what is a case study in business management

• Onsite training

3,000,000+ delegates

15,000+ clients

1,000+ locations

• KnowledgePass
• Log a ticket

01344203999 Available 24/7

Business Management Case Study: A Complete Breakdown

Gain a comprehensive understanding of the "Business Management Case Study" as we break down the concept from start to finish. Discover the incredible journeys of companies like Apple Inc., Tesla and Netflix as they navigate innovation, global expansion, and transformation. This detailed analysis will provide insights into the dynamic world of business management.

Exclusive 40% OFF

Training Outcomes Within Your Budget!

We ensure quality, budget-alignment, and timely delivery by our expert instructors.

Share this Resource

• PMP® Certification Training Course
• Introduction to Management
• Introduction to Managing People
• CAPM® Certification Training Course
• Business Management Training Course

Case studies play a pivotal role in understanding real-world challenges, strategies, and outcomes in the ever-evolving field of Business Management. This blog dives into the intricacies of a compelling Business Management Case Study, dissecting its components to extract valuable insights for aspiring managers, entrepreneurs, and students alike. Learn the study behind some of the most significant Business Management Case Studies & how an online business degree can help you learn more in this article. 

Table of Contents

1) What is Business Management? 

2) Case Studies in Business Management 

    a) Apple Inc. Innovation 

    b) Tesla’s EV revolution 

    c) Amazon retailer to e-commerce giant 

    d) McDonald’s global expansion 

    e) Netflix’s transformation 

3) Conclusion 

What is Business Management?  

Business Management refers to the set of activities, strategies, and practices employed to oversee and coordinate an organisation's operations, resources, and personnel to achieve specific goals and objectives. It encompasses a wide range of responsibilities to ensure an organisation's efficient and effective functioning across various functional areas. 

Try our Business Case Training Course today and start your career!  

Case Studies in Business Management  

Here are some of the notable case studies in the field of Business Management that have garnered attention due to their complexity, innovative strategies, and significant impact on their respective industries:  

Apple Inc. innovation  

a) Background: Apple Inc. is a global technology giant noted for its innovative products and design-driven approach. In the early 2000s, Apple faced intense competition and declining market share. The company needed to reinvent itself to remain relevant and competitive. 

b) Problem statement: Apple's challenge was revitalising its product line and regaining market leadership while navigating a rapidly changing technological world. 

c) Analysis of the situation: The Case Study dives into Apple's design thinking and customer-centric innovation to develop products that seamlessly blend form and function. The company's focus on user experience, ecosystem integration, and attention to detail set it apart from its competitors. 

d) Proposed solutions: Apple's strategy involved launching breakthrough products like the iPod, iPhone, and iPad that redefined their respective markets. The company also invested heavily in creating a robust ecosystem through iTunes and the App Store. 

e) Chosen strategy: Apple's commitment to user-centred design and innovation became the cornerstone of its success. The strategy encompassed cutting-edge technology, minimalist design, and exceptional user experience. 

f) Implementation process: Apple's implementation involved rigorous research and development, collaboration among various teams, and meticulous attention to detail. The company also established a loyal customer base through iconic product launches and marketing campaigns. 

g) Results and outcomes: Apple's strategy paid off immensely, leading to a resurgence in its market share, revenue, and brand value. The company's products became cultural touchstones, and its ecosystem approach set new standards for the technology industry. 

Tesla’s EV revolution  

a) Background: Tesla, led by Elon Musk, aimed to disrupt the traditional automotive industry by introducing electric vehicles (EVs) that combined sustainability, performance, and cutting-edge technology. 

b) Problem statement: Tesla faced challenges related to the production, scalability, and market acceptance of electric vehicles in an industry dominated by internal combustion engine vehicles. 

c) Analysis of the situation: This Case Study examines Tesla's unique approach, which combines innovation in electric powertrains, battery technology, and software. The company also adopted a direct-to-consumer sales model, bypassing traditional dealership networks. 

d) Proposed solutions: Tesla's solutions included building a network of Supercharger stations, developing advanced autonomous driving technology, and leveraging over-the-air software updates to improve vehicle performance and features. 

e) Chosen strategy: Tesla focused on high-quality engineering, creating a luxury brand image for EVs, and promoting a community of passionate supporters. The company also bet on long-term sustainability and energy innovation beyond just manufacturing cars. 

f) Implementation process: Tesla faced production challenges, supply chain issues, and scepticism from traditional automakers. The company's determination to continuously refine its vehicles and technology resulted in incremental improvements and increased consumer interest. 

g) Results and outcomes: Tesla's innovative approach catapulted it into the forefront of the EV market. The Model S, Model 3, Model X, and Model Y gained popularity for their performance, range, and technology. Tesla's market capitalisation surged, and the company played a significant part in changing the perception of electric vehicles. 

Amazon retailer to e-commerce giant  

a) Background: Amazon started as an online bookstore in the 1990s and quickly expanded its offerings to become the world's largest online retailer. However, its journey was riddled with challenges and risks. 

b) Problem statement: Amazon faced difficulties in achieving profitability due to its aggressive expansion, heavy investments, and price competition. The company needed to find a way to sustain its growth and solidify its position in the e-commerce market. 

c) Analysis of the situation: This Case Study explores Amazon's unique business model, which prioritises customer satisfaction, convenience, and diversification. The company continuously experimented with new ideas, services, and technologies. 

d) Proposed solutions: Amazon's solutions included the introduction of Amazon Prime, the Kindle e-reader, and the development of its third-party seller marketplace. These initiatives aimed to enhance customer loyalty, expand product offerings, and increase revenue streams. 

e) Chosen strategy: Amazon's strategy revolved around long-term thinking, customer obsession, and a willingness to invest heavily in innovation and infrastructure, even at the expense of short-term profits. 

f) Implementation process: Amazon's implementation involved building a vast network of fulfilment centres, investing in advanced technology for logistics and supply chain management, and expanding its services beyond e-commerce into cloud computing (Amazon Web Services) and entertainment (Amazon Prime Video). 

g) Results and outcomes: Amazon's strategy paid off as it transformed from an online bookstore to an e-commerce behemoth. The company not only achieved profitability but also diversified into various sectors, making Jeff Bezos the richest person in the world for a time. 

McDonald’s global expansion  

a) Background: McDonald's is one of the world's largest and most recognisable fast-food chains. The Case Study focuses on the company's global expansion strategy and challenges in adapting to diverse cultural preferences and market conditions. 

b) Problem statement: McDonald's challenge was maintaining its brand identity while tailoring its menu offerings and marketing strategies to suit different countries' preferences and cultural norms. 

c) Analysis: The Case Study analyses McDonald's localisation efforts, menu adaptations, and marketing campaigns in different countries. It explores how the company balances standardisation with customisation to appeal to local tastes. 

d) Solutions and outcomes: McDonald's successfully combines global branding with localized strategies, resulting in sustained growth and customer loyalty in various markets. The Case Study demonstrates the importance of understanding cultural nuances in international business. 

Netflix’s evolution  

a) Background: Netflix started as a DVD rental-by-mail service and became a leading global streaming platform. The Case Study explores Netflix's strategic evolution, content production, and influence on the entertainment industry. 

b) Problem statement: Netflix's challenge was transitioning from a traditional DVD rental business to a digital streaming service while competing with established cable networks and other streaming platforms. 

c) Analysis: The Case Study analyses Netflix's shift to online streaming, its investment in original content production, and its use of data analytics to personalise user experiences and content recommendations. 

d) Solutions and outcomes: Netflix's strategic pivot and focus on content quality and user experience contributed to its dominance in the streaming market. The Case Study illustrates how embracing digital disruption and customer-centric strategies can drive success.  

Conclusion  

These case studies offer valuable insights into different facets of Business Management, including innovation, strategic decision-making, customer-centric approaches, and market disruption. Analysing these cases provides aspiring managers and entrepreneurs with real-world examples of how effective strategies, risk-taking, and adaptability can lead to remarkable success in the dynamic business world. 

Try our Business Analyst Training today for a rewarding career!  

Frequently Asked Questions

Upcoming business skills resources batches & dates.

Fri 26th Jul 2024

Fri 27th Sep 2024

Fri 29th Nov 2024

Fri 14th Feb 2025

Fri 16th May 2025

Fri 25th Jul 2025

Fri 29th Aug 2025

Fri 10th Oct 2025

Fri 28th Nov 2025

Get A Quote

WHO WILL BE FUNDING THE COURSE?

My employer

By submitting your details you agree to be contacted in order to respond to your enquiry

• Business Analysis
• Lean Six Sigma Certification

Share this course

Our biggest spring sale.

We cannot process your enquiry without contacting you, please tick to confirm your consent to us for contacting you about your enquiry.

By submitting your details you agree to be contacted in order to respond to your enquiry.

We may not have the course you’re looking for. If you enquire or give us a call on 01344203999 and speak to our training experts, we may still be able to help with your training requirements.

Or select from our popular topics

• ITIL® Certification
• Scrum Certification
• Change Management Certification
• Business Analysis Courses
• Microsoft Azure Certification
• Microsoft Excel Courses
• Microsoft Project
• Explore more courses

Press esc to close

Fill out your  contact details  below and our training experts will be in touch.

Fill out your   contact details   below

Thank you for your enquiry!

One of our training experts will be in touch shortly to go over your training requirements.

Back to Course Information

Fill out your contact details below so we can get in touch with you regarding your training requirements.

* WHO WILL BE FUNDING THE COURSE?

Preferred Contact Method

No preference

Back to course information

Fill out your  training details  below

Fill out your training details below so we have a better idea of what your training requirements are.

HOW MANY DELEGATES NEED TRAINING?

HOW DO YOU WANT THE COURSE DELIVERED?

Online Instructor-led

Online Self-paced

WHEN WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE THIS COURSE?

Next 2 - 4 months

WHAT IS YOUR REASON FOR ENQUIRING?

Looking for some information

Looking for a discount

I want to book but have questions

One of our training experts will be in touch shortly to go overy your training requirements.

Your privacy & cookies!

Like many websites we use cookies. We care about your data and experience, so to give you the best possible experience using our site, we store a very limited amount of your data. Continuing to use this site or clicking “Accept & close” means that you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more about our privacy policy and cookie policy cookie policy .

We use cookies that are essential for our site to work. Please visit our cookie policy for more information. To accept all cookies click 'Accept & close'.

• Business Essentials
• Leadership & Management
• Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business (CLIMB)
• Entrepreneurship & Innovation
• Digital Transformation
• Finance & Accounting
• Business in Society
• For Organizations
• Support Portal
• Media Coverage
• Founding Donors
• Leadership Team

• Harvard Business School →
• HBS Online →
• Business Insights →

Business Insights

Harvard Business School Online's Business Insights Blog provides the career insights you need to achieve your goals and gain confidence in your business skills.

• Career Development
• Communication
• Decision-Making
• Earning Your MBA
• Negotiation
• News & Events
• Productivity
• Staff Spotlight
• Student Profiles
• Work-Life Balance
• AI Essentials for Business
• Alternative Investments
• Business Analytics
• Business Strategy
• Business and Climate Change
• Creating Brand Value
• Design Thinking and Innovation
• Digital Marketing Strategy
• Disruptive Strategy
• Economics for Managers
• Entrepreneurship Essentials
• Financial Accounting
• Global Business
• Launching Tech Ventures
• Leadership Principles
• Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability
• Leading Change and Organizational Renewal
• Leading with Finance
• Management Essentials
• Negotiation Mastery
• Organizational Leadership
• Power and Influence for Positive Impact
• Strategy Execution
• Sustainable Business Strategy
• Sustainable Investing
• Winning with Digital Platforms

5 Benefits of Learning Through the Case Study Method

• 28 Nov 2023

While several factors make HBS Online unique —including a global Community and real-world outcomes —active learning through the case study method rises to the top.

In a 2023 City Square Associates survey, 74 percent of HBS Online learners who also took a course from another provider said HBS Online’s case method and real-world examples were better by comparison.

Here’s a primer on the case method, five benefits you could gain, and how to experience it for yourself.

Access your free e-book today.

What Is the Harvard Business School Case Study Method?

The case study method , or case method , is a learning technique in which you’re presented with a real-world business challenge and asked how you’d solve it. After working through it yourself and with peers, you’re told how the scenario played out.

HBS pioneered the case method in 1922. Shortly before, in 1921, the first case was written.

“How do you go into an ambiguous situation and get to the bottom of it?” says HBS Professor Jan Rivkin, former senior associate dean and chair of HBS's master of business administration (MBA) program, in a video about the case method . “That skill—the skill of figuring out a course of inquiry to choose a course of action—that skill is as relevant today as it was in 1921.”

Originally developed for the in-person MBA classroom, HBS Online adapted the case method into an engaging, interactive online learning experience in 2014.

In HBS Online courses , you learn about each case from the business professional who experienced it. After reviewing their videos, you’re prompted to take their perspective and explain how you’d handle their situation.

You then get to read peers’ responses, “star” them, and comment to further the discussion. Afterward, you learn how the professional handled it and their key takeaways.

HBS Online’s adaptation of the case method incorporates the famed HBS “cold call,” in which you’re called on at random to make a decision without time to prepare.

“Learning came to life!” said Sheneka Balogun , chief administration officer and chief of staff at LeMoyne-Owen College, of her experience taking the Credential of Readiness (CORe) program . “The videos from the professors, the interactive cold calls where you were randomly selected to participate, and the case studies that enhanced and often captured the essence of objectives and learning goals were all embedded in each module. This made learning fun, engaging, and student-friendly.”

If you’re considering taking a course that leverages the case study method, here are five benefits you could experience.

5 Benefits of Learning Through Case Studies

1. take new perspectives.

The case method prompts you to consider a scenario from another person’s perspective. To work through the situation and come up with a solution, you must consider their circumstances, limitations, risk tolerance, stakeholders, resources, and potential consequences to assess how to respond.

Taking on new perspectives not only can help you navigate your own challenges but also others’. Putting yourself in someone else’s situation to understand their motivations and needs can go a long way when collaborating with stakeholders.

2. Hone Your Decision-Making Skills

Another skill you can build is the ability to make decisions effectively . The case study method forces you to use limited information to decide how to handle a problem—just like in the real world.

Throughout your career, you’ll need to make difficult decisions with incomplete or imperfect information—and sometimes, you won’t feel qualified to do so. Learning through the case method allows you to practice this skill in a low-stakes environment. When facing a real challenge, you’ll be better prepared to think quickly, collaborate with others, and present and defend your solution.

3. Become More Open-Minded

As you collaborate with peers on responses, it becomes clear that not everyone solves problems the same way. Exposing yourself to various approaches and perspectives can help you become a more open-minded professional.

When you’re part of a diverse group of learners from around the world, your experiences, cultures, and backgrounds contribute to a range of opinions on each case.

On the HBS Online course platform, you’re prompted to view and comment on others’ responses, and discussion is encouraged. This practice of considering others’ perspectives can make you more receptive in your career.

“You’d be surprised at how much you can learn from your peers,” said Ratnaditya Jonnalagadda , a software engineer who took CORe.

In addition to interacting with peers in the course platform, Jonnalagadda was part of the HBS Online Community , where he networked with other professionals and continued discussions sparked by course content.

“You get to understand your peers better, and students share examples of businesses implementing a concept from a module you just learned,” Jonnalagadda said. “It’s a very good way to cement the concepts in one's mind.”

4. Enhance Your Curiosity

One byproduct of taking on different perspectives is that it enables you to picture yourself in various roles, industries, and business functions.

“Each case offers an opportunity for students to see what resonates with them, what excites them, what bores them, which role they could imagine inhabiting in their careers,” says former HBS Dean Nitin Nohria in the Harvard Business Review . “Cases stimulate curiosity about the range of opportunities in the world and the many ways that students can make a difference as leaders.”

Through the case method, you can “try on” roles you may not have considered and feel more prepared to change or advance your career .

5. Build Your Self-Confidence

Finally, learning through the case study method can build your confidence. Each time you assume a business leader’s perspective, aim to solve a new challenge, and express and defend your opinions and decisions to peers, you prepare to do the same in your career.

According to a 2022 City Square Associates survey , 84 percent of HBS Online learners report feeling more confident making business decisions after taking a course.

“Self-confidence is difficult to teach or coach, but the case study method seems to instill it in people,” Nohria says in the Harvard Business Review . “There may well be other ways of learning these meta-skills, such as the repeated experience gained through practice or guidance from a gifted coach. However, under the direction of a masterful teacher, the case method can engage students and help them develop powerful meta-skills like no other form of teaching.”

How to Experience the Case Study Method

If the case method seems like a good fit for your learning style, experience it for yourself by taking an HBS Online course. Offerings span seven subject areas, including:

• Business essentials
• Leadership and management
• Entrepreneurship and innovation
• Finance and accounting
• Business in society

No matter which course or credential program you choose, you’ll examine case studies from real business professionals, work through their challenges alongside peers, and gain valuable insights to apply to your career.

Are you interested in discovering how HBS Online can help advance your career? Explore our course catalog and download our free guide —complete with interactive workbook sections—to determine if online learning is right for you and which course to take.

About the Author

• Search this journal
• Search all journals
• View access options
• View profile
• Create profile

Add email alerts

You are adding the following journal to your email alerts

Case Study Method: A Step-by-Step Guide for Business Researchers

Introduction, discussion and conclusion, declaration of conflicting interests, cite article, share options, information, rights and permissions, metrics and citations, figures and tables, foundation phase, critical theory, interpretivism.

Prefield Phase

Field phase, reporting phase, 2. prefield phase, research study protocols.

Download to reference manager

If you have citation software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice

Share this article

Share with email, share on social media, share access to this article.

Sharing links are not relevant where the article is open access and not available if you do not have a subscription.

For more information view the Sage Journals article sharing page.

Information

Published in.

• step-by-step guide

Rights and permissions

Affiliations, journals metrics.

This article was published in International Journal of Qualitative Methods .

