MKT 3410
CASE ANALYSIS FORMAT
AND
ORAL PRESENTATION GUIDELINES
|
"It is not
sufficient to know what one ought to say, but one must also know how to say
it." -
Aristotle |
The Case
Analysis Format outline shown below is a detailed version of the approach to
marketing case analysis. Although reasonably comprehensive, the guide can be
shortened, expanded, and/or adapted to meet your needs in various situations.
For example, if you are analyzing a business unit that does not utilize
channels of distribution, this section of the outline will require adjustment.
Likewise, if the sales force represents the major part of the marketing
program, then this section should probably be expanded to include other aspects
of sales force strategy.
The Case Analysis
Format is followed by an outline of possible details that you may want to
include in your case background/situation audit. Notice that the
situation audit incorporates the parts of a strategic marketing audit or
background. This should be expected, since the main purpose of the audit
(sometimes called a marketing audit) is to appraise the effectiveness of
strategic marketing operations.
This guide
is not intended to be a comprehensive checklist that can be applied in every
case situation. Rather it is illustrative of the broad range of issues and
questions that you will encounter in analyzing the various strategic decisions
presented in the cases. The key is to adapt the outline to the case, not the
case to the outline.
|
"With money in
your pocket, you are wise and you are handsome and you sing well, too." -Ancient Proverb |
CASE
ANALYSIS FORMAT
I.
Title page
· Include title, name, date, but no page number.
· Also, add something to gain interest, e.g., graphics, color,
font style, logo, picture of product/company, etc.
· This title page (or any part thereof) also can serve as a
first overhead or slide.
II.
Table of contents
· This page is typically numbered "i".
· It should list each major section and should at a minimum
include the table of contents, introduction, background, problem statement,
alternative evaluation, solution, implementation, update, conclusion,
references, and appendix.
· A corresponding page number should be given for each of the
sections.
III.
Introduction
· This section introduces the topic of the paper and gains the
readers interest.
· Page "1" starts on this page. Then, number the
rest of the document as appropriate. Type the page numbers. The page
number on the first page of the body of the paper is not listed.
· In an oral presentation, the introduction includes the
introduction of team members and their roles, agenda, introduction of the
company, rapport building or something to gain the audience's attention and
interest, and a statement regarding the appropriateness of questions.
IV.
Situation audit or background
· This is a basic description of the company's current situation.
· See the section "Possible Details You May Want to
Include in Your Situation Audit or Background".
· Culminates in a SWOT analysis and summary explanation of
overall SWOT analysis results. The SWOT analysis is always placed right before
the problem statement.
V.
Problem
·
The problem statement should flow
from your SWOT analysis, that is, how to fix a weakness (W) or a threat (T)
and/or how to create a competitive advantage out of a strength (S) or
opportunity (O). It should be short and specific.
·
Your oral presentation should have
an overhead or slide with the problem statement typed on it.
·
What are the symptoms that a problem
exists?
·
What are the major problems and
decisions that must be addressed? Remember, every weakness, opportunity,
and threat from the SWOT analysis needs to be considered here. Improving
a strength also is a possibility.
·
Are there secondary problems or
decisions?
·
What opportunities need to be
addressed?
VI.
Alternative identification and evaluation
· Now, how can the company solve that problem or take
advantage of that opportunity? What are the best 3-5 options available to the
company?
· What pros and cons exist for each option or alternative?
· What actions might provide viable solutions to the problem
or decision?
· Can some actions be combined?
· Can some actions be eliminated without further
consideration?
VII.
Solution
· Use the evaluation of alternatives as your basis for
deciding on a solution to the problem. For example, you could create a grid
comparing the 3-5 best alternatives. This would make a great overhead/slide,
too.
· The point is that you should be able to support or defend
your choice of a solution based on facts, i.e., criteria for evaluating the
alternatives. Be able to support your position and your thinking process in
choosing a solution.
