Mini Case Report

1. Professional Title Page:  

2. Summary of Key Issues:  This section tells the reader which facts you consider to be important to your analysis (and by omission, which are not).  Summarize the issues relative to the appropriate marketing concepts and avoid simply restating the case itself.

3.  Product and Service Analysis – Chapter 8 provides a starting point for the analysis of the Dimensions of Product and Service Experiences and Key Product and Service Decisions.  Use the chapter and your additional research to provide foundational analysis of the case as it pertains to driverless trucks at Ford.

4.  Managing Ford’s Brand – Chapter 9 provides a considerable walk through the process of value creation as a function of brand strategy.  Using section headings drawn from the textbook, evaluate the aspects of brand management outlined in light of the both the Ford case and their incremental research. (Hint – This section should be considerably longer than the Product and Service section based on the amount of content in Chapter 9.)

5. Summary of Analysis:  DO NOT SUMMARIZE THE CASE – This section should be a summary of the key issues you identified in light of the analysis of products/services and strategic brand management.  It should build on your prior knowledge and previous coursework in a meaningful way. 

6. Identify key issues and conduct additional research (APA reference) to break down these issues based on prior research, company information, industry news, etc.  Key issues are not simply key facts of the case.  For example, the case states that Ford discontinued production of several sedans – a fact.  The key issue created by this is that they are now betting on a narrower portfolio. Analyze the issues identified in light of the appropriate concepts and models

7.  The final recommendation should be articulated in three sections:

     a)  Summary of the Case Analysis:  A concise review of the key issues and process 

     b)  Options and Alternatives:  What options were considered to address the issues (include associated pro’s and con’s)?  This should demonstrate depth of thought and make the arguments for and against each option.  Highlight how Chapter 8 and 9 concepts make an option more or less attractive.

     c)  Recommendation and Justification:  What specific actions are recommended?  What makes these steps optimal?