Summary

Last week we looked at why you should write a business case. This week we look at the first steps in the process: we find a firm that will participate and we plan our case. Next week we'll talk about writing a training note for the case.

Please check-in to the discussion group and give us your ideas and suggestions on business case writing. Or ask a question. There's no charge , you know :-)

Important: these notes are based in part on a "Business Case Development Manual" produced for the ITC by Dr Michael Mayo of Kent State University. You can get a copy of Dr Mayo's manual from the ITC by emailing and ask her to post you a copy.

Menu:

• Case objectives and prospecting
• The case plan and release forms
• Start writing your case
• The release letter

Case objectives and prospecting

Probably, most of you want to produce a case that can be used to help business people who participate in your network to 'get' the point about some htmlect of the world trading system or the WTO.

For example,

• You might want to help them understand what the WTO is really saying about Anti-dumping investigations (that they're potentially a protectionist racket and have to be conducted in accordance with strict procedures).
• You might want to show the networks that services trade really is big business and that services trade liberalization can deliver lower costs for most manufacturing or resource industries
• You might want to show them how to use the 'enquiry points' for technical barriers in export markets before they begin work on a new product - to get better information on compulsory standards
• You might want to discuss the strategies of a company that succeeded, with the help of the trade ministry, in fighting off a reclassification of its product in the tariff schedules of an export market

There could be a dozen objectives. But you need to choose one main purpose, or you might confuse yourself as well as your readers.

Once your objective(s) are set, you need to identify some firms that are facing, or perhaps resolved business problems of interest. The firms have to be willing to share information and to be identified in the case itself.

This is important: you are going to be telling a story about real people. Only a real example will hold the interest that you want to get across to your readers.

How do you find the firms you are looking for_ Well, I can't tell you that. You'll have to look around you: ask people. Talk to network members and tell them what you are doing. Maybe they'll have some suggestions. If you're trying to write a business case about a topic that's important in your country, chances are you won't have much difficulty finding firms that have the experience you're looking for.

So... First step: get out there and ask around!

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The case plan and release forms

Suppose you've found a company that has had the experience you are looking for. You need to make an appointment to talk with an appropriate manager (or the owner) and outline your objectives, as well as the information that you will need from the firm in order to write-up the case.

The information you'll need could comprise

• interviews with managers
• copies of annual reports
• copies of market research reports
• (possibly) interviews with customers

Usually, interviews are the most important part: firms can get nervous if you ask for too many documents!

Its a good idea to develop a timetable for your research that shows the steps you will take and the amount of time that you'll be asking from the firm e.g. in interviews, responding to questions, finding documents etc. Show this to the management to reassure them that this won't demand a lot of their own time.

Try to think of incentives for the firm to participate in the study: for example to demonstrate their successful management. Or perhaps to get a better idea for themselves of what went wrong. Or maybe because the management would like to participate more fully in the Network. If you can think of an incentive for the firm's participation they're more likely to agree to go ahead.

Then, after you've explained what the case will be about and how you'll use it (discussion in the network) ask if the management will agree to allow you to write the case and to distribute it to network members. Show them your release form (see below) and ask for confirmation that they'll sign it when you've finished writing the case. Try to make sure that there will be no surprises later.

Make sure, too, that the firm nominates a manager who will be your point of contact in the firm. If possible, this should be the person who will sign the release form. TIP: Keep your contact and the person who will sign the release - if not your contact - informed of your progress while writing the case. That way they'll be more likely to be positive about release.

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Writing up your case

OK! We're ready to start writing... at last!

How do you write a story_ Easy! You start at the begining and you end at the end. Anyone could have told you that (Aristotle, for example).

STOP.... No!, no, no! That's how you read a story. But that's not how you write one.

Here are six steps to writing a good story:

[1] Decide how long the story will be and try very hard to stick to that length. Most people will be reluctant to read more than two or three pages. So that's all you can afford to write. If you are the sort of person that likes to plan your story first with an outline, that's good.

[2] Write down the most important piece of information in your story, as briefly as possible.

For example

Djamila could not understand why preliminary anti-dumping duties were being imposed on exports of her company's plastic sandals when just a month before they had been informed that the anti-dumping case had been won!

This story doesn't start at the begining - when the first anti-dumping case was won - but half way through when the problem that the case raises really became apparent. Here's another example:

When Luis' agent called to say that MegaMarkets had agreed to take several containers of his dried fruits he was very happy. It was a big order with a lot of potential repeat business. But he was puzzled by the requirement for a 'health certificate' on each container that stated that the fruit had been fumigated! Fumigation was very expensive and applied only to fresh fruit!"

In both cases, you'll go back to the begining only after telling the reader what this case is about. That way, you can get their interest first and get the story moving before you fill-in the details.

[3] Next, provide a short explanation of the background. You need to include only those htmlects of the background that are important to explaining your first sentence or paragraph. One thing you do need to include is some information on the nature of the industry that the firm is in and something about its exposure to trade (imports or exports).

[4] By the time you get to the second page you should be back to describing the problem in more detail, preferably making the connection to some htmlect of the trading system. Perhaps the manager in your story consults someone in a trade organization, or in a government ministry, looking for help and discovers somehting (or doesn't discover something) about the trade rules.

[5] As you head to the bottom of page 2, the reader should have all of the information that he/she needs to understand the point of the case and - if the case has a clear outcome - to assess the performance of the manager(s) in the story

[6] Not all stories have a clear-cut end. Some of them lead to a natural conclusion (Luis had assumed that because one export destination did not require fumigation that no destination would require it. He won't do so well on this MegaMarkets contract, but he's found out how to get up-to-date information on SPS requriements for markets in future). Some cases leave the reader to make his/her own guesses about what will happen in the end. These 'open ended' stories can be just as effective - or even more effective - for the purposes of discussion.

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The Release letter

Here's a suggested letter - and a form - that you should send to your contact at the firm when you finished drafting the case. You must have permission before releasing a case study to the Network.

Letterhead Date Firm's name and address Dear (manager with release authority), Enclosed are two copies of hte case titled _ . I want to thank you for your support in the development of these materials. At your earliest convenience, please review the case and make any corrections that you would like to make directly on the one of the enclosed copies. The second copy is for your files. I will be contacting your shortly to discuss any concerns that you may have. If you feel that the case is accpetable as is, or with minor corrections, please indicate so on the enclosed release form and return it in the self-addressed envelope provided. Thank you, (Your name and title) Enclosure

Release Form Letterhead From: (your name, title and address) To: (name, title and address of manager authorized to release) Re: Case Release I have reviewed the case, _, and released it Sincerely, (Release manager's name and address) Date....

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