· Describe the solution and your thinking process in detail.
· This section should receive much attention and creativity in
your written and oral presentations.
· What criteria should be used to evaluate the strategic options?
Any of the items listed in the situation audit may be relevant issues in
analyzing the alternatives.
· Analysis or how you arrived at your solution.
1. Examine each alternative under
consideration in terms of each of the critical issues.
2. What are the relative advantages of
each alternative in terms of each of the critical issues?
3. What are the relative disadvantages
of each alternative in terms of each of the critical issues?
· Detailed statement of the solution, i.e., what strategy or
strategies are to be employed?
|
"They who
are of the opinion that money will do everything, may very well be suspected
to do everything for money." - Sir George Savile |
VIII.
Implementation
·
In
order to implement that chosen solution, who needs to do what, when, where,
why, and how much? That is, time-related details.
·
What
priorities and contingency plans are necessary?
·
This
section should be emphasized in the case as a whole. Go into substantial
detail. Make assumptions and create some avenues of action.
·
What
specific actions, including the development of marketing or other plans should
be taken and why?
·
Who
should do what, when, where, and how much?
·
What
are the expected costs and returns associated with your recommendations?
·
What
contingencies may alter the attractiveness of your recommendations?
·
What
are the specifics of how to implement the solution? The tactical, time-related
details?
IX. Update
·
What
has happened to this company and/or product since the time the case was written?
·
Usually
you always can show the web pages.
·
What
more recent information is available in the library, from the company, possibly
from interviews, and from the Internet? Please use a combination of these
sources.
X. Conclusion
·
Summarize
the
·
Include
·
Ask
·
Thank
|
|
·
You
·
Make
·
At
·
Use
a
·
The
XII. Appendix
·
Have
·
These
·
At
the
|
"All things are admired
because they are new or because they are great." - Francis Bacon |
POSSIBLE
DETAILS YOU MAY WANT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR SITUATION AUDIT OR BACKGROUND
A.
Corporate
mission and objectives.
1. Does the mission
statement offer a clear guide to the product-markets of interest to the firm?
2. Have objectives been
established for the corporation?
3. Is information
available for the review of corporate progress toward objectives, and are the
reviews conducted on a regular (quarterly, monthly, etc.) basis?
4. Has corporate
strategy been successful in meeting objectives?
5. Are opportunities or
problems pending that may require altering marketing strategy?
6. What are the
responsibilities of the chief marketing executive in corporate strategic
planning?
B. Business unit
analysis.
1. What is the
composition of the business (business segments, strategic planning units, and
specific product-markets)?
2. Have business
strength and product-market attractiveness analyses been conducted for each
planning unit? What are the results of the analyses?
3. What is the corporate
strategy for each planning unit (e.g., growth, manage for cash, etc.)?
4. What objectives are
assigned to each planning unit?
5. Does each unit have a
strategic plan?
6. For each unit, what objectives
and responsibilities have been assigned to marketing?
C. Buyer analysis.
1. Are there niches
within the product-market? For each specific product-market and each niche of
interest to the firm, answer items 2-9.
2. Estimated annual
purchases (units and dollars).
3. Projected annual
growth rate (five years).
4. Number of
people/organizations in the product-market.
5. Demographic and
socioeconomic characteristics of customers.
6. Extent of geographic
concentration.
7. How do people decide
what to buy?
a) Reasons for buying,
i.e., what is the need/want?
b) What information is
needed (e.g., how to use the product)?
c) Important sources of
information.
d) What criteria are
used to evaluate the product?
e) Purchasing practices
(quantity, frequency, location, time, etc.).
8.
What
environmental factors should be monitored because of their influence on product
purchases (e.g., interest rates)?
9.
What
key competitors serve each end-user group?
D. Key competitor
analysis (for each specific product-market and each niche of interest to the firm).
1. Estimated overall
business strength.
2. Market share
(percent, rank).
3. Market share trend
(five years).
