Soren chemical free essay sample

Scan the case, looking for the main issues/problems to be solved. Then, read the case, taking detailed notes on information that will help you to solve the issue/problem. Next, determine between what the really important information is, and how it impacts on the issues/problems. Once you are certain that you know all the key information, discuss possible alternatives (not necessarily the same as the ones offered in the case). Select the best alternative, and then determine what the firm needs to do, specifically, to be able to implement your recommendation. When thinking about a case, put yourself in the shoes of the decision maker in the case. The use of role-playing as a part of the analysis can be very useful. It helps you gain some feeling for the perspective of the key parties at the time the case took place. It is very common for people to jump at the solution before a full analysis of the situation is done. We will write a custom essay sample on Soren chemical or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Your success on the cases depends on you fully evaluating the existing situation thoroughly before attempting to find â€Å"the right answer†. You will find that the grading of the case strongly emphasizes a thorough analysis, and not â€Å"the right answer†. 2. The Write-up A written case analysis is usually 6 – 8 pages long, although there is no maximum number of pages. Quality is more important than quantity. Use 12-point font, double-spaced. Your analysis should follow this format: a) Executive Summary/Introduction Maximum 1/2 page. Summary of the main issues/problems, your key points in the current situation and recommendations. The Executive Summary is a â€Å"snapshot† for a busy senior executive. It is best to write the Executive Summary after you have competed the case. b) Identification of the problem It is often said that a problem well defined is a problem half solved. This is certainly the situation when performing case analysis. The identification and clear presentation of the problem(s) or issue(s) facing the company is the most critical part of case analysis. Only a problem properly defined can be addressed. Although this is presented early in your case analysis, you cannot identify the problem until after the situation analysis has been completed. Often, the main issue will be clearly communicated in the case. Remember, that is only the case writer’s view or the view of management. It is your task, having completed the situation analysis, to decide if the issue is as stated. If there are several issues, you must prioritize and then address the most critical one first. At this point, you are only identifying, not solving the problem(s). Also, be careful that you are not identifying symptoms of the problem. Symptoms are observable manifestations or indications that a problem may be present. c) Situation Analysis (SWOT) This is an analysis of the current situation. An emphasis should be placed on â€Å"Analysis†. That means that you want to avoid simply repeating facts from the case. At this point, you are still exploring †¦ this is NOT the time to start making recommendations. Situation Analysis includes both internal and external factors. An internal analysis looks at strengths and weaknesses. Strengths are things that the company is really good at. Some examples of strengths that a company may have are: solid brand name, good reputation, strong management capabilities, unique product features, and the ability to produce at a low cost. Weaknesses are things that the company needs to work on. Some examples are: poor, undifferentiated brands, lack of marketing expertise, no money, limited product line, bad reputation. After looking inside the company, analyze the external environment – things happening outside the company’s control. When analyzing the environment, look briefly at things that affect the entire industry such as: the economy, competitors, social/cultural trends, demographic changes, politics, legal or regulatory issues and technology. Changes in the external environment present the company with either opportunities or threats. If you are not sure if the change is internal to the company or external in the environment, here are some hints: external includes changes with customers, competitors, laws, products, technology etc. Internal includes things that are ONLY happening within the firm (e. g. their own product, a change in management, acceptance of their brand, available funding for creating something new. ) If your case covers a lot of customer opinions/trends, or has a lot of competitive information, you should be including this in your opportunities or threats analysis. Opportunities are changes in the environment that offer the company opportunities. Examples are: higher gas prices present opportunities for companies building fuel efficient cars, today’s busy lifestyles create opportunities for certain services – such as drive through pharmacies. Usually the weakness of a competitor will be an opportunity. Threats are environmental changes that pose a threat or danger to the company. Examples are: changing consumer tastes mean that consumers are turning away from our product, technological changes which make our product obsolete, a new product brought into the market by a competitor that will attract our existing customers. Usually the strength of a competitor will be a threat. Finally, before completing this section, mention any other important points that have not been covered so far. d) Organizational Objectives Any marketing plan or solution that you put together has to meet the objectives of the organization – is it to reach a certain profit level, growth level, market share etc. Objectives should be specific, realistic, measurable and time specific. For example, poorly stated objective is â€Å"our objective is to maximize profits†. A well stated objective is: â€Å"our objective is to achieve a 10 percent return on investment in 2015, with a payback on new investment of no longer than four years†. If there is no mention of corporate objectives in the case, develop some sensible ones based on your analysis of the case. e) Analysis of Alternatives Here you will present several reasonable alternatives to solve the issues/problems identified. You may be creative here and add alternatives that were not mentioned in the case, if appropriate. First, give a brief description of the alternative. Then do a thorough analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of that alternative. A thorough analysis of all financial and quantitative information provided in the case is imperative to your conclusions. When assessing the advantages and disadvantages, consider the company’s objectives, the situation analysis and other relevant case data. For each alternative, come to a conclusion – either reject the alternative or consider it further. Each alternative needs to be sensible for solving your Key Issue(s). If you are considering a â€Å"silly† alternative just so you have one, don’t include it – it will distract from the quality of your case. You should consider at least three alternatives and at least two or three advantages and disadvantages for each alternative. Remember that even great ideas have at least some minor disadvantages. If you do not include advantages AND disadvantages for each alternative, you will appear to have not done your job thoroughly. f) Recommendation The alternative chosen is the one that stands up best in terms of solving the problem(s) identified, meeting the company’s objectives, providing the strongest probable financial performance and matching the internal and external environments. Briefly identify which alternative you select, along with an explanation of why. Add any other details needed to fully describe this alternative (if not thoroughly explained in the previous section). Do not introduce new ideas at this stage. The recommendation must first exist in the â€Å"Analysis of Alternatives† section and be fully evaluated. g) Implementation Plan Outline the specific steps to be taken to successfully implement your recommendation. Using timelines is helpful. For example: 1. Sales Manager to determine and gain approval for revised commission structure1 month 2. Sales Manager to meet with sales reps to explain new commission structure 1 week 3. HR to begin using new commission structure with next scheduled pay 1 day You may wish to break your implementation into short term versus long-term recommendations. Other questions to consider briefly may include: Who will be the critical players in carrying out the plan? What contingency plans need to be considered? When will the activities occur? 3. Things to Avoid Do not just repeat case information – analyze it. Avoid errors in your spelling and grammar – you will lose marks. Do not put too much detailed information in the body of your report. You may use appendices for this. Your report should flow smoothly. Assume a busy executive is reading it, and will stop reading if the report gets into too much detail. Use visuals (charts, graphs, spreadsheets, etc. ) to illustrate complex concepts. Do not waste time doing outside research. There is no need for you to gather any information beyond what is in the case, plus what has been covered in the course. Don’t get trapped into thinking the â€Å"answer† is hidden somewhere in the case text. There is never a single answer to a case just as there is never a single marketing strategy that is appropriate for all situations. Note: The absence of citing to reference ALL external sources of information constitutes plagiarism. Be sure that references are cited in text and are included in a Works Cited page (MLA style). Elements Executive Summary Identification of Problem Situation Analysis Organizational Objectives Alternatives Recommendation Financials Implementation Plan Sources