case study on motivation with questions and answers

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85 Review Questions for Emotion and Motivation

Click here for Answer Key

Multiple Choice Questions

1 .  Need for ________ refers to maintaining positive relationships with others.

• achievement
• affiliation

2 .  ________ proposed the hierarchy of needs.

• William James
• David McClelland
• Abraham Maslow
• Albert Bandura

3 .  ________ is an individual’s belief in their capability to complete some task.

• physiological needs
• self-esteem
• self-actualization
• self-efficacy

4 .  Riley mows the yard of their elderly neighbor each week for $20. What type of motivation is this?

5 .  ________ is a chemical messenger secreted by fat cells that acts as an appetite suppressant.

• angiotensin

6 .  ________ is characterized by episodes of binge eating followed by attempts to compensate for the excessive amount of food that was consumed.

• Prader-Willi syndrome
• morbid obesity
• anorexia nervosa
• bulimia nervosa
• nucleus accumbens
• medial preoptic area of the hypothalamus
• hippocampus

8 .  During the ________ phase of the sexual response cycle, individuals experience rhythmic contractions of the pelvis that are accompanied by uterine contractions in those with vaginas and ejaculation in those with penises.

9 .  Which of the following findings was not a result of the Kinsey study?

• Sexual desire and sexual ability can be separate functions.
• Females enjoy sex as much as males.
• Homosexual behaviour is fairly common.
• Masturbation has no adverse consequences.

10 .  If someone is uncomfortable identifying with the gender normally associated with their biological sex, then they could be classified as experiencing ________.

• homosexuality
• bisexuality
• gender dysphoria

11 .  Individuals suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder have been shown to have reduced volumes of the ________.

• hypothalamus

12 .  According to the ________ theory of emotion, emotional experiences arise from physiological arousal.

• James-Lange
• Cannon-Bard
• Schachter-Singer two-factor

13 .  Which of the following is not one of the seven universal emotions described in this chapter?

14 .  Which of the following theories of emotion would suggest that polygraphs should be quite accurate at differentiating one emotion from another?

• Cannon-Bard theory
• James-Lange theory
• Schachter-Singer two-factor theory
• Darwinian theory

Critical Thinking Questions

15 .  How might someone espousing an arousal theory of motivation explain visiting an amusement park?

16 .  Schools often use concrete rewards to increase adaptive behaviours. How might this be a disadvantage for students intrinsically motivated to learn? What are educational implications of the potential for concrete rewards to diminish intrinsic motivation for a given task?

17 .  As indicated in this section, Caucasian women from industrialized, Western cultures tend to be at the highest risk for eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Why might this be?

18 .  While much research has been conducted on how an individual develops a given sexual orientation, many people question the validity of this research citing that the participants used may not be representative. Why do you think this might be a legitimate concern?

19 .  There is no reliable scientific evidence that gay conversion therapy actually works. What kinds of evidence would you need to see in order to be convinced by someone arguing that she had successfully converted her sexual orientation?

20 .  Imagine you find a venomous snake crawling up your leg just after taking a drug that prevented sympathetic nervous system activation. What would the James-Lange theory predict about your experience?

21 .  Why can we not make causal claims regarding the relationship between the volume of the hippocampus and PTSD?

Personal Application Questions

22 .  Can you think of recent examples of how Maslow’s hierarchy of needs might have affected your behaviour in some way?

23 .  Think about popular television programs on the air right now. What do the people in these programs look like?  What kinds of messages do you think the media is sending about the people in our society?

24 .  Think about times in your life when you have been absolutely elated (e.g., perhaps your school’s basketball team just won a closely contested ballgame for the national championship) and very fearful (e.g., you are about to give a speech in your public speaking class to a roomful of 100 strangers). How would you describe how your arousal manifested itself physically? Were there marked differences in physiological arousal associated with each emotional state?

Introduction to Psychology & Neuroscience Copyright © 2020 by Edited by Leanne Stevens is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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5 Real-World Case Studies that Prove the Power of Intrinsic Motivation

The Call for Intrinsic Motivation

The way we think about motivation is changing, and as Learning & Development and HR professionals, it's our responsibility to adapt and guide this transformation. Traditional methods of carrot-and-stick motivation are increasingly viewed as obsolete, paving the way for a more nuanced approach focusing on intrinsic motivators like autonomy, mastery, and purpose. "Control leads to compliance; autonomy leads to engagement," as research has famously shown. Today, we'll delve into five real-world case studies to demonstrate the tangible impact of intrinsic motivation on organizational performance.

1. Google's 20% Time: Autonomy in Action

The initiative.

Google's 20% Time allows employees to spend a fifth of their working hours on projects they're passionate about, unrelated to their primary job responsibilities.

The Results

This policy has led to the development of some of Google's most successful products, like Gmail and Google News. By granting autonomy, Google has managed to foster innovation, job satisfaction, and exceptional performance.

Lessons for L&D and HR Professionals

Use similar "innovation time" projects in your organization to build a culture of autonomy. Even if it's not 20%, giving employees some time to work on what engages them can pay off significantly.

2. Zappos: Delivering Happiness Through Purpose

Zappos's core purpose goes beyond selling shoes and clothing. They aim to "deliver happiness."

Zappos has one of the most loyal customer bases, boasting a retention rate of 75%. Employees are more engaged because they see a higher purpose to their work beyond just selling products.

Work to identify and communicate the higher purpose of your company. Make this purpose a central part of your onboarding and training processes to instill intrinsic motivation.

3. Atlassian’s ShipIt Days: Mastering Skills in 24 Hours

Atlassian has a quarterly event called "ShipIt Day" where employees have 24 hours to complete a project of their choice.

This has not only resulted in valuable new product features but has also boosted employee morale and job satisfaction.

Consider short-term, intensive "hackathons" or skill-building events that allow your team to express their skills and creativity in a non-traditional setting.

4. Adobe's Check-in System: Shifting Away from Control

Adobe has replaced annual performance reviews with regular "check-ins," where the emphasis is on feedback and development, not ratings or promotions.

Voluntary attrition decreased by 30% after the implementation of the system, and internal surveys showed increased employee engagement.

Traditional performance reviews often focus on extrinsic rewards like promotions or raises. Shift the focus towards growth and development to boost intrinsic motivation.

5. Spotify’s Squads: Small Teams, Big Autonomy

Spotify organizes its engineers into "squads," small cross-functional teams that operate like mini-startups.

This enables rapid innovation and high employee engagement. Squads have the autonomy to decide what to build, how to build it, and how to work together while building it.

Autonomy can exist within a framework. Small, empowered teams can execute strategy more quickly and effectively than larger, more bureaucratic structures.

