Guidelines
for Analyzing Cases and Preparing Memos
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| Over the course of the semester we will analyze a series of short cases
called critical thinking exercises and somewhat longer, more complicated
cases called case analysis assignments. The objective of these
assignments is to help develop your critical thinking abilities and
improve your ability to communicate. Case analysis can also aid in
the development of other management skills. Cases
help heighten your interest and awareness of the issues confronting
managers in the public and nonprofit sector. They also allow you to
practice diagnosing management problems and to develop your ability to
respond to these situations. This helps to sensitize you to some of
the more obvious issues and traps involved in managerial problem-solving. |
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| Since case analysis essentially is
self-learning through simulated experience, its success depends on the
lively interchange of information, ideas, and opinions brought out in
class discussion. Therefore, the case approach places the
responsibility for learning on the student. Accordingly, you must
read each case carefully and come to class prepared to describe the
principal actors, their motivations and know the key events and their
causes or effects. You should also be able to provide your critique
of the case. This involves identify the key issues or problems,
identifying alternative courses of actions, and providing a recommended
course of action for avoiding the identified problems. You must also
be able to describe how the case relates to the material covered in the
readings and class discussions and be able to answer the questions at the
end of the chapter. |
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Preparing a Memo
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| Memos are a standard form of communication
in many public and nonprofit organizations. Memos are often used to
help decisionmakers: 1) understand the
critical issues requiring their attention; 2) recognize what are
available; 3) what a staff recommendation is; and, 4) what the basis or
support for your recommendation is. |
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| It helps
if you follow a fairly fixed pattern when preparing memos. For
example, it is often useful to summarize the main issues and recommended
course of action in the first paragraph rather than making the reader wait
until the end of the memo (it isn't a mystery novel). A useful
structure (subject, of course, to variation and adaptation when
appropriate) for these memo assignments: |
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 | State the issue/problem as clearly as possible:
Trying to state the issue or problem as a one-sentence statement is a
useful habit to get into. When necessary, this can be followed
by a brief explanation or clarification (no more than a paragraph or
two). If more than one issue is presented, use bullets to
summarize and then explain in more detail in subsequent paragraphs.
If extensive background is required, you would use an attachment; |
| Major issues that must be addressed or solved:
Many times significant issues will be implicit rather than explicit
and are linked to larger policy and management issues. Part of
your task is to point out the significance of the larger issues. |
| Identify relevant alternative courses of action:
There are always at least two options (taking no action is always an
alternative). Limit the number of options but be sure to cover
the full range of choices; |
| Evaluate the alternatives:
Be sure to critique the relative strengths and weaknesses of the
options and make a balanced presentation to the decisionmaker
(remember that he/she may prefer an alternative course of action);
and, |
| Recommend a specific course of action:
Be sure to clearly state the recommended course of actions and the
consequences you expect to flow from the selected course of action. |
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| Remember
that the point of analyzing cases is to draw out the pertinent issues,
some of which will be implicit rather than explicit, and link them to
broader management and/or policy issues. It does not mean
that you simply rehash the facts of the case or summarize what has
occurred. That will get you a poor grade on these assignments.
Instead, you are asked to analyze a situation and present your
recommendation for a specific course of action. You should then use
the facts and examples from the case or other readings to support
your analysis and conclusions. It is also important that you are
specific when analyzing issues and presenting your recommendations such
that they are communicated effectively. |
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| Your case memos will be evaluated based on your analysis
of the case, the organization of your ideas, your ability to properly
apply the theories and concepts discussed in class and the quality of your
writing (e.g., spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.). Your goal is
to write as clearly, concisely, and directly as possible. Elegance
of style, while desirable, is a secondary consideration. Short
declarative sentences convey ideas well; convoluted grammar confuses
things and often leads to misunderstandings. Remember that you are
trying to convey your ideas to people who have infinite demands on their
time. A simple, direct style economizes on time. |
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Format
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| Length is
also a critical matter, particularly if your memos is addressed to top
agency officials. If greater length is required, it should take the
form of an attached analytical paper with a short cover memo summarizing
its contents. For this class, your memos shall not exceed 2 single-spaced typed pages with 1 inch margins and 12 point font.
If it is longer, I will only read the first two pages and it will be
graded accordingly. |
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| Your memos are also expected to be professional in
nature. Thus, they should utilize a standard professional format.
A sample
memo can be downloaded from the course web site and most word
processing programs have templates that can be used. Any format is
acceptable provided that is businesslike and prepared in a professional
manner. |
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Preparing for Class Discussion
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| You should read the case carefully and come
to class prepared to discuss the following types of questions: |
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| Who are the key actors? What are the key
events? Is the sequence or timing of events critical to the
case? |
| What are the main
management problems or issues that are central to the case - Remember
to be specific |
| What solutions or
alternative courses of action were available to the actors? |
| Analyze the
relative strengths and weaknesses of the alternative courses of action |
| Suggest a course of
action to respond to the problem or specify what course of action you
would have followed if placed in a similar situation |
| How do the theories and concepts discussed in the
readings apply to this case? |
| What implications or lessons does the case reveal for
managers of public and nonprofit organizations? |
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| Students are reminded that failure to
actively participate in case discussions will adversely affect your class
participation grade. |
