |
designing a new healthy product | 2 moths | |
launching a powerful advertising campaign | 1 month | |
adding the product to the product line | 1 month |
Table 2 “Implementation Plan”.
Chernev, A. & Blair, S. (2015). Doing well by doing good: the benevolent halo of corporate social responsibility. Journal of Consumer Research , 41 (6), 1412- 1425.
Glanz, K., Johnson, L., Yaroch, A. L., Phillips, M., Ayala, G. X., & Davis, E. L. (2015). Measures of retail food store environments and sales: review and implications for healthy eating initiatives. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior , 48 (14), 280-288.
O’Connor, A. (2015). University returns a $1 million grant to Coca-Cola. The New York Times . Web.
Rani, B., Maheshwari, R., & Prasad, M. (2012). Bottled Water – A Global Market Overview. Bulletin of Environment, Pharmacology, and Life Sciences , 1 (6), 1-4.
Reuters. (2016). Coca-Cola sales fall on strong dollar, weak Europe demand . Web.
Tiffin, R., Kehlbacher, A., & Salois, M. (2015). The effects of a soft drink tax in the UK. Health Economics , 24 (5), 583- 600.
Ward, V. (2015). Coca-Cola spends millions on research to prove that fizzy drinks don’t make you fat’. The Telegraph . Web.
IvyPanda. (2020, October 19). Coca-Cola Company: Strategic Management. https://ivypanda.com/essays/coca-cola-company-strategic-management/
"Coca-Cola Company: Strategic Management." IvyPanda , 19 Oct. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/coca-cola-company-strategic-management/.
IvyPanda . (2020) 'Coca-Cola Company: Strategic Management'. 19 October.
IvyPanda . 2020. "Coca-Cola Company: Strategic Management." October 19, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/coca-cola-company-strategic-management/.
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Hadeel Hyari
The daily accelerating changes in business environment has recently made the banks competition amongst banking industry more complicated; as a result there has been increased focus on customer and Customer Knowledge Management (CKM) concept. Moreover, customer knowledge has become a key competitive factor and developed to be highly considered in globally, as a result; being a successful competitor in banking industry needs to put into consideration an important element which is called 'Customer'. This paper aims to introduce a theoretical framework of CKM combined with Customer Attraction process by employing CKM toward gaining new customers in Arab Bank in Jordan. The methodology conducted as a data collection tool using a questionnaire and the data was collected from (38) branches managers of Arab Bank in Amman, Jordan. Besides, literature review was conducted to determine the concepts of integrating CKM toward customer attraction process to deliver the suggested Customer Knowledge Attraction Model (CKAM). The study findings reveal that there is a positive effect of customer knowledge management towards customer attraction in Arab Bank
Hữu Chí Nguyễn
Afizan Amer
Susan Zhang
Adnan Hakim
Memoona Zareen
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Here are the steps on how to write the Alternative Courses of Action for your case study: 1. Analyze the Results of Your SWOT Analysis. Using the SWOT analysis, consider how the firm can use its strengths and opportunities to address its weaknesses, mitigate threats, and eventually solve the case study's problem.
In layman's terms, you will list in the Assumptions the boundaries of your analysis. It will also help the panelist to understand the reason behind the items you list in your case analysis. VII. Alternative Courses of Action (ACA) The Alternative Courses of Actions (ACAs) are the possible solutions to the identified problem.
For a case analysis assignment, your professor will often ask you to examine solutions or recommended courses of action based solely on facts and information from the case. Case study can be a person, place, object, issue, event, condition, or phenomenon; a case analysis is a carefully constructed synopsis of events, situations, and behaviors .
Cost benefit analysis or the pros and cons can be provided for each courses of action.
A case study analysis must not merely summarize the case. It should identify key issues and . problems, outline and assess alternative courses of action, and draw appropriate .
Are you struggling with writing your case study's Optional Courses of Action (ACA)? Here are the steps on instructions to write one benefit a few examples to guide you. Are you fierce with writing your instance study's Alternatively Courses of Action (ACA)?