Article usage *

Total views and downloads: 604804

* Article usage tracking started in December 2016

Articles citing this one

Receive email alerts when this article is cited

Web of Science: 205 view articles Opens in new tab

Crossref: 255

• An assessment of the extent to which agricultural farms meet the requi... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Self-organizing volunteers as a grassroot social innovation: the contr... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Empowering future physicists: the role of case technology in research ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Dimensions for a scale to evaluate the initial responses by organisati... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Identification of Best Practices in Project Bundling for State DOTs Us... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Disaster Risk Management Challenges Towards Integrated Disaster Risk M... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Mind the professional void! Career capital development and transfer in... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Transformations towards an integrated leadership development system—A ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• AI for the people? Embedding AI ethics in HR and people analytics proj... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Heritage conservation and the limitation of public-private partnership... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Dignity, Humanistic Management, and the Process of Social Innovation Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Disputes in Renewable Energy Development: International and Domestic I... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Between Online and Offline Solidarity: Lessons Learned From the Corona... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Promoting academic social intrapreneurship: Developing an internationa... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The Effects of Digitalization on the Sustainability of Small Farms Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Analysing Heavy Metal Contamination in Groundwater in the Vicinity of ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Digital Pedagogy Before, During, and After COVID-19 Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Decision support criteria for the implementation of waste-to-energy co... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The Impact of Historical Knowledge, Skill, and Interpretive Attitude o... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Performance management and policy evaluation of information and commun... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Valuation of Patent-Based Collaborative Synergies under Strategic Sett... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Effective fraud detection in e-commerce: Leveraging machine learning a... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• City of prone natural disasters: Mitigating post-tsunami on the coasta... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Achieving human potential through community learning centres in Ghana:... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Alibaba in Mexico: Adapting the digital villages model to Latin Americ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Developing a social value model for Oman’s national infrastructure pla... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Exploring Competence-Based Synergism in Strategic Collaborations: Evid... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Unleashing the Sustainable Transition of Circular Economy: A Case Stud... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The Implementation Effect of China’s River and Lake Chief System Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Smart host-guest relationship in a rural context: The case of Lebanon Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Characteristics of facilitated critical thinking when students listen ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Intelligent influencer marketing: how AI-powered virtual influencers o... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Implementing play pedagogies within rural early childhood development ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Food in tourism in a time of critical shift: four reflexive case studi... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Student attitudes towards smartphone use in a pre-service teacher tech... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Agritourism as a Tool for Sustainable Development for Rural Zimbabwe Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Student knowledge level: Handling sports injuries using the R.I.C.E me... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Are Professional Skills Learnable? Beliefs and Expectations Among Comp... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Exploring the dynamics of innovation: patterns of growth and contracti... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Identifying prosperity characteristics in small and medium-sized enter... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Service Agent Driven Co-Created Caring in Chat-Based Customer Service ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• An Error Analysis of TVET Students’ Responses to Optimisation Problems Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Education Sector Public Service Management Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• A systematic literature review about local wisdom and sustainability: ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Analysing the Macrostructure of Spoken Strategic Communication: An App... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Corporate structure and prevention: The three lines model applied to L... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Gamification framework applied to organizational processes Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Framework de gamificação aplicado a processos organizacionais Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The Role of Stakeholders on the Intention to Implement Sustainable Pra... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Eco-innovation strategies in the development of internationalization Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Knowledge Base for Innovations in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Phygital Brand Experience: Merging Physical and Digital Formats to Enh... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Female Entrepreneurship in a Developing Context: Motivations, Challeng... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The imperative of happiness in positive psychology: Towards a psychopo... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Critical Success Factors in Implementing Sustainable Business Models: ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The potential of exoskeletons in construction: barriers and challenges Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Supply Chain Management Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The advertising discourse of menstrual activism in the femcare industr... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Exploring the outside-the-box leadership of an Indonesian school princ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Entropy in the “entrepot”: examining the challenges of relief supply c... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The challenges of pig farming in Hong Kong: a study of farmers’ percep... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Examining the effects of climate change perception and commuting exper... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Enhancing public health resilience in urban disaster settings: A study... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Chronicling Lecturers' and Stakeholders' Experiences of the Role of a ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Montessori activities for older adults in community nursing: comparati... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Assessing authentically – learnings from marketing educators Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Revisiting Benjaminʼs aura in the age of mediatisation – the digital a... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Uncovering the dark side of AI-based decision-making: A case study in ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Smart energy sustainability hub in light of Industry 4.0 Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Mobile banking apps in Poland and their accessibility for consumers wi... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Rethinking brand management within sport: advancing towards the integr... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Reconciliation Programs from the Experiences of War-Affected Persons i... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Effectiveness of using a customer journey map: practical case of a Kaz... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Impact of solid waste landfill proximity on residential property offer... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Renewable energy and the promise of jobs, regional regeneration and fi... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Marketing strategies for value chain development: Case of Khawlani cof... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Project-based practices for promoting a sustainability transition in a... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The crisis management strategies of Indonesian event organizers in the... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Guidelines for Using a Case Study Approach in Construction Culture Res... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Review of energy management guidance for water and wastewater utilitie... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• A hybrid fuzzy based approach for industry 4.0 framework implementatio... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Reporting sustainable development in Polish commercial banks Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Disruptive Business Model Innovation and Digital Transformation Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Reasons for ignoring versus paying attention to country of origin amon... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Decarbonization Strategies in the UAE Built Environment: An Evidence-B... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• A Case Series of Cat-Scratch Disease with Ocular Manifestations: Clini... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Exploring the Role of Experiential Learning on Individual Adaptive Com... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Legacies Matter: Exploring Social Acceptance of Pumped S... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Influence of social and spatial embeddedness on rural entrepreneurship... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Building capacity for citizen science communication of water quality r... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Emergence in emergency: How actors adapt to service ecosystem disrupti... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The dynamics of information system development in developing countries... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The Youth's Way of Personal Branding as Bookstagrammers Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Developments and Potential Management Issues of a Perennial Hot Sellin... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Internationalization in Higher Education Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Opportunity of the accommodation establishment development: a need for... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• A Realistic and Practical Guide for Creating Intelligent Integrated So... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Placeful Business: Reimagining a Small Business Concept That Embraces ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Innovating for Sustainability: Attributes, Motivations, and Responsibi... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Proposed integrated FRAM/STPA risk analysis of data gloves in assembly... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• How do Local and International Tourists Perceive (Un) Common Colours o... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Socio-Religious Education to Strengthen Harmony Between Hindus and Mus... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Artificial Intelligence for Sustainability: Evidence from select Small... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Waste Minimization and Performance Improvement in Vegetable Supply Cha... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Learner perspectives on corporate world involvement in secondary schoo... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Quantitative analysis of Kaizen philosophy on productivity improvement Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Taoid : communal heritage tourism through a multi-stakeh... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Organizational Routines and Digital Transformation: An Analysis of How... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Getting users out of the loop: Key factors to surpass the messy middle... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: The Evolution of the Irish Space ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECOR... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Ecosystems of indie porn game development: co-dependent partial organi... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The role of reverse logistics in a circular economy for achieving sust... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Enhancing Sustainability with the Triple-Layered Business Model Canvas... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The Scenarios of Artificial Intelligence and Wireframes Implementation... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Toward a readiness model for secure software coding Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Sustainable positive psychology interventions enhance primary teachers... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Developing a "Disaster Scenario" to prepare for the possibility of dis... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Exploring the effects of technology integration in the learning and te... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Sustainability Strategies by Oil and Gas Companies, Contribution to th... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Knowledge based urban development: An approach to innovation districts... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• China’s State-Business Relationship with Nigeria: Neocolonialism or St... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Factors affecting the smallholder farmers' participation in the emergi... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Entrepreneurial business network and dynamic relational capabilities: ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Youth perceptions toward managing elderly care among low-income househ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Exploration of Succinimide Derivative as a Multi-Target, Anti-Diabetic... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Facebook’s platform coloniality: At the nexus of political economy, na... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• How typical is your project? The need for a no-model approach for info... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The Risks Associated With ITIL Information Security Management in Micr... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Neighbourhood opposition to relocation of people with disabilities in ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Towards Digital Transformation: A Case Study to Identify and Mitigate ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Using Out-Of-Class ESD Experiences to Link the Outside World with Youn... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Nigeria–Benin Border Trade in the Context of the ECOWAS Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The impact of education on the Energy Trilemma Index: A sustainable in... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Crisis Communications during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Aggressive Behavior in the Elementary School Student: A Descriptive Ph... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Improving the Safety and Security of Software Systems by Mediating SAP... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Factors Influencing Consumer Behavior towards Online Shopping in Saudi... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• A New Simple Method for an Efficient Organization of the Learning Proc... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Complex Town-Gown Relationships and the Paradoxes of Studentification ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Call the on-Call: Authentic Team Training on an Interprofessional Trai... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The Implementation of Blockchain Technology in the Development of Soci... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The Impact of the Design Decisions of an Order Picking System on Human... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Conceptualizing Entrepreneurship as Emancipation Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Catalyzing Holistic Conservation-Based Development Through Ethical Tra... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Wine Tourism as a Catalyst for the Sustainable Development Goals: The ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Students’ use of large language models in engineering education: A cas... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Leadership 4.0. New definition and distinguishing features Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• A Porter's Five Forces Model Proposal for Additive Manufacturing Techn... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The orchestration of intangible resources in post-merger and acquisiti... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• From B2B Survivor to SAP's Swallow Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Does an educative approach work? A reflective case study of how two Au... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Strategies for retention of women lecturers in mathematical sciences i... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The Impact of Resettlement in Urban Market Redevelopment on Income Ine... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The Usability Analysis of Human Resource Information System (HRIS) Usi... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Emerging business transnationalism in Singapore and China: governance,... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Recycling Practices among B40 Community in Urban Area of Kota Bharu, K... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• An Optimization Model for the Student-to-Project Supervisor Assignment... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• PERAN KEPOLISIAN DALAM PENINDAKAN KEJAHATAN LINTAS NEGARA DI KAWASAN ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• IT és műszaki tudományok a hazai innováció élvonalában : A vállalatok ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Fostering land-sharing scheme as alternative resettlement to the inevi... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• One Father’s Journey Toward Peace: Integrating the Qur’an Into Narrati... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Setting the Grounds for the Transition from Business Analytics to Arti... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Personality Traits of Women Entrepreneurs for Sustainable Food Busines... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• What Made Me an Entrepreneur? Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Financial inclusion through digitalisation: Economic viability for the... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Innovation District Typology Classification via Performance Framework:... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Improving the Shipbuilding Sales Process by Selected Lean Management T... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• From Public E-Procurement 3.0 to E-Procurement 4.0; A Critical Literat... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• What is at stake in a war? A prospective evaluation of the Ukraine and... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Environmental Communication Based on Local Wisdom in Forest Conservati... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Public-private partnership role during the pandemic: A case of COVID-1... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Identification of roles and factors influencing the adoption of ICTs i... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Adaptive Organizational Technology Approaches to Public Health and Hos... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Tourism Destination Recovery, a Case Study of Grand Bahama Island Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Interior Design Guidelines for Reducing the Negative Impacts of Electr... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Challenges in Micro and Small Food Enterprises during the COVID-19 Pan... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Collaborative capabilities of cause-based social entrepreneurship alli... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Blockchain in education: the influence of trust on adoption and implem... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Servus or Pater? How Paradox... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Forming a Learning Environment Within a Senior-Citizen Community of Pr... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Management of Agricultural Waste Biomass: A case study of Fruit and Ve... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Raising Awareness About Geoheritage at Risk in Portugal: the GeoXplora... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Community philanthropy as practice: A case study of Thousand Currents Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Understanding Urban Land Leasing System as a Strategic Value Capture I... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Which Fabric/Scale Is Better for Transit-Oriented Urban Design: Case S... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Mobile Payments Adoption in Small and Medium Retail Enterprises: An Ex... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Wellness needs of academic employees: A case study of a South African ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• A Note from the Field “Potlatch” Advancing a Health Survey: The Pen is... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Public–private Partnerships for Urban Projects: A Korean Case of Partn... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The Role of the Literature and Theory in Defining and Bounding a Case Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The Qualitative Case Study Research Strategy as Applied on a Rural Ent... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Legal Business Model Digitalization: The Post COVID-19 Legal Industry Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Application of FRAM to perform Risk Analysis of the Introduction of a ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Measuring Marine Protected Areas’ Conservation Effort: A Different Loo... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Utilizing Information and Communications Technology to enhance risk ma... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Sustainability Learning in Education for Sustainable Development for 2... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Teva Pharmaceutical: Generic Market Access to Global Healthcare Indust... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Data-Driven Decisions in Smart Cities: A Digital Transformation Case S... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Olympic and Paralympic Games Project Structure and Governance Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Cross-cultural Tribes, Community and Indigenous Entrepreneurship Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Constructing the Consumer in the Digital Culture: American Brands and ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Civic University Challenges in Romanian Higher Education; Students’ Pe... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The Role of Strategic Alliances in Developing the Entrepreneurial Ecos... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Construction 4.0 Readiness and Challenges for Construction Skills Trai... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• E-Court Transition Process: Identifying Critical Factors and Recommend... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Human Governance Analytics for Public Organizations Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Tourism Accreditation in the Philippines: Government and Private Secto... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Case Study Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Fraud Detection in Supply Chain with Machine Learning Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The assessment of product groups and efficiency in the use of raw mate... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Application of Case Study Methodology in the Exploration of Inclusion ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Entropy in the ‘entrepot’: Examining the challenges of relief supply c... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Community Health Workers Connecting Communities During COVID-19 Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Exploring the Barriers to online Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• A Shattered Supply Chain in the New Era of Enterprise E-Commerce Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Online - education on YouTube before and after COVID 19. An example st... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Teaming up in entrepreneurship education: does the team formation mode... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Business Models 4.0 Using Network Effects: Case Study of the Cyfrowy P... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The Healthcare Organization in COVID-19 Age: An Evaluation Framework f... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Energy Transition in Oil and Gas Companies: A Case Study in the Colomb... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Law Enforcement Officers’ Reaction on Traditional Crimes to Fight Cybe... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Modelling of Social Policy and Initiatives under COVID-19: Rural NEET ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Continuing to enhance the quality of case study methodology in health ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar Pub Med
• The Role of the Public University of Navarre in Achieving the 1st SDG ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The Determinants of Global Expansion: A Study on Food and Beverage Fra... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• A META-ORGANIZATIONAL APPROACH TO FACILITATING INNOVATIONS IN PROFESSI... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The Use of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) as an Element of Smart Cit... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Toward a Sustainable Decommissioning of Offshore Platforms in the Oil ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Placemaking in Informal Settlements: The Case of France Colony, Islama... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Exploring agro-ecological bases of contemporary water management innov... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Let’s Save the Bear: A multispecies livelihoods approach to wildlife c... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• To What Extent Retail Chains’ Relationships with Suppliers Make the Bu... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Business process management approach for improving agile software proc... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• ‘Step-by-step’ method to conduct applied research in organizational en... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• A Review of Case Study Method in Operations Management Research Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Experiences of Educational Researchers in the Use of the Case Study De... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The Mondragon Case: Companies Addressing Social Impact and Dialogic Me... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• How Islamic Social Finance Contribute to the Sustainable Development G... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• E-commerce as the predominant business model of fast fashion retailers... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Factors that influence learners’ performance in grade 12 Accounting: A... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• THE IMPROVEMENT MODEL OF MICROENTERPRISES OF POST-DISASTER THROUGH EMP... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The improvement model of microenterprises of post-disaster through emp... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Thinking ‘Qualitative’ Through a Case Study: Homework for a Researcher Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Investigating Barriers That May Influence the Implementation and Use o... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Towards a Secure and Scalable IoT Infrastructure: A Pilot Deployment f... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• Corporate Sustainability Assessments in the Information Communication ... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
• The Use of Project Management Mechanisms to Address Environmental Prob... Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar

Figures & Media

View options, view options, access options.

If you have access to journal content via a personal subscription, university, library, employer or society, select from the options below:

I am signed in as:

I can access personal subscriptions, purchases, paired institutional access and free tools such as favourite journals, email alerts and saved searches.

Login failed. Please check you entered the correct user name and password.

Access personal subscriptions, purchases, paired institutional or society access and free tools such as email alerts and saved searches.

loading institutional access options

Click the button below for the full-text content

Alternatively, view purchase options below:

Access journal content via a DeepDyve subscription or find out more about this option.

Also from Sage

• CQ Library Elevating debate opens in new tab
• Sage Data Uncovering insight opens in new tab
• Sage Business Cases Shaping futures opens in new tab
• Sage Campus Unleashing potential opens in new tab
• Sage Knowledge Multimedia learning resources opens in new tab
• Sage Research Methods Supercharging research opens in new tab
• Sage Video Streaming knowledge opens in new tab
• Technology from Sage Library digital services opens in new tab

• All Headlines

Top 40 Most Popular Case Studies of 2021

Two cases about Hertz claimed top spots in 2021's Top 40 Most Popular Case Studies

Two cases on the uses of debt and equity at Hertz claimed top spots in the CRDT’s (Case Research and Development Team) 2021 top 40 review of cases.

Hertz (A) took the top spot. The case details the financial structure of the rental car company through the end of 2019. Hertz (B), which ranked third in CRDT’s list, describes the company’s struggles during the early part of the COVID pandemic and its eventual need to enter Chapter 11 bankruptcy. 

The success of the Hertz cases was unprecedented for the top 40 list. Usually, cases take a number of years to gain popularity, but the Hertz cases claimed top spots in their first year of release. Hertz (A) also became the first ‘cooked’ case to top the annual review, as all of the other winners had been web-based ‘raw’ cases.

Besides introducing students to the complicated financing required to maintain an enormous fleet of cars, the Hertz cases also expanded the diversity of case protagonists. Kathyrn Marinello was the CEO of Hertz during this period and the CFO, Jamere Jackson is black.

Sandwiched between the two Hertz cases, Coffee 2016, a perennial best seller, finished second. “Glory, Glory, Man United!” a case about an English football team’s IPO made a surprise move to number four.  Cases on search fund boards, the future of malls,  Norway’s Sovereign Wealth fund, Prodigy Finance, the Mayo Clinic, and Cadbury rounded out the top ten.

Other year-end data for 2021 showed:

• Online “raw” case usage remained steady as compared to 2020 with over 35K users from 170 countries and all 50 U.S. states interacting with 196 cases.
• Fifty four percent of raw case users came from outside the U.S..
• The Yale School of Management (SOM) case study directory pages received over 160K page views from 177 countries with approximately a third originating in India followed by the U.S. and the Philippines.
• Twenty-six of the cases in the list are raw cases.
• A third of the cases feature a woman protagonist.
• Orders for Yale SOM case studies increased by almost 50% compared to 2020.
• The top 40 cases were supervised by 19 different Yale SOM faculty members, several supervising multiple cases.

CRDT compiled the Top 40 list by combining data from its case store, Google Analytics, and other measures of interest and adoption.

All of this year’s Top 40 cases are available for purchase from the Yale Management Media store .

And the Top 40 cases studies of 2021 are:

1.   Hertz Global Holdings (A): Uses of Debt and Equity

2.   Coffee 2016

3.   Hertz Global Holdings (B): Uses of Debt and Equity 2020

4.   Glory, Glory Man United!

5.   Search Fund Company Boards: How CEOs Can Build Boards to Help Them Thrive

6.   The Future of Malls: Was Decline Inevitable?

7.   Strategy for Norway's Pension Fund Global

8.   Prodigy Finance

9.   Design at Mayo

10. Cadbury

11. City Hospital Emergency Room

13. Volkswagen

14. Marina Bay Sands

15. Shake Shack IPO

16. Mastercard

17. Netflix

18. Ant Financial

19. AXA: Creating the New CR Metrics

20. IBM Corporate Service Corps

21. Business Leadership in South Africa's 1994 Reforms

22. Alternative Meat Industry

23. Children's Premier

24. Khalil Tawil and Umi (A)

25. Palm Oil 2016

26. Teach For All: Designing a Global Network

27. What's Next? Search Fund Entrepreneurs Reflect on Life After Exit

28. Searching for a Search Fund Structure: A Student Takes a Tour of Various Options

30. Project Sammaan

31. Commonfund ESG

32. Polaroid

33. Connecticut Green Bank 2018: After the Raid

34. FieldFresh Foods

35. The Alibaba Group

36. 360 State Street: Real Options

37. Herman Miller

38. AgBiome

39. Nathan Cummings Foundation

40. Toyota 2010

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base

Methodology

• What Is a Case Study? | Definition, Examples & Methods

What Is a Case Study? | Definition, Examples & Methods

Published on May 8, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on November 20, 2023.

A case study is a detailed study of a specific subject, such as a person, group, place, event, organization, or phenomenon. Case studies are commonly used in social, educational, clinical, and business research.

A case study research design usually involves qualitative methods , but quantitative methods are sometimes also used. Case studies are good for describing , comparing, evaluating and understanding different aspects of a research problem .

Table of contents

When to do a case study, step 1: select a case, step 2: build a theoretical framework, step 3: collect your data, step 4: describe and analyze the case, other interesting articles.

A case study is an appropriate research design when you want to gain concrete, contextual, in-depth knowledge about a specific real-world subject. It allows you to explore the key characteristics, meanings, and implications of the case.

Case studies are often a good choice in a thesis or dissertation . They keep your project focused and manageable when you don’t have the time or resources to do large-scale research.

You might use just one complex case study where you explore a single subject in depth, or conduct multiple case studies to compare and illuminate different aspects of your research problem.

Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services

Discover proofreading & editing

Once you have developed your problem statement and research questions , you should be ready to choose the specific case that you want to focus on. A good case study should have the potential to:

• Provide new or unexpected insights into the subject
• Challenge or complicate existing assumptions and theories
• Propose practical courses of action to resolve a problem
• Open up new directions for future research

TipIf your research is more practical in nature and aims to simultaneously investigate an issue as you solve it, consider conducting action research instead.

Unlike quantitative or experimental research , a strong case study does not require a random or representative sample. In fact, case studies often deliberately focus on unusual, neglected, or outlying cases which may shed new light on the research problem.

Example of an outlying case studyIn the 1960s the town of Roseto, Pennsylvania was discovered to have extremely low rates of heart disease compared to the US average. It became an important case study for understanding previously neglected causes of heart disease.

However, you can also choose a more common or representative case to exemplify a particular category, experience or phenomenon.

Example of a representative case studyIn the 1920s, two sociologists used Muncie, Indiana as a case study of a typical American city that supposedly exemplified the changing culture of the US at the time.

While case studies focus more on concrete details than general theories, they should usually have some connection with theory in the field. This way the case study is not just an isolated description, but is integrated into existing knowledge about the topic. It might aim to:

• Exemplify a theory by showing how it explains the case under investigation
• Expand on a theory by uncovering new concepts and ideas that need to be incorporated
• Challenge a theory by exploring an outlier case that doesn’t fit with established assumptions

To ensure that your analysis of the case has a solid academic grounding, you should conduct a literature review of sources related to the topic and develop a theoretical framework . This means identifying key concepts and theories to guide your analysis and interpretation.

There are many different research methods you can use to collect data on your subject. Case studies tend to focus on qualitative data using methods such as interviews , observations , and analysis of primary and secondary sources (e.g., newspaper articles, photographs, official records). Sometimes a case study will also collect quantitative data.

Example of a mixed methods case studyFor a case study of a wind farm development in a rural area, you could collect quantitative data on employment rates and business revenue, collect qualitative data on local people’s perceptions and experiences, and analyze local and national media coverage of the development.

The aim is to gain as thorough an understanding as possible of the case and its context.

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

• Academic style
• Vague sentences
• Style consistency

See an example

In writing up the case study, you need to bring together all the relevant aspects to give as complete a picture as possible of the subject.

How you report your findings depends on the type of research you are doing. Some case studies are structured like a standard scientific paper or thesis , with separate sections or chapters for the methods , results and discussion .

Others are written in a more narrative style, aiming to explore the case from various angles and analyze its meanings and implications (for example, by using textual analysis or discourse analysis ).

In all cases, though, make sure to give contextual details about the case, connect it back to the literature and theory, and discuss how it fits into wider patterns or debates.

If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• Normal distribution
• Degrees of freedom
• Null hypothesis
• Discourse analysis
• Control groups
• Mixed methods research
• Non-probability sampling
• Quantitative research
• Ecological validity

Research bias

• Rosenthal effect
• Implicit bias
• Cognitive bias
• Selection bias
• Negativity bias
• Status quo bias

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, November 20). What Is a Case Study? | Definition, Examples & Methods. Scribbr. Retrieved July 23, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/case-study/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

Other students also liked, primary vs. secondary sources | difference & examples, what is a theoretical framework | guide to organizing, what is action research | definition & examples, what is your plagiarism score.

• eSignatures
• Product updates
• Document templates

How to write a business case study: your complete guide

Hanna Stechenko Manager, SEO Management

• Copy Link Link copied

Business case studies are powerful tools for marketing, teaching, and training. They help to create valuable learning experiences that can be shared with others.

A well-written business case study can also generate leads, increase customer loyalty, and boost sales.

But writing an effective and compelling case study can be easier said than done.

Great case studies aren’t something that you can write by yourself.

You’ll need help from existing clients who are willing to talk about their problems publicly, and you’ll need to safeguard their reputation while you tell their story.

It’s tricky.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how to write a business case study, including best practices, case study templates, real examples, and more.

Let’s jump in.

What is a business case study?

A business case study is an in-depth look at a specific company or organization that examines how a business solved a problem, achieved success, or faced failure.

Case studies are often used by businesses to demonstrate the effectiveness of their strategies and solutions.

They can also serve as inspiration for other organizations that may be considering similar approaches.

The idea is simple: Stakeholders evaluating a product may be able to see the value of that product by learning how other companies have tried and succeeded with it.

For that reason, 42% of marketers still list case studies as a top media format used to generate leads and sales.

Strong case studies are often based on interviews with actual customers to highlight the effectiveness of a specific feature, explain a certain use case, or emphasize benefits or results of note.

Done correctly, a case study combines customer testimonials, process information, and usage data to tell a unique story about how a product or service helped a company succeed.

That’s why case studies are sometimes known as customer success stories.

What makes a strong case study?

Before we jump into the details of how to make a great case study, let’s take a closer look at what a strong case study actually looks like.

To create a great case study, you’ll need each of the following:

• Clear, compelling storylines. A good case study should include a clear story line that conveys the problem, solution, and the impact of the solution.
• A strong presentation of data. Demonstrate how your product or service has made an impact on the customer’s business with documented facts and figures.
• Credible client testimonials. Include feedback from real clients and users about how your product or service solved their issue. With permission, use a person’s real name and job title and personal experience to add credibility to your case study.
• Streamlined visuals. Graphics, photos, charts and/or videos can help illustrate results in an engaging and easy to understand way.
• Call to action. Always include a link to more information or a contact form at the end of your case study.

While all of these components are essential to great case studies, they aren’t always easy to acquire. Be prepared to dig for information and work closely with customers to build compelling content.

Why use case studies at all?

Great case studies can take some time to create.

Considering budgets and deadlines, why should you even bother using them when you could create more landing pages, buy more ads, or write more blog posts?

It’s a fair point to consider.

Case studies come with a unique set of benefits for your marketing strategy that other forms of content simply can’t fill.

1. They can last a long time

A single case study can be used as sales and marketing collateral as long as the feature products or services are still relevant.

If your products have a long lifespan, the same piece of content may be useful for months or years.

2. They’re relatively inexpensive

Case studies are relatively inexpensive to produce compared to other forms of marketing, such as white papers, e-books, and long-form blog content.

3. They drastically boost your credibility

Done correctly, case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of your products and services from the perspective of customers who have benefited directly from using them.

In a sense, case studies represent your products and services through the eyes of customers who have already taken the proverbial leap of faith.

When speaking to prospects and leads who aren’t fully bought in, they can minimize risk and offer assurances in a way that no other piece of sales and marketing collateral can match.

With all of that preliminary information out of the way, let’s take a closer look at how to actually build an effective case study.

Before you start: Understanding stakes and obstacles

The strongest case studies are usually created in collaboration between two companies: Your organization and that of a current or former customer with whom you have a good relationship.

At a high level, the process is straightforward:

• Question creation . Your team compiles a list of interview questions designed to tell a compelling story for new, prospective customers.
• Interview. Your team interviews a representative or stakeholder from the customer-partner organization.
• Draft. After the interview is complete, your team transforms the interview into a complete narrative.
• Feedback round. The customer-partner reviews the draft and provides feedback and input.
• Final draft. Your team makes corrections based on that feedback and resubmits for final approval.
• Final approval. The customer-partner approves the draft.
• Publish. Your team creates marketing collateral and publishes or shares the case study.

Simple, right?

Unfortunately, the process is rarely this smooth.

There are several outlying factors that can stop your case in its tracks or prevent it from ever seeing the light of day.

Here are some factors that you’ll need to consider before you start the case study process.

1. Relationship

Potential interview targets are more likely to agree to an interview if they have a strong relationship with someone on your team, like an account manager or a longtime sales rep.

Without a way to get your foot in the door, your interview request may be politely declined.

2. Availability

People are busy.

It’s not uncommon for the interval between reviews and approvals to take weeks at a time.

Because case study drafts need to be approved by both parties, expect delays while your drafts are circulated through your partner organizations.

3. Branding

Even if your product or service helped an organization overcome a huge obstacle, they may not want to talk about that weakness in a public forum.

Many companies are very cautious about anything that portrays their brand in an unfavorable light.

4. Legality

If your customer-partner doesn’t like what you’ve written, they may simply forbid you to use their name, logos, or data as part of your case study.

Moving forward without their permission could cause legal issues and damage customer relationships.

5. Approval

Sometimes, it’s impossible to get final approvals from the appropriate individuals in the customer-partner organization.

If HR or legal needs to sign off on the final product before it can be officially released, it could take weeks or months before that final approval comes through.

Above all else, remember: The customer-partner that agrees to help you create a case study is doing you a favor.

Most of the time, the customer-partner receives no benefit from the time and effort spent creating this piece.

They can’t use it to sell their own services, and they may reveal information and data that demonstrates a weakness in their management or internal process.

Keep that information in mind as you select your customer partners.

Be sure to treat these partners with care and respect, as a bad case study experience can damage a healthy customer relationship.

Step 1: Planning and prep

Business case studies will usually fall under the domain of your marketing team, but you’ll need to be specific when assigning project tasks and responsibilities.

