The Paul Brentlinger Entrepreneurial Case Writing Program

The Paul Brentlinger Entrepreneurial Case Writing Program

Introduction

In the classroom, students discuss and analyze specific dynamics of an entrepreneurial company's growth, management, or marketplace positioning in the form of a case study. Full-time and part-time MBAs and BBAs may receive independent study credit or compensation from the Institute for researching, developing, and writing the case with the supporting teaching notes. On average, program participants commit about 100 hours over three months to write a case, which is roughly equivalent to a 1.5 credit class workload. Potential cases may be based on student internships, faculty business relationships, Wolverine Venture Fund investments, or other learning opportunities.

Students who elect to write a case through this program can expect:

· To expend the same effort that is required of a 1.5 credit class;

· To formally review the case, and its accompanying teaching notes, at several points through the development process with faculty and/or staff; and

· To work with the subject organization to garner support for the case and secure permission to publicly disseminate information.

The Institute will pay for all reasonable expenses (with prior approval and as incurred) necessary to research and write the case. In addition, the student author will have the choice of receiving:

· 1.5 academic credits, which will be processed when case is completed or

· $3,000 of direct compensation payable when case is completed.

The Case Writing Process and Outline

Phase One: Getting Started

1 Case Origin / Lead – Ideas for entrepreneurial cases can come from several sources including: student internships, EMAP projects, Zell Lurie relationships, and RSB faculty.

2 Data Collection - Collect all publicly available data about the company. Identify potential decision points for the case. Develop a list of questions in relation to the potential decision points including a list of necessary data regarding each decision. It is appropriate, but not necessary, to provide the company with a copy of the questions prior to the interview.

3 Initial Contact / Appointment – Student meets with company to explore proposed decision points. This meeting should last no longer than 2 hours. Case summary notes should be written immediately following this first interview.

4 Case Focus Choices – Develop protagonist’s story line (good cases tell a story about someone making a decision). Identify specific decision point(s) within case.

5 Develop Case Outline – consisting of:

a) Presentation of Problem / Decision / Timing

b) Background Information on Product / Company

c) Data and discussion surrounding Problem / Decision

i) Competition

ii) Industry Issues

iii) Financials

iv) Etc…

d) Decision point

i) Determine goals & direction

ii) Outline of alternatives

e) Barriers to reaching decisions

6 Submit case outline to advisor. Once approved present to the company representative and request they sign the Provisional Release. The Provisional Release serves to ensure that the company, faculty advisor, and student agree on the general direction of the case. In addition, the Release provides an opportunity for the company to ask for specific information to be omitted or disguised.

Phase Two: Building the case

7 Second Round of Data Collection – First check public sources for the answers; make a list for the company of additional questions and other necessary data you would like them to provide for you. The list should be specific and relevant to the decision point.

8 Follow-up and additional interviews

9 Rough Draft

10 Preliminary Teaching Note

11 Advisor review

Phase Three: Revisions and Finalization

12 Case Revisions: This is the last step with intensive student participation.

13 Teaching Note

14 Class Test

15 Professional editing

Phase Four: Distribution

16 The Institute supports faculty members at RSB and other schools teaching case material. The Institute also plans to develop a web based case library.

Teaching Note

All cases completed through this program must include a teaching note. At the very least, the Teaching Note requires

1 A statement of teaching objectives

2 Suggested student assignment questions

3 Answers to the student assignment questions

4 Known information that was left out of the case for instructional purposes

5 If known, the result of the decision

Case Categories

The following is a listing of the types of cases encouraged through the Case Writing program. If a proposal topic is not on the list below, contact the Institute before completing the application.

· Finance: Fundraising (VC / PE, Angel, Mezzanine), Acquisitions, Liquidation

· General Management & Ethics: Business Plans, Business Models, Business Strategy, Competitive Advantage, Ethics

· Intrepreneurship: Corporate Entrepreneurship, Corporate Innovation, Corporate VC

· Marketing: Market Choice, Market Selection, Direct Distribution, Indirect Distribution, Business Development Partnerships, Sales Team Building, Sales Team Management

· Operations Management: Research & Development, Supply Chain, Virtual Plants

· Organizational Behavior, Human Resources & Leadership: CEO/Upper Management Selection, Management Team Building, Managing Growth, Resizing Workforce, Board of Directors Selection, Founders

· Service Management: Customer Relations, Customer Service, Service Organizations

· Social Enterprise: Community Relations, Non-profit, Sustainability

· Turnaround Management: Opportunity Identification, Cost Dynamics, Human Issues, Marketing Dynamics, Acquisition for Turnaround

Case Summary Notes

At the conclusion of the initial interview students should be able to answer the following questions.

· Contributing Organization: ______

· What was the issue / decision / challenge / action?

· Who was the decision maker or focal person (name and position)?

· Why did it happen (i.e. action triggers)?

· When and where did the decision take place?

· Time available to make decision or recommendations?

· What type of information was known/available at the time of the decision?

· What type of information was unknown/unavailable?

· What was considered (quantitative, qualitative)?

· Alternatives reviewed (if any)?

· What happened (if available)?

Resources

Writing Cases, Michiel R. Leenders, Louis A. Mauffette-Leenders, James A. Erskine,

Ivey Publishing

Richard Ivey School of Business

The University of Western Ontario

Phone (+1) 519-661-3205

Web Site: www.ivey.uwo.com/cases

Questions may be directed to:

Paul Kirsch

701 Tappan Avenue

Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1234

(734) 615-4422