How to Write a Case Study Analysis

A strong case study analysis identifies the real problem, evaluates root causes with structured frameworks, compares alternatives against criteria, and recommends an action plan with evidence-backed justification. Use clear sections—executive Summary, Problem, Analysis, Alternatives, Recommendation, Implementation—to deliver insight, not summary, and present data, citations, and formatting consistently.

Table of contents

• Understanding what a case study analysis really is

• The step-by-step process (from brief to delivery)

• Choosing the right frameworks (and when)

• A worked example and fill-in template

• Formatting, style, and quality checks

Understanding what a case study analysis really is

The goal isn’t to retell the case; it’s to diagnose, decide, and defend. A case study gives you a scenario with incomplete information, competing incentives, and constraints. Your task is to interrogate the facts, prioritize the issues, and build a persuasive recommendation that the decision-maker could implement on Monday morning.

What “good” looks like:

• It isolates a core decision problem (not just symptoms) and states it crisply—who must decide what, by when, and why it matters.

• It explains root causes using analytical lenses (e.g., market forces, internal capabilities, financials) and shows how those causes create the current performance gap.

• It develops viable alternatives, weighs them against explicit criteria, and quantifies trade-offs.

• It ends with a practical plan—milestones, resources, risks, and metrics—so stakeholders know exactly what to do next.

Typical sections: Executive Summary; Problem Statement; Situation Analysis; Alternatives & Evaluation; Recommendation; Implementation & Risk; Conclusion. You can adjust names to match your course or instructor, but keep the logic: problem → analysis → options → choice → plan.

Evidence over opinion: Even when you’re “only” given case facts, you can extract numbers (growth rates, margins, capacity), turn qualitative clues into assumptions, and triangulate. When you use outside research, document it consistently in the required style (APA/Harvard) and be clear where assumptions begin.

The step-by-step process (from brief to delivery)

Step 1 — Read for decision, not detail. Skim the case once to find the central decision point, key players, and timing. On your second pass, annotate facts by theme—market, customers, operations, finance, people—so you can later stitch them into causal chains.

Step 2 — Articulate the problem statement. Write one sentence answering: Who must decide what, by when, and based on which objective? Avoid “we need more revenue.” Instead: “The CEO must choose whether to enter Segment B in Q3 to restore 10% YoY growth without exceeding the current capital budget.” This anchors your analysis to an outcome.

Step 3 — Map constraints and success criteria. Constraints might include budget ceilings, regulatory rules, capacity, or brand positioning. Criteria reflect what “good” means—profitability threshold, strategic fit, risk, speed to impact. Defining them early avoids biased recommendations.

Step 4 — Build the situation analysis. Convert scattered facts into structure. Organize internal factors (resources, costs, processes, culture) and external factors (industry forces, customer trends, regulation). Quantify wherever possible: sizes, costs, conversion, utilization, retention, unit economics. If numbers are missing, create transparent assumptions you can test for sensitivity.

Step 5 — Select the right frameworks. Use frameworks as thinking tools, not checklists. The best mix depends on the case (see the table below). Don’t drown the reader in models; pick two or three that reveal cause-and-effect and guide the choice.

Step 6 — Generate alternatives. You need at least two mutually exclusive courses of action that plausibly solve the problem (e.g., expand product line vs. raise price). Describe each alternative clearly enough to estimate impact and resource needs.

Step 7 — Evaluate with criteria. Score each option against your criteria and quantify value where possible—NPV, payback, operating margin, churn reduction, capacity increase. If data are uncertain, run low/base/high scenarios and explain which variable drives the outcome most.

Step 8 — Make the recommendation. Choose one alternative (or a staged hybrid) and explain why it wins in plain language. Address the key objection directly—cost, risk, timing—and show the evidence you weighed. Tie back to the problem statement.

Step 9 — Implementation plan. Outline the first 90–180 days: milestones, owners, resources, and metrics. Anticipate risks and add mitigations. Show what to stop, start, and continue.

Step 10 — Executive summary last. Write it after you finish, then place it first. In 150–200 words, state the problem, recommended action, expected impact, and top risks. Keep it skimmable for decision-makers.

Choosing the right frameworks (and when)

Frameworks help you structure ambiguity. Use them surgically to uncover causes and compare options.

SWOT highlights internal strengths/weaknesses and external opportunities/threats. It’s best for a concise synthesis after deeper analysis, not as the analysis itself. Pair with numbers—e.g., “Strength: 55% gross margin from proprietary process.”

PESTLE forces you to scan Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental shifts. Use it when the case spans countries or regulations or when macro trends drive demand (e.g., AI adoption, sustainability rules). Keep it focused on what alters your decision.

Porter’s Five Forces helps quantify industry attractiveness—rivalry, new entrants, substitutes, buyer, and supplier power. It’s powerful when the case is about pricing, entry, or capacity. Ground each force with specific facts (switching costs, concentration, differentiation).

Customer/Jobs-to-be-Done reframes decisions around user outcomes rather than product features. It is useful for product, marketing, or service cases. Evidence includes segments, use occasions, and desired outcomes.

The value chain and cost breakdown explain where value is created and captured. Use them for operations and margin cases. Map steps, costs, bottlenecks, and leverage points. Attach rough math to each stage.

