This is a case analysis. Your job will be to investigate the firm's problem(s) as they relate to Service Operations and prepare a written paper for each case. You need to justify your recommendations using four methods of analysis (SWOT, Service Quality/GAP Model, Servicescape/Location, NPV & ROI). The paper should not exceed 5 pages (with either 1.5 or 2 spacing), not including the Appendices Section.
Remember also the importance of incorporating outside research: 4-5 beyond text/case is adequate.
The format of the case analysis is as follows.
Executive Summary
This section should appear on a separate page at the beginning of the report. It should be limited to a maximum of 200 words and give a very brief summary of the background, the problem, the method of analysis and the recommendations. Please note that this summary must have all four of these elements.
Background
In this section, the context of the problem and the current situation is described from the case. Use this section to lead in to your Problem Statement. Only the essential details should be covered and this section should NOT be a synopsis of the case. This section should be limited to a maximum of 250 words.
Problem
A succinct statement of the problem/ dilemma/ issue should be stated here. Be careful to identify the real problem and not the symptoms of the problem.
Analysis
This is the most important section of the report. A clear, step-by-step description of how the data in the case was analyzed should be given. Apply operational models, course content, and outside research to support your position; logically discuss options, implications and tradeoffs. If the case contains numbers, then use them! Technical terms should be kept to a minimum as the focus is on producing a document that can be understood by management. Details of calculations and the technical details of the analysis should be appended to the report (usually in the form of Excel spreadsheets). Summary tables and graphs may be used within this section to illustrate the important results of the analysis. It is important to cite any references in the text to support your analysis.
Conclusions and Recommendations
In this section, the recommended solution to the problem or resolution of the dilemma should be presented. The reason for the recommendation should be justified and the implications of the solution articulated. Be sure that your recommendations are related to the stated problem and avoid going off at tangents.