Case-metodikk

1. Case-metodikk Gründerskolen 3/3-2007 Erling Maartmann-Moe

2. Harvard-case • The case method forms the foundation of learning at Harvard Business School. It is a method that challenges students by bringing them as close as possible to the business situations of the real world. • Harvard Business School Publishing makes these teaching materials available to improve and enhance business education around the world.

3. Mål med case-basert undervisning 1. Case analysis requires students to practice important managerial skills--diagnosing, making decisions, observing, listening, and persuading--while preparing for a case discussion. 2. Cases require students to relate analysis and action, to develop realistic and concrete actions despite the complexity and partial knowledge characterizing the situation being studied. 3. Students must confront the intractability of reality--complete with absence of needed information, an imbalance between needs and available resources, and conflicts among competing objectives. 4. Students develop a general managerial point of view--where responsibility is sensitive to action in a diverse environmental context. C.C. Lundberg and C. Enz, 1993, A framework for student case preperation, Case Research Journal 13 (summer): 134.

4. Step 1:Gaining Familiarity a. In general--determine who, what, how, where and when (the critical facts in a case). b. In detail--identify the places, persons, activities, and contexts of the situation. c. Recognize the degree of certainty/uncertainty of acquired information. 

5. Step 2: Recognizing Symptoms a. List all indicators (including stated "problems") that something is not as expected or as desired b. Ensure that symptoms are not assumed to be the problem (symptoms should lead to identification of the problem). 

6. Step 3Identifying goals a. Identify critical statements by major parties (e.g., people, groups, the work unit, etc.). b. List all goals of the major parties that exist or can be reasonably inferred.

7.  Step 4Conducting the Analysis a. Decide which ideas, models, and theories seem useful. b. Apply these conceptual tools to the situation. c. As new information is revealed, cycle back to substeps a and b.

8.  Step 5Making the Diagnosis • Identify predicaments (goal inconsistencies). • Identify problems (descrepancies between goals and performance). c. Prioritize predicaments/problems regarding timing, importance, etc. 

9. Step 6Doing the Action Planning a. Specify and prioritize the criteria used to choose action alternatives. b. Discover or invent feasible action alternatives c. Examine the probable consequences of action alternatives. d. Select a course of action. e. Design an implementation plan/schedule. f. Create a plan for assessing the action to be implemented.

10. Dagens case: NanoGene Technologies Inc. • Describes a company during the start-up phase and focuses on the founders' decisions around splitting the equity and compensation and about establishing policies and practices that will set the tone for the company as it grows. • How equity and compensation should be split among the founding team and follow-on employees • Design of compensation and hiring practices for the young firm • Deciding what the corporate culture should be and how to institutionalize it • Whether to hire a senior-level employee--the first nonfounder employee--at a salary higher than, and equity allocation similar to, the founders.

11. Spørsmål til diskusjon • 1) Bør NanoGene akseptere tilbudet fra Venture-firmaet med de kravene det stiller til endringer i grunderteamet og fordeling av aksjer dem imellom? • 2) Bør NanoGene ansette Paige Miller? • 3) Er det på tide å endre personalpolitikken i firmaet og klarere skille ut en gruppe av nøkkelpersoner som honoreres på en annen måte?