Genentech Case Study

Preparing the case study [adapted from Buchbinder, Cox, & Casciani, 2014]: (a) Read the case study (“Kleiner-Perkins and Genentech…” (Harvard Business School case, no. 9-813-102)) to identify the main point and key players. Highlight the main points and identify themes. Review, asking questions: What is really going on? What are the problems? What is the main issue? How do the problems relate? What are the underlying issues? Describe how or why these issues developed. (b) Research the problem or issue you have identified to help frame the issue and to make connections to secondary issues. Use journal articles, and not website-based sources. (c) Decide how to “solve” or manage the issue. Consider who should be involved; what their responsibilities might be, strengths and weaknesses, and so on. (d) Identify at least two alternative solutions and analyze their strengths and weaknesses, (or describe why or why not they would be effective). (e ) Select the best alternative and explain how you will measure effectiveness.

Writing the case study [adapted from Buchbinder et al., 2014]:
(a) Include a background statement to introduce what you will write about. Summarize the scenario, but do not restate the scenario. Identify key points, the stakeholders, setting and situation.
(b) Discuss the specific issue and secondary issues and how they relate. Support your analysis and explain your reasoning.
(c) Describe the role perspective contributing to your solution, identifying strengths and weaknesses.
(d) Describe alternatives and the pros and cons of these.
(e) End with a conclusion that addresses how to evaluate the effectiveness of the solution or describe how effective measures should be measured. Some case studies may conclude with a discussion of implications from the case.