Conclusion: The Road to Intrinsic Motivation

These case studies show us that intrinsic motivation is not just a theoretical concept; it has practical implications that can significantly boost your organization's performance. Whether through granting autonomy, fostering a sense of purpose, or facilitating mastery, intrinsic motivation can be a driving force behind business success.

To deepen your understanding of how intrinsic motivation can prepare your organization for any challenge, including economic downturns, check out this asset: Practical Strategies L&D Leaders Can Use to “Recession-Proof” Their Companies and Teams . It provides L&D professionals with actionable insights to cultivate resilient, exceptional leaders and teams.

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Apex Computers: Problems of Motivation Among Subordinates Case Study

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Key Concepts

Works cited.

The given case study illustrates how highly enthusiastic employees can lose motivation under management that does not praise creativity. Rohit, after joining Apex Computers found himself in a situation where his boss Aparna does not show any interest in the opinions of her subordinates. Initially, Rohit was working for Suresh, who would reward every attempt and innovative solution. He would also allow mistakes to occur without severe punishment. In the end, Rohit loses all of his motivation due to the lack of self-expression.

The case study demonstrates a motivation loss of Rohit who used to be highly enthusiastic and energetic. The absence of positive reinforcement led to his discouragement and decreased performance (Giancola 30). Suresh was highly positive in terms of letting the subordinates come up with their ideas and solutions for the problems. Although both Suresh and Aparna were completely disengaged from their employees’ activities, they possessed different attitudes towards giving feedback. Suresh gave constant input in terms of appraisals and recognition, whereas Aparna was simply disinterested in her subordinates. She did not provide them a creative playground, but only correct answers to the issues.

In the process of using intangible incentives, it is necessary to use, first of all, recognition of the merits of employees. It stimulates everyone and always aids the management when no resources are available for material rewards (Chlpeková et al. 26). Therefore, companies, such as Zen, often have the practice of awarding the best workers of labor. However, it must be remembered that this practice should apply to all levels, and the excellent work of a department employee should not go unnoticed (Chlpeková et al. 41). Another approach that effectively motivates employees is the introduction of a floating ward-to-office schedule to and from the office or flexible working hours. In addition, advanced training courses can develop personal and business skills and strengthen motivation (Chlpeková et al. 38). This is made to directly satisfy Maslow’s self-actualization need, which is located at the top of the pyramid of necessities.

Furthermore, people with the need for self-development, such as Rohit, must be prepared in advance for taking managerial positions. The requirement for success is satisfied by the process of bringing work to a fulfilling conclusion (Chlpeková et al. 35). Such people risk moderately, like to take personal responsibility for finding a solution to a problem. Therefore, it is necessary to motivate these people by giving them tasks with a moderate degree of risk or the possibility of failure. The bosses can also delegate to them sufficient powers, and encourage them regularly and specifically by the results achieved.

The key terms of the given case study are team motivation and achievement recognition. Team motivation and environment play an essential role in determining the overall team effectiveness. However, achievement recognition is important for individual motivation because a person cannot be constantly energetic and enthusiastic for an activity without regular rewards in the form of appraisals (Giancola 29). In addition, the case study shows how the most engaged employees can lose interest in their jobs due to the incorrect management style. It is critical to allow the subordinates to learn through their mistakes and creativity.

The main reason for Rohit’s disillusionment was his expectation that his new boss would be similar to the previous one. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Suresh was providing Rohit with basic needs, psychological needs, and self-fulfillment needs (Bland and DeRobertis 4). The entire pyramid of human motivational requirements was met under the management of Suresh. However, Rohit under the governance of Aparna could not satisfy his needs for esteem and self-actualization. He was highly unmotivated, although the payment was significantly higher and working conditions were far better. In addition, the case study does not inform on Rohit’s family and friends, but it is clear that his needs for belongingness and love at the workplace are not satisfied too. The main reason is that all of the subordinates were unmotivated and disinterested in their jobs due to Aparna’s management style.

To solve the lack of motivation problem, Rohit should satisfy his needs in other available ways. For instance, he can self-actualize himself by setting long-term goals for international projects, where he can get an opportunity to travel to the USA. It can result in the relocation within the company, which will change Rohit’s current team and boss. A team leader can motivate subordinates by offering them autonomy at the job and allowing them to learn from their mistakes (Giancola 27). According to Two-Factor Theory, the motivators are achievement, recognition, work, responsibility, advancement, and growth (Bland and DeRobertis 5). Although Rohit cannot derive his motivation from success and recognition, there are still available sources for enthusiastic behavior, such as advancement and growth. According to Alderfer’s ERG Theory, Maslow’s Pyramid can be divided into existence, relatedness, and growth needs (Bland and DeRobertis 7). A team leader can also satisfy the growth needs of his/her subordinates by showing them the methods of the correct solutions and allowing them to test these ideas.

When solving the problems of effective stimulation of young workers, it is necessary to take into account certain features. Usually, young people do not imagine the development of their careers, with rare exceptions, they are energetic and often do not think about any motivational issues (Chlpeková et al. 45). The opportunities in various fields and the system of rotation within the company are examples of outstanding solutions for Rohit’s case. To preserve the young employee’s enthusiasm and motivation, the incentive for personal growth must be provided. The main reason is that it is the highest and most essential Maslow’s need of any person.

For young professionals, it should be noted that this category of people is ambitious and aimed primarily at moving up the career ladder. They have a great deal of need for independence, the desire to try their strength, and to manage projects with full responsibility for the result (Chlpeková et al. 17). Therefore, the delegation of serious tasks, involvement in decision making, responsibility for a whole block of functions, recognition of the result obtained at the management level will serve as a significant motivating factor for further activities.

It is important to note that the given case study represents the problems of motivation among subordinates, which is highly important for both managers and employees. The organization’s motivation system must be constantly improved since changes in the external environment lead to intra-organizational changes. In turn, intra-organizational alterations, in combination with shifts in the external environment, can cause an improvement in the motivation of employees. In addition, with time and with age, the needs of people tend to change, which is why Rohit is more ambitious and energetic. The content of the motivation system in a particular organization depends on its leader, who must skillfully combine material and non-material incentive methods. He/she also needs to take into account the motivation theories, such as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Two-Factor Theory.

Bland, Andrew M., and Eugene M. DeRobertis. “Maslow’s Unacknowledged Contributions to Developmental Psychology.” Journal of Humanistic Psychology , vol. 1, no. 1, 2017, pp. 2-8.

Chlpeková, Andrea, et al. “Enhancing the Effectiveness of Problem-Solving Processes Through Employee Motivation and Involvement.” International Journal of Engineering Business Management , vol. 2, no. 5, 2014, pp. 13-47.

Giancola, Frank L. “Should HR Professionals Devote More Time to Intrinsic Rewards?” Compensation & Benefits Review , vol. 46, no. 1, 2014, pp. 25-31.