Step 2: Identify the Alternatives. Now that you've defined the opportunity you want to pursue, you need to identify alternative courses of action you could take to seize that opportunity. This step comprises the following tasks: • Generate a list of options or alternative courses of action. • Gather input from stakeholders. • Narrow ...
A CASE STUDY ILLUSTRATION FOR SOLO PRACTITIONERS January 2022. 2 ... and Potential Alternative Course(s) of Action Developing the Financial Planning Recommendation(s) Presenting the Financial Planning Recommendation(s) The Financial Planning Process. 3 Joe, a CFP® professional, is a solo practitioner at an independent Registered Investment ...
information, and some attempt to predict the consequences of alternative courses of action − This definition has 4 key elements − Goals, including normative constraints and relative weights for the goals − Policies, programs, projects, decisions, options, means, or other alternatives that are available for achieving the goals
A case study analysis requires you to investigate a business problem, examine the alternative solutions, and propose the most effective solution using supporting evidence. Preparing the Case. Before you begin writing, follow these guidelines to help you prepare and understand the case study: Read and Examine the Case Thoroughly
Give students an opportunity to practice the case analysis methodology via an ungraded sample case study. Designate groups of five to seven students to discuss the case and the six steps in breakout sessions (in class or via Zoom). Ensure case analyses are weighted heavily as a grading component. We suggest 30-50 percent of the overall course ...
1. Introduction. Real-life interactions between users and systems entail decisions and alternatives. Modeling detailed interactions requires the modeling of alternative courses of action. This paper describes a framework for categorizing these alternatives. Classification schemes not only promote consistent modeling, but aid in the systematic ...
5. Make the Decision: Based on the evaluation of alternative courses of action and ethical considerations, make a decision that aligns with ethical principles and values. 6. Implement the Decision: Execute the selected plan of action. Communicate the decision clearly to all stakeholders and ensure that appropriate measures are taken to address ...
Organizational decisions were examined, finding that alternative courses of action were selected according to an alternative's conspicuousness and the power of its advocates. The leverage of an alternative's champion and the ease with which stakeholders can visualize an alternative's merits dictated how choices were made.
Decision making refers to making choices among alternative courses of action—which may also include inaction. While it can be argued that management is decision making, half of the decisions made by managers within organizations fail (Ireland & Miller, 2004; Nutt, 2002; Nutt, 1999). Therefore, increasing effectiveness in decision making is an ...
The Kepner-Tregoe Matrix comprises four basic steps: Situation Appraisal - identify concerns and outline the priorities. Problem Analysis - describe the exact problem or issue by identifying and evaluating the causes. Decision Analysis - identify and evaluate alternatives by performing a risk analysis for each and then make a final decision.
2. Avoid polarized or "either-or" thinking that actually creates an ethical dilemma. Generate at least three possible courses of action to potentially manage the situation. 3. Take time to think about what can be done to reduce the tension between the relevant ethical values and the competing responsibilities. 4.
alternative courses of action (1) The term "alternative courses of action" means all alternatives and thus is not limited to original project objectives and agency jurisdiction. Source. 16 USC § 1532(1) Scoping language For the purposes of this chapter Is this correct?
Alternative Courses of Action (ACA) There are two alternative courses of action that can be proposed in the framework of this case study: The Coca-Cola Company performs an efficient diversification of its product line. The company can design new products that will meet the modern demand for a healthy lifestyle. Recent studies show that the ...
2. Training programs can be costly. Conducting training sessions may require dedicated spaces, equipment, and technology, all of which contribute to the overall expenses. If the training involves hiring external trainers or instructors, their fees or travel expenses can add to the cost.
The document outlines 3 alternative courses of action to increase nursing students' awareness of ethico-moral responsibility. The first action is to have lectures on nursing ethics and professionalism to help students develop value systems and address ethical issues. The second action is a "Sharing Your Story Program" where students discuss ethical challenges they encountered clinically to ...
So a proper course of actions must be proposed to the problem in order to help HP in prosperity. V. Alternative Courses of Action (ACA's) 1. Make a proper decentralized communication with their employees from top management instead of eliminating massive number of jobs. 2.
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