3816 ESIC: Sample Case Study

Sample Case Study

IMPORTANT! This case study is for reference purposes only. IT IS NOT AN ASSIGNMENT.

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Given Situation:

Tanya, 28, has worked at a small advertising company for six years as a sales associate. However, her firm has recently gone out of business and she has re-entered the job market. To upgrade her skills, Tanya has enrolled at the University of Toronto SCS program in Internet Business and Technology. Tanya is not quite sure what she wants to do when she is finished, but is considering starting some sort of Internet-related business. Tanya is unmarried and has a mortgage. She paid for the course from her savings, and works a part-time job to pay the bills.

Analysis of Initial Situation:

Positives (Assets)

Tanya has six years of practical business experience, specifically in sales.
Tanya still has many years ahead of her to establish herself in any industry.
Four to six more points like this

Negatives (Liabilities)

Tanya lacks diversity of experience, not having had the ability to expand beyond a sales role.
Tanya does not have much technical background beyond her SCS training.
Four to six more points like this

Recommended Goal and Course of Action:

Goal

Tanya realizes that she is in a unique position to create business bridging the gap between Internet technology and her previous field, advertising. Her goal is to create a successful small business serving Internet-related needs of advertising companies.

Course of Action to Attain Goal

Tanya will evaluate her Internet skills, and possibly upgrade them in a few areas.
After finishing the U of T course, she will she will continue to work her part-time job - to help make ends meet - for as long as is necessary.
Working through her contacts in the advertising field, Tanya will work contract consulting jobs providing Internet services to advertising businesses.
Tanya will keep her eyes open for unique opportunities to establish niche-value mass-marketable products, ideally "scaling up" her operations when she has found a particularly good one.

Possible Repercussions of Taking Action vs. Not Taking Action

Assumption: "Not taking the recommended action" means that:

Tanya attempts to find another sales job in the advertising business.

Possible Positive Repercussions of Taking Recommended Action Morale boost: Tanya is "taking charge" of her life and realizing her dreams Builds a successful business based on her unique insight that no one can duplicate Four to six more points like this	Possible Negative Repercussions of Taking Recommended Action Disillusionment if business goes sour Waste of time, money, and opportunity Four to six more points like this

Possible Positive Repercussions of NOT Taking Recommended Action Spared the blow of having her business fail Can devote time and energy to a new career Four to six more points like this	Possible Negative Repercussions of NOT Taking Recommended Action Morale loss: never gave her dreams a shot Her new job may not last, or she may do no better in a new career than she would have in a business Four to six more points like this