ELEMENTS OF ANALYSIS

1. Develop a detailed chronology of events – both major events and those that seem, on first reading, relatively minor. In doing so, pay careful attention to how certain you can be about each event. 2. Describe the key economic and policy issues and trends in the country(ies) where the firm is operating. 3. Describe the industry in which the firm is operating – perhaps including such information as competitors, new entrants, substitute products, suppliers, and the end-use and intermediary buyers. 4. Identify the relevant cast of characters (often called stakeholders) 5. Describe each stakeholder’s problems, goals and concerns. a. For each stakeholder, look for evidence that something has happened in the case that the stakeholder finds troublesome and seems to consider a problem. b. Identify the assumptions being made by each stakeholder, and any apparent biases of each stakeholder. c. Identify the goals (sometimes stated as explicit demands) of each stakeholder. d. Then, as best you can, identify the concerns underlying these demands. In other words, what does the behavior (words, actions) of the stakeholder suggest to you about why that person (or group) wants what he/she seems to want? 6. Evaluate the quantitative information that you have available in the case. a. Identify assumptions underlying the data. b. Examine consistency among units. c. Determine the quality of data, e.g. completeness, accuracy, possible biases, consistency among multiple sources. d. Use estimation to gauge whether the results “seem right.” e. Identify ways in which the data may oversimplify an issue or situation. f. Summarize the quantitative information. g. Be prepared to express the summary in a variety of forms: in words, in visual/graphical displays, in tables of numerical results, in analytical formulations. h. Look for patterns among the results that help you gain insight into the issues of the case. 7. Use theory, concepts, models, and research findings that you have been