LEARNINGS

Get a working understanding of what Business Analysis is about.

LEARNINGS

Understand the scope of Business Analysis with 16 examples.

LEARNINGS

Understand the Role of Business Analysis and appreciate the skills required to perform it.

LEARNINGS

Get clear understanding of the 3 major categories of Business Analysis and categorize the 16 example scenarios given in previous topic/lecture #3 ( 2.2: Examples of Scenarios).

RESOURCES (download PDFs here)

1. Categories of Business Issues - for the 16 Examples

2. Summary of Learnings : Introduction to Business Analysis

A brief description of (1) case methodology used - structure, flow; (2) what the 3 cases used in the course are about and what aspects of Business Analysis you will get to learn through each of them.

The case describes vividly the events leading to: 1. Competitor action;  2. A drop in sales of TSL; 3. Steps taken by management to reverse it; 4. Aftermath of the steps; 5. Investigation by Business Analyst and findings; 6. Management actions pursuant to his report.

Resource: Full Case Narration (PDF) available for download, right here.

Learnings: 1. Dynamics of different players within and outside a company - how they influence events and decisions; 2. Pitfalls of business analysis and decision making

The case describes vividly the events leading to: 1. Competitor action;  2. A drop in sales of TSL; 3. Steps taken by management to reverse it; 4. Aftermath of the steps; 5. Investigation by Business Analyst and findings; 6. Management actions pursuant to his report.

Case Narration continues.

Resource: Full Case Narration is available as downloadable PDF in Lecture # &: 4.1 Case Narration - Part 1

Learnings: 1. Dynamics of different players within and outside a company - how they influence events and decisions; 2. Pitfalls of business analysis and decision making

The case describes vividly the events leading to: 1. Competitor action;  2. A drop in sales of TSL; 3. Steps taken by management to reverse it; 4. Aftermath of the steps; 5. Investigation by Business Analyst and findings; 6. Management actions pursuant to his report.

Case Narration continues.

Resource: Full Case Narration is available as downloadable PDF in Lecture # &: 4.1 Case Narration - Part 1

Learnings: 1. Dynamics of different players within and outside a company - how they influence events and decisions; 2. Pitfalls of business analysis and decision making

Practice Assignment - 1

Please attempt to answer these questions, in your own way, before you proceed to next lecture, where I start to give you the Analysis of the Case, with a BA perspective. Later, you can compare your answers with Analysis presented by me.

Resource (Download PDF here)

Case Assignment Questions

Assignment Question Q1 answered.

Learnings: Premises on problem definition and how views/opinions of people influence them.

RESOURCE (download PDF here)

Case 1 - Analysis - Part 1

Assignment Question Q2 partly answered.

Learnings

1. Criteria to judge if a problem is correctly defined or not

2. The steps in Problem Analysis Process

3. Critical Questions to be asked in Problem Definition

4. Boundaries of a Problem

5. Objectives of solving a Problem

RESOURCE (download PDF here)

Case 1 - Analysis - Part 2

Answer to Q2 of Assignment continued.

Learnings

1. The steps in Problem Analysis Process (contd.)

2. Identifying Information & Data required

3. Locating Data Sources - Internal & External Data Drilldown

4. How to do Cause & Effect Analysis

   • Complex Relationships of Causes & Effects

   • Feedback Loops

5. Critical Questions (revisited)

Resource: Case Analysis Part 2 : Provided in Lecture # 12

Answer to Q3 of Assignment.

Learnings

1. What makes for high level of confidence in decisions based on Problem Analysis?

2. What do real life Cause & Effect diagrams look like?

RESOURCE (download PDF here)

Case 1 - Analysis - Part 3

Answers to Questions # $ and 5 of Assignment.

LEARNINGS

Implications of Business Analysis for business process and organizational improvements in future.

RESOURCE (download PDF here)

Case 1 - Analysis - Part 4

Assignment Question # 6 answered.

Learnings

General lessons on principles of Business Analysis learned from this Case Analysis.

RESOURCE (download PDF here)

Case 1 - Analysis - Part 5

Learnings

1. Summary of all learnings in the case

2. Cognitive Bias

Resource (download PDF here)

Learnings Summary - Case 1 Analysis - Part 6

This is a sequential Case in 3 parts: A, B and C. It deals with the Status Assessment Category of Business Analysis and describes details of a status assessment exercise undertaken by a team of Business Analysts.

Case A: Facts and Figures about the company's present status - Practice Assignment at end

Case B: Data required for Performance Review & Strategy Audit -  Practice Assignment at end

Case C: Analysis & Report on Status Assessment

Please go through the case parts and the assignments sequentially, to get the best out of this trilogy.

Case (A) gives Status Overview of Company with Data in Several Annexures.

Learnings

How to interpret different kinds of business data on Market, Operations and Financials

Assignment

What further data is required and what kind of Analysis is required to conduct a Performance Review and Strategy Audit of the Company and its business units.