Here’s what you need in order to create a case study:

• Internal project stakeholder. This individual oversees the project internally. They assign tasks, handle outreach, and oversee the production and delivery of the case study.
• External project stakeholder. The individual at the customer organization who agrees to help. This person may or may not be the individual who is interviewed by your organization.
• Interviewer. The individual who conducts the interview.
• Writer. The individual who writes the case study.
• Project manager. The individual who manages the case study project and ensures that deadlines are met.
• Internal editor or approver. The individual who reviews the case study and provides feedback or final approvals.
• External editor or approver. The individual at the customer organization who reviews the case study and provides feedback or final approvals.
• Designer. The individual who formats the case study, provides data-based graphics and illustration, or produces the final product file (typically a PDF or web page) with the case study and all relevant content.

Sometimes, these roles are combined.

The internal project stakeholder may also manage the product and provide editorial feedback after the case study is written.

Or, if you’re working with a freelancer for this process, they may conduct the interview, write the draft, and furnish a final design.

Next, consider your goals:

• Why are you writing this case study? Do you have a specific goal, such as boosting lead generation or improving customer lifetime value (CLV)?
• If your case study is angled to grow business with existing customers, you may select different features from case studies meant to introduce prospective customers to your products.
• This could include add-on services or premium product features.
• Do you have any new products, services or updates you’d like to share with the world?
• Do you have a new positioning strategy?

After you’ve defined your objectives, it’s time to start considering who you might want to interview.

1. Make your list specific

Include the company name, any relevant notes and the name of the intended stakeholders to be interviewed.

2. Only include notable candidates

Make sure that your interview targets have experienced substantial or notable results with your product.

Look for clients who have experienced exceptional and transformative outcomes while using your product or service.

3. Consider existing relationships

Look for clients that already have a strong working relationship with you.

If they regularly work with an account manager or are in constant contact with specific team members, consider bringing those individuals into the conversation early.

Once you have your targets, reach out, explain your project, and see if the customer is interested in participating.

When you ask for an interview, be sure to mention the following details:

• The purpose of the case study and what you’re ultimately trying to accomplish.
• A brief overview of the case study process (including the interview process and what happens next).
• Timeframes and estimated deadlines.
• A general idea of the kinds of questions they may be asked.
• Explain scenarios for how and where the case study may be used (you’ll need their permission to share it with your audiences).
• Thank them for their time.

If they agree, start scheduling your timeline.

Work backwards from the date you’d like to publish, then build in dates for reviews and edits. Also create a flexible internal deadline for securing a client interview.

Since you’ll need to align your schedule with that of your interviewee, pinpointing an actual interview date can take some time.

Step 2: The interview process

As we mentioned above: Most of the time, the customer-partner that agrees to help you with your case study receives no major benefit from the project.

It helps you, but it doesn’t usually help them.

With that in mind, your goal during the interview process is to make things as easy, streamlined, and stress-free as possible.

One major step that you can take to calm nerves and prevent misunderstandings is to send an interview questionnaire prior to your interview.

This will help your customer-partner understand your main objectives and prepare their responses in advance.

Here are a few sample questions you might use:

• How many team members use our product/service? Which departments?
• What were your challenges before using our product/service/process?
• What made you leave your previous solution for our product?
• How do you use our product/service/process?
• What features or tools have been the most helpful for your business?
• If you asked us for help, how did we provide you with what you need? We’d like to understand this from your perspective.
• How have you benefited from our offering–and what have been your greatest results to date? Please provide specific metrics, if possible.
• What surprised you most about using our product/service/process?
• How have your customers or clients benefited from your use of our products or services?
• Is there anything else you would like us to know?

When you sit down to interview the client, it’s easiest to follow the interview questions that you sent over and simply record their responses.

However, don’t just stick to the script during the actual interview . Listen and actively engage with your interviewee.

Ask follow-up questions. Clarify details. Explore the answers in real time with your interviewee.

Use the opportunity to dig deeper and gather all the information you need to tell the right story to your prospects and leads.

You might also use a tool like Otter.ai to record and capture the transcript at the same time, but be sure to have your customer-partner sign a recording permission release if you intend to use sound bytes from that recording as part of your final case study.

Step 3: Writing your business case study

Ideally, the interview is the last piece of information you need before writing your case study.

All of the background information and preliminary work should be done as part of the interview preparation.

When you finish speaking with the customer-partner, it’s time to consolidate your notes and write the draft.

Before you begin, take a moment to review your overall objectives and the story that you want to tell. From there, select a format for your case study and start the draft.

Regardless of the modules, headings, or illustrations that you use, the case study should cover what life was like before the customer started using your product or service and what happened after they adopted those products/services into their workflow.

Sample case study outline

1. introduction.

A brief description of the case study’s contents (bullet point key metrics and successes).

2. Company overview

A brief description of the featured company — what they do, who their customers are, what they sell, etc. Include brief background/context as to how they use your product, service or process.

3. Problem / Challenge

Describe the business problem or opportunity that your customer was facing before they started using your product or service.

Include strong quotes and fully illustrate why the issue was a problem that needed to be solved.

4. Solution

Explain how the customer used your product to solve their problem.

Share their decision-making process, how they arrived at your solution, what convinced them to purchase, and how they implemented that solution internally.

Share benefits and features that stood out to them. Reinforce these details with quotes from your interview.

Summarize the outcome from the customer’s implementation of your product, service, or process.

Recap their wins, as well as the major improvements that they have seen over both the short and long term.

Add data and metrics, where relevant. Include quotes about how the current solution empowers the company and solves their problems.

6. About us

Share a brief explanation of your company and the products or services you provide.

7. Call-to-action (CTA)

Add a call to action with the appropriate contact information (or a contact button, if this is a web-based case study) so that users can get in touch for additional information after reading the case study.

When it’s time to start writing, gather all relevant information and relevant links (white papers, other case studies, sales and spec sheets, etc.) to make sure you have access to the full scope of information related to the products and services mentioned in your case study.

Your goal isn’t to overload the reader by explaining everything. Instead, focus on creating a benefits-driven story around the features that your products and services provide.

Use data and details to provide precise information at key points.

It’s likely that you will need to bridge the information gap between your interviewee and your target audience.

Since your clients know you understand your product or service, they’re likely to answer your questions in broader terms.

However, your readers will not be as familiar with your organization and may only have limited experience with what you sell.

Instead, you’ll need to provide context as you write. If your business has buyer personas or ideal customer profiles (ICP), it’s a great idea to keep those on hand.

It’s also important to reserve enough writing time to get creative. Thoughtfully work your way through your materials to come up with the type of angle that will make your case study worthwhile.

Best practices

• Start with an attention-grabbing, relevant headline.
• Avoid lengthy explanations unless you’re working on a more complex case study.
• If you’re writing a business case study that’s complicated because of the subject matter or necessary background information, consider starting the content with an executive summary to improve readability.
• Only include a table of contents for lengthier case studies.
• Write in the third person.
• Avoid alienating your readers by assuming they’ll understand technical details. Skip the jargon and explain every acronym to hold their attention the entire way.
• A good business case study is a story. Make sure it has a strong beginning, middle, and end. A conversational tone often works best.
• Keep it focused. Don’t highlight a million wins for a single case study. Pick one or two combinations of challenges and solutions instead. If you include more, you might dilute your message or bore your readers.
• Always include direct quotes for an added dose of personality, energy, and human connection.
• Include stats or metrics whenever possible, such as increased revenue, the number of new customers gained, or a measurable boost in traffic.
• If you’re in a very visual industry like graphic design, advertising, fashion, or interior design, include on-brand images where relevant.
• Standard case study length: Roughly 500-1000 words.
• Long-form case study: Roughly 1500-2000 words.
• Make your customer-partner the hero. While your products and services are key to customer success, they are ultimately there to aid the customer in the important work that they do.

Revise and review

Once you’ve completed your case study draft, take a few minutes to re-read everything and ensure that the draft tells the right story.

• Double-check that all facts and figures are correct.
• Set it aside for a time and get some distance. Return to the draft with a fresh perspective.
• Pass it to your colleagues, including internal stakeholders and approvers, for feedback.
• Provide enough details and context so that readers can see customer benefits and how your solution can help them succeed.

Seek client approval

When you’re satisfied with your case study, it’s time to send a copy of the draft to your client for their review and approval.

This is an important step in ensuring maximum transparency and visibility.

Your customer partner should know exactly what you plan to share and have enough time to share it with key stakeholders from their marketing and/or legal department.

It is highly likely that your customer-partner will request changes.

Some changes may be simple (such as clarifying job roles), but others may be more drastic.

Your customer partner may request that you remember sensitive data and details or phrase issues in a more favorable light.

Most organizations seek to avoid bad press and prefer not to point out key weaknesses in their internal processes and strategies.

Be prepared to soften your language or advocate to keep key data points in place.

This is often one of the most critical parts of the case study process. Proceed with caution and choose your battles wisely.

While you can push back on suggested changes, remember that your customer-partner can rescind the use of their name and information in your case study.

Though you can choose to publish anyway (with names and titles omitted), your case study would be far less influential as a result.

Regardless of the potential gains from a case study, it’s not worth poisoning a relationship with a customer that actively uses and promotes your product.

Step 4: Marketing your case study

When you have the finished product, it’s time to share and promote your case study. Think about using these channels:

• A dedicated landing page.
• The resources section of your website.
• Your company blog.
• One or a series of marketing emails.
• Social media.
• Custom infographic.

Requiring readers to fill out a short online form to get the download may allow sales and marketing teams to connect with potential leads.

If you do go the gated route, be sure the conditions of opting in are crystal clear. And feature a couple of non-gated case studies on your site for everyone who’d prefer to skip the forms.

Regardless of how you market your case study, don’t forget about your sales team!

Sales reps will get a lot of use out of your case studies.

They can feature them as links in their email signatures and include them in sales emails and proposals for new clients and potential customers.

Ready to get started? Try out this case study presentation template .

Good case study examples (and why they work)

If you’re struggling with case studies, you can find plenty of great examples around the internet.

Start reading well-executed case studies to learn more about what makes them work.

Below, you’ll find a selection of three very different but successful case studies.

PandaDoc case study

Intro : Before diving into the body of the case study, we briefly introduced the company, TPD, and highlighted three major metrics for a promising start.

The problem: We quickly engaged readers with our conversational tone. We also invited them to walk in TPD’s shoes through empathetic language and relatable context.

Challenges, solutions, and results: We took readers on a storytelling journey to help our case study flow. We gave them enough information to understand the “why”, but never bogged them down with unnecessary details. We were also sure to include supporting quotes and specific, measurable results in these critical sections.

Pull quote: We reserved the very best quote as the only pull quote, ensuring it would receive the attention it deserves.

Format: Finally, every time we mentioned a new company, we gave it a hyperlink to help readers save time.

Trello case study

Unicef + trello: helping others when they need it most.

Facts and figures : Trello opens the case study with great at-a-glance information, sharing insights into UNICEF as an organization and their relationship with Trello products.

Challenges, solutions, and results: This case study takes readers through a detailed narrative, providing statistics and metrics whenever possible. Readers are immersed into the story of exactly how UNICEF used Trello to help thousands of people during a natural disaster, offering enough detail to spark use case inspiration for other Trello users.

Photos: Trello included photos of actual UNICEF employees working remotely around the globe. The pictures gave the case study a personal feel, which could help readers better identify with the story.

Readers are reminded of the unique challenges of working together while apart to start considering how Trello might be able to help them find the solutions they need. Remember, the best case studies are relatable to all of your prospects!

Format: Its structure makes this longer case study easy to read. Sections of text are kept short while bullet points and pull quotes provide visual breaks.

Finally, hyperlinks to organizations’ websites open in separate tabs to help prevent losing case study readers along the way.

Stripe case study

Simplepractice launches automatic payments offering for clinicians with stripe.

Intro: In just two sentences, Stripe successfully manages to explain what SimplePractice is, what they offer, who they serve, how they serve them, and the benefits those clients gain.

While it’s not necessary to be this brief, readers will be more likely to read your entire intro if it’s on the shorter side.

Sidebar : The sidebar draws eyes to keep reading with two impressive metrics and a brightly-hued CTA button to “contact sales”.

Challenge and solution: These sections read like a story, with each sentence enticing the reader to continue to the next. It’s also great that a quote from SimplePractice’s COO is used to add context, emphasizing the gravity of their challenge.

Results: Stripe gives a lot of detail here for a strong close to the case study. After explaining how their offering brought ease to SimplePractice’s business, they went on to share detailed specifics on what made things easier and in what ways.

They also explained how their offering improved the businesses of SimplePractice’s clients. It’s highly persuasive for readers to understand they have the opportunity to not only benefit their own companies but also those of their clients.

Pull quote: The case study ends with a strong pull quote in a can’t-miss-it color.

Format: Stripe has a great case study format.

Wrapping up

The truth is: No matter how much you talk up your product, you’re a biased participant in any conversation. You have an ulterior motive, and that makes any direct claims you make about your product or service questionable.

Why? Because you want to sell your product!

Case studies offer an alternative way to soften your messaging by allowing prospects and potential buyers to hear from the people who use your products in real-world, everyday situations.

By placing your customers and their experiences at the front of your marketing, you can use trust and relatability to bridge a gap in a way that numbers and data just can’t provide.

Your customers already have great stories about how your solutions have transformed the work that they do.

Help them speak and share those stories with the people who need to hear them most with a case study.

Good luck? Be sure to check out other marketing tips and tricks on the PandaDoc blog .

Frequently asked questions

What is the best business case study format.

The best business case study format depends on the nature of the results and what you’re trying to achieve. You can figure that out by carefully reviewing your customer success stories and interviews.

• What stands out the most?
• What are you trying to achieve?
• How can you use your layout to guide readers through your story?
• What is your industry or what is the industry of your featured client?

Pro tip : Some interviews are more quotable than others. If you have too many great quotes to include them in your featured sections, consider adding a few pull quotes to your layout.

How do I create a business case study outline?

To create a business case study outline, list all of your featured sections and use bullet points to note subsections and what should be covered.

Most case studies feature the following sections:

• Introduction
• Brief Description of Customer’s Business
• Problem/Challenge/Opportunity
• Results/Conclusion
• About Us / Boilerplate
• Call-to-Action (CTA).

But outlines aren’t just for traditional case studies. Use outlines to guide your infographic and video versions too.

What are some case study best practices?

Best practices for writing case studies include:

• Crafting short, easy-to-digest sections.
• Weaving in a narrative for engaging storytelling.
• Starting with an engaging headline.
• Writing in layman’s terms.
• Explaining any necessary acronyms.
• Including any supporting metrics or statistics.
• Using direct quotes to bring your customer’s story to life.

Also, be sure to get the approval of your client and their marketing team after you’ve had time to review your first draft and fact-check all information.

Where can I find a good case study design template?

You can find a good case study design template on PandaDoc.

Our company’s expertise is spot-on and the case study templates are free. Also, don’t be afraid to branch out. Let’s say you have a big following on YouTube or Spotify.

You might want to create a video or podcast version of your case study for readers who prefer audiovisual information.

Or, you may want to add multimedia content to your case study, such as a video insert or or audio clip.

PandDoc is not a law firm, or a substitute for an attorney or law firm. This page is not intended to and does not provide legal advice. Should you have legal questions on the validity of e-signatures or digital signatures and the enforceability thereof, please consult with an attorney or law firm. Use of PandaDocs services are governed by our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Originally published October 27, 2022, updated March 30, 2023

Related articles

Proposals 13 min

Proposals 14 min

Proposals 12 min

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

What the Case Study Method Really Teaches

• Nitin Nohria

Seven meta-skills that stick even if the cases fade from memory.

It’s been 100 years since Harvard Business School began using the case study method. Beyond teaching specific subject matter, the case study method excels in instilling meta-skills in students. This article explains the importance of seven such skills: preparation, discernment, bias recognition, judgement, collaboration, curiosity, and self-confidence.

During my decade as dean of Harvard Business School, I spent hundreds of hours talking with our alumni. To enliven these conversations, I relied on a favorite question: “What was the most important thing you learned from your time in our MBA program?”

• Nitin Nohria is the George F. Baker Jr. and Distinguished Service University Professor. He served as the 10th dean of Harvard Business School, from 2010 to 2020.

Partner Center

• Privacy Policy

Home » Case Study – Methods, Examples and Guide

Case Study – Methods, Examples and Guide

Table of Contents

A case study is a research method that involves an in-depth examination and analysis of a particular phenomenon or case, such as an individual, organization, community, event, or situation.

It is a qualitative research approach that aims to provide a detailed and comprehensive understanding of the case being studied. Case studies typically involve multiple sources of data, including interviews, observations, documents, and artifacts, which are analyzed using various techniques, such as content analysis, thematic analysis, and grounded theory. The findings of a case study are often used to develop theories, inform policy or practice, or generate new research questions.

Types of Case Study

Types and Methods of Case Study are as follows:

Single-Case Study

A single-case study is an in-depth analysis of a single case. This type of case study is useful when the researcher wants to understand a specific phenomenon in detail.

For Example , A researcher might conduct a single-case study on a particular individual to understand their experiences with a particular health condition or a specific organization to explore their management practices. The researcher collects data from multiple sources, such as interviews, observations, and documents, and uses various techniques to analyze the data, such as content analysis or thematic analysis. The findings of a single-case study are often used to generate new research questions, develop theories, or inform policy or practice.

Multiple-Case Study

A multiple-case study involves the analysis of several cases that are similar in nature. This type of case study is useful when the researcher wants to identify similarities and differences between the cases.

For Example, a researcher might conduct a multiple-case study on several companies to explore the factors that contribute to their success or failure. The researcher collects data from each case, compares and contrasts the findings, and uses various techniques to analyze the data, such as comparative analysis or pattern-matching. The findings of a multiple-case study can be used to develop theories, inform policy or practice, or generate new research questions.

Exploratory Case Study

An exploratory case study is used to explore a new or understudied phenomenon. This type of case study is useful when the researcher wants to generate hypotheses or theories about the phenomenon.

For Example, a researcher might conduct an exploratory case study on a new technology to understand its potential impact on society. The researcher collects data from multiple sources, such as interviews, observations, and documents, and uses various techniques to analyze the data, such as grounded theory or content analysis. The findings of an exploratory case study can be used to generate new research questions, develop theories, or inform policy or practice.

Descriptive Case Study

A descriptive case study is used to describe a particular phenomenon in detail. This type of case study is useful when the researcher wants to provide a comprehensive account of the phenomenon.

For Example, a researcher might conduct a descriptive case study on a particular community to understand its social and economic characteristics. The researcher collects data from multiple sources, such as interviews, observations, and documents, and uses various techniques to analyze the data, such as content analysis or thematic analysis. The findings of a descriptive case study can be used to inform policy or practice or generate new research questions.

Instrumental Case Study

An instrumental case study is used to understand a particular phenomenon that is instrumental in achieving a particular goal. This type of case study is useful when the researcher wants to understand the role of the phenomenon in achieving the goal.

For Example, a researcher might conduct an instrumental case study on a particular policy to understand its impact on achieving a particular goal, such as reducing poverty. The researcher collects data from multiple sources, such as interviews, observations, and documents, and uses various techniques to analyze the data, such as content analysis or thematic analysis. The findings of an instrumental case study can be used to inform policy or practice or generate new research questions.

Case Study Data Collection Methods

Here are some common data collection methods for case studies:

Interviews involve asking questions to individuals who have knowledge or experience relevant to the case study. Interviews can be structured (where the same questions are asked to all participants) or unstructured (where the interviewer follows up on the responses with further questions). Interviews can be conducted in person, over the phone, or through video conferencing.

Observations

Observations involve watching and recording the behavior and activities of individuals or groups relevant to the case study. Observations can be participant (where the researcher actively participates in the activities) or non-participant (where the researcher observes from a distance). Observations can be recorded using notes, audio or video recordings, or photographs.

Documents can be used as a source of information for case studies. Documents can include reports, memos, emails, letters, and other written materials related to the case study. Documents can be collected from the case study participants or from public sources.

Surveys involve asking a set of questions to a sample of individuals relevant to the case study. Surveys can be administered in person, over the phone, through mail or email, or online. Surveys can be used to gather information on attitudes, opinions, or behaviors related to the case study.

Artifacts are physical objects relevant to the case study. Artifacts can include tools, equipment, products, or other objects that provide insights into the case study phenomenon.

How to conduct Case Study Research

Conducting a case study research involves several steps that need to be followed to ensure the quality and rigor of the study. Here are the steps to conduct case study research:

• Define the research questions: The first step in conducting a case study research is to define the research questions. The research questions should be specific, measurable, and relevant to the case study phenomenon under investigation.
• Select the case: The next step is to select the case or cases to be studied. The case should be relevant to the research questions and should provide rich and diverse data that can be used to answer the research questions.
• Collect data: Data can be collected using various methods, such as interviews, observations, documents, surveys, and artifacts. The data collection method should be selected based on the research questions and the nature of the case study phenomenon.
• Analyze the data: The data collected from the case study should be analyzed using various techniques, such as content analysis, thematic analysis, or grounded theory. The analysis should be guided by the research questions and should aim to provide insights and conclusions relevant to the research questions.
• Draw conclusions: The conclusions drawn from the case study should be based on the data analysis and should be relevant to the research questions. The conclusions should be supported by evidence and should be clearly stated.
• Validate the findings: The findings of the case study should be validated by reviewing the data and the analysis with participants or other experts in the field. This helps to ensure the validity and reliability of the findings.
• Write the report: The final step is to write the report of the case study research. The report should provide a clear description of the case study phenomenon, the research questions, the data collection methods, the data analysis, the findings, and the conclusions. The report should be written in a clear and concise manner and should follow the guidelines for academic writing.

Examples of Case Study

Here are some examples of case study research:

• The Hawthorne Studies : Conducted between 1924 and 1932, the Hawthorne Studies were a series of case studies conducted by Elton Mayo and his colleagues to examine the impact of work environment on employee productivity. The studies were conducted at the Hawthorne Works plant of the Western Electric Company in Chicago and included interviews, observations, and experiments.
• The Stanford Prison Experiment: Conducted in 1971, the Stanford Prison Experiment was a case study conducted by Philip Zimbardo to examine the psychological effects of power and authority. The study involved simulating a prison environment and assigning participants to the role of guards or prisoners. The study was controversial due to the ethical issues it raised.
• The Challenger Disaster: The Challenger Disaster was a case study conducted to examine the causes of the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion in 1986. The study included interviews, observations, and analysis of data to identify the technical, organizational, and cultural factors that contributed to the disaster.
• The Enron Scandal: The Enron Scandal was a case study conducted to examine the causes of the Enron Corporation’s bankruptcy in 2001. The study included interviews, analysis of financial data, and review of documents to identify the accounting practices, corporate culture, and ethical issues that led to the company’s downfall.
• The Fukushima Nuclear Disaster : The Fukushima Nuclear Disaster was a case study conducted to examine the causes of the nuclear accident that occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan in 2011. The study included interviews, analysis of data, and review of documents to identify the technical, organizational, and cultural factors that contributed to the disaster.

Application of Case Study

Case studies have a wide range of applications across various fields and industries. Here are some examples:

Business and Management

Case studies are widely used in business and management to examine real-life situations and develop problem-solving skills. Case studies can help students and professionals to develop a deep understanding of business concepts, theories, and best practices.

Case studies are used in healthcare to examine patient care, treatment options, and outcomes. Case studies can help healthcare professionals to develop critical thinking skills, diagnose complex medical conditions, and develop effective treatment plans.

Case studies are used in education to examine teaching and learning practices. Case studies can help educators to develop effective teaching strategies, evaluate student progress, and identify areas for improvement.

Social Sciences

Case studies are widely used in social sciences to examine human behavior, social phenomena, and cultural practices. Case studies can help researchers to develop theories, test hypotheses, and gain insights into complex social issues.

Law and Ethics

Case studies are used in law and ethics to examine legal and ethical dilemmas. Case studies can help lawyers, policymakers, and ethical professionals to develop critical thinking skills, analyze complex cases, and make informed decisions.

Purpose of Case Study

The purpose of a case study is to provide a detailed analysis of a specific phenomenon, issue, or problem in its real-life context. A case study is a qualitative research method that involves the in-depth exploration and analysis of a particular case, which can be an individual, group, organization, event, or community.

