Case Writing

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Case Writing Presentation by A V Vedpuriswar
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• Objectives
• Develop problem diagnosis, alternatives
  identification evaluation skills
• Learning by doing. Simulates real life problems
  and puts the students in the shoes of the
  decision maker.
• Improving industry knowledge developing
  analytical skills
• The process of finding the answer is more
  important than the answer itself
• An inefficient but effective learning process.

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• Types of Cases
• Teaching cases
• Decision Focus
• Illustrate Theory
• Often Incomplete
• Students learn to make assumptions
• Cases for Research
• Descriptive
• Test Theory
• Develop/Generate Theory or Propositions
• Demonstration Cases
• Descriptive Explanatory,
• Dissemination of best practices

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• Types of Cases (cont)
• Library Cases
• Secondary Data
• Field Cases
• Primary Data
• The Pros Cons

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• The case development process
• Case Theme Issue/Concept/to be taught
• Prior preparation
• Data Collection
• Writing Draft to Final
• Sign off Obtaining Clearances in case of field
  case
• Testing Does the Case Meet Stated Objectives?

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• Key issues in case writing
• How do I choose my case?
• What concepts am I seeking to illustrate, and
  what conclusions do I want to draw?
• How should I deal with other sources of
  evidence as they come up or if events change
  dramatically?
• How do I write the case?
• In addition to teaching the case what other
  outcomes are expected?

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• Topic selection
• Familiarity
• Interest
• Open/Shut?
• Multiple options

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• Arriving at a structure
• H R
• Operations
• Marketing
• Strategy
• Finance
• Parts A B
• Moving back in time

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• Coverage
• Multi dimensional
• Cross functional
• Focus
• Turning points
• Exhibits

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Developing a case on Corporate Social
Responsibility
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Flora Fauna
Future Generation
Local Communities
Special Interest Groups
Media
Firm
Politicians
Government
Industry
Competitors
Traders
Employees
Environment
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• Style
• Simple
• Narrative
• Reader friendly
• Avoid reader dissonance
• - Going back and forth
• - Contradictory sentences
• - Too many figures/names
• - Repetition of ideas
• - Leaps of abstraction
• Quotations
• Avoid analysis

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Case Opening Indias largest fast moving consumer
goods (FMCG) company Hindustan Lever Ltd (HLL)s,
disappointing results announced in mid-2004,
underscored the difficulties the company was
facing in generating growth. HLLs major top
management reshuffle in April 2004, undertaken at
the instance of parent company, Unilever, was the
most visible admission of the challenges being
faced by the company. Even as analysts debated
whether HLL could return to the heady days of the
mid-1990s, when double digit growth had come so
easily, stock market operators had hammered down
HLLs stock price. On May 2, 2000 when M S Banga
had taken over as HLL Chairman, the HLL share
(face value Rs. 10) was quoting at Rs. 2,190.
In April 2004, the share (face value Rs. 1)
price was only Rs. 150. What could HLL do to get
back to double digit growth and regain the
confidence of investors?
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Case Ending In mid-2004, the evolving business
environment posed new challenges for HLL.
Penetration levels in most FMCG categories had
become saturated. Increased spending on consumer
durables, education, health care and travel
seemed to be having an impact on sales of
consumer non durables. Meanwhile, many analysts
were expecting cheaper regional brands to offer
stiff competition to HLL. Evidence of this came
from Anchor, a toothpaste brand in the west and
CavinKare a company based in the south with
promising brands such as Chik and Fairever.
Various factors had contributed to the rise of
regional brands. In many product categories,
technology was easily available, unlike in the
past when it was the preserve of multinationals.
The smaller brands were also delivering on the
quality front and it had become increasingly
difficult for the larger brands to claim that
their quality was superior.
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The regional brands were also managed by more
entrepreneurial teams who seemed willing to
experiment and learn from mistakes. As organized
retailing grew in India, there were also concerns
that private labels and store brands would
increase in importance. In the leading grocery
chains like Foodworld and Nilgiris, private
labels were becoming increasingly popular. HLLs
Power Branding strategy had come under attack.
Some analysts felt than in the process of
rationalizing and restructuring the brand
portfolio, smaller brands that could be potential
winners in the long run, had been thrown down the
drain. But Banga believed that this view was not
correct. What could HLL do to get back to the
double digit growth path of the 1990s? This was
the question which taxed the minds of HLLs top
management as they adjusted to the new management
structure announced in April 2004.
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Editing a Case Has all the available information
been tapped? Indeed, it is not a bad idea to
prepare the list of references before writing
the case. Is enough information provided for
students to take positions and discuss the case
in the classroom? Are all the facts presented
accurately? Have references been given to quotes
and factual information? Have the exhibits been
referred to in the text? Has the case writer
biased the reader with his or her own views? Are
there important learning lessons for the students?
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• The Final Test
• Reader friendliness
• Insights
• Learning value

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• DOs and DONTs
• Have some idea of the learning objectives
  before starting the case. Accordingly, identify
  the issues that should be covered in detail.
• Have a thorough understanding of the situation
  being covered. This may include technology,
  markets and the relevant management concepts.
  Without a thorough understanding, we will not be
  able to collect the relevant information in a
  systematic way.
• Select the most important issues and cover them
  in detail instead of trying to cover too many
  issues.
• Cont

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• Do not start writing the case before the
  collected material has been thoroughly studied
  and copious notes taken.
• Use past tense to the extent possible. This
  will bring a timeless quality to the case.
• Do not refer to an event such as, say, a court
  case and fail to explain how it ended. i.e.,
  events should not be left hanging.
• Never offer your opinion on a decision.
  However, the opinion of company
  executives/analysts/ competitors can be given as
  quotes.
• Cont

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• Choose quotes carefully. Powerful statements
  should be given as quotes. Otherwise, it is
  more appropriate to use your own words. Quotes
  should also not be too long. Otherwise, they
  tend to be boring.
• All factual information, quotes, etc should be
  referenced. Good cases invariably have
  excellent footnotes. Difficult terms must be
  explained using footnotes.
• A case should not have too many details.
  Otherwise, it will become unmanageable. There
  should be enough data to generate multiple
  action plans but not so much as to confuse.
• Cont

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• The case must have some controversy to liven it
  up.
• A case should not be too long. Students should
  find it convenient to prepare the evening
  before the class and finish the discussion in
  the time allotted.
• Drama should be built into the case using
  characters. But care must be taken not to
  include too many sub plots, which will confuse
  the students.
• It is useful to follow a few conventions
  consistently. For example, characters in the
  case may be referred to by last names. Titles
  should not be put in capital letters.
• Cont.

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• All exhibits should be numbered. They should be
  referred to at an appropriate point in the text.
  Without such references, the exhibits may not
  be used at all by students.
• Too many headings can fragment the case and
  lead to repetition of ideas. Too few headings
  make the case less readable and make it
  difficult for the student to relocate the
  material later, if required.
• The opening paragraphs of the case must be
  written very carefully to build interest in the
  case. It is often a good idea to write the
  opening paragraph at the end.

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• Taking precautions
• Chemistry Lab syndrome
• Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar syndrome
• Kalidas syndrome
• When in doubt, assume you do not know
• Check, recheck, re recheck
• Have a dictionary by your side

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Thank You