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Chapter Summaries - Chapter 12

Since few students will have the chance to practise their strategic marketing skills on a real organisation, case studies provide a valuable opportunity to test what you have learnt in a realistic marketing situation. Case study analysis can be tackled using a problem-solving approach. This begins with the careful formulation of the underlying problem, moves on to the generation and evaluation of alternative solutions and concludes with the selection of a preferred solution. The underlying problem must be differentiated from the symptoms that are used to diagnose it. Similar symptoms (such as loss of market share or unprofitable sales) can be the result of different underlying problems. The concepts and models of strategic marketing can be used to assist at all stages of the case analysis process. Case study presentations and reports provide the opportunity to practise important management communications skills. Whatever the medium of communication used, there must be a clear link from the problem diagnosed to the analysis that is conducted, and conclusions must be demonstrably based on evidence and analysis.