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IvyPanda. (2021, August 5). Apex Computers: Problems of Motivation Among Subordinates. https://ivypanda.com/essays/apex-computers-employee-motivation-case-analysis/

"Apex Computers: Problems of Motivation Among Subordinates." IvyPanda , 5 Aug. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/apex-computers-employee-motivation-case-analysis/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'Apex Computers: Problems of Motivation Among Subordinates'. 5 August.

IvyPanda . 2021. "Apex Computers: Problems of Motivation Among Subordinates." August 5, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/apex-computers-employee-motivation-case-analysis/.

1. IvyPanda . "Apex Computers: Problems of Motivation Among Subordinates." August 5, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/apex-computers-employee-motivation-case-analysis/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Apex Computers: Problems of Motivation Among Subordinates." August 5, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/apex-computers-employee-motivation-case-analysis/.

Exercise: Motivational Case Studies

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Motivation is often best explained by reference to real examples.

Motivational Theory: Case Study Example

Motivation is often best explained by reference to real examples. The 'Hellespont Swim' is a true story of unusual and remarkable personal achievement which demonstrates several aspects of motivational theory, plus various other principles of effective management and performance. 

• What motivational forces and factors can you see in this case study? What motivational theories and concepts are illustrated in the account - for example, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs , McGregor's X-Y Theory , McClelland's motivational theory  and the ideas of Adams , Bloom, Handy  and  Herzberg
• Also, what can you say about the story from the perspectives of teamwork, team-building, communications, planning and preparation, capability and potential, targets and goals, inspiration and role-models, skills/knowledge/attitude factors, humour and fun, project management, encouragement and coaching, project support, achievement and recognition, evaluation and measurement? 
• What aspects of the experience could have been improved or done differently and why? 
• What other aspects of personal motivation and achievement can you see in the story? 
• How might lessons and examples within this story be transferred to yourself, to employees and organisations?

The contribution of this article by writer and adventurer Charles Foster is gratefully acknowledged.

The Hellespont Swim

With a shout and a prayer and a curse, we leapt at dawn from a boat into the water of the Dardanelles and started to swim from Europe to Asia.

It had all started in London over the umpteenth bottle of Bulgarian red. For a long time, I said, I had wanted to swim the Hellespont - the narrow channel between the sea of Marmara and the Aegean. The Hellespont hit the mythological headlines a long time ago. Leander, who lived on the Asian side, had the misfortune to fall in love with Hero, who lived in Europe. The course of true love did not run smoothly. Geography was not on their side. The Hellespont has a nasty current ripping down the middle of it and a reputation for chewing up ships. And religion didn't help, either. Hero was a priestess of Aphrodite, and sworn to perpetual celibacy. So their meetings had to be covert and at night. Just as in most relationships, ancient and modern, the bloke did all the travelling. She held out a lantern, and he swam each night towards it. They copulated all night, and he then swam back. One night the wind blew out the lantern and that current took Leander out into the Aegean. He never returned. The heartbroken Hero had the decency to hurl herself into the Hellespont and the myth was born.

The Hellespont was assumed to be swimmable only by gods. But then, after one failed attempt, Byron did it, and it has been done from time to time since. We should have a go, I said to Steve and David (fat, pale, thirty-something pie-eaters like me). If a club-footed syphilitic like Byron could do it, so could we. The Bulgarian red spoke, and it said yes, and before it could withdraw I had put a deposit down and committed us to the swim.

The paperwork is nightmarish. The European shore, at Abydos, is inside a restricted military zone, and rumoured to be mined. The Hellespont itself is a marine motorway, carrying a huge volume of traffic between the Mediterranean and Istanbul and the Black Sea. The Turkish authorities don't like the idea of Englishmen's bodies choking the propellers of container ships, and insist on lots of permits. The man to sort all this out is Huseyin, whose long, white wispy hair makes him look like a mammalian anemone. He has organised most of the successful attempts on the Hellespont in recent years.

So we trained a bit. We lumbered over to municipal pools and floundered up and down. We never seemed to get faster or less tired, but we did seem to get a bit thinner. It was difficult to motivate ourselves because there really didn't seem to be much connection between the heated human soup of the public baths and the swimming of a major shipping lane. But the calendar ticked on, and we got on the plane, still a bit bemused, and found ourselves somehow in Cannakale.

Huseyin met us, mapped out the route (head-on into the current for a mile, and then a gentle swim home), made us eat moussaka and vitamin pills, told the barman not to serve us any beer, and booked our early morning calls for us so that we had no excuses.

With the dawn came renewed incredulity at our stupidity. It was cold, there were some vast tankers plying up and down, and the rip current at the centre of the channel was throwing up white horses that looked like Grand National winners. Also, Huseyin had told the press about the attempt. A launch full of photographers was following us, and failure would not be private.

As the sun came up our clothes came off. The lads on the boat rubbed us down with axle grease and with a great scream we committed our bodies to the deep. An underwater gust rolled me over, and from then on, the channel churned me emetically around.

As soon as I hit the sea I was on my own. Yes, somewhere behind me was the grumbling of the escort boat's engine, and somewhere way ahead Steve was burrowing efficiently towards fame, and somewhere to one side David was grunting and swallowing water, but I was in my own tiny world, hedged in by waves and the sides of my goggles, vaguely conscious that stretching down and down below was the vertiginous green of the channel. It was a lonely and disoriented business. If I stretched my neck up I could sometimes see the hills of Asia, but there was never any sense of movement. From the boat there were occasional shouted hints and words of encouragement like: "Sewage slick ahead: keep your mouth shut", and "This is where blood started to pour from the Ukrainian's ears."

Steve had set purposefully off with a front crawl of the sort he'd only ever used before to part crowds to get to the bar. I had thought that the waves would prevent really effective crawl, and had trained mostly using breaststroke. This was a stupid mistake. Breaststroke has a phase when there is little forward motion. When you are swimming into the current this means that you lose half of whatever distance the stroke has won you. It took me fifty minutes to realise this and change to a continuously propulsive front crawl, by which time Steve was almost in the arms of his very own Hero.

Rhythm is everything, the good swimmers say, and rhythm is hard when the sea which surges around you has no sense of it. You seem to make no progress at all. There was a vague sense of pressure against my chest as I ploughed into that current, but there was no visible fixed point against which I could measure any progress. Failure, though, was unthinkable. Too many people knew about this venture. If I didn't reach Sestos I could never return home. So I kept striking metronomically away and then, suddenly, the current eased. A shout from the boat told me to turn up the strait. That was the indication I had been waiting for. It meant that the back of the Hellespont was broken. I began to realise that there was no need to keep a lot in reserve any more.

