International Business Environment - a Brief Guideline on the Case Method, Analysis and Reporting

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT:

A BRIEF GUIDELINE ON THE CASE METHOD, ANALYSIS AND REPORTING

1.0 Introduction

This set of guidelines on case study analysis and reporting pertaining to the international business environment is offered to assist the student in undertaking the individual case study assignment required in the course. It is brief in nature and as such does not purport to cover every angle or aspect the student may require knowing. It is also offered, as will be explained later, to minimize the confusion that some students may experience in this course (especially those who are familiar with case analysis in other business courses such as marketing or strategic management, etc.).

The guidelines are organized as follows. In the next section we discuss (albeit briefly) what the case method generally entails followed by a discussion of the benefits and limitations of the case approach in the third section. The fourth section describes the case studies contained in the textbook for this course and how they may be approached. Section Five outlines the assignment’s deliverables and expectations followed in Section Six by a brief outline of the necessary steps in conducting a fruitful case analysis. Section Seven provides a suggested structure of the written case analysis report.

2.0 The Case Method: What is it?

In contrast to the lecture format (whereby students passively learn about concepts, theories and practices), the case method provides the student with a hands-on opportunity to use/apply concepts, theories and practices through the analysis of “real” life situations involving business conditions and management decision-making. In other words, the case method is an “applied” approach that facilitates a “learning by doing” experience as opposed to merely listening, reading, absorbing, memorizing, and regurgitating material covered in a course. As such, the case method has several benefits. Inarguably, it has its limitations/shortcomings too. We briefly look at some of the benefits and limitations below.

3.0 Benefits and Limitations of the Case Method

We have chosen in this course to combine the lecture format with the case analysis assignment because the case method has a number of benefits that may especially enhance the student’s comprehension of the contemporary environment of international business as well as strengthen the student’s analytical and communication skills. To be sure, there are limitations to this approach as well. Let’s begin with the benefits.

3.1 Benefits of the Case Method

Primarily, the case method/approach provides the student the opportunity to develop, hone/sharpen and test one’s skills at:

(a) Assessing