Know-How Exchange : Student Questions

First off, please use the "Student Questions" category for student questions. This is important so we can answer the question in the right manner.

No one has ever had any experience writing analyses for case studies until they have written one. You are not unique where you are. Every other student in the course is in the same position, unless they happen to have had a course previous requiring this.

As far as format goes, there is no universal format for analysis of case studies. It depends on what the professor wants. I would suggest in further situations in your studies that you ask your professor questions like this first, not a community of marketing professionals.

As far as where to start, it's all right there in the question. A case study is like problem solving. First is the situational analysis. What's going on? What's the problem? Why do they have a problem? What is their market? What is their position in the market? What are the elements of their marketing plan? What's working and what's not? Why?

For the marketing operation, what model does their present operation fit? What are alternative models? What are the advantages and disadvantages of these models given their situation and needs? Which one is best and why? WHat actions do they need to take to implement this model?

And finally, given all this, what are the elements of the marketing plan you propose? What actions need to take place? What are the expected results? Why?

Answer these questions and you'll be fine. I hope this helps.

Wayde

Hi there,
Here are few tips on how to do your task.

For marketing analysis Id suggests you do the following:

-Analyse the company's history, growth and development
-Identify the company's internal strengths and weaknesses
-Analyse the external environment
-Evaluate the SWOT analysis
-Analyse corporate lever strategy (strategy includes where the company is now, where do they want to be, how do they plan to get there and how are they going to measure the results)
-Analyse structure and control system (management within the company, is there an efficient marketing department within the company, is the management of the company market orientated, product orientated, short-term profit or long-term brand building orientated...)

Once you have answered the question above, ideas for marketing plan will follow naturally. Identify the problem issues, if you find any, within company's current marketing operations and how they can be improved.

Perhaps the most important part within any marketing plan is to write clear marketing objectives which have to be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timed). Once you have done this, you plan your strategy. Strategy is executed through marketing mix and 4 Ps (product, price, place and promotion) all of which have to be differentiated in the market for your product to gain competitive advantage. You will also have to do your market segmentation and competitor analysis and how to address these, your target market and facing the competition, through your 4 Ps and competitive advantage which has to be clarified.

At the end you write a plan on how you are planning to measure your objectives so that you can compare your results to your objectives and see where you have gone wrong and if and what you can do to repair the damage.

From my experience, when working on a case study, there are two things your professor may want to see, either of the two. The structure of the analysis and your marketing plan with less attention given to the quality of your marketing thinking. On the other hand, structure may be of less importance but real innovative ideas, strategic thinking and suggestion is what will give you points. You may want to ask your professor which one he wants you to focus. He might say both, which is a big thing to do so do it step by step and don't try doing it in one go. Give it some time, think about it when you aren’t thinking of anything else and after a while ideas will come when you least expect them.

Good luck,
Emi

Check out my plan for analyzing at situation at..
https://www.riverheightsconsulting.com/Portals/0/documents/river%20heights%...
and
https://www.riverheightsconsulting.com/Portals/0/documents/River%20Heights%...