From then it all happened quickly. There was a wisp of green weed at the bottom, and a stone appearing out of the gloom. Looking up, I could see the crenellations of Sestos castle on the gorse covered hills of Asia. A thousand miles away there was some cheering as the press men hauled Steve out of the shallows and asked him what on earth he had done this for. And then suddenly we were there too, stumbling out into towels and a posse of television camera men. They asked us for comment. David, mentally enfeebled by the effort, gave them an elaborate and deeply embarrassing pun about Leander's libido based on 'breaststroke' and 'breast stroking' which, laboriously translated into Turkish, started as gibberish and ended as filth. We ate nuts and pulled our bellies in for prime-time silly-season Turkish TV, and drank brandy to the memory of that great hard man, Leander, who had done this every night and back, for love, not glory.

Greek deity, it seems, is a reasonably accessible career. This is a classic swim, but not a particularly difficult one. David and I, who both used that pathetically inefficient breaststroke over the two miles, did it in about eighty minutes. Steve, who is a regular ten pints and three bags of chips man, wallowed home in under an hour. The rumours we had heard about hammerhead sharks, giant squid and solid rafts of jellyfish were unfounded. The rumours about diarrhoea and vomiting, however, are completely true. Those denizens of the deep strait between Europe and Asia are of truly mythological proportions. But that's another story. And who cares? According to the best authorities on Olympus, we were officially gods.

- Charles Foster 

Motivation and emotion/Tutorials/Growth psychology/Case study scenarios

• 1 Motivation intervention case studies
• 2 Motivational intervention objectives
• 3 Case study scenario 1: Teenager struggling at school
• 4 Case study scenario 2: Child doesn't want to brush teeth
• 5 Case study scenario 3: Sales rep's confidence in face of rejection
• 6 Case study scenario 4: Improving athletic performance
• 7 Case study scenario 5: Health and weight loss

Motivation intervention case studies

• Causes? Diagnose why the person is experiencing motivational problems (Explaining)
• Sources? Identify the key sources of the person’s motivation (Predicting)
• Strategies? Apply knowledge about motivation to solve the problem (Applying)
• Each group should then present the scenario and their analysis of causes, sources, and strategies.

Motivational intervention objectives

For each scenario, the objective is to answer these questions:

• Why is the person experiencing the problem?
• What are the possible/likely sources of the person's motivation?
• How could knowledge about motivation be applied to help?

Case study scenario 1: Teenager struggling at school

Mikaela, your neighbour drops by looking like she is at the end of her tether :(. Her teenage daughter is doing poorly in school and is considering dropping out. Your neighbour's face turns serious as she seeks your advice, “What can I do? How can I motivate my daughter?”. It has come down to this – a knock on the door and the distressed face of a concerned parent. What can you recommend? (Based on Reeve, 2009, p. 447)

Case study scenario 2: Child doesn't want to brush teeth

A child resists brushing her teeth at night before going to bed. She hates doing it – and avoids doing it. When she does brush her teeth, it is done poorly, half-heartedly and with constant distraction. But her parents see high value in her brushing and they encourage her to do so, though they dread having to deal with their daughter's resistance night after night. What can the parents do? How can they motivate their daughter? (Based on Reeve, 2009, p. 457)

Case study scenario 3: Sales rep's confidence in face of rejection

Sarah is a sales rep who receives a monthly sales quota. She is told that her job is secure as long as she meets or exceed her quota. She feels that she has the skills, but 90% of calls fail to produce a sell. Her day-to-day experience is one of rejection and frustration. Thus, there is a high job turn-over. Sarah is thinking about quitting. What can she do? How can she be more resilient and motivated? (Based on Reeve, 2009, p. 457)

Case study scenario 4: Improving athletic performance

Jeff, a talented amateur athlete is performing well. He loves to train and compete, but would like to develop his talent further in order to try to become a professional. For some reason, though, his performance has not improved much lately and he may even be performing worse. Jeff wants to become an elite sportsman, but it does not seem to be happening. What is happening? How can he improve his performance? (Based on Reeve, 2009, p. 457)

Case study scenario 5: Health and weight loss

A doctor tells a patient, John, that he needs to lose 15kg or risk a heart attack. John understands the need to make a lifestyle change, however he is pessimistic that he will ever take his doctor's advice and make the change. Exercise and a healthy diet are just not his thing. John doubts that the lifestyle change is really worth the fuss. What can the doctor do? How can help motivate his patient? (Based on Reeve, 2009, p. 457)

• Motivation and emotion

Navigation menu

• About the Project
• Introduction to the ICF
• Introduction to the ICF Core Sets
• Introduction to ICF-based Documentation Tools and Rehab-Cycle
• 01 | Goal-Setting
• 02 | Independence
• 04 | Health Behaviour
• 05 | SCI in Older Persons
• 06 | Recovery After Traumatic SCI
• 07 | Return-to-Work
• 08 | Community Reintegration
• 09 | Sports in Rehabilitation
• 10 | Walking Recovery
• 11 | Care in Low and Middle-Resource Countries
• 12 | SCI and Environmental Accessibility
• 13 | SCI in Adolescence and Peer Relationships
• 14 | Bowel and Bladder Management
• 15 | Psychological Issues And SCI
• 16 | Time-Related Aspects
• 17 | Motivation And Rehabilitation
• 18 | Social Service Support In SCI Rehabilitation
• 19 | SCI And Chronic Pain Management
• 20 | Rights For Persons With Disability
• Questions and Answers

Q1. Describe the contemporary theories of motivation. (Refer to BITTE ANKER AUF BOX 1 for the answer.) Q2. Explain how the concept of motivation can be integrated into rehabilitation practice based on the self-determination theory. (Refer to BITTE ANKER AUF General Introduction unter dem Heading "Motivation and Rehabilitation" for the answer.) Q3. List the practices that Maclean and Pound have suggested for fostering motivation in rehabilitation. (Refer to BITTE ANKER AUF BOX 2 for the answer.) Q4. What role did the concept of motivation play in Jason's rehabilitation? (Refer to BITTE ANKER AUF Jason's Story unter Heading "Role of Motivation in Jason's Rehabilitation for the answer.) Q5. Explain how Jason's case reflects the individualistic-social approach of motivation proposed by Maclean and Pound. (Refer to BITTE ANKER DISCUSSION, 5. Absatz der mit " Jason's case seems to reflect the combined individualistic-social approaches... "anfängt for the answer.)

Motivation And Rehabilitation

• General Introduction
• Jason's story
• Goal-setting/Determination of Intervention Targets
• Assignment and Intervention
• PDF Download

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Employee Motivation – A Short Case Study

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100 Best Case Study Questions for Your Next Customer Spotlight

Published: November 29, 2022

Case studies and testimonials are helpful to have in your arsenal. But to build an effective library, you need to ask the right case study questions. You also need to know how to write a case study .