The primary purpose of a case study is to generate a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the case, including its history, context, and dynamics. Case studies can help researchers to identify and examine the underlying factors, processes, and mechanisms that contribute to the case and its outcomes. This can help to develop a more accurate and detailed understanding of the case, which can inform future research, practice, or policy.

Case studies can also serve other purposes, including:

• Illustrating a theory or concept: Case studies can be used to illustrate and explain theoretical concepts and frameworks, providing concrete examples of how they can be applied in real-life situations.
• Developing hypotheses: Case studies can help to generate hypotheses about the causal relationships between different factors and outcomes, which can be tested through further research.
• Providing insight into complex issues: Case studies can provide insights into complex and multifaceted issues, which may be difficult to understand through other research methods.
• Informing practice or policy: Case studies can be used to inform practice or policy by identifying best practices, lessons learned, or areas for improvement.

Advantages of Case Study Research

There are several advantages of case study research, including:

• In-depth exploration: Case study research allows for a detailed exploration and analysis of a specific phenomenon, issue, or problem in its real-life context. This can provide a comprehensive understanding of the case and its dynamics, which may not be possible through other research methods.
• Rich data: Case study research can generate rich and detailed data, including qualitative data such as interviews, observations, and documents. This can provide a nuanced understanding of the case and its complexity.
• Holistic perspective: Case study research allows for a holistic perspective of the case, taking into account the various factors, processes, and mechanisms that contribute to the case and its outcomes. This can help to develop a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of the case.
• Theory development: Case study research can help to develop and refine theories and concepts by providing empirical evidence and concrete examples of how they can be applied in real-life situations.
• Practical application: Case study research can inform practice or policy by identifying best practices, lessons learned, or areas for improvement.
• Contextualization: Case study research takes into account the specific context in which the case is situated, which can help to understand how the case is influenced by the social, cultural, and historical factors of its environment.

Limitations of Case Study Research

There are several limitations of case study research, including:

• Limited generalizability : Case studies are typically focused on a single case or a small number of cases, which limits the generalizability of the findings. The unique characteristics of the case may not be applicable to other contexts or populations, which may limit the external validity of the research.
• Biased sampling: Case studies may rely on purposive or convenience sampling, which can introduce bias into the sample selection process. This may limit the representativeness of the sample and the generalizability of the findings.
• Subjectivity: Case studies rely on the interpretation of the researcher, which can introduce subjectivity into the analysis. The researcher’s own biases, assumptions, and perspectives may influence the findings, which may limit the objectivity of the research.
• Limited control: Case studies are typically conducted in naturalistic settings, which limits the control that the researcher has over the environment and the variables being studied. This may limit the ability to establish causal relationships between variables.
• Time-consuming: Case studies can be time-consuming to conduct, as they typically involve a detailed exploration and analysis of a specific case. This may limit the feasibility of conducting multiple case studies or conducting case studies in a timely manner.
• Resource-intensive: Case studies may require significant resources, including time, funding, and expertise. This may limit the ability of researchers to conduct case studies in resource-constrained settings.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

You may also like

Phenomenology – Methods, Examples and Guide

Research Methods – Types, Examples and Guide

Explanatory Research – Types, Methods, Guide

Survey Research – Types, Methods, Examples

Qualitative Research – Methods, Analysis Types...

Experimental Design – Types, Methods, Guide

• Contact sales

Start free trial

How to Write a Business Case (Template Included)

Table of Contents

What is a business case, business case template, how to write a business case, key elements of a business case, how projectmanager helps with your business case, watch our business case training video.

A business case is a project management document that explains how the benefits of a project overweigh its costs and why it should be executed. Business cases are prepared during the project initiation phase and their purpose is to include all the project’s objectives, costs and benefits to convince stakeholders of its value.

A business case is an important project document to prove to your client, customer or stakeholder that the project proposal you’re pitching is a sound investment. Below, we illustrate the steps to writing one that will sway them.

The need for a business case is that it collects the financial appraisal, proposal, strategy and marketing plan in one document and offers a full look at how the project will benefit the organization. Once your business case is approved by the project stakeholders, you can begin the project planning phase.

Our business case template for Word is the perfect tool to start writing a business case. It has 9 key business case areas you can customize as needed. Download the template for free and follow the steps below to create a great business case for all your projects.

Projects fail without having a solid business case to rest on, as this project document is the base for the project charter and project plan. But if a project business case is not anchored to reality, and doesn’t address a need that aligns with the larger business objectives of the organization, then it is irrelevant.

The research you’ll need to create a strong business case is the why, what, how and who of your project. This must be clearly communicated. The elements of your business case will address the why but in greater detail. Think of the business case as a document that is created during the project initiation phase but will be used as a reference throughout the project life cycle.

Whether you’re starting a new project or mid-way through one, take time to write up a business case to justify the project expenditure by identifying the business benefits your project will deliver and that your stakeholders are most interested in reaping from the work. The following four steps will show you how to write a business case.

Step 1: Identify the Business Problem

Projects aren’t created for projects’ sake. They should always be aligned with business goals . Usually, they’re initiated to solve a specific business problem or create a business opportunity.

You should “Lead with the need.” Your first job is to figure out what that problem or opportunity is, describe it, find out where it comes from and then address the time frame needed to deal with it.

This can be a simple statement but is best articulated with some research into the economic climate and the competitive landscape to justify the timing of the project.

Step 2: Identify the Alternative Solutions

How do you know whether the project you’re undertaking is the best possible solution to the problem defined above? Naturally, prioritizing projects is hard, and the path to success is not paved with unfounded assumptions.

One way to narrow down the focus to make the right solution clear is to follow these six steps (after the relevant research, of course):

• Note the alternative solutions.
• For each solution, quantify its benefits.
• Also, forecast the costs involved in each solution.
• Then figure out its feasibility .
• Discern the risks and issues associated with each solution.
• Finally, document all this in your business case.

Get your free

Use this free Business Case Template for Word to manage your projects better.

Step 3: Recommend a Preferred Solution

You’ll next need to rank the solutions, but before doing that it’s best to set up criteria, maybe have a scoring mechanism such as a decision matrix to help you prioritize the solutions to best choose the right one.

Some methodologies you can apply include:

• Depending on the solution’s cost and benefit , give it a score of 1-10.
• Base your score on what’s important to you.
• Add more complexity to your ranking to cover all bases.

Regardless of your approach, once you’ve added up your numbers, the best solution to your problem will become evident. Again, you’ll want to have this process also documented in your business case.

Step 4: Describe the Implementation Approach

So, you’ve identified your business problem or opportunity and how to reach it, now you have to convince your stakeholders that you’re right and have the best way to implement a process to achieve your goals. That’s why documentation is so important; it offers a practical path to solve the core problem you identified.

Now, it’s not just an exercise to appease senior leadership. Who knows what you might uncover in the research you put into exploring the underlying problem and determining alternative solutions? You might save the organization millions with an alternate solution than the one initially proposed. When you put in the work on a strong business case, you’re able to get your sponsors or organizational leadership on board with you and have a clear vision as to how to ensure the delivery of the business benefits they expect.

One of the key steps to starting a business case is to have a business case checklist. The following is a detailed outline to follow when developing your business case. You can choose which of these elements are the most relevant to your project stakeholders and add them to our business case template. Then once your business case is approved, start managing your projects with a robust project management software such as ProjectManager.

1. Executive Summary

The executive summary is a short version of each section of your business case. It’s used to give stakeholders a quick overview of your project.

2. Project Definition

This section is meant to provide general information about your projects, such as the business objectives that will be achieved and the project plan outline.

3. Vision, Goals and Objectives

First, you have to figure out what you’re trying to do and what is the problem you want to solve. You’ll need to define your project vision, goals and objectives. This will help you shape your project scope and identify project deliverables.

4. Project Scope

The project scope determines all the tasks and deliverables that will be executed in your project to reach your business objectives.

5. Background Information

Here you can provide a context for your project, explaining the problem that it’s meant to solve, and how it aligns with your organization’s vision and strategic plan.

6. Success Criteria and Stakeholder Requirements

Depending on what kind of project you’re working on, the quality requirements will differ, but they are critical to the project’s success. Collect all of them, figure out what determines if you’ve successfully met them and report on the results .

7. Project Plan

It’s time to create the project plan. Figure out the tasks you’ll have to take to get the project done. You can use a work breakdown structure template  to make sure you are through. Once you have all the tasks collected, estimate how long it will take to complete each one.

Project management software makes creating a project plan significantly easier. ProjectManager can upload your work breakdown structure template and all your tasks are populated in our tool. You can organize them according to your production cycle with our kanban board view, or use our Gantt chart view to create a project schedule.

8. Project Budget

Your budget is an estimate of everything in your project plan and what it will cost to complete the project over the scheduled time allotted.

9. Project Schedule

Make a timeline for the project by estimating how long it will take to get each task completed. For a more impactful project schedule , use a tool to make a Gantt chart, and print it out. This will provide that extra flourish of data visualization and skill that Excel sheets lack.

10. Project Governance

Project governance refers to all the project management rules and procedures that apply to your project. For example, it defines the roles and responsibilities of the project team members and the framework for decision-making.

11. Communication Plan

Have milestones for check-ins and status updates, as well as determine how stakeholders will stay aware of the progress over the project life cycle.

12. Progress Reports

Have a plan in place to monitor and track your progress during the project to compare planned to actual progress. There are project tracking tools that can help you monitor progress and performance.

Again, using a project management tool improves your ability to see what’s happening in your project. ProjectManager has tracking tools like dashboards and status reports that give you a high-level view and more detail, respectively. Unlike light-weight apps that make you set up a dashboard, ours is embedded in the tool. Better still, our cloud-based software gives you real-time data for more insightful decision-making. Also, get reports on more than just status updates, but timesheets, workload, portfolio status and much more, all with just one click. Then filter the reports and share them with stakeholders to keep them updated.

13. Financial Appraisal

This is a very important section of your business case because this is where you explain how the financial benefits outweigh the project costs . Compare the financial costs and benefits of your project. You can do this by doing a sensitivity analysis and a cost-benefit analysis.

14. Market Assessment

Research your market, competitors and industry, to find opportunities and threats

15. Competitor Analysis

Identify direct and indirect competitors and do an assessment of their products, strengths, competitive advantages and their business strategy.

16. SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis helps you identify your organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The strengths and weaknesses are internal, while the opportunities and threats are external.

17. Marketing Strategy

Describe your product, distribution channels, pricing, target customers among other aspects of your marketing plan or strategy.

18. Risk Assessment

There are many risk categories that can impact your project. The first step to mitigating them is to identify and analyze the risks associated with your project activities.

ProjectManager , an award-winning project management software, can collect and assemble all the various data you’ll be collecting, and then easily share it both with your team and project sponsors.

Once you have a spreadsheet with all your tasks listed, you can import it into our software. Then it’s instantly populated into a Gantt chart . Simply set the duration for each of the tasks, add any dependencies, and your project is now spread across a timeline. You can set milestones, but there is so much more you can do.

You have a project plan now, and from the online Gantt chart, you can assign team members to tasks. Then they can comment directly on the tasks they’re working on, adding as many documents and images as needed, fostering a collaborative environment. You can track their progress and change task durations as needed by dragging and dropping the start and end dates.

But that’s only a taste of what ProjectManager offers. We have kanban boards that visualize your workflow and a real-time dashboard that tracks six project metrics for the most accurate view of your project possible.

Try ProjectManager and see for yourself with this 30-day free trial .

If you want more business case advice, take a moment to watch Jennifer Bridges, PMP, in this short training video. She explains the steps you have to take in order to write a good business case.

Here’s a screenshot for your reference.

Transcription:

Today we’re talking about how to write a business case. Well, over the past few years, we’ve seen the market, or maybe organizations, companies or even projects, move away from doing business cases. But, these days, companies, organizations, and those same projects are scrutinizing the investments and they’re really seeking a rate of return.

So now, think of the business case as your opportunity to package your project, your idea, your opportunity, and show what it means and what the benefits are and how other people can benefit.

We want to take a look today to see what’s in the business case and how to write one. I want to be clear that when you look for information on a business case, it’s not a briefcase.

Someone called the other day and they were confused because they were looking for something, and they kept pulling up briefcases. That’s not what we’re talking about today. What we’re talking about are business cases, and they include information about your strategies, about your goals. It is your business proposal. It has your business outline, your business strategy, and even your marketing plan.

Why Do You Need a Business Case?

And so, why is that so important today? Again, companies are seeking not only their project managers but their team members to have a better understanding of business and more of an idea business acumen. So this business case provides the justification for the proposed business change or plan. It outlines the allocation of capital that you may be seeking and the resources required to implement it. Then, it can be an action plan . It may just serve as a unified vision. And then it also provides the decision-makers with different options.

So let’s look more at the steps required to put these business cases together. There are four main steps. One, you want to research your market. Really look at what’s out there, where are the needs, where are the gaps that you can serve? Look at your competition. How are they approaching this, and how can you maybe provide some other alternatives?

You want to compare and finalize different approaches that you can use to go to market. Then you compile that data and you present strategies, your goals and other options to be considered.

And then you literally document it.

So what does the document look like? Well, there are templates out there today. The components vary, but these are the common ones. And then these are what I consider essential. So there’s the executive summary. This is just a summary of your company, what your management team may look like, a summary of your product and service and your market.

The business description gives a little bit more history about your company and the mission statement and really what your company is about and how this product or service fits in.

Then, you outline the details of the product or service that you’re looking to either expand or roll out or implement. You may even include in their patents may be that you have pending or other trademarks.

Then, you want to identify and lay out your marketing strategy. Like, how are you gonna take this to your customers? Are you going to have a brick-and-mortar store? Are you gonna do this online? And, what are your plans to take it to market?

You also want to include detailed information about your competitor analysis. How are they doing things? And, how are you planning on, I guess, beating your competition?

You also want to look at and identify your SWOT. And the SWOT is your strength. What are the strengths that you have in going to market? And where are the weaknesses? Maybe some of your gaps. And further, where are your opportunities and maybe threats that you need to plan for? Then the overview of the operation includes operational information like your production, even human resources, information about the day-to-day operations of your company.

And then, your financial plan includes your profit statement, your profit and loss, any of your financials, any collateral that you may have, and any kind of investments that you may be seeking.

So these are the components of your business case. This is why it’s so important. And if you need a tool that can help you manage and track this process, then sign up for our software now at ProjectManager .

Deliver your projects on time and on budget

Start planning your projects.

What Is a Case Study and Why You Should Use Them

Case studies can provide more insights into your business while helping you conduct further research with robust qualitative data analysis to learn more.

If you're in charge of running a company, then you're likely always looking for new ways to run your business more efficiently and increase your customer base while streamlining as many processes as possible.

Unfortunately, it can sometimes be difficult to determine how to go about implementing the proper program in order to be successful. This is why many business owners opt to conduct a case study, which can help significantly. Whether you've been struggling with brand consistency or some other problem, the right case study can identify why your problem exists as well as provide a way to rectify it.

A case study is a great tool that many businesses aren't even aware exists, and there are marketing experts like Mailchimp who can provide you with step-by-step assistance with implementing a plan with a case study. Many companies discover that not only do they need to start a blog in order to improve business, but they also need to create specific and relevant blog titles.

If your company already has a blog, then optimizing your blog posts may be helpful. Regardless of the obstacles that are preventing you from achieving all your professional goals, a case study can work wonders in helping you reverse this issue.

What is a case study?

A case study is a comprehensive report of the results of theory testing or examining emerging themes of a business in real life context. Case studies are also often used in the healthcare industry, conducting health services research with primary research interest around routinely collected healthcare data.

However, for businesses, the purpose of a case study is to help small business owners or company leaders identify the issues and conduct further research into what may be preventing success through information collection, client or customer interviews, and in-depth data analysis.

Knowing the case study definition is crucial for any business owner. By identifying the issues that are hindering a company from achieving all its goals, it's easier to make the necessary corrections to promote success through influenced data collection.

Why are case studies important?

Now that we've answered the questions, "what is a case study?" Why are case studies important? Some of the top reasons why case studies are important include:

• Understand complex issues: Even after you conduct a significant amount of market research , you might have a difficult time understanding exactly what it means. While you might have the basics down, conducting a case study can help you see how that information is applied. Then, when you see how the information can make a difference in business decisions, it could make it easier to understand complex issues.
• Collect data: A case study can also help with data tracking . A case study is a data collection method that can help you describe the information that you have available to you. Then, you can present that information in a way the reader can understand.
• Conduct evaluations: As you learn more about how to write a case study, remember that you can also use a case study to conduct evaluations of a specific situation. A case study is a great way to learn more about complex situations, and you can evaluate how various people responded in that situation. By conducting a case study evaluation, you can learn more about what has worked well, what has not, and what you might want to change in the future.
• Identify potential solutions: A case study can also help you identify solutions to potential problems. If you have an issue in your business that you are trying to solve, you may be able to take a look at a case study where someone has dealt with a similar situation in the past. For example, you may uncover data bias in a specific solution that you would like to address when you tackle the issue on your own. If you need help solving a difficult problem, a case study may be able to help you.

Remember that you can also use case studies to target your audience . If you want to show your audience that you have a significant level of expertise in a field, you may want to publish some case studies that you have handled in the past. Then, when your audience sees that you have had success in a specific area, they may be more likely to provide you with their business. In essence, case studies can be looked at as the original method of social proof, showcasing exactly how you can help someone solve their problems.

What are the benefits of writing a business case study?

Although writing a case study can seem like a tedious task, there are many benefits to conducting one through an in depth qualitative research process.

• Industry understanding: First of all, a case study can give you an in-depth understanding of your industry through a particular conceptual framework and help you identify hidden problems that are preventing you from transcending into the business world.
• Develop theories: If you decide to write a business case study, it provides you with an opportunity to develop new theories. You might have a theory about how to solve a specific problem, but you need to write a business case study to see exactly how that theory has unfolded in the past. Then, you can figure out if you want to apply your theory to a similar issue in the future.
• Evaluate interventions: When you write a business case study that focuses on a specific situation you have been through in the past, you can uncover whether that intervention was truly helpful. This can make it easier to figure out whether you want to use the same intervention in a similar situation in the future.
• Identify best practices: If you want to stay on top of the best practices in your field, conducting case studies can help by allowing you to identify patterns and trends and develop a new list of best practices that you can follow in the future.
• Versatility: Writing a case study also provides you with more versatility. If you want to expand your business applications, you need to figure out how you respond to various problems. When you run a business case study, you open the door to new opportunities, new applications, and new techniques that could help you make a difference in your business down the road.
• Solve problems: Writing a great case study can dramatically improve your chances of reversing your problem and improving your business.
• These are just a few of the biggest benefits you might experience if you decide to publish your case studies. They can be an effective tool for learning, showcasing your talents, and teaching some of your other employees. If you want to grow your audience , you may want to consider publishing some case studies.

What are the limitations of case studies?

Case studies can be a wonderful tool for any business of any size to use to gain an in-depth understanding of their clients, products, customers, or services, but there are limitations.

One limitation of case studies is the fact that, unless there are other recently published examples, there is nothing to compare them to since, most of the time, you are conducting a single, not multiple, case studies.

Another limitation is the fact that most case studies can lack scientific evidence.

Types of case studies

There are specific types of case studies to choose from, and each specific type will yield different results. Some case study types even overlap, which is sometimes more favorable, as they provide even more pertinent data.

Here are overviews of the different types of case studies, each with its own theoretical framework, so you can determine which type would be most effective for helping you meet your goals.

Explanatory case studies

Explanatory case studies are pretty straightforward, as they're not difficult to interpret. This type of case study is best if there aren't many variables involved because explanatory case studies can easily answer questions like "how" and "why" through theory development.

Exploratory case studies

An exploratory case study does exactly what its name implies: it goes into specific detail about the topic at hand in a natural, real-life context with qualitative research.

The benefits of exploratory case studies are limitless, with the main one being that it offers a great deal of flexibility. Having flexibility when writing a case study is important because you can't always predict what obstacles might arise during the qualitative research process.

Collective case studies

Collective case studies require you to study many different individuals in order to obtain usable data.

Case studies that involve an investigation of people will involve many different variables, all of which can't be predicted. Despite this fact, there are many benefits of collective case studies, including the fact that it allows an ongoing analysis of the data collected.

Intrinsic case studies

This type of study differs from the others as it focuses on the inquiry of one specific instance among many possibilities.

Many people prefer these types of case studies because it allows them to learn about the particular instance that they wish to investigate further.

Instrumental case studies

An instrumental case study is similar to an intrinsic one, as it focuses on a particular instance, whether it's a person, organization, or something different.

One thing that differentiates instrumental case studies from intrinsic ones is the fact that instrumental case studies aren't chosen merely because a person is interested in learning about a specific instance.

Tips for writing a case study

If you have decided to write case studies for your company, then you may be unsure of where to start or which type to conduct.

However, it doesn't have to be difficult or confusing to begin conducting a case study that will help you identify ways to improve your business.

Here are some helpful tips for writing your case studies:

1. Your case study must be written in the proper format

When writing a case study, the format that you should be similar to this:

Administrative summary

The executive summary is an overview of what your report will contain, written in a concise manner while providing real-life context.

Despite the fact that the executive summary should appear at the beginning of your case studies, it shouldn't be written until you've completed the entire report because if you write it before you finish the report, this summary may not be completely accurate.

Key problem statement

In this section of your case study, you will briefly describe the problem that you hope to solve by conducting the study. You will have the opportunity to elaborate on the problem that you're focusing on as you get into the breadth of the report.

Problem exploration

This part of the case study isn't as brief as the other two, and it goes into more detail about the problem at hand. Your problem exploration must include why the identified problem needs to be solved as well as the urgency of solving it.

Additionally, it must include justification for conducting the problem-solving, as the benefits must outweigh the efforts and costs.

Proposed resolution

This case study section will also be lengthier than the first two. It must include how you propose going about rectifying the problem. The "recommended solution" section must also include potential obstacles that you might experience, as well as how these will be managed.

Furthermore, you will need to list alternative solutions and explain the reason the chosen solution is best. Charts can enhance your report and make it easier to read, and provide as much proof to substantiate your claim as possible.

Overview of monetary consideration

An overview of monetary consideration is essential for all case studies, as it will be used to convince all involved parties why your project should be funded. You must successfully convince them that the cost is worth the investment it will require. It's important that you stress the necessity for this particular case study and explain the expected outcome.

Execution timeline

In the execution times of case studies, you explain how long you predict it will take to implement your study. The shorter the time it will take to implement your plan, the more apt it is to be approved. However, be sure to provide a reasonable timeline, taking into consideration any additional time that might be needed due to obstacles.

Always include a conclusion in your case study. This is where you will briefly wrap up your entire proposal, stressing the benefits of completing the data collection and data analysis in order to rectify your problem.

2. Make it clear and comprehensive

You want to write your case studies with as much clarity as possible so that every aspect of the report is understood. Be sure to double-check your grammar, spelling, punctuation, and more, as you don't want to submit a poorly-written document.

Not only would a poorly-written case study fail to prove that what you are trying to achieve is important, but it would also increase the chances that your report will be tossed aside and not taken seriously.

3. Don't rush through the process

Writing the perfect case study takes time and patience. Rushing could result in your forgetting to include information that is crucial to your entire study. Don't waste your time creating a study that simply isn't ready. Take the necessary time to perform all the research necessary to write the best case study possible.

Depending on the case study, conducting case study research could mean using qualitative methods, quantitative methods, or both. Qualitative research questions focus on non-numerical data, such as how people feel, their beliefs, their experiences, and so on.

Meanwhile, quantitative research questions focus on numerical or statistical data collection to explain causal links or get an in-depth picture.

It is also important to collect insightful and constructive feedback. This will help you better understand the outcome as well as any changes you need to make to future case studies. Consider using formal and informal ways to collect feedback to ensure that you get a range of opinions and perspectives.

4. Be confident in your theory development

While writing your case study or conducting your formal experimental investigation, you should have confidence in yourself and what you're proposing in your report. If you took the time to gather all the pertinent data collected to complete the report, don't second-guess yourself or doubt your abilities. If you believe your report will be amazing, then it likely will be.

5. Case studies and all qualitative research are long

It's expected that multiple case studies are going to be incredibly boring, and there is no way around this. However, it doesn't mean you can choose your language carefully in order to keep your audience as engaged as possible.