A simple decision matrix can then translate insights into a recommendation by scoring alternatives against your criteria (profit, strategic fit, risk, speed). The matrix is not the decision, but it makes trade-offs transparent.

Quick framework chooser (table)

A worked example and fill-in template

Mini-case: “FreshBite,” a mid-market meal-kit brand, faces a plateau: revenue is flat, CAC is rising, churn is at 7% monthly, and a new competitor bundles rapid delivery. The CEO must decide whether to launch a budget line, double down on premium, or expand into corporate lunches within two quarters to restore 10% YoY growth without increasing capital expenditure.

Problem statement: Decide which growth path in Q3–Q4 achieves ≥10% YoY growth within current CapEx limits while protecting brand equity.

Situation analysis (condensed):

• Market: Growth slowing; customers more price-sensitive. Substitutes include grocery kits and ready-to-eat.

• Unit economics: Gross margin 48%; CAC has climbed 20% due to paid social saturation; premium customers exhibit 2× LTV vs. budget segment.

• Operations: Packaging line near capacity during weekends; weekday capacity underutilized.

• Brand: Strong NPS among health-conscious segment; perceived as trustworthy, not cheapest.

Alternatives:

1. Budget line with smaller portions and fewer SKUs.

2. Premium plus—chef collaborations and functional nutrition add-ons.

3. Corporate lunches—B2B packs delivered to offices on weekdays.

Evaluation against criteria:

• Profit impact: Budget line grows volume but compresses margin; premium yields higher ARPU; B2B taps weekday capacity.

• Strategic fit: Budget risks diluting brand; premium deepens positioning; B2B shifts to new buyer (office managers) but leverages operations.

• Risk: Budget triggers price war; premium depends on chef partnerships; B2B requires sales motion but low CapEx.

Recommendation: Stage a B2B corporate-lunch pilot in two cities to exploit weekday slack, then roll out nationally if retention >85% quarterly. In parallel, launch a premium add-on bundle to lift ARPU among existing subscribers. Defer the budget line.

Implementation outline (first 120 days):

• Pilot build (Weeks 1–4): finalize menu, packaging, and corporate ordering portal; reassign weekday labor; define SLAs.

• Sales motion (Weeks 3–8): SDR outreach to 200 local offices; offer trial discounts; collect feedback on delivery windows.

• Metrics (Weeks 4–16): B2B CAC, order frequency, gross margin per pack, churn; premium bundle attach rate; operations utilization by day.

• Risks & mitigations: Delivery timing conflicts → offer delivery windows; demand concentration → diversify client sizes; food waste → pre-order cutoffs.

Fill-in template you can reuse

Executive Summary (150–200 words):
State the problem, your chosen alternative, expected impact, the two most material drivers, and the first milestone.

Problem Statement (1–2 sentences):
Who must decide what, by when, and to achieve which measurable objective?

Situation Analysis (2–4 paragraphs):

• Internal factors (resources, costs, capabilities).

• External factors (market size, trends, competitors, regulation).

• Key assumptions you’ll test.

Alternatives (1–3 paragraphs each):
Describe the option, the mechanism of value creation, resource needs, and main risks.

Evaluation (2–3 paragraphs):
Define criteria and compare options. Include directional math (e.g., unit economics, NPV drivers). Address sensitivity—what variable flips your decision?

Recommendation (2–3 paragraphs):
Choose one path (or staged hybrid), explain why it wins, and match it to objectives and constraints.

Implementation (bulleted milestones encouraged but brief):
Owners, timing, metrics, and risk plan.

Conclusion (short):
Reiterate the decision and what success will look like in measurable terms.

Helpful writing cues: Open each section with a one-line takeaway; use signposting (“therefore,” “however,” “as a result”) to show logic; and keep data closest to the claim it supports.

Case study analysis template (print-friendly table)

Formatting, style, and quality checks

Keep the reader’s attention: Use short paragraphs and active voice. Start with the end in mind—what decision needs to be taken—and avoid repeating case facts unless they support a claim.

Tone and clarity: Write as a decision advisor. Replace vague adjectives with quantifiable statements. Instead of “large market,” say “$1.2B market growing 6% annually.”

Numbers that matter: In strategy cases, include at least one of these: contribution margin per unit, customer lifetime value, payback period, capacity utilization, or break-even point. Show how your recommendation improves one or two of them measurably.

Visuals sparingly: One table or a compact chart can clarify trade-offs without overwhelming the reader. Label axes and units if you include charts. Use visuals to support, not to decorate.

Citation and formatting consistency: Follow the style guide you’ve been assigned (APA or Harvard) for in-text citations, reference lists, headings, and figures. Standardize capitalization (e.g., sentence case for headings unless specified) and ensure numbering is consistent if you use subheadings.

Editing routine before submission:

• Structure pass: Does every section answer a question the decision-maker cares about?

• Logic pass: Are assumptions explicit? Does evidence directly support each claim?

• Language pass: Remove filler, hedge words, and passive constructions where they hide accountability.

• Data pass: Recalculate any totals you cite; ensure units are consistent.

• Format pass: Page numbers, headings, spacing, tables, and exhibits should be uniform.

Grading perspective: Instructors and managers look for clarity of problem definition, rigor of analysis, a defendable and coherent recommendation, and feasibility of the plan. You are on the right track if your analysis tells a story with tension (trade-offs) and resolution (a choice).

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