4. Financial strengths.
5. Profitability.
6. Management.
7. Technology position.
8. Other key non-marketing
strengths/limitations (e.g., production cost advantages).
9. Marketing strategy
(description and assessment of key strengths and limitations, i.e., how does
our marketing strategy create a differential competitive advantage).
a) Market target strategy.
b) Program positioning
strategy.
c) Product strategy.
d) Distribution
strategy.
e) Price strategy.
f) Promotion strategy.
E. Market target
strategy - target market(s).
1. Has each market
target been clearly defined and its importance to the firm established?
2. Have demand,
industry, and competition in each market target been analyzed and key trends,
opportunities, and threats identified?
3. Has the proper market
target strategy (mass, niche) been adopted?
4. Should repositioning
or exit from any product-market be considered?
F. Market target
strategy - positioning and marketing mix variables.
1. Program positioning
strategy.
2. Product strategy.
3. Distribution
strategy.
4. Price strategy.
5. Promotion strategy.
G. Market target
objectives.
1. Have objectives been established
for each market target, and are these consistent with planning-unit objectives
and the available resources? Are the objectives realistic?
2. Are sales figures and
other performance information available for monitoring the progress of planned
performance against actual results?
3. Are regular
appraisals made of marketing performance?
4. Where do gaps exist
between planned and actual results? What are the probable causes of the
performance gaps?
H. Marketing program
positioning strategy.
1. Does the firm have an
integrated positioning strategy made up of product, channel, price,
advertising, and sale force strategies? Is the role selected for each mix
element consistent with the overall program objectives, and does it properly
complement other mix elements?
2. Are adequate
resources available to carry out the marketing program? Are resources committed
to market targets according to the importance of each?
3. Are allocations to
the various marketing mix components too low, too high, or about right in terms
of what each is expected to accomplish?
4. Is the effectiveness
of the marketing program appraised on a regular basis?
I. Marketing program
activities.
1. Product strategy.
a) Is the product mix
geared to the needs that the firm wants to meet in each product-market?
b) What branding
strategy is being used?
c) Are products properly
positioned against competing brands?
d) Does the firm have a
sound approach to product planning and management, and is marketing involved in
product decisions?
e) Are additions to,
modifications of, or deletions from the product mix needed to make the firm
more competitive in the marketplace?
f) Is the performance of
each product evaluated on a regular basis?
2. Channels of
distribution strategy.
a) Has the firm selected
the type (conventional or vertically coordinated) and intensity of distribution
appropriate for each of its product-markets?
b) How well does each
channel access its market target? Is an effective channel configuration being
used?
c) Are channel
organizations carrying out their assigned functions properly?
d) How is the channel of
distribution being managed? What improvements are needed?
e) Are desired customer
service levels being reached, and are the costs of doing this acceptable?
3. Price strategy.
a) How responsive is
each market target to price variations?
b) What role and
objectives does price have in the marketing mix?
c) Should price play an
active or passive role in program positioning strategy?
d) How do the firm’s
price strategy and tactics compare to those of competition?
e) Is a logical approach
used to establish prices?
f) Are there indications
that changes may be needed in price strategy or tactics?
4. Advertising and sales
promotion strategies.
a) Have a role and
objectives been established for advertising and sales promotion in the
marketing mix?
b) Is the creative
strategy consistent with the positioning strategy that is being used?
c) Is the budget
adequate to carry out the objectives assigned to advertising and sales
promotion?
d) Do the media and
programming strategies represent the most cost-effective means of communicating
with market targets?
e) Do advertising copy
and content effectively communicate the intended messages?
f) How well does the
advertising program measure up in meeting its objectives?
5. Sales force strategy.
a) Are the role and
objectives of personal selling in the marketing program positioning strategy
clearly specified and understood by the sales organization?
b) Do the qualifications
of salespeople correspond to their assigned roles?
c) Is the sales force of
the proper size to carry out its function, and is it efficiently deployed?
d) Are sales force
results in line with management’s expectations?
e) Is each salesperson
assigned performance targets, and are incentives offered to reward performance?
f) Are compensation
levels and ranges competitive?