If your audience loses interest in your case study at the beginning, for whatever reason, then this increases the likelihood that your case study will not be funded.

Case study examples

If you want to learn more about how to write a case study, it might be beneficial to take a look at a few case study examples. Below are a few interesting case study examples you may want to take a closer look at.

• Phineas Gage by John Martin Marlow : One of the most famous case studies comes from the medical field, and it is about the story of Phineas Gage, a man who had a railroad spike driven through his head in 1848. As he was working on a railroad, an explosive charge went off prematurely, sending a railroad rod through his head. Even though he survived this incident, he lost his left eye. However, Phineas Gage was studied extensively over the years because his experiences had a significant, lasting impact on his personality. This served as a case study because his injury showed different parts of the brain have different functions.
• Kitty Genovese and the bystander effect : This is a tragic case study that discusses the murder of Kitty Genovese, a woman attacked and murdered in Queens, New York City. Shockingly, while numerous neighbors watched the scene, nobody called for help because they assumed someone else would. This case study helped to define the bystander effect, which is when a person fails to intervene during an emergency because other people are around.
• Henry Molaison and the study of memory : Henry Molaison lost his memory and suffered from debilitating amnesia. He suffered from childhood epilepsy, and medical professionals attempted to remove the part of his brain that was causing his seizures. He had a portion of his brain removed, but it completely took away his ability to hold memories. Even though he went on to live until the age of 82, he was always forced to live in the present moment, as he was completely unable to form new memories.

Case study FAQs

When should you do a case study.

There are several scenarios when conducting a case study can be beneficial. Case studies are often used when there's a "why" or "how" question that needs to be answered. Case studies are also beneficial when trying to understand a complex phenomenon, there's limited research on a topic, or when you're looking for practical solutions to a problem.

How can case study results be used to make business decisions?

You can use the results from a case study to make future business decisions if you find yourself in a similar situation. As you assess the results of a case study, you can identify best practices, evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention, generate new and creative ideas, or get a better understanding of customer needs.

How are case studies different from other research methodologies?

When compared to other research methodologies, such as experimental or qualitative research methodology, a case study does not require a representative sample. For example, if you are performing quantitative research, you have a lot of subjects that expand your sample size. If you are performing experimental research, you may have a random sample in front of you. A case study is usually designed to deliberately focus on unusual situations, which allows it to shed new light on a specific business research problem.

Writing multiple case studies for your business

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the idea of writing a case study and it seems completely foreign, then you aren't alone. Writing a case study for a business is a very big deal, but fortunately, there is help available because an example of a case study doesn't always help.

Mailchimp, a well-known marketing company that provides comprehensive marketing support for all sorts of businesses, can assist you with your case study, or you can review one of their own recently published examples.

Mailchimp can assist you with developing the most effective content strategy to increase your chances of being as successful as possible. Mailchimp's content studio is a great tool that can help your business immensely.

Case Studies in Business, Management, and Organizations

Case studies - full text as part of library subscription.

• Sage Business Cases This link opens in a new window SAGE Business Cases is a digital collection of business cases tailored to library needs – providing faculty, students and researchers with unlimited access to more than 4,850 authoritative cases from over 120 countries. SAGE curates interdisciplinary cases on in-demand subjects such as entrepreneurship, accounting, healthcare management, leadership, social enterprise, and more. Publishing partners include Yale University, Kellogg School of Management, Society of Human Resource Management, and more. For Instructors: additional teaching note material is available; Before creating an account, please contact the library for more information on how to access this content.
• HS Talks Business & Management Collection This link opens in a new window Specially commissioned talks from leading experts in industry, commerce, the professions and academia. The collection also includes 20 peer reviewed vocational journals.

Case Studies - summary collections available at low/no cost

• Business Source Premier --Abstracts for Harvard Business School Case Studies from 1942 to the present are available as part of Business Source Premier. Full text of the case is not available.
• Harvard Business School Case Studies The case method forms the basis of learning at Harvard Business School. It is a method designed to provide an "immersion" experience, challenging students by bringing them as close as possible to the business situations of the real world. Harvard Business School Publishing makes these cases and related materials available to improve and enhance business education around the world. They are available to purchase online for around $7.00.
• Case Depositories Page at GlobalEdge This section of the GlobalEdge database provides information about publishers or depositories of cases. Some sites list cases by that institution. Other sites act as clearinghouses and feature cases from a variety of sources.
• LearningEdge The case studies available on LearningEdge are teaching case studies, narratives that facilitate class discussion about a particular business or management issue.
• Darden Case Collection The Darden case collection provides numerous business and management case studies.
• European Case Clearing House The Clearing House distributes the European Collection from the Babson College Office including case collections of IMD, INSEAD, IESE, London Business School, Cranfield School of Management, Babson College and cases from independent authors. Cases cost about $3.50.
• Kellogg School of Management Case Study Abstracts The Kellogg School of Management is making available to academic practitioners and corporate trainers selected cases and teaching materials, developed by Kellogg faculty and taught in the Kellogg classroom. Information on how to order the case studies is included on the web site.
• Stanford Graduate School of Business Case Studies Abstracts This database contains abstracts and ordering information for case studies written and published by the Stanford Graduate School of Business. You may search by authors name, title, keyword, etc. Most cases in this collection are distributed by Harvard Business School Publishing and you will find a link to the HBSP site to place your order. Contact them for availability of other cases.
• Case Research Journal Available in Print: Case research journal. Published: [United States] : The North American Case Research Association (NACRA), 1980--present. Availability: TC Wilson Periodicals --Basement The Index to the cases in the print journal is available at the link shown above. This site from the North American Case Research Association also shows how to purchase the cases available in the journal.
• NASPAA Publicases Publicases is an online repository and marketplace developed by NASPAA (Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration) as platform connecting students and faculty in public affairs schools around the world with simulations, case studies, data, and other experiential learning opportunities. Currently, case content is developed by the Evans School and the Humphrey School and is available without charge to member schools.

Writing Case Studies - teaching and research

Find Case Studies in Books by using  MNCAT :

• Search for a subject term, such as marketing, and add the phrase: case studies. See below for examples:
• Books on the case method: Search our  MNCAT  catalog using the subject term:  Case method.

• Design for Business
• Most Recent
• Presentations
• Infographics
• Data Visualizations
• Forms and Surveys
• Video & Animation
• Case Studies
• Digital Marketing
• Design Inspiration
• Visual Thinking
• Product Updates
• Visme Webinars
• Artificial Intelligence

15 Real-Life Case Study Examples & Best Practices

Written by: Oghale Olori

Case studies are more than just success stories.

They are powerful tools that demonstrate the practical value of your product or service. Case studies help attract attention to your products, build trust with potential customers and ultimately drive sales.

It’s no wonder that 73% of successful content marketers utilize case studies as part of their content strategy. Plus, buyers spend 54% of their time reviewing case studies before they make a buying decision.

To ensure you’re making the most of your case studies, we’ve put together 15 real-life case study examples to inspire you. These examples span a variety of industries and formats. We’ve also included best practices, design tips and templates to inspire you.

Let’s dive in!

Table of Contents

What is a case study, 15 real-life case study examples, sales case study examples, saas case study examples, product case study examples, marketing case study examples, business case study examples, case study faqs.

• A case study is a compelling narrative that showcases how your product or service has positively impacted a real business or individual. 
• Case studies delve into your customer's challenges, how your solution addressed them and the quantifiable results they achieved.
• Your case study should have an attention-grabbing headline, great visuals and a relevant call to action. Other key elements include an introduction, problems and result section.
• Visme provides easy-to-use tools, professionally designed templates and features for creating attractive and engaging case studies.

A case study is a real-life scenario where your company helped a person or business solve their unique challenges. It provides a detailed analysis of the positive outcomes achieved as a result of implementing your solution.

Case studies are an effective way to showcase the value of your product or service to potential customers without overt selling. By sharing how your company transformed a business, you can attract customers seeking similar solutions and results.

Case studies are not only about your company's capabilities; they are primarily about the benefits customers and clients have experienced from using your product.

Every great case study is made up of key elements. They are;

• Attention-grabbing headline: Write a compelling headline that grabs attention and tells your reader what the case study is about. For example, "How a CRM System Helped a B2B Company Increase Revenue by 225%.
• Introduction/Executive Summary: Include a brief overview of your case study, including your customer’s problem, the solution they implemented and the results they achieved.
• Problem/Challenge: Case studies with solutions offer a powerful way to connect with potential customers. In this section, explain how your product or service specifically addressed your customer's challenges.
• Solution: Explain how your product or service specifically addressed your customer's challenges.
• Results/Achievements : Give a detailed account of the positive impact of your product. Quantify the benefits achieved using metrics such as increased sales, improved efficiency, reduced costs or enhanced customer satisfaction.
• Graphics/Visuals: Include professional designs, high-quality photos and videos to make your case study more engaging and visually appealing.
• Quotes/Testimonials: Incorporate written or video quotes from your clients to boost your credibility.
• Relevant CTA: Insert a call to action (CTA) that encourages the reader to take action. For example, visiting your website or contacting you for more information. Your CTA can be a link to a landing page, a contact form or your social media handle and should be related to the product or service you highlighted in your case study.

Now that you understand what a case study is, let’s look at real-life case study examples. Among these, you'll find some simple case study examples that break down complex ideas into easily understandable solutions.

In this section, we’ll explore SaaS, marketing, sales, product and business case study examples with solutions. Take note of how these companies structured their case studies and included the key elements.

We’ve also included professionally designed case study templates to inspire you.

1. Georgia Tech Athletics Increase Season Ticket Sales by 80%

Georgia Tech Athletics, with its 8,000 football season ticket holders, sought for a way to increase efficiency and customer engagement.

Their initial sales process involved making multiple outbound phone calls per day with no real targeting or guidelines. Georgia Tech believed that targeting communications will enable them to reach more people in real time.

Salesloft improved Georgia Tech’s sales process with an inbound structure. This enabled sales reps to connect with their customers on a more targeted level. The use of dynamic fields and filters when importing lists ensured prospects received the right information, while communication with existing fans became faster with automation.

As a result, Georgia Tech Athletics recorded an 80% increase in season ticket sales as relationships with season ticket holders significantly improved. Employee engagement increased as employees became more energized to connect and communicate with fans.

Why Does This Case Study Work?

In this case study example , Salesloft utilized the key elements of a good case study. Their introduction gave an overview of their customers' challenges and the results they enjoyed after using them. After which they categorized the case study into three main sections: challenge, solution and result.

Salesloft utilized a case study video to increase engagement and invoke human connection.

Incorporating videos in your case study has a lot of benefits. Wyzol’s 2023 state of video marketing report showed a direct correlation between videos and an 87% increase in sales.

The beautiful thing is that creating videos for your case study doesn’t have to be daunting.

With an easy-to-use platform like Visme, you can create top-notch testimonial videos that will connect with your audience. Within the Visme editor, you can access over 1 million stock photos , video templates, animated graphics and more. These tools and resources will significantly improve the design and engagement of your case study.

Simplify content creation and brand management for your team

• Collaborate on designs , mockups and wireframes with your non-design colleagues
• Lock down your branding to maintain brand consistency throughout your designs
• Why start from scratch? Save time with 1000s of professional branded templates

Sign up. It’s free.

2. WeightWatchers Completely Revamped their Enterprise Sales Process with HubSpot

WeightWatchers, a 60-year-old wellness company, sought a CRM solution that increased the efficiency of their sales process. With their previous system, Weightwatchers had limited automation. They would copy-paste message templates from word documents or recreate one email for a batch of customers.

This required a huge effort from sales reps, account managers and leadership, as they were unable to track leads or pull customized reports for planning and growth.

WeightWatchers transformed their B2B sales strategy by leveraging HubSpot's robust marketing and sales workflows. They utilized HubSpot’s deal pipeline and automation features to streamline lead qualification. And the customized dashboard gave leadership valuable insights.

As a result, WeightWatchers generated seven figures in annual contract value and boosted recurring revenue. Hubspot’s impact resulted in 100% adoption across all sales, marketing, client success and operations teams.

Hubspot structured its case study into separate sections, demonstrating the specific benefits of their products to various aspects of the customer's business. Additionally, they integrated direct customer quotes in each section to boost credibility, resulting in a more compelling case study.

Getting insight from your customer about their challenges is one thing. But writing about their process and achievements in a concise and relatable way is another. If you find yourself constantly experiencing writer’s block, Visme’s AI writer is perfect for you.

Visme created this AI text generator tool to take your ideas and transform them into a great draft. So whether you need help writing your first draft or editing your final case study, Visme is ready for you.

3. Immi’s Ram Fam Helps to Drive Over $200k in Sales

Immi embarked on a mission to recreate healthier ramen recipes that were nutritious and delicious. After 2 years of tireless trials, Immi finally found the perfect ramen recipe. However, they envisioned a community of passionate ramen enthusiasts to fuel their business growth.

This vision propelled them to partner with Shopify Collabs. Shopify Collabs successfully cultivated and managed Immi’s Ramen community of ambassadors and creators.

As a result of their partnership, Immi’s community grew to more than 400 dedicated members, generating over $200,000 in total affiliate sales.

The power of data-driven headlines cannot be overemphasized. Chili Piper strategically incorporates quantifiable results in their headlines. This instantly sparks curiosity and interest in readers.

While not every customer success story may boast headline-grabbing figures, quantifying achievements in percentages is still effective. For example, you can highlight a 50% revenue increase with the implementation of your product.

Take a look at the beautiful case study template below. Just like in the example above, the figures in the headline instantly grab attention and entice your reader to click through.

Having a case study document is a key factor in boosting engagement. This makes it easy to promote your case study in multiple ways. With Visme, you can easily publish, download and share your case study with your customers in a variety of formats, including PDF, PPTX, JPG and more!

4. How WOW! is Saving Nearly 79% in Time and Cost With Visme

This case study discusses how Visme helped WOW! save time and money by providing user-friendly tools to create interactive and quality training materials for their employees. Find out what your team can do with Visme. Request a Demo

WOW!'s learning and development team creates high-quality training materials for new and existing employees. Previous tools and platforms they used had plain templates, little to no interactivity features, and limited flexibility—that is, until they discovered Visme.

Now, the learning and development team at WOW! use Visme to create engaging infographics, training videos, slide decks and other training materials.

This has directly reduced the company's turnover rate, saving them money spent on recruiting and training new employees. It has also saved them a significant amount of time, which they can now allocate to other important tasks.

Visme's customer testimonials spark an emotional connection with the reader, leaving a profound impact. Upon reading this case study, prospective customers will be blown away by the remarkable efficiency achieved by Visme's clients after switching from PowerPoint.

Visme’s interactivity feature was a game changer for WOW! and one of the primary reasons they chose Visme.

“Previously we were using PowerPoint, which is fine, but the interactivity you can get with Visme is so much more robust that we’ve all steered away from PowerPoint.” - Kendra, L&D team, Wow!

Visme’s interactive feature allowed them to animate their infographics, include clickable links on their PowerPoint designs and even embed polls and quizzes their employees could interact with.

By embedding the slide decks, infographics and other training materials WOW! created with Visme, potential customers get a taste of what they can create with the tool. This is much more effective than describing the features of Visme because it allows potential customers to see the tool in action.

To top it all off, this case study utilized relevant data and figures. For example, one part of the case study said, “In Visme, where Kendra’s team has access to hundreds of templates, a brand kit, and millions of design assets at their disposal, their team can create presentations in 80% less time.”

Who wouldn't want that?

Including relevant figures and graphics in your case study is a sure way to convince your potential customers why you’re a great fit for their brand. The case study template below is a great example of integrating relevant figures and data.

This colorful template begins with a captivating headline. But that is not the best part; this template extensively showcases the results their customer had using relevant figures.

The arrangement of the results makes it fun and attractive. Instead of just putting figures in a plain table, you can find interesting shapes in your Visme editor to take your case study to the next level.

5. Lyte Reduces Customer Churn To Just 3% With Hubspot CRM

While Lyte was redefining the ticketing industry, it had no definite CRM system . Lyte utilized 12–15 different SaaS solutions across various departments, which led to a lack of alignment between teams, duplication of work and overlapping tasks.

Customer data was spread across these platforms, making it difficult to effectively track their customer journey. As a result, their churn rate increased along with customer dissatisfaction.

Through Fuelius , Lyte founded and implemented Hubspot CRM. Lyte's productivity skyrocketed after incorporating Hubspot's all-in-one CRM tool. With improved efficiency, better teamwork and stronger client relationships, sales figures soared.

The case study title page and executive summary act as compelling entry points for both existing and potential customers. This overview provides a clear understanding of the case study and also strategically incorporates key details like the client's industry, location and relevant background information.

Having a good summary of your case study can prompt your readers to engage further. You can achieve this with a simple but effective case study one-pager that highlights your customer’s problems, process and achievements, just like this case study did in the beginning.

Moreover, you can easily distribute your case study one-pager and use it as a lead magnet to draw prospective customers to your company.

Take a look at this case study one-pager template below.

This template includes key aspects of your case study, such as the introduction, key findings, conclusion and more, without overcrowding the page. The use of multiple shades of blue gives it a clean and dynamic layout.

Our favorite part of this template is where the age group is visualized.

With Visme’s data visualization tool , you can present your data in tables, graphs, progress bars, maps and so much more. All you need to do is choose your preferred data visualization widget, input or import your data and click enter!

6. How Workato Converts 75% of Their Qualified Leads

Workato wanted to improve their inbound leads and increase their conversion rate, which ranged from 40-55%.

At first, Workato searched for a simple scheduling tool. They soon discovered that they needed a tool that provided advanced routing capabilities based on zip code and other criteria. Luckily, they found and implemented Chili Piper.

As a result of implementing Chili Piper, Workato achieved a remarkable 75–80% conversion rate and improved show rates. This led to a substantial revenue boost, with a 10-15% increase in revenue attributed to Chili Piper's impact on lead conversion.

This case study example utilizes the power of video testimonials to drive the impact of their product.

Chili Piper incorporates screenshots and clips of their tool in use. This is a great strategy because it helps your viewers become familiar with how your product works, making onboarding new customers much easier.

In this case study example, we see the importance of efficient Workflow Management Systems (WMS). Without a WMS, you manually assign tasks to your team members and engage in multiple emails for regular updates on progress.

However, when crafting and designing your case study, you should prioritize having a good WMS.

Visme has an outstanding Workflow Management System feature that keeps you on top of all your projects and designs. This feature makes it much easier to assign roles, ensure accuracy across documents, and track progress and deadlines.

Visme’s WMS feature allows you to limit access to your entire document by assigning specific slides or pages to individual members of your team. At the end of the day, your team members are not overwhelmed or distracted by the whole document but can focus on their tasks.

7. Rush Order Helps Vogmask Scale-Up During a Pandemic

Vomask's reliance on third-party fulfillment companies became a challenge as demand for their masks grew. Seeking a reliable fulfillment partner, they found Rush Order and entrusted them with their entire inventory.

Vomask's partnership with Rush Order proved to be a lifesaver during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rush Order's agility, efficiency and commitment to customer satisfaction helped Vogmask navigate the unprecedented demand and maintain its reputation for quality and service.

Rush Order’s comprehensive support enabled Vogmask to scale up its order processing by a staggering 900% while maintaining a remarkable customer satisfaction rate of 92%.

Rush Order chose one event where their impact mattered the most to their customer and shared that story.

While pandemics don't happen every day, you can look through your customer’s journey and highlight a specific time or scenario where your product or service saved their business.

The story of Vogmask and Rush Order is compelling, but it simply is not enough. The case study format and design attract readers' attention and make them want to know more. Rush Order uses consistent colors throughout the case study, starting with the logo, bold square blocks, pictures, and even headers.

Take a look at this product case study template below.

Just like our example, this case study template utilizes bold colors and large squares to attract and maintain the reader’s attention. It provides enough room for you to write about your customers' backgrounds/introductions, challenges, goals and results.

The right combination of shapes and colors adds a level of professionalism to this case study template.

8. AMR Hair & Beauty leverages B2B functionality to boost sales by 200%

With limits on website customization, slow page loading and multiple website crashes during peak events, it wasn't long before AMR Hair & Beauty began looking for a new e-commerce solution.

Their existing platform lacked effective search and filtering options, a seamless checkout process and the data analytics capabilities needed for informed decision-making. This led to a significant number of abandoned carts.

Upon switching to Shopify Plus, AMR immediately saw improvements in page loading speed and average session duration. They added better search and filtering options for their wholesale customers and customized their checkout process.

Due to this, AMR witnessed a 200% increase in sales and a 77% rise in B2B average order value. AMR Hair & Beauty is now poised for further expansion and growth.

This case study example showcases the power of a concise and impactful narrative.

To make their case analysis more effective, Shopify focused on the most relevant aspects of the customer's journey. While there may have been other challenges the customer faced, they only included those that directly related to their solutions.

Take a look at this case study template below. It is perfect if you want to create a concise but effective case study. Without including unnecessary details, you can outline the challenges, solutions and results your customers experienced from using your product.

Don’t forget to include a strong CTA within your case study. By incorporating a link, sidebar pop-up or an exit pop-up into your case study, you can prompt your readers and prospective clients to connect with you.

9. How a Marketing Agency Uses Visme to Create Engaging Content With Infographics

SmartBox Dental , a marketing agency specializing in dental practices, sought ways to make dental advice more interesting and easier to read. However, they lacked the design skills to do so effectively.

Visme's wide range of templates and features made it easy for the team to create high-quality content quickly and efficiently. SmartBox Dental enjoyed creating infographics in as little as 10-15 minutes, compared to one hour before Visme was implemented.

By leveraging Visme, SmartBox Dental successfully transformed dental content into a more enjoyable and informative experience for their clients' patients. Therefore enhancing its reputation as a marketing partner that goes the extra mile to deliver value to its clients.

Visme creatively incorporates testimonials In this case study example.

By showcasing infographics and designs created by their clients, they leverage the power of social proof in a visually compelling way. This way, potential customers gain immediate insight into the creative possibilities Visme offers as a design tool.

This example effectively showcases a product's versatility and impact, and we can learn a lot about writing a case study from it. Instead of focusing on one tool or feature per customer, Visme took a more comprehensive approach.

Within each section of their case study, Visme explained how a particular tool or feature played a key role in solving the customer's challenges.

For example, this case study highlighted Visme’s collaboration tool . With Visme’s tool, the SmartBox Dental content team fostered teamwork, accountability and effective supervision.

Visme also achieved a versatile case study by including relevant quotes to showcase each tool or feature. Take a look at some examples;

Visme’s collaboration tool: “We really like the collaboration tool. Being able to see what a co-worker is working on and borrow their ideas or collaborate on a project to make sure we get the best end result really helps us out.”

Visme’s library of stock photos and animated characters: “I really love the images and the look those give to an infographic. I also really like the animated little guys and the animated pictures. That’s added a lot of fun to our designs.”

Visme’s interactivity feature: “You can add URLs and phone number links directly into the infographic so they can just click and call or go to another page on the website and I really like adding those hyperlinks in.”

You can ask your customers to talk about the different products or features that helped them achieve their business success and draw quotes from each one.

10. Jasper Grows Blog Organic Sessions 810% and Blog-Attributed User Signups 400X

Jasper, an AI writing tool, lacked a scalable content strategy to drive organic traffic and user growth. They needed help creating content that converted visitors into users. Especially when a looming domain migration threatened organic traffic.

To address these challenges, Jasper partnered with Omniscient Digital. Their goal was to turn their content into a growth channel and drive organic growth. Omniscient Digital developed a full content strategy for Jasper AI, which included a content audit, competitive analysis, and keyword discovery.

Through their collaboration, Jasper’s organic blog sessions increased by 810%, despite the domain migration. They also witnessed a 400X increase in blog-attributed signups. And more importantly, the content program contributed to over $4 million in annual recurring revenue.

The combination of storytelling and video testimonials within the case study example makes this a real winner. But there’s a twist to it. Omniscient segmented the video testimonials and placed them in different sections of the case study.

Video marketing , especially in case studies, works wonders. Research shows us that 42% of people prefer video testimonials because they show real customers with real success stories. So if you haven't thought of it before, incorporate video testimonials into your case study.

Take a look at this stunning video testimonial template. With its simple design, you can input the picture, name and quote of your customer within your case study in a fun and engaging way.

