Case Study

Sample Case Study

 Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.
(This document is referenced from Case Study Design.)

Here is a sample of a case study report. Evaluation included focus on the program's process, outcomes and facilitation. The following case study was used to convey the funder, a holistic depiction of the experience and outcomes from the program. "Jack" is a fictional name in this sample.

"Jack"
Jack is a chief executive of an organization with a small budget and staff. Jack's overall goal in his circle was to communicate with other executives about projects and challenges they face, including brainstorming solutions together. He mentioned numerous challenges that he faced in running his organization, some of which needed specific, technical information to address.

In the first meeting, he mentioned other issues that he wanted to address. In comparison to other members in his circle, he had the most issues. He also wanted help managing his time more effectively and he wanted to improve the effectiveness of his board. He stated, "They don't even know what we're about. They just sit there when we meet." And he wanted to improve his understanding of his role as a chief executive. He asked, "How do I know what I can ask the board to do?" "What is my role with them?" In another area, he said he wanted some ideas about how to expand his organization's revenue.

In the first meeting, members asked him many questions, mostly to obtain additional information about his issues. Jack responded that his most pressing project was time management. Another member responded, "I'd challenge you on that," and asked Jack if he would have more time if he got more support from his board. Jack laughed and answered, "I suppose so." Other group members concurred. From his first meeting, he took away actions including listing and ranking his issues, scheduling a time management course, and identifying a course that would provide an overview of the chief executive's role. One member asked him to also list and rank his issues for the next meeting.

In the second meeting, Jack produced the following list: improving his understanding of the chief executive and board roles, developing/energizing the board, and conducting strategic planning with the board that would include expanding the revenue in his organization. Other group members agreed with Jack's list.

In discussion in the second meeting, Jack acknowledged that he was doing more as an chief executive than is usually expected from that role. He also realized that he was overloaded because he got little or no support from his board. He indicated that he did not feel confident, though, approaching his board members for more support. As a result of other circle members' support and coaching, he resolved to approach the board -- and a month later, he had. He and the board members committed to complete board training. He arranged training to include strong focus on strategic planning, which included expanding revenue. To further build rapport, he elected to have lunch with one board member a month, including giving them a tour of the organization.

Jack noted on his evaluation questionnaire: "[The process had!!] just the right amount of structure. The conversation is pretty free-flowing, but there's enough attention paid to time so that everyone gets a fair chance." His top reported outcomes were in the categories of access to a network, professional development, and effectiveness. "[The program provided me!!] an opportunity to meet other chief executives and hear about projects that they faced and how they handled those projects." He stated, "The program has restored some order to my job," and "A lot has happened with my job."

http://managementhelp.org/evaluatn/smplcase.htm