Case studies are customers' stories that your sales team can use to share relevant content with prospects . Not only that, but case studies help you earn a prospect's trust, show them what life would be like as your customer, and validate that your product or service works for your clients.

Before you start building your library of case studies, check out our list of 100 case study questions to ask your clients. With this helpful guide, you'll have the know-how to build your narrative using the " Problem-Agitate-Solve " Method.

What makes a good case study questionnaire?

The ultimate list of case study questions, how to ask your customer for a case study, creating an effective case study.

Certain key elements make up a good case study questionnaire.

A questionnaire should never feel like an interrogation. Instead, aim to structure your case study questions like a conversation. Some of the essential things that your questionnaire should cover include:

• The problem faced by the client before choosing your organization.
• Why they chose your company.
• How your product solved the problem clients faced.
• The measurable results of the service provided.
• Data and metrics that prove the success of your service or product, if possible.

You can adapt these considerations based on how your customers use your product and the specific answers or quotes that you want to receive.

What makes a good case study question?

A good case study question delivers a powerful message to leads in the decision stage of your prospective buyer's journey.

Since your client has agreed to participate in a case study, they're likely enthusiastic about the service you provide. Thus, a good case study question hands the reins over to the client and opens a conversation.

Try asking open-ended questions to encourage your client to talk about the excellent service or product you provide.

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Categories for the Best Case Study Questions

• Case study questions about the customer's business
• Case study questions about the environment before the purchase
• Case study questions about the decision process
• Case study questions about the customer's business case
• Case study questions about the buying team and internal advocates
• Case study questions about customer success
• Case study questions about product feedback
• Case study questions about willingness to make referrals
• Case study question to prompt quote-worthy feedback
• Case study questions about the customers' future goals

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Case Study Interview Questions About the Customer's Business

Knowing the customer's business is an excellent way of setting the tone for a case study.

Use these questions to get some background information about the company and its business goals. This information can be used to introduce the business at the beginning of the case study — plus, future prospects might resonate with their stories and become leads for you.

• Would you give me a quick overview of [company]? This is an opportunity for the client to describe their business in their own words. You'll get useful background information and it's an easy prompt to get the client talking.
• Can you describe your role? This will give you a better idea of the responsibilities they are subject to.
• How do your role and team fit into the company and its goals? Knowing how the team functions to achieve company goals will help you formulate how your solution involves all stakeholders.
• How long has your company been in business? Getting this information will help the reader gauge if pain points are specific to a startup or new company vs. a veteran company.
• How many employees do you have? Another great descriptor for readers to have. They can compare the featured company size with their own.
• Is your company revenue available? If so, what is it? This will give your readers background information on the featured company's gross sales.
• Who is your target customer? Knowing who the target audience is will help you provide a better overview of their market for your case study readers.
• How does our product help your team or company achieve its objectives? This is one of the most important questions because it is the basis of the case study. Get specifics on how your product provided a solution for your client. You want to be able to say "X company implemented our solution and achieved Y. "
• How are our companies aligned (mission, strategy, culture, etc.)? If any attributes of your company's mission or culture appealed to the client, call it out.

How many people are on your team? What are their roles? This will help describe key players within the organization and their impact on the implementation of your solution.

Case Study Interview Questions About the Environment Before the Purchase

A good case study is designed to build trust. Ask clients to describe the tools and processes they used before your product or service. These kinds of case study questions will highlight the business' need they had to fulfill and appeal to future clients.

• What was your team's process prior to using our product? This will give the reader a baseline to compare the results for your company's product.
• Were there any costs associated with the process prior to using our product? Was it more expensive? Was it worth the cost? How did the product affect the client's bottom line? This will be a useful metric to disclose if your company saved the client money or was more cost-efficient.
• What were the major pain points of your process prior to using our product? Describe these obstacles in detail. You want the reader to get as much information on the problem as possible as it sets up the reasoning for why your company's solution was implemented.
• Did our product replace a similar tool or is this the first time your team is using a product like this? Were they using a similar product? If so, having this information may give readers a reason to choose your brand over the competition.
• What other challenges were you and your team experiencing prior to using our product? The more details you can give readers regarding the client's struggles, the better. You want to paint a full picture of the challenges the client faced and how your company resolved them.
• Were there any concerns about how your customers would be impacted by using our product? Getting answers to this question will illustrate to readers the client's concerns about switching to your service. Your readers may have similar concerns and reading how your client worked through this process will be helpful.
• Why didn't you buy our product or a similar product earlier? Have the client describe any hesitations they had using your product. Their concerns may be relatable to potential leads.
• Were there any "dealbreakers" involved in your decision to become a customer? Describing how your company was able to provide a solution that worked within those parameters demonstrates how accommodating your brand is and how you put the customer first. It's also great to illustrate any unique challenges the client had. This better explains their situation to the reader.
• Did you have to make any changes you weren't anticipating once you became a customer? Readers of your case study can learn how switching to your product came with some unexpected changes (good or bad) and how they navigated them. If you helped your client with troubleshooting, ask them to explain that here.

How has your perception of the product changed since you've become a customer? Get the interviewee to describe how your product changed how they do business. This includes how your product accomplished what they previously thought was impossible.

Case Study Interview Questions About the Decision Process

Readers of the case study will be interested in which factors influenced the decision-making process for the client. If they can relate to that process, there's a bigger chance they'll buy your product.

The answers to these questions will help potential customers through their decision-making process.

• How did you hear about our product? If the client chose to work with you based on a recommendation or another positive case study, include that. It will demonstrate that you are a trusted brand with an established reputation for delivering results.
• How long had you been looking for a solution to this problem? This will add to the reader's understanding of how these particular challenges impacted the company before choosing your product.
• Were you comparing alternative solutions? Which ones? This will demonstrate to readers that the client explored other options before choosing your company.
• Would you describe a few of the reasons you decided to buy our product? Ask the interviewee to describe why they chose your product over the competition and any benefits your company offered that made you stand out.
• What were the criteria you used when deciding to buy our product? This will give readers more background insight into the factors that impacted their decision-making process.
• Were there any high-level initiatives or goals that prompted the decision to buy? For example, was this decision motivated by a company-wide vision? Prompt your clients to discuss what lead to the decision to work with you and how you're the obvious choice.
• What was the buying process like? Did you notice anything exceptional or any points of friction? This is an opportunity for the client to comment on how seamless and easy you make the buying process. Get them to describe what went well from start to finish.
• How would you have changed the buying process, if at all? This is an opportunity for you to fine-tune your process to accommodate future buyers.
• Who on your team was involved in the buying process? This will give readers more background on the key players involved from executives to project managers. With this information, readers can see who they may potentially need to involve in the decision-making process on their teams.

