CASE STUDY

A case study is a description of a problem situation requiring solution. Usually in case

studies the reader takes the place of the manager whose responsibility is to make
decisions to help solve the problem. The situation mentioned in the case study
requires a decision to be made and a solution to be proposed.

Case studies require the student to display two skills:

 Applying theories to real situations.

 Generating solutions to real problems

Case study evaluates student’s ability to assess a problem and its ability to argue and
make decisions. This is a technique to understand a candidates’ ability to appreciate
and analyse the organizational and other problems.

During the examination case studies have a list of questions you must answer.
Depending upon the nature of the question, you may have to shape the format of your
answer, which could be

 Short answers, and

 Essay or long answers

Short Answers:

Short answers tend to require answers that are a sentence or paragraph long. They
mainly focus on knowledge and understanding of terms and concepts of the subject.
Short answers should be presented as below:

i) Divide the question into parts if needed;

ii) Underline the topic words (what you are to write about?);
iii) Circle the key words related to the task assigned under the question.

For example:

King Kong visited your village to demand for handing over a young woman who live
there. If denied King Kong is going to destroy your village and all. Is it a good idea to
give the young woman to the King Kong in order to save all?

i) Divide the question if needed:

 King Kong demanding for the custody of an innocent woman and as a trade-off
threatening to kill the rest of the villagers.
 Whether to follow the principle of larger good or to follow the principle of sanctity of
every human life.

ii) Underline the key words:

 King Kong visited your village to demand for handing over a young woman who live
there. If denied Kong is going to destroy your village and kill all. Is it a good idea to
give the young woman to the King Kong in order to save all?

iii) Highlight (Circle/underline) the task words:

Is it a good idea to give the young woman to the King Kong in order to save all?

A good short answer in an examination specifically answers the question in the

first sentence. The rest of the paragraph is used to explain you answer.

Long Answer/Essay type answer:

The aim of essay answers is to know the student’s ability to synthesise information
and organise your thoughts on paper. The structure of the answer generally includes
an introduction, body and conclusion in much the same manner as an assignment. In
the same way as for short answer, first analyse the question so you are clear about
exactly what it is asking:

 Divide the question into parts if needed

 Underline the topics words (what you are to write)
 Circle the task words (How you are to write)

Notwithstanding the question format, there are three processes involved in

successfully answering a case study during an exam, namely:

 Identification of issues and problems

 Solutions
 Recommendations

Case study should have a problem for the readers to solve. The case carries enough
information in it that the student should understand what the problem is and, after
thinking about it and analysing the information the student should be able to come up
with a proposed solution. Writing an impressive case study answer is a bit like
writing a detective story.

However, in brief the following aspects will help you to know what to look for
when, you are answering a case study:
1. If it is a long case, read the first few paragraphs and the skim through the rest, following
the heading and checking what information is available, like the appendixes, tables,
figures etc.
2. Then look at all the questions that you need to answer and try to figure out what kind
of information you need to answer them.
3. Now read through the cases carefully, underlining or highlighting key facts and players.
4. Identify the important issues in the case. Ask yourself what the problem in this case
is.
5. Always remember that when you answer the questions as set out in the case. You
should try and relate it back to theory. So apply the theory in the context of the case
study.
6. Do not ignore the case and only give the theory. The lecturer expects you to apply the
theory in the context of the specific case.
7. When answering a case study, keep the following in mind.
 Back your opinion on the case with facts from the case study.
 Formulate your argument clearly and logically.
 Illustrate your argument with specific examples.
 Use as few words as possible to get your message across.
 Write clearly.

Try writing the answer of the case study questions using the points listed
above.