DEVELOPING AND WRITING EFFECTIVE CASES ON ENTREPRENEURIAL ISSUES

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DEVELOPING AND WRITING EFFECTIVE CASES ON
ENTREPRENEURIAL ISSUES

• Based on Dr. Alan L. CarsrudThe FIU Center for
  Global Entrepreneurship Innovation

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By writing a Case

• YOU SHOULD LEARN MORE ABOUT THE UNIQUE ISSUES
  FACING ENTREPRENEURIAL FIRMS AND TO APPLY THE
  RESEARCH READINGS IN A MORE PRAGMATIC MANNER.

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KEY QUESTIONS TO ASK

• What is the situational context of the case?
• Who are the principal players?
• What are the pertinent facts to put in case?
• What facts to put in exhibits?
• What concepts to apply?
• What is hard about this case?

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KEYS TO BUILDING AN ENTREPRENEURIAL BUSINESS CASE

• Cases help the reader understand key concepts
  through self-discovery.
• There is no permanent right answer for any
  entrepreneurial case.
• Good case development means setting up the
  situation so interesting questions can be asked.

• A goal is to help the reader to ask penetrating
  questions.
• A case should help the reader
• learn different courses of action,
• find a better decision,
• discover a better way to solve a situation.

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REALITY ABOUT CASES

• Business Cases are often messy and confusing.
• Entrepreneurial Business Cases are even more
  messy just like entrepreneurs themselves at
  times.
• Firm problems are rarely found in neatly wrapped
  packages

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THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN WRITING A CASE.

• They are not just histories, but build in
  historic fashion.
• They are a selection of facts and inferences that
  present a situation.
• They should allow the reader to step into the
  situation/opportunity being faced by someone.
• They are a microcosm of life.

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KEYS TO CREATING THE SITUATION

• Situations should require some form of action.
• There should be a range of possible actions
  available.
• Situations should require applying a range of
  different skills.

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WRITING THE CASE

• Put yourself in the shoes of the protagonist.
• Pick a limited set of foci for the situation or
  opportunity.
• Research current literature.
• Outline the situation to create a logical flow of
  case facts.

• Communicate the action of the case in a engaging
  manner.
• Assess facts, dont overload with irrelevant
  material.
• Organize materials, such biographical sketches of
  players.
• Be creative within the realm of reality.

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HINTS AT WRITING

• Have a section on situational context.
• Context section can be either at the front or the
  back of the case.
• Use headings to help organize the case.
• Have strong lead off sentences to sections.

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DONT

• Make this a case analysis.
• Make your personally obvious solution obvious.
• Make this an academic research paper.
• Make the players unbelievable.

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REMEMBER WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS DEVELOP A
VICARIOUS EXPERIENCE FOR THE READER SO THAT THE
READER CAN LEARN FROM THE SITUATION AND RELATE TO
A PLAYER (OR PLAYERS) IN THE CASE.
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CONDITIONS FOR CASE WRITING

• Collect significant and relevant information
  about the firm, the concept, and the entrepreneur
  before you start writing.

• Anticipate what questions you think a reader
  might ask.
• Pick a key focus or problem for the case.

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Basic Case Styles

• Highly Structured Cases.
• Short Vignettes.
• Long Unstructured Cases.
• Ground Breaking Cases.

• Highly Structured Cases.
• Short
• No excess information
• Problem well-ordered and stated.
• Best solution exists.
• Can apply known tools or models
• Data for solution available.

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Basic Case Styles

• Short Vignettes.
• Introduces a key concepts.
• Little excess information presented.
• Length one to ten pages.
• Best answer is not derived from formula.
• Usually a short teaching vehicle

• Long Unstructured Cases.
• Ten to fifty pages with several exhibits.
• Writer reflects the reality of a situation by
  providing nearly all needed information about
  situation.
• Existence of qualitative factors does not permit
  solution.

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Basic Case Styles

• Long Unstructured Cases.
• Underlying problems and/or opportunities are
  unclear.
• Covers terrain where knowledge exists or there
  are preferred practices.
• Forces students to read outside readings (key to
  teaching note).

• Ground Breaking Cases.
• Written for advanced MBA and doctoral students.
• Students and instructor engaged in joint
  exploration
• Little existing or prior knowledge on which to
  base systematic research.
• You are extending knowledge base.

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HINTS AT EXHIBITS

• Put in exhibits common to most cases such as
• financial statements
• organizational diagrams, etc.
• Exhibits unique or specific to the
  entrepreneurial business case.
• Put something uncommon or surprising in the
  exhibits.

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Writing a Teaching Note

• Directed to faculty not students.
• Concepts in case should tie to the existing
  research literature where ever possible (full
  citation).
• Where should this case be presented in a
  curriculum?
• What is obvious focus of this case?

• What are the hidden issues in the case?
• What kind of graduate business skills should the
  reader apply to case?
• Suggested questions to cover in case.

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HAVE FUN IN WRITING YOUR CASE TEACHING NOTE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONSIDERING YOUR CASE FOR THE
OUR ENTREPRENEURIAL CASE SERIES.