Developing the Business Case Study

Why would a business develop a case study? There could be numerous reasons, but one of the most popular is to help with sales.

For example, imagine a small software company that sells a product that streamlines the human resources departments of small companies. They want to find better ways to increase sales of their human resources computer program.

So, they decide to develop a case study. The company develops the study hoping that it will prove that businesses that use their program save more money than businesses that do not use their program.

To do this study, they will most likely hire an outside company to do the research and develop the study. It will also require companies that are currently using the product to agree to be in the study. Or, the company will have to give away their product in return for the business agreeing to be in the study.

If the study proves that the HR program saves businesses money, the case study will have been proven successful, and well worth the cost of developing it. If the case study proves the opposite, than it will be a sign to the company that it needs to work on the product and make improvements.

Developing a business case study is basically the same as developing any type of case study, and will follow the same steps.

What is the background of the case study? Why does the business world need this case study? Also, how much will the case study cost?

What is the problem that needs a solution? What is the situation, and what are the risks? This is the key part of the business case study. These studies exist to show other businesses how to better manage their companies, and how to be more successful.

What questions are required to analyze the problem? What questions might the reader of the study have? What questions might colleagues have? To proceed with the study the researcher must have a list of questions that could be answered through the process of the study.

What tools are required to analyze the problem? Is data analysis necessary? Will the study require quantitative analysis or qualitative analysis, or both?

What is your current knowledge about the problem or situation? How much background information do you need to procure? How will you obtain this background info? This will vary depending on the writer's relationship with the company. Some companies do their own internal case studies, while some outsource it to outside research companies.

What other information do you need to know to successfully complete the study? Will interviews be necessary? Will it be necessary for the researcher to observe the subjects?

This step is particularly important if the developer of the case study does not work for the company being studied. For example, a business student might want to do a case study on how to increase retention of employees. Obtaining data for this type of study could be challenging if the student doesn't have access to the company's information and resources.

How do you plan to present the report? Will it be a simple written report, or will you add PowerPoint presentations, or images, or videos? When is the report due? Are you giving yourself enough time to complete the project? How will the report be distributed?

Writing the Business Case Study

As with regular case studies, business case studies follow a particular format. However, there are addition steps you can take to make the study more interesting to the business reader. Here are the steps you should take when writing up your business case study:

1. The Title - The title should be short and to the point. You want the title to be compelling and focus on the most important accomplishment.

For example, which of the following titles do you think is most effective?

Examining the Effect of the Internet on Women's Clothing Catalogue Sales.

Or

What happens when a company that sells women's clothing via a catalogue starts to lose money, and how to find ways to turn that around.

The first title is obviously much better. The title doesn't need to tell a story. It just has to clearly explain what the study is about.

2. The Executive Summary - The executive summary is a short paragraph of about two to four sentences that sums up the entire case study. You will want to accompany the summary with bullet points that demonstrate successes or failings.

3. About - The about section should introduce the reader to the company or business, as well as the key people involved with the organization. Write a paragraph about each key person, including their background, and why they are needed or relevant to the study.

4. Challenges - This section should be about a page long, and should clearly detail all the challenges faced by the business. This could be about declining sales, employee retention, or any of many other business issues.

5. Solutions - This section should be about a page long, and should clearly detail all solutions found during the case study. Each solution should be listed, as well as how that solution was discovered. The solutions don't all have to be successful. In fact, just as much can be learned from unsuccessful solutions as successful ones.

6. Results - This section should be about a page long, and should clearly lay out the results of the study. This is where you prove to the reader that you had a problem and found a solution to it.

7. Visuals or Supporting Documents - This section should include any relevant images, charts, or graphs that will help the reader better understand the goals of the case study. However, do not overuse images.

8. Conclusion - The conclusion should be about a paragraph or two, and should cleanly wrap up the case study. The reader should finish the study understanding the problem posed, and the solution offered.

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