Please attempt the Questions in the Assignment, after viewing video # 20: 5.3 - Case02A-2, before going on to next Lecture.

Case (A) gives Status Overview of Company with Data in Several Annexures.

Learnings

How to interpret different kinds of business data on Market, Operations and Financials

Assignment

What further data is required and what kind of Analysis is required to conduct a Performance Review and Strategy Audit of the Company and its business units.

Please attempt the Questions in the Assignment, before going on to next Lecture.

Resources

1. Case (A) available with Lecture # 19

2. Case Assignment Questions - Case 2A - Fancy Foods Ltd. (download PDF here)

Case (B) gives details of Performance Review and Strategy Audit decided by Anil & his team and the data collection done by them for the exercises.

Learnings

1. What are the components, factors and parameters of Performance Review and Strategy Audit Exercises ?

2. What data need to be collected and what are the sources ?

3. How to use Market, Operational and Financial Data ?

4. What are ROCE, Net Working Capital, Critical Success Factors, GE-McKenzie Portfolio Matrix?

Assignment

What analysis can be done, based on the data collected? Prepare a Report of the analysis.

Please attempt the Assignment, after viewing video # 22: 5.5 Case 02B-2, before going on to next Lecture.

Case (B) gives details of Performance Review and Strategy Audit decided by Anil & his team and the data collection done by them for the exercises.

Learnings

1. What are the components, factors and parameters of Performance Review and Strategy Audit Exercises ?

2. What data need to be collected and what are the sources ?

3. How to use Market, Operational and Financial Data ?

4. What are ROCE, Net Working Capital, Critical Success Factors, GE-McKenzie Portfolio Matrix?

Assignment

What analysis can be done, based on the data collected? Prepare a Report of the analysis.

Please attempt the Assignment, before going on to next Lecture.

Resources

Case 2B available with Lecture # 21

Learnings

1. How to assess Market Performance of different Business Units

2. How to use the data to calculate Growth (Company vs Market), Relative Market Share (Company vs Competitor) and Price Recovery (Company vs Industry)

3. How to interpret this analysis

Resource (Download PDF here)

5.6-5.10_Case02C-Fancy Foods-Analysis and Report

Learnings

1. How to assess Operational Performance of different Business Units

2. How to use the data to calculate Capacity Utilization and compare with Capex Trend in each Business Unit.

3. How to assess the Cost Competitiveness of each Business Unit in comparison with Industry

4. How to look for areas of Cost Improvement

Resource

Case 2(C) is available as downloadable PDF with Lecture # 23.

Learnings

1. How to assess Financial Performance of different Business Units

2. How to use the data to calculate ROCE of each Business Unit and compare with Industry.

3. How to assess the effectiveness of Working Capital Management of each Business Unit and compare with planned internal standards/norms.

4. How to construct a Profit & Profitability Improvement Plan for each Business Unitr.

Resource

Case 2(C) is available as downloadable PDF with Lecture # 23.

Learnings

1. How to conduct Strategic Audit of different Business Units

2. How to assess the Ability to compete and Market Attractiveness of each Business Unit.

3. How to use Executive Opinion Survey to decide on relevance and relative importance of various Critical Success Factors (CSF) of each Business Unit.

4. How to assess the CSF Ratings for each Business Unit

Resource

Case 2(C) is available as downloadable PDF with Lecture # 23.

Learnings

1. How to construct the GE-McKenzie Portfolio Matrix for a Company and interpret it.

2. How to correlate the trend of past investments with the matrix and draw conclusions on the Strategic Direction of a Business unit and Company.

3. Make Recommendations based on this Analysis.

Resource

Summary of Case Learnings (download PDF here)

Case 2(C) is available as downloadable PDF with Lecture # 23.

This case is in conversational style (please see attached PDF of Case Narration), capturing the discussions among the senior executives of the Company in a Business Planning Group Meeting. It illustrates the third Category of Business Analysis, namely Evaluation of Opportunities.

There is an Assignment at the end of the case. Please try and answer the 6 Questions before moving on to next section on Analysis.

LEARNINGS

1. How to construct a decision tree of business Options

2. What Criteria (Market, operational, Financial & strategic) to use to evaluate each option?

3. What tools & techniques are to be used to evaluate the Options?

4. How to put together a business strategy & plan for future, based on this analysis

5. How to interpret and question a Business Plan?

RESOURCE

Case Narration PDF is available here.

LEARNINGS

1. How to use a Performance Review Report (see previous Section #5: Case 2) findings to question executives, so as to find answers to anomalies, inconsistencies and doubts

2. Correlate Capacity Utilization and Capex

RESOURCE

Case 3 is available as downloadable PDF with Lecture # 28.

LEARNINGS

1. How to use a Performance Review Report (see previous Section #5: Case 2) findings to question executives, so as to find answers to anomalies, inconsistencies and doubts

2. Understand High inventories, Bull Whip Effect and Real Time Demand Tracking

RESOURCE

Case 3 is available as downloadable PDF with Lecture # 28.