J. Marketing planning.
1. Strategic planning
and marketing.
a) Is marketing’s role
and responsibility in corporate strategic planning clearly specified?
b) Are responsibility
and authority for marketing strategy assigned to one executive?
c) How well is the
firms’ marketing strategy working?
d) Are changes likely to
occur in the corporate/marketing environment that may affect the firm’s
marketing strategy?
e) Are there major
contingencies that should be included in the strategic marketing plan?
2. Marketing planning and
organizational structure.
a) Are annual and
longer-range strategic marketing plans developed, and are they being used?
b) Are the
responsibilities of the various units in the marketing organization clearly
specified?
c) What are the
strengths and limitations of the key members of the marketing organization?
What is being done to develop people? What gaps in experience and capabilities
exist in the marketing staff?
d) Is the organizational
structure for marketing appropriate for implementing marketing plans?
K. Financial analysis.
1. Sales and cost
analyses and forecasts.
2. Profit contribution
and net profit analyses and projections.
3. Liquidity analyses.
4. Break-even analyses.
5. Return on investment.
6. Budget analyses.
7. Pro forma statements.
L. SWOT analysis
(strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats).
1. It is very important
and must be done!
2. Your oral
presentation should have an overhead or slide of the SWOT analysis.
M. Summary of the
situation.
1. Has the situation audit
revealed opportunities which enable the organization to gain a competitive
advantage based upon its distinctive competencies?
2. What are the major
opportunities available to the organization?
3. What are the major
threats facing the organization?
4. What are the
requirements for achieving success in selected product-markets?
5. What are the
organization’s and principle competitors’ distinctive competencies regarding
these requirements? Do these competencies match up well with a given
opportunity, or do strategic gaps exist that serve as barriers to pursuing the
opportunity?
6. What strategic gaps,
problems, and/or constraints exist?
7. Have the causes of
all performance gaps been identified?
8. Is implementation of
planned actions taking place as intended? Is implementation being hampered by
marketing or other functional areas of the firm (e.g., operations, finance)?
9. Has the strategic
audit revealed areas that require additional study before action is taken?
10. What time and
resources are required to pursue an opportunity or close a strategic gap
relative to competitors?
11. Do the organization’s
mission or objectives need to be redefined?
N. Opinions and
assumptions.
1. Are opinions or
assumptions provided by others? Are they reasonable given the source?
2. Is it necessary to
make assumptions about the organization’s objectives, competition, the
environment, or something else?
|
"Speech
is the voice of the heart." - Chinese proverb |
ORAL
PRESENTATION GUIDELINES
Before the
Presentation
1.
Keep
the proper perspective. This does not determine life or death. It also is not
some trivial thing to brush aside like junk mail.
2. PREPARE! PREPARE!
PREPARE!
3. Focus on the target
customers as well as on what to do with each of the 4 p’s (product, price,
promotion, and place) for these target customers. Use a format like the one
given in the Case Analysis Outline handout.
4. Prepare an outline.
-
Include
a cover page.
-
Include
a table of contents.
-
Number
the pages of the outline.
-
The
solution and the implementation sections should be the primary focus of the
outline.
-
Include
a list of references -- library and Internet.
-
Include
an appendix that at a minimum includes copies of the overheads used in the
presentation.
-
Integrate
the outline, i.e., it should not be noticeable when one member’s work ends and
another’s begins. Have one person or a team of two do a final edit on the
entire piece so that it has a unified format.
-
Add
some professional "extras" to distinguish your product.
5. Practice your
presentation with a friend or classmate. Ask for honest feedback.
6. Plan to arrive well
before class starts.
