Bruce Lee

Guidelines for Analyzing

“You Decide

Case Studies

Many students initially find case analysis of management problems to be difficult and uncomfortable. This is due to the relative lack of structure of most problems found in management.   No correctly answered list of pre-questions or mechanical process will lead to the "right" answer.    In fact, there usually is no single, definitively "right" solution to most managerial problems.

When analyzing a You Decide case, remember that there are often many possible solutions. The goal is not to find the solution, but to examine the case and practice analyzing and solving real world problems from a health care management perspective.

Use of the following format may begin to guide your thinking.

Problem Identification:

Part of your analysis is to define the problem or problems (often there are multiple, interacting problems). Review any “ You Decide” case guide questions (if provided) for some conceptual direction, but do not seek merely to address these questions.

* Define the major problem or problems (not the symptoms in the case).

* Problems cause symptoms (e.g., stress causes the symptom of high blood pressure).

* Often, the symptoms are directly described in the case, whereas the problem(s) usually are not.

* If necessary, indicate how the problems are related to one another.

Situation Analysis:

Another part of the analysis is to explain the mechanisms that are causing the problem or problem

* What health care management theories are relevant to these problems?

* Use appropriate theories to show how the problem(s) identified in Problem Identification above cause the symptoms of ineffectiveness in the case.

* Be sure to present examples found in the case study that support your argument.

Solution: 

Solutions must be developed that are appropriate for the situation and for those who must implement them, so develop a structured plan of action.  Who is to do what, when,...