Try it yourself! Customize this template with your customer’s testimonial and add it to your case study!

11. How Meliá Became One of the Most Influential Hotel Chains on Social Media

Meliá Hotels needed help managing their growing social media customer service needs. Despite having over 500 social accounts, they lacked a unified response protocol and detailed reporting. This largely hindered efficiency and brand consistency.

Meliá partnered with Hootsuite to build an in-house social customer care team. Implementing Hootsuite's tools enabled Meliá to decrease response times from 24 hours to 12.4 hours while also leveraging smart automation.

In addition to that, Meliá resolved over 133,000 conversations, booking 330 inquiries per week through Hootsuite Inbox. They significantly improved brand consistency, response time and customer satisfaction.

The need for a good case study design cannot be over-emphasized.

As soon as anyone lands on this case study example, they are mesmerized by a beautiful case study design. This alone raises the interest of readers and keeps them engaged till the end.

If you’re currently saying to yourself, “ I can write great case studies, but I don’t have the time or skill to turn it into a beautiful document.” Say no more.

Visme’s amazing AI document generator can take your text and transform it into a stunning and professional document in minutes! Not only do you save time, but you also get inspired by the design.

With Visme’s document generator, you can create PDFs, case study presentations , infographics and more!

Take a look at this case study template below. Just like our case study example, it captures readers' attention with its beautiful design. Its dynamic blend of colors and fonts helps to segment each element of the case study beautifully.

12. Tea’s Me Cafe: Tamika Catchings is Brewing Glory

Tamika's journey began when she purchased Tea's Me Cafe in 2017, saving it from closure. She recognized the potential of the cafe as a community hub and hosted regular events centered on social issues and youth empowerment.

One of Tamika’s business goals was to automate her business. She sought to streamline business processes across various aspects of her business. One of the ways she achieves this goal is through Constant Contact.

Constant Contact became an integral part of Tamika's marketing strategy. They provided an automated and centralized platform for managing email newsletters, event registrations, social media scheduling and more.

This allowed Tamika and her team to collaborate efficiently and focus on engaging with their audience. They effectively utilized features like WooCommerce integration, text-to-join and the survey builder to grow their email list, segment their audience and gather valuable feedback.

The case study example utilizes the power of storytelling to form a connection with readers. Constant Contact takes a humble approach in this case study. They spotlight their customers' efforts as the reason for their achievements and growth, establishing trust and credibility.

This case study is also visually appealing, filled with high-quality photos of their customer. While this is a great way to foster originality, it can prove challenging if your customer sends you blurry or low-quality photos.

If you find yourself in that dilemma, you can use Visme’s AI image edit tool to touch up your photos. With Visme’s AI tool, you can remove unwanted backgrounds, erase unwanted objects, unblur low-quality pictures and upscale any photo without losing the quality.

Constant Contact offers its readers various formats to engage with their case study. Including an audio podcast and PDF.

In its PDF version, Constant Contact utilized its brand colors to create a stunning case study design.  With this, they increase brand awareness and, in turn, brand recognition with anyone who comes across their case study.

With Visme’s brand wizard tool , you can seamlessly incorporate your brand assets into any design or document you create. By inputting your URL, Visme’s AI integration will take note of your brand colors, brand fonts and more and create branded templates for you automatically.

You don't need to worry about spending hours customizing templates to fit your brand anymore. You can focus on writing amazing case studies that promote your company.

13. How Breakwater Kitchens Achieved a 7% Growth in Sales With Thryv

Breakwater Kitchens struggled with managing their business operations efficiently. They spent a lot of time on manual tasks, such as scheduling appointments and managing client communication. This made it difficult for them to grow their business and provide the best possible service to their customers.

David, the owner, discovered Thryv. With Thryv, Breakwater Kitchens was able to automate many of their manual tasks. Additionally, Thryv integrated social media management. This enabled Breakwater Kitchens to deliver a consistent brand message, captivate its audience and foster online growth.

As a result, Breakwater Kitchens achieved increased efficiency, reduced missed appointments and a 7% growth in sales.

This case study example uses a concise format and strong verbs, which make it easy for readers to absorb the information.

At the top of the case study, Thryv immediately builds trust by presenting their customer's complete profile, including their name, company details and website. This allows potential customers to verify the case study's legitimacy, making them more likely to believe in Thryv's services.

However, manually copying and pasting customer information across multiple pages of your case study can be time-consuming.

To save time and effort, you can utilize Visme's dynamic field feature . Dynamic fields automatically insert reusable information into your designs.  So you don’t have to type it out multiple times.

14. Zoom’s Creative Team Saves Over 4,000 Hours With Brandfolder

Zoom experienced rapid growth with the advent of remote work and the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic. Such growth called for agility and resilience to scale through.

At the time, Zoom’s assets were disorganized which made retrieving brand information a burden. Zoom’s creative manager spent no less than 10 hours per week finding and retrieving brand assets for internal teams.

Zoom needed a more sustainable approach to organizing and retrieving brand information and came across Brandfolder. Brandfolder simplified and accelerated Zoom’s email localization and webpage development. It also enhanced the creation and storage of Zoom virtual backgrounds.

With Brandfolder, Zoom now saves 4,000+ hours every year. The company also centralized its assets in Brandfolder, which allowed 6,800+ employees and 20-30 vendors to quickly access them.

Brandfolder infused its case study with compelling data and backed it up with verifiable sources. This data-driven approach boosts credibility and increases the impact of their story.

Bradfolder's case study goes the extra mile by providing a downloadable PDF version, making it convenient for readers to access the information on their own time. Their dedication to crafting stunning visuals is evident in every aspect of the project.

From the vibrant colors to the seamless navigation, everything has been meticulously designed to leave a lasting impression on the viewer. And with clickable links that make exploring the content a breeze, the user experience is guaranteed to be nothing short of exceptional.

The thing is, your case study presentation won’t always sit on your website. There are instances where you may need to do a case study presentation for clients, partners or potential investors.

Visme has a rich library of templates you can tap into. But if you’re racing against the clock, Visme’s AI presentation maker is your best ally.

15. How Cents of Style Made $1.7M+ in Affiliate Sales with LeadDyno

Cents of Style had a successful affiliate and influencer marketing strategy. However, their existing affiliate marketing platform was not intuitive, customizable or transparent enough to meet the needs of their influencers.

Cents of Styles needed an easy-to-use affiliate marketing platform that gave them more freedom to customize their program and implement a multi-tier commission program.

After exploring their options, Cents of Style decided on LeadDyno.

LeadDyno provided more flexibility, allowing them to customize commission rates and implement their multi-tier commission structure, switching from monthly to weekly payouts.

Also, integrations with PayPal made payments smoother And features like newsletters and leaderboards added to the platform's success by keeping things transparent and engaging.

As a result, Cents of Style witnessed an impressive $1.7 million in revenue from affiliate sales with a substantial increase in web sales by 80%.

LeadDyno strategically placed a compelling CTA in the middle of their case study layout, maximizing its impact. At this point, readers are already invested in the customer's story and may be considering implementing similar strategies.

A well-placed CTA offers them a direct path to learn more and take action.

LeadDyno also utilized the power of quotes to strengthen their case study. They didn't just embed these quotes seamlessly into the text; instead, they emphasized each one with distinct blocks.

Are you looking for an easier and quicker solution to create a case study and other business documents? Try Visme's AI designer ! This powerful tool allows you to generate complete documents, such as case studies, reports, whitepapers and more, just by providing text prompts. Simply explain your requirements to the tool, and it will produce the document for you, complete with text, images, design assets and more.

Still have more questions about case studies? Let's look at some frequently asked questions.

How to Write a Case Study?

• Choose a compelling story: Not all case studies are created equal. Pick one that is relevant to your target audience and demonstrates the specific benefits of your product or service.
• Outline your case study: Create a case study outline and highlight how you will structure your case study to include the introduction, problem, solution and achievements of your customer.
• Choose a case study template: After you outline your case study, choose a case study template . Visme has stunning templates that can inspire your case study design.
• Craft a compelling headline: Include figures or percentages that draw attention to your case study.
• Work on the first draft: Your case study should be easy to read and understand. Use clear and concise language and avoid jargon.
• Include high-quality visual aids: Visuals can help to make your case study more engaging and easier to read. Consider adding high-quality photos, screenshots or videos.
• Include a relevant CTA: Tell prospective customers how to reach you for questions or sign-ups.

What Are the Stages of a Case Study?

The stages of a case study are;

• Planning & Preparation: Highlight your goals for writing the case study. Plan the case study format, length and audience you wish to target.
• Interview the Client: Reach out to the company you want to showcase and ask relevant questions about their journey and achievements.
• Revision & Editing: Review your case study and ask for feedback. Include relevant quotes and CTAs to your case study.
• Publication & Distribution: Publish and share your case study on your website, social media channels and email list!
• Marketing & Repurposing: Turn your case study into a podcast, PDF, case study presentation and more. Share these materials with your sales and marketing team.

What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of a Case Study?

Advantages of a case study:

• Case studies showcase a specific solution and outcome for specific customer challenges.
• It attracts potential customers with similar challenges.
• It builds trust and credibility with potential customers.
• It provides an in-depth analysis of your company’s problem-solving process.

Disadvantages of a case study:

• Limited applicability. Case studies are tailored to specific cases and may not apply to other businesses.
• It relies heavily on customer cooperation and willingness to share information.
• It stands a risk of becoming outdated as industries and customer needs evolve.

What Are the Types of Case Studies?

There are 7 main types of case studies. They include;

• Illustrative case study.
• Instrumental case study.
• Intrinsic case study.
• Descriptive case study.
• Explanatory case study.
• Exploratory case study.
• Collective case study.

How Long Should a Case Study Be?

The ideal length of your case study is between 500 - 1500 words or 1-3 pages. Certain factors like your target audience, goal or the amount of detail you want to share may influence the length of your case study. This infographic has powerful tips for designing winning case studies

What Is the Difference Between a Case Study and an Example?

Case studies provide a detailed narrative of how your product or service was used to solve a problem. Examples are general illustrations and are not necessarily real-life scenarios.

Case studies are often used for marketing purposes, attracting potential customers and building trust. Examples, on the other hand, are primarily used to simplify or clarify complex concepts.

Where Can I Find Case Study Examples?

You can easily find many case study examples online and in industry publications. Many companies, including Visme, share case studies on their websites to showcase how their products or services have helped clients achieve success. You can also search online libraries and professional organizations for case studies related to your specific industry or field.

If you need professionally-designed, customizable case study templates to create your own, Visme's template library is one of the best places to look. These templates include all the essential sections of a case study and high-quality content to help you create case studies that position your business as an industry leader.

Get More Out Of Your Case Studies With Visme

Case studies are an essential tool for converting potential customers into paying customers. By following the tips in this article, you can create compelling case studies that will help you build trust, establish credibility and drive sales.

Visme can help you create stunning case studies and other relevant marketing materials. With our easy-to-use platform, interactive features and analytics tools , you can increase your content creation game in no time.

There is no limit to what you can achieve with Visme. Connect with Sales to discover how Visme can boost your business goals.

Easily create beautiful case studies and more with Visme

Trusted by leading brands

Recommended content for you:

Create Stunning Content!

Design visual brand experiences for your business whether you are a seasoned designer or a total novice.

About the Author

Table of Contents

How to write a business case study , business case studies: examples, why case studies are important to business analysts, best business case studies to understand modern management techniques.

A case study is, broadly speaking , an “intensive, systematic investigation of a single individual, group, community, or some other unit” that’s used across numerous fields and subjects. 

Specifically, business case studies examine a challenge or situation involving a single player, which can be an individual or organization. Though the purpose may shift depending on the specific audience (such as customers, business students, decision-makers), they ascribe an analytical framework to a business-related situation, whether past or ongoing. 

Most importantly, business case studies are compelling and insightful narratives. They convey a firsthand account of real-world problem solving, whether successful or not, with implications for modern management. Regardless of the purpose, case studies are a crucial medium for communicating a business analysts’ skills to colleagues, potential employers, clients, and others.   

Step 1: Gather the Facts 

Effective business case studies convey information in a direct, structured manner. Before diving into writing, gather the main facts, data, and resources. 

Consider the “Who-What-When-Where-Why” of the situation you wish to illustrate. Business case studies should focus on a narrow problem and outcome (or potential outcomes) for one player, contextualized effectively.

Step 2: Outline 

After compiling information, the next step is to outline your case study. Planning will ensure that you’re prioritizing the most important details throughout the writing process. There’s no single formula, but the following structure by Express Writers can get you started: 

• Challenge: What was the complication, obstacle, or problem that needed to be solved? Offer context from within the company and, if appropriate, broader trends in modern management.
• Solution: What solutions did you explore? How did you choose your approach? Consider incorporating an effective business analysis technique to build a case.   
• Outcome: What were the results and what effect did they have? Use data to support what you claim the situation to be.

Step 3: Write the Case Study

As you write, consider three elements for each section: details, purpose, and style. Details are selected so that the reader has clear, concise information without feeling burdened. Facts are structurally introduced and explained so that readers can follow a clear timeline. 

Ensure that you’re writing purposefully through each section. All information should be included for a reason as fluff is an immediate red flag that can be considered unprofessional and distracting. Moreover, write with the audience in mind: Are you convincing leaders to make a certain decision, or are you persuading clients that your company has a proven track-record? The purpose will inform the work’s style and tone. Stylistic elements include writing in first or third person, emphasizing keywords and certain action verbs, and wielding persuasive material (such as quotes and graphics).

Step 4: Format, Proof, and Publish

The final phase is to format your case study. Consider the readability of your document. Break up blocks of text with quotes that crystallize compelling points (e.g., “The business saw a 90% reduction in waste.”). 

Ensure that titles, headings, sub-headings, and body text are distinct in size, color, and font without being distracting. The final look should be clean and professional. If your company has a communications team, you can inquire about in-house branding guidelines. 

Proofread your work multiple times before you publish or share business case studies. Copyediting errors are the quickest way to lose the readers’ trust. Ask an outside editor, writer, or colleague to proofread your work.

Become a Business and Leadership Professional

• Top 10 skills in demand Business Analysis as a skill in 2020
• 14% Growth in Jobs of Business Analysis profile by 2028
• $85K Average Salary

Post Graduate Program in Business Analysis

• Certificate from Simplilearn in collaboration with Purdue University
• Become eligible to be part of the Purdue University Alumni Association

Business Analyst

• Industry-recognized certifications from IBM and Simplilearn
• Masterclasses from IBM experts

Here's what learners are saying regarding our programs:

I was keenly looking for a change in my domain from business consultancy to IT(Business Analytics). This Post Graduate Program in Business Analysis course helped me achieve the same. I am proficient in business analysis now and am looking for job profiles that suit my skill set.

Assistant Consultant at Tata Consultancy Services , Tata Consultancy Services

My experience with Simplilearn has been great till now. They have good materials to start with, and a wide range of courses. I have signed up for two courses with Simplilearn over the past 6 months, Data Scientist and Agile and Scrum. My experience with both is good. One unique feature I liked about Simplilearn is that they give pre-requisites that you should complete, before a live class, so that you go there fully prepared. Secondly, there support staff is superb. I believe there are two teams, to cater to the Indian and US time zones. Simplilearn gives you the most methodical and easy way to up-skill yourself. Also, when you compare the data analytics courses across the market that offer web-based tutorials, Simplilearn, scores over the rest in my opinion. Great job, Simplilearn!

Reading business case studies as you plan and write your own will mold your writing for the better. Leaders in modern management offer models for engaged, effective writing. 

One popular case study published by the Yale School of Management is Coffee 2016 . The report skillfully narrates the complexities of coffee’s global supply chain through the struggles of Andrea Illy, a CEO of the premium coffee company named after his family. The study is an excellent example of highlighting broader industry challenges while staying focused on the decision-making of a single individual or company. 

Another example of foregrounding a key player comes from MIT Sloan School of Management, titled Turnaround and Transformation: Leadership and Risk at Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Arts . The authors show how Jillian Medvedow, a newly-hired director of the art institution, “was able to rebuild (literally and figuratively) a powerless organization.” The case study is powerful because it contextualizes the organization’s history in the Boston area while tracing her unique leadership.

Other studies focus on high-stakes decisions and their results, such as Netflix Goes to Bollywood , another piece by MIT. The authors analyze Netflix’s risks and strategy as it entered the Indian market. The study focuses on corporate culture and financial decision-making, relying on data and examples from Netflix.

Some famous business case studies document a company’s failures and theorize what could have been done differently, such as “ The Rise and Fall of Nokia .” Once a leader in telecommunications, Nokia sold its Device and Services business to Microsoft. The research focuses on Nokia’s missteps and imagines what the company could have done differently, thus demonstrating how case studies can also theorize alternative outcomes.

Lastly, another classic case focuses on how Starbucks undermined its own brand value through rapid, superficial growth. Professor John Quelch’s piece offers a model for concise, self-assured writing that communicates business analysis with confidence. 

Mastering case studies is crucial for business analysts , as their job description is to improve a company’s efficiency and performance by applying their analytical skills to company problems. Business analysts are researchers, problem-solvers, and architects of better management systems, all of which are aimed at improving a company’s bottom line.

In modern management, case studies are a relevant and powerful tool for demonstrating best practices and creating buy-in for new strategies. Business case studies, whether they highlight company successes or ongoing issues, are communicative tools for analysts to influence an organization’s decision-making processes, as well as demonstrate their value and competence.

Gain expertise in the latest Business analytics tools and techniques with the  Business Analyst Master's Program . Enroll now!

Kickstart Your Business Analysis Career Today

Simplilearn’s Post Graduate Program in Business Analysis , in partnership with Purdue University and collaboration with IBM, is perfect for professionals looking to pursue a business analysis career and for experienced analysts looking to learn the latest tools and frameworks used by Agile teams.

Tackle complex business problems with our certification course today. Use in-demand tools, attend masterclasses from IBM and Purdue University, and solve case studies from Harvard Business Publishing.

Our Business And Leadership Courses Duration And Fees

Business And Leadership Courses typically range from a few weeks to several months, with fees varying based on program and institution.

Learn from Industry Experts with free Masterclasses

Data science & business analytics.

Program Overview: How Purdue University Can Help You Succeed in Business Analysis

Business and Leadership

Program Overview: The Reasons to Get Certified in Business Analysis in 2023

The Modern Day Business Analyst Role: AI Tools and Techniques for Success

Recommended Reads

The Complete Business Intelligence Tool Guide for the Modern Analyst

5 Case Study Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs

Best Country to Study Abroad

Skilling 4.0: A Study on Digital Readiness

7 Content Marketing Case Studies that Created Real Impact in 2024

A Complete Guide on the Types of Statistical Studies

Get Affiliated Certifications with Live Class programs

• PMP, PMI, PMBOK, CAPM, PgMP, PfMP, ACP, PBA, RMP, SP, and OPM3 are registered marks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

• Start free trial

Start selling with Shopify today

Start your free trial with Shopify today—then use these resources to guide you through every step of the process.

9 Case Study Examples, Plus a Useful Case Study Template

Writing a case study can help you pitch your services to prospective clients. Learn how to write one by studying successful examples and using a free template.

If you can write a résumé, you can write a case study. Just as a résumé shows potential employers how your experience can benefit their team, a case study highlights an existing client’s success story to demonstrate your business or product’s value to prospective clients.

A compelling case study includes relevant data without overwhelming your reader, considers the customer’s perspective, and demonstrates how you handled a specific challenge.

The best way to learn how to write one is by reading a stellar business case study example.

What is a case study?

A case study is a document business-to-business (B2B) companies use to illustrate how their product or service helped a client achieve their goals. A winning case study introduces the featured client, gives a brief description of their challenge or goal, and showcases the results they achieved with your help.

Businesses that provide software, tools, or consulting services often provide case studies to potential customers trying to choose between several options.

A company’s marketing team is typically responsible for writing case studies, but if you have a small business without a dedicated marketing team, don’t worry. Anyone can write a case study, and it’s a straightforward process if you use a template.

Why should you create a case study?

A case study brings your product or service to life for future customers with real-world examples. These success stories offer tangible results. Case studies are, thus, a form of social proof , but their power goes beyond a mere testimonial or review.

Since B2B services often are expensive and require approval from multiple decision-makers, typical forms of social proof often aren't enough to convince potential customers. Business customers want to be able to share compelling data with their teams, and that’s where the case study is beneficial.

How to write a case study

• Choose a template
• Interview your client or customer
• Describe the situation
• Identify the solution
• Present the results

1. Choose a template

You don’t necessarily need a template to write a case study, but it can make the process easier—especially if you haven’t written one before or need to write several at once.

You’ll notice that most business case studies take the same general format; after inputting the basics into the template, you can add your own personal flair. (That is, your branding and voice.)

2. Interview your client or customer

The client or customer interview is the heart of the case study. Identify several current or past clients willing to chat with you about their experiences. Look for repeat customers and those who reached out independently to tell you how much they enjoyed your product or service.

A phone interview is the best way to get conversational quotes, but you can correspond via email if your subject is short on time. Not sure what to ask? When social advertising agency Biddyco interviewed the VP of Marketing at Fellow , they asked him the following questions , according to their case study:

• What were the obstacles that would have prevented you from choosing/hiring Biddyco?
• What have you found as a result of hiring Biddyco?
• What specific feature or thing do you like most about Biddyco’s services?
• Would you recommend Biddyco and why?

The goal of the interview is to better understand your client’s experience with your product or service and grab a soundbite you can use as a testimonial in your case study. If you didn’t work directly with the client, you may also want to interview someone on your team who did to get more context.

3. Describe the situation

Give context to your case study with a brief description of the client’s business and the desired outcome that led them to seek your product or service. You can follow this general formula:

[Client’s name] is a [type of business] with [unique feature]. [Client’s name] came to [your business] seeking [client’s desired outcome] while [requirement].

Here’s an example of a one-sentence situation summary in the case study for Sharma Brands ’ client Feastables:

“Feastables, a better-for-you snacks company, came to us in need of a team to take the DTC setup off their plate.”

Advertising company Adgile, which created moving billboards for the non-alcoholic aperitif brand Ghia , has a longer description in its case study that provides background on the marketplace, but the heart of it is this:

“Ghia was seeking creative ways to break through the clutter of a crowded—and big-budgeted—adult beverage market, all while managing customer acquisition cost (CAC).”

4. Identify the solution

This section can vary depending on your field. Also described as “the action,” “the work,” or “the strategy,” the solution describes the strategic insights your company brought to your client’s problem or how your customer used your product to achieve their goals.

The basic formula: [Client’s name] partnered with [your business] to [service received].

Here’s an example from email marketing software Klaviyo’s case study featuring olive oil brand Graza:

“Graza uses Klaviyo’s granular segmentation tools to send automated flows and promotional campaigns to small, targeted groups of customers based on purchase frequency.”

This section describes exactly which of Klaviyo’s features Graza used (granular segmentation) and how they used it (to send automated flows to small, targeted groups), without getting into any outcomes or results yet.

5. Present the results

This section is where you’ll win over prospective customers and build trust. The basic formula is:

[Client’s name] used [service received] to [desired outcome].

Share how your product or service positively affected the client’s business, whether that’s cost savings, more clients, or improved company culture. According to a case study from community platform TYB, the results it delivered for skin care company Dieux were as follows:

“Dieux was able to create thousands of authentic, personalized referrals ahead of its new product launch plus live out its brand promise of transparency.”

Depending on your product or service, your results may include quantifiable outcomes (like thousands of referrals), intangibles (like living out your brand promise), or both, as in the case of TYB.

Real-world examples of case studies

Sharma brands for feastables, adgile media group for ghia, meta for lulus, tyb for dieux, biddyco for fellow, outline for heyday canning, klaviyo for graza, culture amp for bombas, kustomer for thirdlove.

A great way to write a case study is to look at a sample case study—or better yet, many. You’ll notice that wildly different businesses have case studies that follow roughly the same structure, which is why we recommend using one of our free case study templates to write yours. Learn from this mix of business, design, and marketing case study examples:

Sharma Brands is a branding agency founded by Nik Sharma , “The DTC Guy.” Sharma Brands keeps its case study featuring snack company Feastables short and sweet, breaking it down into three chronological sections: the situation, the work, and the outcome.

