Assessment Individual case analysis (Graded)

This individual assignment will consist of the development of a comprehensive written case analysis, for which the expectation is that you (1) identify all important strategic issues, (2) perform whatever analysis and evaluation is appropriate, and (3) propose an overall action plan and set of specific recommendations addressing the issues you have identified. In going through the exercise of “Identify-Evaluate-Recommend,” please follow the advice in the handout A Guide to Case Analysis (posted on the course website) as closely as possible. Thus, your case analysis should consist of at least the following three sections:

1. Identification of Strategic Issues and Problems 

2. Analysis and Evaluation 

3. Recommendations 

The three sections of your report should be numbered and presented separately. Please use the headings above (and other subheadings whenever appropriate). In addition to these three main sections, please include an (unnumbered) Introduction and Conclusion.

Use the comprehensive case analysis to demonstrate your in-depth understanding of the various strategy tools introduced in the course. At the same time, though, do not try to apply all of the tools. Instead, only apply those tools that you consider key to ‘solving’ the specific strategy case you have been assigned.  Each case in the Grant textbook focuses on a different set of issues and problems. It is your task to figure out what they are and how to solve them, using any (some of the) material learned this semester in this course.  For a HD mark, individual research may be required.  By individual research we mean high-quality articles in the strategy literature that help you address the issues and problems.

Valuing Facebook

Case 3 in Grant’s Contemporary Strategy Analysis

The case outlines the debate over the value of Facebook in the weeks prior to Facebook’s IPO on May 15, 2012. The focus of the case is on how strategic analysis of Facebook can provide a foundation for determining, or assessing, how much Facebook is worth.  The key question that the case poses is: Given an IPO price of $34-$38, is Facebook a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” or is it “muppet bait”?  (Please do not assume that investors knew how the stock price of Facebook would change between 2012 and now.  They didn’t and couldn’t know!  So, you cannot use a simple stock chart of Facebook from 2012 to 2015 to answer this question. Instead, you need to use this case to demonstrate your reasoning skills about assessing strategy, corporate performance, and firm value at a given point in time—without knowledge of the future.)

Based on the case and your own research, how would you describe and analyse Facebook’s strategy and its implementation?   To answer this broad question, perform a comprehensive written case analysis, for which the expectation is that you (1) identify all important strategic issues that the company needs to address, (2) perform a detailed analysis and evaluation, and (3) propose an overall action plan and set of specific recommendations addressing the issues you have identified.

Here are the question for the Facebook case study.

 In going through the exercise of “Identify-Evaluate-Recommend,” please follow the advice (pp. 8-10) in the Guide to Case Analysis (which is linked on the Learn Online course website).  Thus, your case analysis should consist of the following three sections:

1. Identification of Strategic Issues and Problems
2. Analysis and Evaluation
3. Recommendations

The three major sections of your report should be numbered and presented separately. Please use the headings above (and any other subheadings, if necessary or appropriate).  In addition to these three main sections, please include an (unnumbered) Introduction and Conclusion.  The Introduction should not summaries the case, but instead preview the main conclusions and structure of your analysis.  The Conclusion should present general, creative, and insightful take-away lessons that may be applicable to other companies that may—or may not—be in the same industry as Facebook.

The ideal process for preparing your submission will probably look as follows:

• Read the Facebook case in the latest edition of Grant’s textbook.
• Read the Guide to Case Analysis (pp. 8-10) PDF that is linked in the Assignments folder on the Learn Online website.

• Review all course material and try to figure out what tools, theories, or concepts from BUSS are most relevant to this case. Be selective. Each case in Grant has its own unique focus.
• Read the chapter(s) in Grant that you deem most useful for completing the three sections listed above and answering the key question.
• Also think about material from other business courses that may apply and should therefore be referenced in your capstone case analysis. In this context, note that the case presents many numbers and formulas; use them in your analysis.
• Perhaps you can (on your own) identify other research that may be relevant to this case analysis. Because the case is quite short you may have to conduct a bit of additional web research.  There is no minimum or maximum number of sources to draw on; instead, please use your own best judgment about how many references are needed to support your case analysis.  Ask your tutor any questions you may have about the case or the assignment instructions.
• Read the Facebook case again.
• Develop a detailed outline of your paper (going beyond the three main sections mentioned above).
• Following the instructions in this document, write your paper.

Case scores will be based on the grading rubric tabulated in the Feedback Form for this assignment.  (This Feedback Form is available on the course website.)  Your overall mark in the case analysis will be the average of your scores in each of the assessment categories on the Feedback Form. The general criteria for each score (in each category of the Feedback Form) are defined as follows:

Support your discussion and arguments with reference to the class material introduced in the course and the facts mentioned in the case.  To accomplish the latter, you will, at least occasionally, have to cite the page (number) on which you found specific case evidence supporting your analysis.  In addition, you should reference evidence and argumentative support, whenever appropriate, from the course material, your own research, and prior business courses.  (Please note that this class is a capstone course!)  Your report may also include various charts, tables, or exhibits to support your analysis and recommendations.  Keep in mind that some of your charts, tables, or exhibits may replace narrative text and make your paper more concise and therefore better.  More guidance on length and exhibits can be found in the following reading posted on the course website: A Guide to Case Analysis.

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