Case Study Interview Questions About the Customer's Business Case

Your case study questions should ask about your product or solution's impact on the customer's employees, teams, metrics, and goals. These questions allow the client to praise the value of your service and tell others exactly what benefits they derived from it.

When readers review your product or service's impact on the client, it enforces the belief that the case study is credible.

• How long have you been using our product? This will help readers gauge how long it took to see results and your overall satisfaction with the product or service.
• How many different people at your company use our product? This will help readers gauge how they can adapt the product to their teams if similar in size.
• Are there multiple departments or teams using our product? This will demonstrate how great of an impact your product has made across departments.
• How do you and your team currently use the product? What types of goals or tasks are you using the product to accomplish? Get specifics on how the product actively helps the client achieve their goals.
• If other teams or departments are using our product, do you know how they're using it? With this information, leads can picture how they can use your product across their teams and how it may improve their workflow and metrics.
• What was the most obvious advantage you felt our product offered during the sales process? The interviewee should explain the benefits they've gained from using your product or service. This is important for convincing other leads you are better than the competition.
• Were there any other advantages you discovered after using the product more regularly? Your interviewee may have experienced some additional benefits from using your product. Have them describe in detail what these advantages are and how they've helped the company improve.
• Are there any metrics or KPIs you track with our product? What are they? The more numbers and data the client can provide, the better.
• Were you tracking any metrics prior to using our product? What were they? This will allow readers to get a clear, before-and-after comparison of using your product.
• How has our product impacted your core metrics? This is an opportunity for your clients to drive home how your product assisted them in hitting their metrics and goals.

Case Study Interview Questions About the Buying Team and Internal Advocates

See if there are any individuals at the customer's company who are advocates for your product.

• Are there any additional team members you consider to be advocates for our product? For example, does anyone stick out as a "power user" or product expert on your team? You may want to interview and include these power users in your case study as well. Consider asking them for tips on using your service or product.
• Is there anyone else on your team you think we should talk to? Again, the more people can share their experience using your product, the better.
• Are there any team members who you think might not be the biggest fans of our product or who might need more training? Providing extra support to those struggling with your product may improve their user experience and turn into an opportunity to not only learn about their obstacles but turn them into a product fan
• Would you share some details about how your team implemented our product? Get as much information as possible about the rollout. Hopefully, they'll gush about how seamless the process was.
• Who from your company was involved in implementing our product? This will give readers more insight into who needs to be involved for a successful rollout of their own.
• Were there any internal risks or additional costs involved with implementing our product? If so, how did you address them? This will give insight into the client's process and rollout and this case study question will likely provide tips on what potential leads should be on the lookout for.
• Is there a training process in place for your team's use of our product? If so, what does it look like? If your company provided support and training to the client, have them describe that experience.
• About how long does it take a new team member to get up to speed with our product? This will help leads determine how much time it will take to onboard an employee to your using your product. If a new user can quickly get started seamlessly, it bodes well for you.
• What was your main concern about rolling this product out to your company? Describing their challenges in detail will provide readers with useful insight.

Case Study Interview Questions About Customer Success

Has the customer found success with your product? Ask these questions to learn more.

• By using our product can you measure any reduced costs? If it has, you'll want to emphasize those savings in your case study.
• By using our product can you measure any improvements in productivity or time savings? Any metrics or specific stories your interviewee can provide will help demonstrate the value of your product.
• By using our product can you measure any increases in revenue or growth? Again, say it with numbers and data whenever possible.
• Are you likely to recommend our product to a friend or colleague? Recommendations from existing customers are some of the best marketing you can get.
• How has our product impacted your success? Your team's success? Getting the interviewee to describe how your product played an integral role in solving their challenges will show leads that they can also have success using your product.
• In the beginning, you had XYZ concerns; how do you feel about them now? Let them explain how working with your company eliminated those concerns.
• I noticed your team is currently doing XYZ with our product. Tell me more about how that helps your business. Illustrate to your readers how current customers are using your product to solve additional challenges. It will convey how versatile your product is.
• Have you thought about using our product for a new use case with your team or at your company? The more examples of use cases the client can provide, the better.
• How do you measure the value our product provides? Have the interviewee illustrate what metrics they use to gauge the product's success and how. Data is helpful, but you should go beyond the numbers. Maybe your product improved company morale and how teams work together.

Case Study Interview Questions About Product Feedback

Ask the customer if they'd recommend your product to others. A strong recommendation will help potential clients be more open to purchasing your product.

• How do other companies in this industry solve the problems you had before you purchased our product? This will give you insight into how other companies may be functioning without your product and how you can assist them.
• Have you ever talked about our product to any of your clients or peers? What did you say? This can provide you with more leads and a chance to get a referral.
• Why would you recommend our product to a friend or client? Be sure they pinpoint which features they would highlight in a recommendation.
• Can you think of any use cases your customers might have for our product? Similar industries may have similar issues that need solutions. Your interviewee may be able to provide a use case you haven't come up with.
• What is your advice for other teams or companies who are tackling problems similar to those you had before you purchased our product? This is another opportunity for your client to talk up your product or service.
• Do you know someone in X industry who has similar problems to the ones you had prior to using our product? The client can make an introduction so you can interview them about their experience as well.
• I noticed you work with Company Y. Do you know if they are having any pain points with these processes? This will help you learn how your product has impacted your client's customers and gain insight into what can be improved.
• Does your company participate in any partner or referral programs? Having a strong referral program will help you increase leads and improve customer retention.
• Can I send you a referral kit as a thank-you for making a referral and give you the tools to refer someone to us? This is a great strategy to request a referral while rewarding your existing customers.
• Are you interested in working with us to produce additional marketing content? The more opportunities you can showcase happy customers, the better.

Case Study Interview Questions About Willingness to Make Referrals

• How likely are you to recommend our product to a friend or client? Ideally, they would definitely refer your product to someone they know.
• Can you think of any use cases your customers might have for our product? Again, your interviewee is a great source for more leads. Similar industries may have similar issues that need solutions. They may be able to provide a use case you haven't come up with.
• I noticed you work with Company Y; do you know if they are having any pain points with these processes? This will help you learn how your product has impacted your client's customers and gain insight into what can be improved.

Case Study Interview Questions to Prompt Quote-Worthy Feedback

Enhance your case study with quotable soundbites from the customer. By asking these questions, prospects have more insight into other clients and their success with your product — which helps build trust.

