Business Case Studies by Topic

What does ‘External environment’ cover?

Case studies in this area look at the external influences that businesses must respond to in order to maintain competitive edge.

Topics covered include:

• Explaining the different phases of the business cycle (downturn, bust, recovery, boom) and how a company needs to respond to each in order to remain viable
• Showing how a business needs to anticipate external factors - Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, Legal (PEST/SLEPT/PESTEL analysis) and the manage the effects on the business
• Considering the factors regarding competition (consumer knowledge, control of prices, number of rival products, ease of access to the market
• Looking at how a business demonstrates its business ethics, Corporate Responsibility and values regarding the wider community and society
• Exploring the factors affecting globalisation, e.g. technological change, deregulation of business, changing consumer demand, emerging markets, and the effects these have on a business

What does ‘Finance’ cover?

Finance case studies cover the strategic approach to finance (e.g. setting financial objectives) as well as tools for analysing financial data in the business.

Key topics include:

• Sources of finance - for business start-up as well as growing a business
• Financial records and how to use them - e.g. balance sheets, profit and loss accounts
• Setting and monitoring budgets as well as interpreting and analysing accounts
• Looking at methods of evaluating the viability of the business, e.g. ratio analysis, gearing
• Understanding the importance of cash flow to the business
• Using investment appraisal tools to help decide if investment is justified and what outcomes it might deliver (e.g. break-even, annual rate of return, discounted cash flow, net present value)

What does ‘Marketing’ cover?

Marketing case studies explain the purpose of the marketing function and the process of marketing planning.

Case study topics covered include:

• The role of market research in analysing customer requirements
• SWOT analysis to map strengths, take advantage of opportunities or counter threats
• Setting marketing objectives - product- versus market-orientation
• Achieving balance in the marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion) to help achieve competitive advantage
• Which marketing strategies (Ansoff's matrix - market penetration, market development, product development, diversification) should a business choose to fit different needs
• The strategies for marketing products at different stages of the product lifecycle.

What does ‘Operations’ cover?

Operational topics include what organisational structures and methods of production are available to companies and how these are relevant to manufacturing and service industries.

Other case study topics covered include:

• The types and functions of the primary, secondary, tertiary sectors of industry within the economy.
• How companies determine where they site their businesses to meet production requirements or customer demand
• Which method of production (batch, job, flow) is relevant to different types of product/industry
• Looking at lean production and efficiency with a view to reducing waste, improving productivity and saving costs
• The role of quality assurance and the difference between this and quality management
• The different approaches to managing quality and efficiency (e.g. Continuous Improvement, Just-in-time, Total Quality Management). How empowerment and team-working are essential to delivering this in the organisation
• Managing stock efficiently to contribute to efficiency
• How research and development is central to innovation.

What does ‘People’ cover?

Human Resources Management within an organisation ranges from understanding what human resources (numbers, skills etc) are needed to acquiring and retaining those resources.

Case studies cover:

• Identifying which organisational structure will best deliver an organisation's objectives (hierarchy, flat, matrix) and the benefits/constraints of each
• The process of evaluating the current and future human resource needs both in terms of numbers of people and skills and competencies (workforce planning)
• What functions managers and leaders carry out and the difference between them, as well as how the varying leadership styles are applicable in different circumstances
• The range of processes organisations use (internal and external) to attract the most appropriate candidates (recruitment and selection), including use of job descriptions and person specifications
• The role of training (specific skills for a job) and development (improving an individual's potential for growth) in an organisation, looking at types of training (on- and off-the-job), coaching, mentoring, secondments, and use of appraisals as a means of identifying skills gaps and measuring performance
• The work of motivational theorists (Herzberg, Maslow, Mayo, Taylor) and how their findings apply in the workplace in different circumstances
• Understanding the strength of team working as a tool in an organisation and the different roles team members may have (Belbin)
• Exploring the range of job roles and the typical responsibilities associated with each (operative, supervisor and senior manager)
• The process of communication (sender, receiver, message, method of transmission) as well as the potential barriers (noise)
• The requirements of employment legislation to an organisation, such as health and safety, minimum wage (fair pay), equal opportunities (ensuring no discrimination on grounds of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, age etc)
• The role of trade unions in the workplace, e.g. negotiation, collective bargaining, providing employee representation, as part of employee/employer relations

What does ‘Strategy’ cover?

Case studies focusing on this part of the curriculum illustrate what having a mission, vision, aims and objectives means to a business and how a company decides on the strategies and tactics that will deliver its aims and objectives.

Other core aspects of strategy include:

• Managing change
• Decision making
• Growing the business
• Managing stakeholder relationships