The Sharma Brands case study is a good example of how to incorporate meaningful results without sharing actual numbers (which the client may not wish to make public) or getting into an in-depth analysis.

Instead of metrics, Sharma Brands lists the tasks it executed: 

• “Successfully launched their DTC site.” 
• “Simultaneously launched on GoPuff with no downtime.”

It also lists some general achievements: 

• “Broke Shopify records in the first 24 hours of launch.” 
• “All revenue and engagement metrics were highly exceeded.”

Adgile Media Group creates outdoor advertising by providing brands with mobile billboards. Unlike traditional outdoor advertising, Adgile also tracks the digital impact of its IRL campaigns.

Adgile’s case study featuring the non-alcoholic beverage brand Ghia is the perfect place to show off the metrics it collects, like:

• 78% homepage visit lift
• 91% conversion lift
• 82% lift on its Find Us page
• Increase in brand awareness and recall, more than 75% over the competition

Meta, the social media and digital advertising platform, does something in its case studies that every company can replicate. Instead of saving the numbers for the results section, Meta provides a brief overview near the top. This breaks up the text visually, provides a quick snapshot for anyone who doesn’t want to read the full case study, and intrigues those curious to know how they achieved those numbers.

Meta’s case study for the clothing company Lulus starts by teasing its most impressive stat:

“The women’s fashion ecommerce company compared the performance of a Meta Advantage+ shopping campaign with Advantage+ catalog ads versus its usual ad campaign setup and saw a 47% increase in return on ad spend using the Advantage+ products.”

It then presents three key figures in a visually appealing design, drawing clear attention to the impact it had on this customer.

TYB is a community platform that rewards fans for creating user-generated content . TYB’s case study for Dieux details how the skincare brand used its platform to involve customers in product testing.

It also does something small worth noting: Instead of sticking the call to action at the bottom of the case study, TYB places a “request demo” button at the top of the page. That way, anyone compelled by the results of the case study can take the next step immediately.

Advertising agency Biddyco took a unique approach to its case study for the coffee- and tea-gear company Fellow . Unlike other business case study examples that use the typical situation-solution-results format, Biddyco structured its case study as an extended testimonial, with a series of questions like, “What specific feature or thing do you like most about Biddyco’s services?”

In addition to client feedback, Biddyco also highlights a few key accomplishments under the heading “All You Really Need to Know.”

A branding studio like Outline won’t approach case studies in the same way an advertising platform like Meta would. What matters here isn’t cost per impression or ROAS, it’s how everything looks.

That’s why Outline’s case study for ​​ Heyday Canning is relatively light on words and heavy on imagery. If your work is more visual than numerical, your case study is a great place to show your behind-the-scenes process.

For example, Outline shows the label design alongside images of the cans on the shelf and provides a brief description of the design inspiration. This example shows how you can have a design-focused case study that still tells a compelling story.

Klaviyo , an email marketing software company, puts numbers front and center in its case study for the olive oil company Graza . If your product or service involves tracking metrics like email open rates, revenue, and click rates, highlight those stats in a larger font size, as Klaviyo did.

Klaviyo’s case study for Graza also shows you don’t necessarily need to fix a problem to create a great case study; you can also simply help your client achieve their goals. According to Klaviyo’s case study, Graza’s challenge was to create strong customer relationships.

How do you write a compelling case study if your service doesn’t involve tangible metrics or flashy design? For the performance management software company Culture Amp , it’s highlighting key statistics about the subject of its case study , sock company Bombas .

Like Meta and Klaviyo, Culture Amp highlights three numbers in large font. But these numbers are stats about their client Bombas, not Culture Amp’s services: “120+ employees,” “25M+ items donated,” and “$100M+ in revenue for 2018.”

Instead of showing off the results it achieved for Bombas, these numbers let prospective clients know that Culture Amp works with big, important companies on their performance management process.

Choosing a customer relationships management ( CRM ) platform is a big decision. Switching platforms—as bra company ThirdLove did in this case study from customer support platform Kustomer—can involve lengthy data migration, customization, and employee onboarding.

That’s why it makes sense that Kustomer’s case study for ThirdLove is a four-page-long PDF and not a blog post. If your case study involves a long, detailed analysis, follow Kustomer’s example and make two versions of your case study.

The first page is an executive summary, with about a paragraph each describing the challenge and results. If after reading the first page, you want to learn more, you can dive into the rest of the case study, but you don’t have to read the entire thing to get a sense of how Kustomer collaborated with ThirdLove.

Case study examples FAQ

How do you write a simple case study.

To simplify the case-study writing process, download a template. Shopify’s fill-in-the-blanks case study template can help you share your customers’ success stories in an easily digestible, well-designed format.

Why are case studies important for businesses?

For the business reading a case study, the contents can help them decide between different products or services. For the business writing the case study, it’s a chance to connect more deeply with potential customers.

What is an example of a case study?

An example of a case study is a mobile billboard company’s overview of the services it provided to a client. The case study might include an overview of the client's goals and how the advertiser addressed them, plus a list of outcomes—increased website visits, decreased costs per visit, and a rise in brand awareness.

Keep up with the latest from Shopify

Get free ecommerce tips, inspiration, and resources delivered directly to your inbox.

By entering your email, you agree to receive marketing emails from Shopify.

popular posts

The point of sale for every sale.

Subscribe to our blog and get free ecommerce tips, inspiration, and resources delivered directly to your inbox.

Unsubscribe anytime. By entering your email, you agree to receive marketing emails from Shopify.

Latest from Shopify

Jul 24, 2024

Jul 23, 2024

Learn on the go. Try Shopify for free, and explore all the tools you need to start, run, and grow your business.

Try Shopify for free, no credit card required.

Business & Management

• Business and Management Research

Find Case Studies

• Find a Company's Competitors
• Find Company & Industry Ratios
• Find Company Reports/Profiles
• Find Industry Reports
• Find Target Market Data
• Research a Country
• SWOT and PESTLE Analyses
• Use NAICS Codes
• Accounting Resources
• APA Style for Business Resources

A case study is an in-depth look or detailed examination of a particular event, scenario, or group. Case studies are extremely popular teaching tools in the field of management, as they help students apply course topics to real-world scenarios. Case studies come in a variety of formats (articles, book chapters, videos, etc.). Learn how to find case studies in the library collection below. 

Note:   We have several collections with case studies (as seen below), but they can still be hard to find. Many companies pay experts to write case studies and, in turn, want payment for the cases. 

Databases with Business Cases

To search for case studies in the below databases: 

• Go to the  Advanced Search  
• Enter your search term(s) 
• Scroll down to the  Document Type  box and select  Case Study 
• Click Search 

Articles analyzing industries, countries, economies, and markets

Articles covering accounting, tax, and related business standards

Articles from 1,400+ business, law, and I.T. journals plus 27,000+ videos from industry leaders

To find cases in our Harvard Business School collection, simply search on your topic (no need to select document type).

2,000+ Harvard Business School case studies and commentary, plus 76 Core Curriculum Readings covering topics in business and management

Case Studies in Book Chapters

Some of the best case studies can be found in books on leadership and management. The best way to search for books that have case studies is to combine your search term(s) with the keyword “case study” and filter to Content Type > Book Chapter (on left-hand side of the search results screen). 

Here is an example search: "case study" AND organizational culture  

Select CityU Journals with Business Cases

• Business Case Journal
• International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior and Research
• IUP Journal of Business Strategy
• Journal of Business Case Studies
• Journal of Business Ethics
• Journal of Case Studies
• Journal of Global Business Issues
• Journal of Information Technology Teaching Cases
• Journal of the International Academy of Case Studies
• South Asian Journal of Business and Management Cases
• Thunderbird International Business Review

Other Business Case Resources

Individual publishers.

• ABLConnect Case Studies
• MIT Sloan Teach Resource Library
• UMN Open Textbook Library
• World Bank Group Doing Business Cases Important note: The World Bank Group discontinued their Doing Business reports in 2020 to review their methodologies. Their new reporting service, Business Ready (B-READY), is projected to launch September, 25, 2024.. In the meantime, archived reports can still be located through the World Bank Group. (Last updated: 5/14/2024)

Search for Cases by Country in Google

• Find the domain code of the country you want to search using the  Internet Assigned Numbers Authority  (For example, the domain code for the United Kingdom is “.UK”) 
• Go to Google’s  Advanced Search  page 
• Enter your search words the in the top section titled  Find web pages with… 
• Near the bottom, enter domain code in the box labeled  Search within a site or domain 
• Click the  Advanced Search  button to see the results 

Example search by country domain code:  “aerospace case study”  in the United Kingdom 

Open Educational Resources (OER) Case Studies

Find a listing of OER Business Case sources on the "Case Studies" tab

• << Previous: Business and Management Research
• Next: Find a Company's Competitors >>
• Last Updated: Jul 10, 2024 4:10 PM

CityU Home - CityU Catalog

HUBSPOT CUSTOMER PLATFORM

Grow better with HubSpot

Software that's powerful, not overpowering. Seamlessly connect your data, teams, and customers on one AI-powered customer platform that grows with your business.

Get a demo of our premium software, or get started with free tools.

216,000+ customers in over 135 countries grow their businesses with HubSpot

What is HubSpot?

HubSpot is an AI-powered customer platform with all the software, integrations, and resources you need to connect your marketing, sales, and customer service. HubSpot's connected platform enables you to grow your business faster by focusing on what matters most: your customers.

Get a demo to learn about our premium software, or get started with our full suite of free tools and upgrade as you grow.

Your whole front office. One customer platform.

Marketing hub ®.

AI-powered marketing software that helps you generate leads and automate marketing.

Popular Features

• AI-powered lead generation
• Marketing automation

Sales Hub ®

Easy-to-adopt sales software that leverages AI to build pipelines and close deals.

• Prospecting workspace
• Deal management
• Sales automation

Service Hub ®

Customer service software powered by AI to scale support and drive retention.

• Omni-channel help desk
• Customer success workspace

Content Hub ™

All-in-one, AI-powered content marketing software that helps marketers create and manage content.

• Content remix
• Brand voice
• AI-powered content creation

Operations Hub ®

Operations software that leverages AI to help you activate and manage your data.

• Programmable automation
• AI-powered data quality automation

Commerce Hub ™

B2B commerce software designed to help you collect payments and automate billing.

• Invoices & subscriptions
• Payment links

Small Business Bundle

The Starter edition of every HubSpot product, bundled together at a discounted price for your startup or small business. Find and reach customers, grow sales and get paid faster, and organize customer data — all on one unified platform.

Solutions for every business

Growing a business isn’t easy, but we’ve got your back. Explore some of our customers’ top business challenges and learn how HubSpot’s integrated software and solutions can help you leave these problems in the past.

Generate High-Quality Leads and Maximize Revenue

Discover how to use AI-powered marketing tools to attract and convert more leads without multiplying your marketing spend.

Accelerate Your Sales and Close More Deals Faster

Start closing more deals faster and streamlining your sales process with HubSpot’s AI-powered deal management tools.

Create Content for Every Stage of the Customer Journey

Fuel the entire customer journey with content across formats and channels with all-in-one, AI-powered content marketing software.

What’s new at HubSpot

Growing a business is hard. Your software shouldn't make it harder.

1,500+ ways to connect your tools.

Voted #1 in 318 Categories

Popular blog posts.

The Psychology of Short-Form Content: Why We Love Bite-Sized...

Erica Santiago

Learn from My Mistakes: 7 Digital Course Pitfalls to Skip

Amy Porterfield

How To Do Representation in Marketing the Right Way (+ Consu...

Sonia Thompson

How to Use AI For a More Effective Social Media Strategy, Ac...

Ross Simmonds

HubSpot is already easy to use. But we’re still here for you.

We’re here to help your whole team stay ahead of the curve as you grow.

24/7 Customer Support

Onboarding services, free courses & certifications, developer tools, hubspot for startups.

Apply for special pricing, resources, and support for your startup.

Ebooks, Guides & Templates

Grow better with hubspot today.

Development of GHG Emissions Data Management Strategies

Project summary.

Montrose Advisory Business line supported a midstream oil and gas for several year to collect data, perform calculations, and submit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the EPA’s mandatory reporting rule. As the organization experienced substantial growth, Montrose has played a continuous role in helping this organization establish standards to assist with high-level data validation and building automated processes that included electronic reporting and data integration. Over time, Montrose built upon their work to benchmark the customer’s data against competitors, identify areas for potential reductions, and enable stakeholders to make informed decisions.

As the client’s operations expanded, the complexity of managing the GHG reporting process increased significantly. Initially, GHG reporting tasks were managed by a small team. The extensive data required for Subpart W reporting under EPA regulations necessitated delegating data collection and entry responsibilities throughout the organization, including to field-level personnel. This decentralization introduced challenges in establishing effective processes to ensure data accuracy and consistency. Consequently, the client experienced numerous data validation issues, leading to the submission of inaccurate data to the EPA, resulting in rejections and subsequent resubmissions. The effort required to prepare follow-up reports was substantial, underscoring the need for a more robust data management and validation system that could highlight outliers within the internal data set and compare the data against industry expectations.

The Montrose team leveraged their expertise in data management, data analysis, and regulatory compliance to develop a comprehensive Business Intelligence (BI) tool. This tool identifies specific data accuracy issues that could be flagged by the EPA and require resubmissions. Our team extrapolated this data and compared it against publicly available data to detect any deviations from industry averages. This process helped to detect potential outliers, strengths, risks, opportunities, and performance metrics relative to their competitors. Most recently, our team conducted a preliminary analysis of methane tax exposure, comparing it to industry expectations and identifying areas for improvement to proactively reduce exposure to the tax.

To address the client’s challenges, Montrose developed a Business Intelligence (BI) tool designed to streamline data management and improve accuracy through repeatable practices. This tool is equipped with:

• Validation routines that reflect the EPA’s checks for potential issues, highlighting inaccuracies prior to submittal.
• Publicly available GHG data from Subparts C, D, W, and X and associated intensity calculations to benchmarking performance against competitors.
• Granular insight into equipment-level emissions to better understand material emission sources and make comparisons to industry averages to allow for an understanding of reduction opportunities and potential risks.
• Analysis of exposure to new methane tax regulations, including forecasting potential emissions calculated under the new methodology, enabling clients to plan measurements and reductions more effectively.

These features provide a comprehensive solution for managing and validating data. The integrated EPA validation checks allow the client to identify and correct inaccuracies before submission, thus reducing error rates and minimizing compliance delays caused by resubmissions. The tool’s robust data visualization capabilities offer detailed insights at both facility-specific and broader organizational levels, helping the client to track and trend data over time. This capability is crucial for identifying outliers and quickly addressing errors with the responsible data entry personnel, especially given the previous issues with decentralized data entry.

The dashboards for general GHG emissions trending, equipment-specific intensity measurements, and breakdowns of emissions by source type provide the client with actionable insights into their emissions profile. This helps in understanding material emission sources, comparing them to industry benchmarks, and discovering opportunities for emission reductions. Additionally, the analysis of methane tax exposure supports proactive planning and strategic adjustments to mitigate potential tax impacts, ensuring the client remains compliant with evolving regulations.

By utilizing this tool, the customer was able to:

• Validate reportable data more comprehensively, despite the increased volume of data and decentralized data collection and entry responsibilities.
• Substantially reduce the number of resubmissions required by addressing data issues prior to submittal.
• Make informed operational adjustments, leading to more accurate emissions reporting and better compliance with EPA regulations. Specifically, the client identified the opportunity to mitigate high-emission sources like phasing out wet seal compressors to meet the industry trends.
• Identify additional emission sources to focus on, such as pneumatics and flares.
• The tool’s comprehensive data validation and benchmarking capabilities also enabled the client to plan for potential methane tax implications, implement reductions, and adapt operations as regulations evolved.

Overall, Montrose’s solution helped the client enhance environmental performance, achieve regulatory compliance, and improve operational efficiency.

Takeaways and Next Steps

Montrose’s BI tool is a versatile solution making it applicable for:

• Diverse Regulatory Compliance Needs: The tool’s validation and data visualization capabilities make it an invaluable asset for clients in different sectors seeking to ensure compliance with various regulatory requirements.
• Enhanced Data Management: Organizations dealing with large volumes of data and complex reporting requirements can leverage the tool to streamline data validation processes, improve accuracy, and reduce the need for resubmissions. The tool is scalable, allowing it to support small, medium, and large operations effectively.
• Benchmarking and Performance Improvement: The tool’s benchmarking capabilities enable clients to compare their performance against industry standards and competitors. This is beneficial for enhancing operational efficiency, identifying areas for improvement, and aligning with industry trends.
• Strategic Planning and Risk Management: By providing insights into emission sources and forecasting potential impacts of regulatory changes, the tool supports proactive planning and risk management. Clients can leverage the tool to anticipate future regulatory impacts and adjust their operational strategies accordingly.

The tool can be customized to meet the unique needs of various clients, helping them achieve compliance, improve data management, and enhance operational performance across different sectors.

Contact Us Today

Hit enter to search or ESC to close

• Awards and Recognitions
• Executive Team
• Senior Leaders
• Board of Directors
• Subject Matter Experts
• Sustainability
• Environmental, Health and Safety, & Security (EHSS)
• Environmental Transaction Advisory
• Differentiated Natural Gas
• Ambient Air Group Services
• Biogas Solutions
• EHS&S Management Information Solutions
• Digital Services
• Funding Services
• 3D Visualization and Analysis
• Integrated Methane Services
• Lab Services
• Inventory Services
• Optical Gas Imaging
• OPGAL Camera Solutions
• Preventative Tank Services
• SEMTECH® HI-FLOW 2
• Target Emission Software
• Ultrasound Leak Detection
• Alternative Fugitive Emissions Management Programs (Alt-FEMP)
• Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA)
• Net Environmental Benefit Analysis (NEBA)
• AFFF Solutions
• Regulatory Compliance Consulting
• Sensible EDP
• Boiler Emissions Testing
• Fourier Transform Infrared Emission Studies (FTIR)
• Aquatic Resource Management
• Hydrogeology & Geosciences
• Water Resources
• Water Treatment Solutions
• Chemical Manufacturing
• Ethanol Production
• Ethylene Oxide
• Natural Gas
• Oil & Gas
• Power Generation Industry Services
• Real Estate Development
• Renewable Energy
• Case Studies
• Careers & Culture
• Target Online

The state of AI in early 2024: Gen AI adoption spikes and starts to generate value

If 2023 was the year the world discovered generative AI (gen AI) , 2024 is the year organizations truly began using—and deriving business value from—this new technology. In the latest McKinsey Global Survey  on AI, 65 percent of respondents report that their organizations are regularly using gen AI, nearly double the percentage from our previous survey just ten months ago. Respondents’ expectations for gen AI’s impact remain as high as they were last year , with three-quarters predicting that gen AI will lead to significant or disruptive change in their industries in the years ahead.

About the authors

This article is a collaborative effort by Alex Singla , Alexander Sukharevsky , Lareina Yee , and Michael Chui , with Bryce Hall , representing views from QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, and McKinsey Digital.

Organizations are already seeing material benefits from gen AI use, reporting both cost decreases and revenue jumps in the business units deploying the technology. The survey also provides insights into the kinds of risks presented by gen AI—most notably, inaccuracy—as well as the emerging practices of top performers to mitigate those challenges and capture value.

AI adoption surges

Interest in generative AI has also brightened the spotlight on a broader set of AI capabilities. For the past six years, AI adoption by respondents’ organizations has hovered at about 50 percent. This year, the survey finds that adoption has jumped to 72 percent (Exhibit 1). And the interest is truly global in scope. Our 2023 survey found that AI adoption did not reach 66 percent in any region; however, this year more than two-thirds of respondents in nearly every region say their organizations are using AI. 1 Organizations based in Central and South America are the exception, with 58 percent of respondents working for organizations based in Central and South America reporting AI adoption. Looking by industry, the biggest increase in adoption can be found in professional services. 2 Includes respondents working for organizations focused on human resources, legal services, management consulting, market research, R&D, tax preparation, and training.

Also, responses suggest that companies are now using AI in more parts of the business. Half of respondents say their organizations have adopted AI in two or more business functions, up from less than a third of respondents in 2023 (Exhibit 2).

Future frontiers: Navigating the next wave of tech innovations

Join Lareina Yee and Roger Roberts on Tuesday, July 30, at 12:30 p.m. EDT/6:30 p.m. CET as they discuss the future of these technological trends, the factors that will fuel their growth, and strategies for investing in them through 2024 and beyond.

Gen AI adoption is most common in the functions where it can create the most value

Most respondents now report that their organizations—and they as individuals—are using gen AI. Sixty-five percent of respondents say their organizations are regularly using gen AI in at least one business function, up from one-third last year. The average organization using gen AI is doing so in two functions, most often in marketing and sales and in product and service development—two functions in which previous research  determined that gen AI adoption could generate the most value 3 “ The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontier ,” McKinsey, June 14, 2023. —as well as in IT (Exhibit 3). The biggest increase from 2023 is found in marketing and sales, where reported adoption has more than doubled. Yet across functions, only two use cases, both within marketing and sales, are reported by 15 percent or more of respondents.

Gen AI also is weaving its way into respondents’ personal lives. Compared with 2023, respondents are much more likely to be using gen AI at work and even more likely to be using gen AI both at work and in their personal lives (Exhibit 4). The survey finds upticks in gen AI use across all regions, with the largest increases in Asia–Pacific and Greater China. Respondents at the highest seniority levels, meanwhile, show larger jumps in the use of gen Al tools for work and outside of work compared with their midlevel-management peers. Looking at specific industries, respondents working in energy and materials and in professional services report the largest increase in gen AI use.

Investments in gen AI and analytical AI are beginning to create value

The latest survey also shows how different industries are budgeting for gen AI. Responses suggest that, in many industries, organizations are about equally as likely to be investing more than 5 percent of their digital budgets in gen AI as they are in nongenerative, analytical-AI solutions (Exhibit 5). Yet in most industries, larger shares of respondents report that their organizations spend more than 20 percent on analytical AI than on gen AI. Looking ahead, most respondents—67 percent—expect their organizations to invest more in AI over the next three years.

Where are those investments paying off? For the first time, our latest survey explored the value created by gen AI use by business function. The function in which the largest share of respondents report seeing cost decreases is human resources. Respondents most commonly report meaningful revenue increases (of more than 5 percent) in supply chain and inventory management (Exhibit 6). For analytical AI, respondents most often report seeing cost benefits in service operations—in line with what we found last year —as well as meaningful revenue increases from AI use in marketing and sales.

Inaccuracy: The most recognized and experienced risk of gen AI use

As businesses begin to see the benefits of gen AI, they’re also recognizing the diverse risks associated with the technology. These can range from data management risks such as data privacy, bias, or intellectual property (IP) infringement to model management risks, which tend to focus on inaccurate output or lack of explainability. A third big risk category is security and incorrect use.

Respondents to the latest survey are more likely than they were last year to say their organizations consider inaccuracy and IP infringement to be relevant to their use of gen AI, and about half continue to view cybersecurity as a risk (Exhibit 7).

Conversely, respondents are less likely than they were last year to say their organizations consider workforce and labor displacement to be relevant risks and are not increasing efforts to mitigate them.

In fact, inaccuracy— which can affect use cases across the gen AI value chain , ranging from customer journeys and summarization to coding and creative content—is the only risk that respondents are significantly more likely than last year to say their organizations are actively working to mitigate.

Some organizations have already experienced negative consequences from the use of gen AI, with 44 percent of respondents saying their organizations have experienced at least one consequence (Exhibit 8). Respondents most often report inaccuracy as a risk that has affected their organizations, followed by cybersecurity and explainability.

Our previous research has found that there are several elements of governance that can help in scaling gen AI use responsibly, yet few respondents report having these risk-related practices in place. 4 “ Implementing generative AI with speed and safety ,” McKinsey Quarterly , March 13, 2024. For example, just 18 percent say their organizations have an enterprise-wide council or board with the authority to make decisions involving responsible AI governance, and only one-third say gen AI risk awareness and risk mitigation controls are required skill sets for technical talent.

