Lesson No.

5
THE STRATMAN COMPREHENSIVE
CASE FORMAT

Prof. Edgar M. Tichepco

I. TIME CONTEXT
This identifies the time period
when the problem of the
company needs to be solved.
This is important because the
solution of the problem must be
compatible with the time context
of the case.
When time period is not
mentioned, it is assumed that the
problem needs to be solved at
the present time.
II. VIEWPOINT
This section identifies whose point
of view a person or group is
taking when solving the case.
Different points of view might
result to different ways of
analyzing and solving the case.
Format shall be name and job
title of the person whose
viewpoint the group is taking.
Make sure to always take top
management viewpoint.
III. V-M-V STATEMENT
This section identifies the
organization’s vision, mission
and values based on the facts of
the case.
Most of the time, the company’s
V-M-V is not explicitly stated in
the case. The group must
formulate its own V-M-V for the
company based on case facts.
IV. CURRENT
OPERATIONAL PLANS
All relevant business policies in
all aspects of business
operations are enumerated.
The operational plans must fall
under: Management, Marketing,
Operations, Finance, and Human
Resources.
This identifies only those in the
case facts. No evaluation is
required; you must simply base
on what you have read.
V. STATEMENT OF THE
PROBLEM
This section identifies the basic
root problem of the case.
It must be written in interrogative
form.
Concentrate on the higher-order
thinking questions.
There must be one and only one
basic root problem.
VI. STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES
This answers the question:
“What do you want the company
to achieve upon solving the
case?”
These must be written in
infinitive form and classified as
Long-Term and Short-Term.
Use SMART objectives.
 VII. SWOT ANALYSIS
 This section analyzes the Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities and
Threats of the business based on the
case facts.
 It is advised that this be presented in a
quadrant.
VIII. ALTERNATIVE COURSES
OF ACTION
This enumerates the possible
solutions to the problem.
There must be at least 3
alternatives.
They must be equally desirable.
IX. ANALYSIS OF
ALTERNATIVES
This includes an enumeration of
the advantages and
disadvantages of the different
alternatives that will form as a
basis for making the final
decision.
X. DECISION CRITERIA
The alternatives are weighed
using the criteria identified by
the decision maker.
There must be at least 3 criteria
that are relevant to the decisions
that will be made.
The alternatives are given ranks
or points depending on each of
the different criteria identified.
Examples of decision criteria
 Costs (amount of resources to be
spent; 10 being the cheapest)
 Risks (possibility of failure; 20
being the least risky)
 Ease of implementation (degree of
effort needed; 15 being the easiest)
Examples of decision criteria
 Benefits (the benefits that will be
realized; 30 being the most
beneficial)
 Time (the time it will take to
complete the task; 25 being the
fastest to complete)
 CRITERIA ACA 1 ACA 2 ACA 3

Costs (10) 8 7 7

Risks (20) 10 15 17

Ease (15) 15 12 13

Benefits (30) 27 30 25

Time (25) 20 25 23

TOTAL 80 89 85
XI. DECISION STATEMENT
This section states the final
decision of the group.
There must be one and only one
final choice.
This must explain what
alternative was chosen, why it
was chosen, and why not the
others?
XII. IMPLEMENTATION PLANS
This section discusses the plans
of the group on how to put the
decision into action. They must
start with verbs or action words.
This must be classified as Long-
Term (Strategies) and Short-
Term (Tactics) and must be
written in enumeration format.
Use specific and meaningful
actions. Avoid plans like conduct
meetings, hire consultants, etc.
XIII. PROPOSED OPERATIONAL
PLANS
 This contains the company’s
proposed operational plans that will
support the strategies and tactics.
 The format shall be the same as
that in Section IV. However, this
time, the group already outlines its
original plans that will help solve the
problem.
XIV. OTHER PROBLEMS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
 This contains other problems of the
company that need to be solved as well
as the proposed solutions to each and
every problem.
 It is presented in columnar form – 2
columns labeled as Other Problems and
Recommendations
XV. BUSINESS LESSONS LEARNED
 This synthesizes the business
lessons learned by the student
about the case-at-hand.
 The student must enumerate at
least three (3) business lessons
learned. No need to explain.
 END OF
Lesson No. 5
The Stratman
Comprehensive Case Format