• How would you describe your process in one sentence prior to using our product? Ideally, this sentence would quickly and descriptively sum up the most prominent pain point or challenge with the previous process.
• What is your advice to others who might be considering our product? Readers can learn from your customer's experience.
• What would your team's workflow or process be like without our product? This will drive home the value your product provides and how essential it is to their business.
• Do you think the investment in our product was worthwhile? Why? Have your customer make the case for the value you provide.
• What would you say if we told you our product would soon be unavailable? What would this mean to you? Again, this illustrates how integral your product is to their business.
• How would you describe our product if you were explaining it to a friend? Your customers can often distill the value of your product to their friends better than you can.
• What do you love about your job? Your company? This gives the reader more background on your customer and their industry.
• What was the worst part of your process before you started using our product? Ideally, they'd reiterate how your product helped solve this challenge.
• What do you love about our product? Another great way to get the customer's opinion about what makes your product worth it.
• Why do you do business with us? Hopefully, your interviewee will share how wonderful your business relationship is.

Case Study Interview Questions About the Customers' Future Goals

Ask the customer about their goals, challenges, and plans for the future. This will provide insight into how a business can grow with your product.

• What are the biggest challenges on the horizon for your industry? Chances are potential leads within the same industry will have similar challenges.
• What are your goals for the next three months? Knowing their short-term goals will enable your company to get some quick wins for the client.
• How would you like to use our product to meet those challenges and goals? This will help potential leads understand that your product can help their business as they scale and grow.
• Is there anything we can do to help you and your team meet your goals? If you haven't covered it already, this will allow your interviewee to express how you can better assist them.
• Do you think you will buy more, less, or about the same amount of our product next year? This can help you gauge how your product is used and why.
• What are the growth plans for your company this year? Your team? This will help you gain insight into how your product can help them achieve future goals.
• How can we help you meet your long-term goals? Getting specifics on the needs of your clients will help you create a unique solution designed for their needs.
• What is the long-term impact of using our product? Get their feedback on how your product has created a lasting impact.
• Are there any initiatives that you personally would like to achieve that our product or team can help with? Again, you want to continue to provide products that help your customers excel.
• What will you need from us in the future? This will help you anticipate the customer's business needs.
• Is there anything we can do to improve our product or process for working together in the future? The more feedback you can get about what is and isn't working, the better.

Before you can start putting together your case study, you need to ask your customer's permission.

If you have a customer who's seen success with your product, reach out to them. Use this template to get started:

Thank you & quick request

Hi [customer name],

Thanks again for your business — working with you to [solve X, launch Y, take advantage of Z opportunity] has been extremely rewarding, and I'm looking forward to more collaboration in the future.

[Name of your company] is building a library of case studies to include on our site. We're looking for successful companies using [product] to solve interesting challenges, and your team immediately came to mind. Are you open to [customer company name] being featured?

It should be a lightweight process — [I, a product marketer] will ask you roughly [10, 15, 20] questions via email or phone about your experience and results. This case study will include a blurb about your company and a link to your homepage (which hopefully will make your SEO team happy!)

In any case, thank you again for the chance to work with you, and I hope you have a great week.

[Your name]

If one of your customers has recently passed along some praise (to you, their account manager, your boss; on an online forum; to another potential customer; etc.), then send them a version of this email:

Hey [customer name],

Thanks for the great feedback — I'm really glad to hear [product] is working well for you and that [customer company name] is getting the results you're looking for.

My team is actually in the process of building out our library of case studies, and I'd love to include your story. Happy to provide more details if you're potentially interested.

Either way, thank you again, and I look forward to getting more updates on your progress.

You can also find potential case study customers by usage or product data. For instance, maybe you see a company you sold to 10 months ago just bought eight more seats or upgraded to a new tier. Clearly, they're happy with the solution. Try this template:

I saw you just [invested in our X product; added Y more users; achieved Z product milestone]. Congratulations! I'd love to share your story using [product] with the world -- I think it's a great example of how our product + a dedicated team and a good strategy can achieve awesome results.

Are you open to being featured? If so, I'll send along more details.

Case Study Benefits

• Case studies are a form of customer advocacy.
• Case studies provide a joint-promotion opportunity.
• Case studies are easily sharable.
• Case studies build rapport with your customers.
• Case studies are less opinionated than customer reviews.

1. Case studies are a form of customer advocacy.

If you haven't noticed, customers aren't always quick to trust a brand's advertisements and sales strategies.

With every other brand claiming to be the best in the business, it's hard to sort exaggeration from reality.

This is the most important reason why case studies are effective. They are testimonials from your customers of your service. If someone is considering your business, a case study is a much more convincing piece of marketing or sales material than traditional advertising.

2. Case studies provide a joint-promotion opportunity.

Your business isn't the only one that benefits from a case study. Customers participating in case studies benefit, too.

Think about it. Case studies are free advertisements for your customers, not to mention the SEO factor, too. While they're not promoting their products or services, they're still getting the word out about their business. And, the case study highlights how successful their business is — showing interested leads that they're on the up and up.

3. Case studies are easily sharable.

No matter your role on the sales team, case studies are great to have on hand. You can easily share them with leads, prospects, and clients.

Whether you embed them on your website or save them as a PDF, you can simply send a link to share your case study with others. They can share that link with their peers and colleagues, and so on.

Case studies can also be useful during a sales pitch. In sales, timing is everything. If a customer is explaining a problem that was solved and discussed in your case study, you can quickly find the document and share it with them.

4. Case studies build rapport with your customers.

While case studies are very useful, they do require some back and forth with your customers to obtain the exact feedback you're looking for.

Even though time is involved, the good news is this builds rapport with your most loyal customers. You get to know them on a personal level, and they'll become more than just your most valuable clients.

And, the better the rapport you have with them, the more likely they'll be to recommend your business, products, or services to others.

5. Case studies are less opinionated than customer reviews.

Data is the difference between a case study and a review. Customer reviews are typically based on the customer's opinion of your brand. While they might write a glowing review, it's completely subjective and there's rarely empirical evidence supporting their claim.

Case studies, on the other hand, are more data-driven. While they'll still talk about how great your brand is, they support this claim with quantitative data that's relevant to the reader. It's hard to argue with data.

An effective case study must be genuine and credible. Your case study should explain why certain customers are the right fit for your business and how your company can help meet their specific needs. That way, someone in a similar situation can use your case study as a testimonial for why they should choose your business.

Use the case study questions above to create an ideal customer case study questionnaire. By asking your customers the right questions, you can obtain valuable feedback that can be shared with potential leads and convert them into loyal customers.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in June 2021 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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MBA Case Studies - Solved Examples

Need of MBA Case Studies

Case i: chemco case.

• ChemCo is a quality leader in the U.K. car batteries market.
• Customer battery purchases in the automobile market are highly seasonal.
• The fork-lift business was added to utilize idle capacity during periods of inactivity.
• This is a low-growth industry (1% annual growth over the last two years)
• Large customers are sophisticated and buy based on price and quality. Smaller customers buy solely on price.
• There is a Spanish competitor in the market who offers low priced batteries of inferior quality.