LEARNINGS

1. What is Variance Analysis?

2. How to perform it?

3. How to interpret it?

4. Implications of findings of Variance Analysis for business Options

RESOURCE

Case 3 is available as downloadable PDF with Lecture # 28.

LEARNINGS

1. What factors and data go into a Sales Plan and Business Plan?

2. How to construct different Scenarios of a Business Plan, based on different assumptions?

3. How to construct Financials out of a Business Plan?

RESOURCE

Case 3 is available as downloadable PDF with Lecture # 28.

LEARNINGS

1. What factors and data go into a Sales Plan and Business Plan?

2. How to construct different Scenarios of a Business Plan, based on different assumptions?

3. How to construct Financials out of a Business Plan?

RESOURCE

Case 3 is available as downloadable PDF with Lecture # 28.

LEARNINGS

1. What factors and data go into a Sales Plan and Business Plan?

2. How to construct different Scenarios of a Business Plan, based on different assumptions?

3. How to construct Financials out of a Business Plan?

Appreciate the differences between different Business Units in terms of their Operations, Market characteristics and position, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT).

RESOURCE

Case 3 is available as downloadable PDF with Lecture # 28.

LEARNINGS

How to construct Financials from a Business Plan for each Scenario?

RESOURCE

Case 3 is available as downloadable PDF with Lecture # 28.

LEARNINGS

1. What factors need to be considered for a new Product-Market entry?

2. Guidelines for Evaluation of Business Opportunities and Options

3. What is WACC?

RESOURCE

Case 3 is available as downloadable PDF with Lecture # 28.

ASSIGNMENT

There is an Assignment at the end of the case. Please try and answer the 6 Questions before moving on to next section on Analysis.

RESOURCES

Assignment Questions (PDF) available here.

Case 3 is available as downloadable PDF with Lecture # 28.

Answer to Assignment Question Q1 (please refer PDF Resource available at Lecture # 37).

LEARNINGS

1. Types of Decisions and Options

2. How to generate a list of Business Options for Evaluation

3. How to describe or specify each Option

RESOURCES (Download PDFs here)

1. Concept Note on Decisions & Options

2. List of Decisions & Options for FF : # 1 & 2

Answer to Assignment Question Q1 (contd.) (please refer PDF Resource available at Lecture # 37).

LEARNINGS

1. How to generate a list of Business Options for Evaluation

2. How to describe or specify each Option

RESOURCE

1. List of Decisions & Options for FF : # 3 to 10 (downloadable PDF)

Answer to Assignment Question Q2 (please refer PDF Resource available at Lecture # 37).

LEARNINGS

1. Selecting Criteria - Market, Operational, Financial, Strategic - for evaluating Options

2. Different Financial Criteria: Pros & Cons

3. Deciding the Time Frame for evaluation horizon

RESOURCE

Financial & Non-Financial Criteria and Time Frame for Evaluation (Download PDF here)

Answer to Assignment Question Q3 (please refer PDF Resource available at Lecture # 37).

LEARNINGS

1. How to decide on optimal combination of size and timing of capacity additions

2. How to use MS Excel Spreadsheet to calculate NPV (Net Present Value)

RESOURCES (download PDFs here)

1. Example of Capacity Additions in JAMS Business division

2. Excel worksheet illustrating NPV calculation

Answer to Assignment Question Q4 (please refer PDF Resource available at Lecture # 37).

LEARNINGS

Evaluation of Options for Decisions # 1 & 2 - How to capture incremental economic benefits of an investment option

RESOURCE (Download PDF here)

Annexures 13-A,B; 14-A,B : Evaluation of Options for Decisions # 1 & 2.

Answer to Assignment Question Q4 (Contd.) (please refer PDF Resource available at Lecture # 37).

LEARNINGS

Evaluation of Options for Decisions # 3 & 4 - How to do Financial and Strategic Evaluation of different Scenarios of Business Plan.

RESOURCE (Download PDF here)

Annexures 16 A-E : Evaluation of Options for Decisions # 3 & 4.

Answer to Assignment Questions Q5 & Q6 (please refer PDF Resource available at Lecture # 37).

LEARNINGS

Evaluation of Options for Decisions # 3 & 4 (Contd.) - How to prioritize options and actions ? How to prepare and recommend an action plan?

RESOURCE (Download PDF here)

Annexures 20 A-D : Recommendations for Decisions # 3 & 4.

Evaluation of Options and Recommendations for Decisions # 5-9. Summary of all Recommendations.

LEARNINGS

1. How to prepare an Action Plan and recommend?

2. What factors need to be considered before making a business entry or exit decision?

RESOURCES (download PDF here)

1. Annexures 17 A-D, 18 A-D, 19

2. Summary of Recommendations

SUMMARY of LEARNINGS from Cass 3.

Summary of all the Skills, Tools & Techniques, Frameworks and Concepts of Business Analysis learnt in the course.