Bringing gen AI capabilities to bear

The latest survey also sought to understand how, and how quickly, organizations are deploying these new gen AI tools. We have found three archetypes for implementing gen AI solutions : takers use off-the-shelf, publicly available solutions; shapers customize those tools with proprietary data and systems; and makers develop their own foundation models from scratch. 5 “ Technology’s generational moment with generative AI: A CIO and CTO guide ,” McKinsey, July 11, 2023. Across most industries, the survey results suggest that organizations are finding off-the-shelf offerings applicable to their business needs—though many are pursuing opportunities to customize models or even develop their own (Exhibit 9). About half of reported gen AI uses within respondents’ business functions are utilizing off-the-shelf, publicly available models or tools, with little or no customization. Respondents in energy and materials, technology, and media and telecommunications are more likely to report significant customization or tuning of publicly available models or developing their own proprietary models to address specific business needs.

Respondents most often report that their organizations required one to four months from the start of a project to put gen AI into production, though the time it takes varies by business function (Exhibit 10). It also depends upon the approach for acquiring those capabilities. Not surprisingly, reported uses of highly customized or proprietary models are 1.5 times more likely than off-the-shelf, publicly available models to take five months or more to implement.

Gen AI high performers are excelling despite facing challenges

Gen AI is a new technology, and organizations are still early in the journey of pursuing its opportunities and scaling it across functions. So it’s little surprise that only a small subset of respondents (46 out of 876) report that a meaningful share of their organizations’ EBIT can be attributed to their deployment of gen AI. Still, these gen AI leaders are worth examining closely. These, after all, are the early movers, who already attribute more than 10 percent of their organizations’ EBIT to their use of gen AI. Forty-two percent of these high performers say more than 20 percent of their EBIT is attributable to their use of nongenerative, analytical AI, and they span industries and regions—though most are at organizations with less than $1 billion in annual revenue. The AI-related practices at these organizations can offer guidance to those looking to create value from gen AI adoption at their own organizations.

To start, gen AI high performers are using gen AI in more business functions—an average of three functions, while others average two. They, like other organizations, are most likely to use gen AI in marketing and sales and product or service development, but they’re much more likely than others to use gen AI solutions in risk, legal, and compliance; in strategy and corporate finance; and in supply chain and inventory management. They’re more than three times as likely as others to be using gen AI in activities ranging from processing of accounting documents and risk assessment to R&D testing and pricing and promotions. While, overall, about half of reported gen AI applications within business functions are utilizing publicly available models or tools, gen AI high performers are less likely to use those off-the-shelf options than to either implement significantly customized versions of those tools or to develop their own proprietary foundation models.

What else are these high performers doing differently? For one thing, they are paying more attention to gen-AI-related risks. Perhaps because they are further along on their journeys, they are more likely than others to say their organizations have experienced every negative consequence from gen AI we asked about, from cybersecurity and personal privacy to explainability and IP infringement. Given that, they are more likely than others to report that their organizations consider those risks, as well as regulatory compliance, environmental impacts, and political stability, to be relevant to their gen AI use, and they say they take steps to mitigate more risks than others do.

Gen AI high performers are also much more likely to say their organizations follow a set of risk-related best practices (Exhibit 11). For example, they are nearly twice as likely as others to involve the legal function and embed risk reviews early on in the development of gen AI solutions—that is, to “ shift left .” They’re also much more likely than others to employ a wide range of other best practices, from strategy-related practices to those related to scaling.

In addition to experiencing the risks of gen AI adoption, high performers have encountered other challenges that can serve as warnings to others (Exhibit 12). Seventy percent say they have experienced difficulties with data, including defining processes for data governance, developing the ability to quickly integrate data into AI models, and an insufficient amount of training data, highlighting the essential role that data play in capturing value. High performers are also more likely than others to report experiencing challenges with their operating models, such as implementing agile ways of working and effective sprint performance management.

About the research

The online survey was in the field from February 22 to March 5, 2024, and garnered responses from 1,363 participants representing the full range of regions, industries, company sizes, functional specialties, and tenures. Of those respondents, 981 said their organizations had adopted AI in at least one business function, and 878 said their organizations were regularly using gen AI in at least one function. To adjust for differences in response rates, the data are weighted by the contribution of each respondent’s nation to global GDP.

Alex Singla and Alexander Sukharevsky  are global coleaders of QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, and senior partners in McKinsey’s Chicago and London offices, respectively; Lareina Yee  is a senior partner in the Bay Area office, where Michael Chui , a McKinsey Global Institute partner, is a partner; and Bryce Hall  is an associate partner in the Washington, DC, office.

They wish to thank Kaitlin Noe, Larry Kanter, Mallika Jhamb, and Shinjini Srivastava for their contributions to this work.

This article was edited by Heather Hanselman, a senior editor in McKinsey’s Atlanta office.

Explore a career with us

Related articles.

Moving past gen AI’s honeymoon phase: Seven hard truths for CIOs to get from pilot to scale

A generative AI reset: Rewiring to turn potential into value in 2024

Implementing generative AI with speed and safety

Pardon Our Interruption

As you were browsing something about your browser made us think you were a bot. There are a few reasons this might happen:

• You've disabled JavaScript in your web browser.
• You're a power user moving through this website with super-human speed.
• You've disabled cookies in your web browser.
• A third-party browser plugin, such as Ghostery or NoScript, is preventing JavaScript from running. Additional information is available in this support article .

To regain access, please make sure that cookies and JavaScript are enabled before reloading the page.

Let’s meet in person!

Secure your personal meeting slot today — let's connect and discuss opportunities!

29-31 July. Dublin, IE 01-02 August. london, uk

Petro Diakiv , Delivery Manager at RELEVANT SOFTWARE

Real-Time Visibility: How IoT in Inventory Management Enhances Accuracy

Does your current inventory tracking system complicate the management of your supply chain or, even worse, hold you back with inaccuracies and lost profits? Or maybe you do inventory counts manually and are tired of endless searches for misplaced items? Can we be totally honest with you? It’s time to rethink your strategy. There are different ways to fix that, but IoT in inventory management is a complete game changer for every business owner who finds themselves in a similar situation.

Wouldn’t it be great if every item in your inventory was accounted for with pinpoint accuracy, the stock levels were always ideal, and your supply chain ran smoothly? With IoT, it is possible and achievable. So, what does it take to reach these gains, and what do IoT software development services have to offer? In this guide, you’ll find all the relevant information about the IoT concept, its advantages, challenges, ways to implement IoT inventory management solutions, and more.

200+ companies from 25 countries outsourced software development to Relevant

We provide companies with senior tech talent and product development expertise to build world-class software. Let's talk about how we can help you.

Table of Contents

IoT in Inventory Management: Overview

Although the Internet of Things technology is quite popular nowadays, and there is much talk about its potential, let’s be clear on what IoT actually is.

What is IoT?

The Internet of Things (IoT) is an ever-growing network of devices that can talk to each other and exchange data over the Internet due to built-in sensors and software. IoT architecture typically involves sensors that collect data, connectivity that transfers the data, edge devices that process data locally, and cloud systems that store and analyze the information.

IoT devices are so widespread that we use them everywhere. IoT-based coffee makers, for example, can automatically reorder beans when supplies run low, a thermostat learns your preferences and adjusts the temperature accordingly, and a car sends diagnostic data to a mechanic before a potential issue arises. 

If we take a wider look at IoT devices, they range from simple temperature sensors to complex industrial machines. So, it’s natural that they found hundreds of applications across various industries, including:

• Manufacturing:   Sensors can monitor production lines, track equipment performance, and optimize energy usage.
• Smart cities: Street lighting, smart transportation systems, and connected waste management are just some examples of IoT in action.
• Healthcare:   Wearable devices track vital signs, while connected medical devices can transmit data to remote healthcare providers.
• Retail: IoT helps optimize inventory levels, streamline supply chain operations, and enhance in-store customer engagement with personalized offers and smart shelves.

The Role of IoT in Inventory Management

Now, let’s talk inventory management. Inventory management is the process of overseeing stock levels to ensure product availability and minimize storage costs. Traditionally, it’s performed manually and involves physical counts and barcode scanning, which are prone to errors and inefficiencies. For anyone who’s ever tried to keep track of products in a warehouse or a store in a traditional way, you know it can be a logistical nightmare. 

So, how is IoT used in inventory management, and what perks does it offer? By embedding sensors in products, smart shelves, and placing cameras throughout a warehouse, IoT easily integrates with inventory management systems. These inventory sensors continuously collect data on:

• Location: Monitor the inventory movements across the entire supply chain.
• Quantity:   Maintain accurate stock levels to prevent stockouts and overstocking.
• Condition:   Monitor temperature, humidity, or other environmental factors for items that are perishable or require delicate handling.

The information collected on goods is then sent to a central system, where it’s processed and used to make decisions. 

Key IoT Technologies in Inventory Management

As you could guess, an IoT management system consists of several components that make the whole thing run. Here’s an overview of IoT technology in inventory management and its major elements:

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags are tiny stickers with radio waves that act like unique digital codes for your inventory. They contain a microchip and antenna to be able to communicate with RFID readers, which are usually placed throughout a warehouse or store. When the tagged item passes by a reader, the reader picks up the unique code from the tag and updates the smart inventory system with the item’s location and status. You have an up-to-the-minute overview of your entire inventory at the click of a button.

• Smart Sensors

Sensors can be described as the eyes and ears of the IoT inventory management system due to the function they perform. They monitor and report on the warehouse’s environmental conditions (temperature, humidity levels, light exposure, pressure, vibration, etc.) to help keep inventory safe and in good condition. Let’s suggest you’re running a warehouse storing perishable goods. A sudden spike in temperature could spoil an entire batch before anyone notices. But with smart sensors in place, you’ll receive instant alerts if conditions deviate from the acceptable range so you can take immediate action. While considering implementing these technologies, it’s crucial to understand the cost of IoT sensors, as this investment can significantly impact your overall budget.

• GPS and Beacon Technology

GPS technology, familiar to anyone who’s used a smartphone to find directions, can also be applied within large-scale smart inventory management. You may argue that the GPS signal is weak indoors and, therefore, not reliable for tracking inventory within a warehouse. Yet, when combined with a beacon technology, it creates a powerful hybrid solution. Beacons are compact transmitters that use low-energy Bluetooth signals to talk to nearby devices. As items equipped with GPS and beacon receivers move through the warehouse, their exact locations can be easily tracked. Just imagine how much time and cost savings you can achieve when you know exactly where each item is positioned.

Benefits of Real-Time Visibility in Inventory Management

According to Fortune Business Insights , the global market for IoT in warehouse management is expected to surge from $12.13 billion in 2023 to an eye-opening $28.79 billion by 2030. There is no doubt that IoT in inventory management offers a number of lucrative advantages. Which ones? 

Enhanced Accuracy and Reduced Errors

Managing inventory is a delicate task that requires maintaining enough stock to satisfy demand and avoiding costly overstocking. Many warehouses struggle to control their inventory accurately due to a lack of visibility and human mistakes. Misplaced items or misread labels can disrupt the flow of goods, create significant financial headaches, and ultimately result in poor customer service.  

IoT device inventory system gives you an incredible level of accuracy. With IoT in inventory management, a simple scan with a mobile app can pinpoint the location of any tagged item. No lost inventory, and the information on each item is always up-to-date and accurate.

Let’s imagine a pharmaceutical distributor plagued by manual errors in their warehouse, with misplaced medications and delays in order fulfillment being the main constraints. Implementing inventory management IoT solutions equipped with RFID tags and smart sensors can yield impressive results for the company:

• Error rates are reduced by half or more . Automated tracking with RFID tags reduces the cases of misplaced medications and misread labels.
• Order fulfillment time cut in half . Real-time data on inventory location allows for faster picking and packing of orders.
• Improved product quality . Temperature sensors ensure optimal storage conditions for sensitive medications.

Improved Stock Monitoring and Control

Thanks to RFID and Internet of Things technology, inventory managers can now escape the tedious task of manual tracking. Every item is easily monitored, and information about it is automatically captured and sent to your central system. Automation of manual data entry and similar routine tasks can save hours of work while incredibly reducing the risk of human error or duplicated data.

With an IoT management system, you don’t need to play inventory roulette. Smart sensors can detect when stock levels fall below a certain threshold and immediately trigger reorder processes. No more frantic, last-minute rushes to restock shelves or accepting out-of-stock situations. Your inventory is always at the optimal level, which is the foundation for hassle-free operations and customer satisfaction.

One more seemingly simple yet so helpful functionality is stock alerts. The smart inventory system can notify you of potential issues, such as low-selling items that are near expiry or unexpected spikes in demand for specific products. This allows you to adjust and keep your inventory at optimal levels.

Increased Efficiency and Productivity

Warehouse workers spending hours searching for misplaced items instead of fulfilling orders is a symptom of the time-intensive tasks and inadequate internal processes that have plagued traditional inventory management. In addition to time waste, it also strains your resources. How is IoT used in inventory management to drive productivity?

First of all, the IoT solution replaces manual work with automation. RFID tags and sensors that capture information on products eliminate the need for manual barcode scanning or inventory movement tracking. When your staff doesn’t have to deal with repetitive, mundane tasks and gets involved in more meaningful activities, their morale and productivity will naturally increase. Happier, more engaged employees are the basis of successful business.

With real-time data and predictive analytics enabled by IoT in inventory management, you can see exactly how many of each item you have at any given moment. Such visibility lets you optimize stock allocation across your warehouse and place items into the most logical and accessible locations. For instance, you can identify slow-moving inventory and clear out stagnant stock to free up storage space for faster-selling items.

Better Decision-Making and Forecasting

Stock control used to be a guessing game where historical data often led to stockouts, excess inventory, and, ultimately, lost profits. A smoothly operated warehouse depends on the right decisions made timely and based on up-to-date information. IoT device inventory helps with it. 

IoT devices collect information on stock movement, sales trends, and environmental factors, which are then analyzed to glean insights into your inventory operations. You can see which products are flying off the shelves and which gather dust to make smarter decisions about what to stock and where to allocate resources.

Traditional inventory management methods use historical data for demand forecasting, and the beauty of IoT inventory management is that it leverages real-time data collected from sensors and connected devices. Up-to-the-minute information on customer preferences, market trends, and inventory levels allows for more precise predictions and improved decision-making. For instance, if your system detects a sudden spike in demand for a particular item, it lets you know immediately so you can adjust your inventory levels before it becomes a problem.

Steps to Implement IoT Inventory Management Solutions

If you are intrigued by the capabilities of IoT in inventory management and plan to adopt this advantageous technology as painlessly as possible, we outline the essential steps to get you started. 

1. Identify Specific Problems to Solve with IoT

The first step you should take is to diagnose the problem you want IoT in inventory management to address. Do you often face stockouts due to inaccurate inventory data? Does inefficient asset tracking cause delays in your operations? Make clear the pain points you aim to resolve. That’s the right approach that will ensure the IoT solution you implement directly impacts your business goals. For example, if the issue lies in inefficient energy consumption, deploying smart sensors to monitor usage patterns would be a more targeted approach compared to a broad implementation across your entire system.

2. Assess Infrastructure and Resource Requirements

Conduct a thorough infrastructure assessment, as it’s the foundation upon which your IoT in inventory management solution will be built. First of all, you should evaluate your current network bandwidth, enough data storage capacity, and security protocols. Can your network handle the influx of data from connected devices? Do you have specialists in-house with the expertise needed to manage the data collected by the IoT management system and control IoT devices ? Understanding these limitations upfront will help you with strategic planning for upgrades or additional resources required for seamless integration.

3. Choose the Right IoT Technologies and Vendors

The diversity of IoT technologies and a huge number of vendors can overwhelm everyone who is not well-versed in the tech landscape. Look for options that meet your specific needs and budget. When selecting an IoT device inventory solution, consider factors like the scalability to accommodate future growth, as well as the security features offered by the vendor. As for the vendor selection, don’t just go for the biggest name. Hire IoT developers with expertise in custom solutions tailored to your industry, experience integrating IoT systems, and a proven track record of reliability and support. 

4. Design the IoT Solution 

The system architecture is the blueprint of your solution. It defines the hardware components needed (sensors, RFID tags, gateways), the communication protocols  (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth), and the data management platform where information will be collected and analyzed. Security considerations like access control and IoT device security are also crucial aspects of this design phase.

Accurate data is the lifeblood of your Internet of Things inventory management system, but it needs to be properly managed and protected. So, it’s of paramount importance to define clear protocols for data collection, storage, and analysis. The creation of an IoT dashboard that is easy to use is also a critical element that will help you visualize data. Make sure your platform has secure data encryption and access controls to safeguard sensitive information.

5. Develop and Test a Prototype

Building a proof-of-concept is an excellent way to test the functionality of your solution before full-scale deployment. Whether a high-fidelity or simpler prototype, it lets you discover potential issues at early stages and refine your design to avoid costly adjustments later on.

6. Gather Feedback and Make Adjustments

End users of inventory management IoT systems should be the main judges of the solution you build. So, get your warehouse employees involved in the prototype testing phase as well. Their opinion on how well the software meets their needs and how intuitive the user interface is is absolutely crucial. Listen to their suggestions and make necessary adjustments to the design. 

7. Full-Scale Deployment

The rollout of the IoT solution across your organization is the next big step. Plan this carefully to minimize disruption to your existing operations. Here are some tips and strategies our experts usually follow:

• Phased implementation. System rollout in stages, starting with a small section of your operations, is a great way to test the waters. By deploying the system in a controlled environment, you can detect and fix any unforeseen challenges before they impact entire operations.
• Communication . Transparency and clear communication about the changes awaiting employees due to the adoption of IoT in inventory management is important. You can organize town hall meetings or internal communication channels to explain the significant benefits of the new system and address any concerns employees may have.
• Training and support. Ensure that all warehouse staff members are trained on how to use the new system effectively. Hands-on sessions and ongoing support will help employees quickly get used to new processes and feel confident using the system.

8. Monitor and Maintain

The active phase of system development and deployment is finished, but it isn’t the end. Maintaining software is similar to managing a building. Regular inspections, repairs, and upgrades are inevitable to keep the building safe and up to code. Similarly, software needs periodic updates to fix issues, improve features, and ensure compatibility with new technologies.

That’s why you should continuously monitor the system’s performance and address any issues, as well as establish a proper maintenance routine to ensure the sensors, devices, and the whole system function optimally. These tasks can be easily outsourced or performed by the IoT development company you collaborate with.

9. Analyze ROI and Identify Areas for Improvement

Now, it’s time to quantify the value you’re getting from your investment. The initial analysis in the post-deployment window (3-6 months) allows you to assess the immediate impact of the system on key metrics and serve as a baseline for future comparisons. The list of key metrics includes but not limited to:

• Inventory Accuracy. Has the system reduced stockouts and misplaced inventory items?
• Order Accuracy and Fulfillment Times. Are orders being picked, packed, and shipped faster?
• Warehouse Efficiency. Has overall warehouse productivity improved?
• Labor Costs. Are there any labor savings due to automation and streamlined processes?

Using these metrics, you can calculate the Return on Investment (ROI) of your project and see the real value of your investment. 

10. Plan for Future Expansion and Upgrades

Here are some proven tactics to future-proof your IoT-powered system:

• Stay updated on technology trends. Keep yourself informed about the latest advancements in sensors, data management platforms, and analytics tools.
• Plan for scalability. Design your system with scalability in mind so that you can easily accommodate future growth in your inventory or warehouse space.
• Schedule regular upgrades. Don’t wait for your system to become outdated. Plan for regular upgrades to incorporate new technologies and ensure your system remains secure and efficient.

Challenges and Considerations of IoT Implementation

IoT inventory management facilitates a number of operations simply by delivering sufficient information on inventory levels. Outdated systems replaced with IoT devices improve your tracking capabilities, item traceability, and quality control. Yet, the way to these benefits is filled with certain challenges that companies should be aware of to overcome them with confidence. 

Implementation Costs

Internet of Things adoption is a substantial investment that requires careful budgeting. The initial costs can be hefty, as you need to purchase sensors and devices and perhaps upgrade your infrastructure to support the increased data flow. Software platforms, staff training, and potential new hires with the necessary expertise can also add to the expenses. The upfront investment is indeed high, but the ROI from improved supply chain efficiency and better decision-making will pay off the initial expenditure.

Data Security

IoT devices generate vast amounts of data, much of which is sensitive and, therefore, requires even stronger protection. Each implemented sensor, and the device is a point of data transmission that hackers may exploit. Securing the IoT system may sound like a very difficult task, yet it is not insurmountable. What you need is to follow some best security practices:

• Data encryption. Ensure all data transmission and storage are encrypted to safeguard sensitive information from unauthorized access.
• Device security. Implement robust security protocols on your IoT devices to prevent hacking and malware attacks.
• Access control. Establish clear access control measures to restrict who can access and modify data within the system.

If you are not sure about the level of your system protection, turn to relevant cybersecurity specialists to help you boost security. 

Integration with Existing Systems

Integrating an IoT system with your current infrastructure, such as warehouse management systems (WMS) or enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, can be challenging. Your challenge is even deeper if you use outdated, legacy systems that weren’t designed with IoT in mind. That’s why making them work together seamlessly can feel like fitting a square peg into a round hole. Different data formats and communication protocols will also create incompatibility issues.

To address this, there are several strategies you can employ:

• Standardized protocols. Whenever possible, choose devices and platforms that adhere to industry-standard communication protocols.
• API integration. Use Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to enable smooth data exchange between the IoT system and existing software.
• Professional integration services. Partner with experienced IT professionals skilled in integrating Internet of Things systems with legacy infrastructure.

Our IoT Case Studies

Here are a couple of our clients’ success stories and what they have gained with the Internet of Things implementation.  

Platform for remote sensor management

Sensor Innovation approached us with a promising product – a hardware sensor system combined with software algorithms to detect and prevent water leaks in residential and industrial settings. However, their existing platform lacked an intuitive user interface and efficient workflows. They needed to:

• Revamp UI/UX to simplify sensor management.
• Enhance functionality with new features like a virtual building map for sensor visualization.
• Streamline data analysis and reporting for better decision-making.

We completely redesigned the UI and UX of their platform. Our team created a dashboard for user and device management that is easier to navigate. A virtual building map now displays sensor locations and status, which optimizes sensor placement. Also, we implemented a feature that allowed our client to decrease the number of false positives due to the analysis of sensor data alongside weather information. The revamped platform surpasses its iteration in all metrics, including user experience and overall performance.

Web dashboard creation for sensor data visualization

AirThings , a leading Norwegian tech company with a focus on indoor radon monitoring since 2008, approached us with a challenge. While they had a custom dashboard displaying air quality data from their devices, it lacked the real-time functionality and scalability needed for their growing user base. So, our client needed:

• Visualization of real-time air quality data from their devices globally – for both end-users and AirThings managers.
• Large-scale map optimization to avoid lag during transitions.

We built a new dashboard that connects IoT devices and offers a customizable view with easy drag-and-drop tiles and data export options. To ensure smooth navigation with a large number of devices, we optimized the map’s loading times through multi-domain downloading and reduced lag during transitions with server-side rendering. A new, more convenient platform allowed our client to attract more users and more easily track their devices distributed globally.

IoT in Inventory Management: Bottomline

Inventory management is being transformed by the Internet of Things every day with increased intelligence and efficiencies. It lets businesses, especially those in the cutthroat world of eCommerce, boost efficiency and gain a strategic edge. Thanks to real-time data visibility and automated processes, IoT in inventory management changes it from a logistical headache into a value driver. Nobody wants to be left behind. That’s why IoT is such a popular technology nowadays.  

If you’re tired of stockouts and inaccurate inventory counts, Relevant Software can help. We have the experience to develop inventory asset management software solutions that will upgrade your inventory management and unlock the power of real-time data. Contact us and tell us about your inventory challenges. 

Success cases

projects delivered remotely

of a team senior and middle engineers

accuracy of the estimates

customer satisfaction score

Our core services:

Do you want a price estimate for your project, hand-selected developers to fit your needs at scale.

• 200+ projects delivered remotely
• 7 years of software development expertise
• 92% of a team – senior and middle engineers
• World-class code quality delivered by Agile approach

Contact us to get the following:

• Price estimation
• Time to delivery
• Recommendation on tech stack

Get a quote

Privacy Overview

Tell us about your project.

Do you know that we helped 200+ companies build web/mobile apps and scale dev teams?

Let's talk about your engineering needs.