7. Set the stage.
-
Erase
the board, place the desk and podium appropriately, place members with or
without chairs, set up overhead or flip chart, posters, computer, video, etc.
8. Make sure you bring
all of your visuals, portfolio, etc. with you.
9. Mix presentation
modes.
-
Use
your creativity -- handouts, brochures, catalogs, PowerPoint slides, overheads,
product samples, flip chart, skits, ads, contests, quizzes, or whatever.
-
Know
how to use the equipment -- practice using it before class begins and try out
each slide to make sure it works properly.
10. Center or balance
your composure before you begin. Take a deep breath.
11. Try not to read your
presentation. Keep good eye contact. Use note cards. It is a more
professional look.
12. Remember it is okay
to occasionally say, "I’m sorry, I don’t know the answer to that question,
but I will find out and get back to you."
|
A kid in our
neighborhood has been making good money mowing lawns on Saturdays. When he
first went into business, he followed the old idea of the "early bird
gets the worm" and began calling on people at 8:00 a.m. For the
first few Saturdays, he didn’t get any business at all and by 10:00 a.m. he
would give up and go home. Then he made a discovery that brought him all the
business he could handle. "I quit going out so early," he said.
"Instead, I didn’t look for any business until about 11:00. Then I ran
into lots of men who were half through mowing their own lawns and they would
hire me to finish up for them." - Winston Pendleton |
General Oral Presentation Criteria
These oral
presentation criteria are included for your public speaking needs in general.
Introduction
·
Appropriate
dress, e.g., job interview
·
Carry
materials to the podium in a professional manner
·
Start
with an overhead/slide of the company name and/or logo (color and graphics are
nice extras)
·
Gain
attention and interest early on
·
Introduce
the topic clearly
·
Relate
the topic to the audience, that is, built rapport with audience (e.g.,
"Have you used the product?" "What is your experience with the
company?")
·
Establish
the speaker's credibility
·
Introduce
group members and their roles
·
Preview
the agenda
·
Include
an effective comment regarding audience questions during and/or after the
presentation
Body
·
Main
points clear
·
Main
points fully supported
·
Organization
well planned
·
Language
accurate
·
Language
clear
·
Language
appropriate
·
Connectives
effective
·
Background
sufficient
·
Clear
and concise problem statement
·
Alternatives
clear
·
Advantages
and disadvantages of alternatives are thorough
·
Thorough
statement of solution
·
Thorough
statement of implementation
·
Thorough
statement of update
Conclusion
·
Have
a planned conclusion
·
Prepare
the audience for the ending of the presentation
·
Reinforce
the central idea of the speech
·
Have
a vivid and memorable ending
·
Have
a professional question and answer portion of the presentation (all group
members should stand and participate)
|
"Get your
facts first, and then you can distort ‘em as much as you please." - Mark Twain |
|
Delivery
·
Get
centered before speaking
·
Wait
for the (collected) audience's attention
·
Begin
the speech without rushing
·
Maintain
strong eye contact being aware of cultural differences
·
Avoid
distracting mannerisms (chewing gum, uhs, oks, uhms, nervous habits, carrying
pen, over gesturing, anything that draws attention from the intended message)
·
Use
note cards and not 8 1/2" X 11" paper
·
Articulate
your words clearly
·
Use
pauses effectively
·
Use
vocal variety to add impact
·
Use
variety in visual aides to add impact
·
Present
audio/visual materials well
·
Be
energetic/enthusiastic and control it so that you last the entire presentation
·
Depart
from the lectern without rushing and in a professional manner
Overall Evaluation
·
Cover
the topic thoroughly
·
State
the specific purpose of the presentation well
·
Adapt
the message to audience
·
Complete
the speech within the time limit
·
Hold
the interest of audience
·
Each
speaker should be well prepared
·
Set-up
the room and presentation materials so that they contribute to the presentation
·
Use
the presentation equipment professionally – have a contingency plan in case the
equipment does not work properly