Case Studies Case Study Analysis Methods 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which analytical framework is most commonly used to evaluate the internal and external environment in a business case study?
- SWOT Analysis (Correct answer)
- Gantt Chart
- Fishbone Diagram
- Pareto Analysis
Correct answer: SWOT Analysis
SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) is the most widely used framework for assessing both internal and external factors in business case studies.
Question 2: In case study analysis, what does the acronym PESTLE stand for?
- Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, Environmental (Correct answer)
- Process, Evaluation, Strategy, Timeline, Logic, Execution
- Planning, Execution, Systems, Testing, Leverage, Efficiency
- Performance, Engagement, Scalability, Technology, Learning, Excellence
Correct answer: Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, Environmental
PESTLE stands for Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental — a macro-environment analysis tool used in case studies.
Question 3: What is the primary purpose of a root cause analysis (RCA) in a case study?
- To identify the fundamental reason a problem occurred (Correct answer)
- To calculate the financial impact of a decision
- To outline the company's competitive advantages
- To map out the organizational hierarchy
Correct answer: To identify the fundamental reason a problem occurred
Root cause analysis aims to find the fundamental underlying cause of a problem rather than addressing only its symptoms.
Question 4: Which case study analysis method involves asking 'Why?' five times to reach the root of a problem?
- The 5 Whys Technique (Correct answer)
- PDCA Cycle
- Six Sigma
- Force Field Analysis
Correct answer: The 5 Whys Technique
The 5 Whys Technique, developed by Sakichi Toyoda, involves iteratively asking 'Why?' to drill down to the root cause of a problem.
Question 5: When conducting a quantitative analysis in a case study, which of the following best describes a key step?
- Applying statistical methods to numerical data to identify patterns (Correct answer)
- Interviewing stakeholders to gather subjective opinions
- Drawing conclusions based on personal experience
- Listing possible solutions without ranking them
Correct answer: Applying statistical methods to numerical data to identify patterns
Quantitative analysis involves applying statistical methods to numerical data to identify measurable patterns and relationships.
Question 6: Which tool is used in case study analysis to visually map cause-and-effect relationships?
- Ishikawa (Fishbone) Diagram (Correct answer)
- SWOT Matrix
- Porter's Five Forces
- RACI Chart
Correct answer: Ishikawa (Fishbone) Diagram
The Ishikawa or Fishbone Diagram visually maps multiple causes contributing to a specific effect or problem in case study analysis.
Case Studies Case Study Analysis Methods 1
Which analytical framework is most commonly used to evaluate the internal and external environment in a business case study?