A Business Case Study: Tips on Writing and Formatting

Business case studies are intended for training programs, universities, schools, and colleges. There is a particular method of teaching: the case method. Most often, case studies are written by educators or business consultants. However, sometimes, students need to write a case study as a part of their assignment. For example, a case study may be a final part of a group project. Sometimes, case studies written by students are used in class discussions or as a teaching tool. Experts from Writers-House company wrote this article to help you learn everything you need to know about case studies.

How to Write a Business Case Study

First, you should take into account the type of your audience. For example, your case study may be aimed to help your readers analyze a certain situation and to lead them to certain conclusions. If you have no experience writing case studies, you may wonder how to organize your writing properly. Thus, let’s consider the format of a business case study.

Structure and Format

All the case studies are unique, however, they also have something in common. For instance, every case study should have a title that includes the name of the company and provides some crucial information on the case scenario. The title should be no longer than 10 words.

A case study must also have clear learning objectives. It may focus on providing knowledge, teaching some skills, or helping readers develop some abilities. In other words, the audience of a case study should learn new information or be able to do something after reading it.

Most often, case studies are written as a story. There is a certain protagonist and an important goal or decision. However, a study should include not only a narrative but also the necessary background information on the situation and people involved. The main goal of a business case study is to help readers make a logical assumption and an informed decision about the case.

The Protagonist

A case study should have a protagonist who makes a certain decision. It allows readers to understand a certain perspective and the role of the protagonist. For example, a protagonist may be a branding manager who needs to come up with a new strategy for a product. When writing a business case study, make sure that your protagonist can engage the reader.

The Situation (Narrative)

First of all, the narrative of your business case study should introduce the protagonist, their responsibilities, and the situation they are facing. You should also provide information which is crucial for the protagonist to make a decision. Explain any details associated with the decision and address any biases that your protagonist has.

You should also provide the necessary background information on the company and its business model. Mention competitors and common challenges associated with the industry. After this, describe challenges faced by the protagonist, along with the consequences of their decision. Add any documents, such as financial statements, that may help your readers make their own decision.

The Deciding Point

The conclusion of the case study should be directly related to the main problem or question. The problem must be solved by the protagonist, and the question must be answered. Most often, the question can be answered in many ways, which for discussing the case question in class.