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• Established player in car batteries
• Losing heavily in fork-lift truck batteries
• Old fashioned owner resistance to change
• Low priced competitors
• Foreign competitors gaining market share
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• Solved Case Studies
• High quality product, but low end customers care more about price than quality
• Mismanaged product diversification in a price sensitive market
• Alternative 1: Establish an Off-Brand for the fork-lift business
• Alternative 2: Educate the customer market about product quality
• Alternative 3: Exit the fork-lift battery business
• Establishing the firm's quality image
• Increase in market share
• Increase in sales
• Cost of the product
• Protect firm's quality image in the automobile industry
• Redesigned product to reduce the cost of manufacture
• Low price to enable it to compete with Spanish producer
• Make use of the quality leadership in car batteries market
• Offer reliability testing, extended warranties etc. to promote quality image
• Set higher prices to extract surplus from these advantages
• A passive strategy, not proactive
• Recommendations: Alternative 1 is recommended in this case. Since the firm operates in an industry which has low growth, hence it can expand market share and sales only by taking the customers from other players. Hence, it needs to tackle the Spanish competitor head-on by aggressively pricing its product. At the same time, launching a low-priced product under the same brand name erodes the high quality image in the car batteries market. Hence, the best option is to go for an off-brand to target the fork-lift customers who are increasingly becoming price sensitive. This will enable the company to ward off the threat in short-term and build its position strongly in the long-term.

Case II: NAKAMURA LACQUER COMPANY

• The Nakamura Lacquer Company: The Nakamura Lacquer Company based in Kyoto, Japan was one of the many small handicraft shops making lacquerware for the daily table use of the Japanese people.
• Mr. Nakamura- the personality: In 1948, a young Mr. Nakamura took over his family business. He saw an opportunity to cater to a new market of America, i.e. GI's of the Occupation Army who had begun to buy lacquer ware as souvenirs. However, he realized that the traditional handicraft methods were inadequate. He was an innovator and introduced simple methods of processing and inspection using machines. Four years later, when the Occupation Army left in 1952, Nakamura employed several thousand men, and produced 500,000 pieces of lacquers tableware each year for the Japanese mass consumer market. The profit from operations was $250,000.
• The Brand: Nakamura named his brand “Chrysanthemum” after the national flower of Japan, which showed his patriotic fervor. The brand became Japan's best known and best selling brand, being synonymous with good quality, middle class and dependability.
• The Market: The market for lacquerware in Japan seems to have matured, with the production steady at 500,000 pieces a year. Nakamura did practically no business outside of Japan. However, early in 1960, when the American interest in Japanese products began to grow, Nakamura received two offers
• The Rose and Crown offer: The first offer was from Mr. Phil Rose, V.P Marketing at the National China Company. They were the largest manufacturer of good quality dinnerware in the U.S., with their “Rose and Crown” brand accounting for almost 30% of total sales. They were willing to give a firm order for three eyes for annual purchases of 400,000 sets of lacquer dinnerware, delivered in Japan and at 5% more than what the Japanese jobbers paid. However, Nakamura would have to forego the Chrysanthemum trademark to “Rose and Crown” and also undertaken to sell lacquer ware to anyone else the U.S. The offer promised returns of $720,000 over three years (with net returns of $83,000), but with little potential for the U.S. market on the Chrysanthemum brand beyond that period.
• The Semmelback offer: The second offer was from Mr. Walter Sammelback of Sammelback, Sammelback and Whittacker, Chicago, the largest supplier of hotel and restaurant supplies in the U.S. They perceived a U.S. market of 600,000 sets a year, expecting it to go up to 2 million in around 5 years. Since the Japanese government did not allow overseas investment, Sammelback was willing to budget $1.5 million. Although the offer implied negative returns of $467,000 over the first five years, the offer had the potential to give a $1 million profit if sales picked up as anticipated.
• Meeting the order: To meet the numbers requirement of the orders, Nakamura would either have to expand capacity or cut down on the domestic market. If he chose to expand capacity, the danger was of idle capacity in case the U.S. market did not respond. If he cut down on the domestic market, the danger was of losing out on a well-established market. Nakamura could also source part of the supply from other vendors. However, this option would not find favor with either of the American buyers since they had approached only Nakamura, realizing that he was the best person to meet the order.
• Decision problem: Whether to accept any of the two offers and if yes, which one of the two and under what terms of conditions?
• To expand into the U.S. market.
• To maintain and build upon their reputation of the “Chrysanthemum” brand
• To increase profit volumes by tapping the U.S. market and as a result, increasing scale of operations.
• To increase its share in the U.S. lacquerware market.
• Profit Maximization criterion: The most important criterion in the long run is profit maximization.
• Risk criterion: Since the demand in the U.S. market is not as much as in Japan.
• Brand identity criterion: Nakamura has painstakingly built up a brand name in Japan. It is desirable for him to compete in the U.S. market under the same brand name
• Flexibility criterion: The chosen option should offer Nakamura flexibility in maneuvering the terms and conditions to his advantage. Additionally, Nakamura should have bargaining power at the time of renewal of the contract.
• Short term returns: Nakamura should receive some returns on the investment he makes on the new offers. However, this criterion may be compromised in favor of profit maximization in the long run.?
• Reject both: React both the offers and concentrate on the domestic market
• Accept RC offer: Accept the Rose and Crown offer and supply the offer by cutting down on supplies to the domestic market or through capacity expansion or both
• Accept SSW: offer; accept the SSW offer and meet it through cutting down on supply to the domestic market or through capacity expansion or both. Negotiate term of supply.
• Reject both: This option would not meet the primary criterion of profit maximization. Further, the objective of growth would also not be met. Hence, this option is rejected.
• Accept RC offer: The RC offer would assure net returns of $283,000 over the next three yeas. It also assures regular returns of $240,000 per year. However, Nakamura would have no presence in the U.S. with its Chrysanthemum brand name The RC offer would entail capacity expansion, as it would not be possible to siphon of 275,000 pieces from the domestic market over three years without adversely affecting operations there. At the end of three years, Nakamura would have little bargaining power with RC as it would have an excess capacity of 275,000 pieces and excess labor which it would want to utilize. In this sense the offer is risky. Further, the offer is not flexible. Long-term profit maximization is uncertain in this case a condition that can be controlled in the SSW offer. Hence, this offer is rejected.
• Accept SSW offer: The SSW offer does not assure a firm order or any returns for the period of contract. Although, in its present form the offer is risky if the market in the U.S. does not pick up as expected, the offer is flexible. If Nakamura were to exhibit caution initially by supplying only 300,000 instead of the anticipated 600,000 pieces, it could siphon off the 175,000 required from the domestic market. If demand exists in the U.S., the capacity can be expanded. With this offer, risk is minimized. Further, it would be competing on its own brand name. Distribution would be taken care of and long-term profit maximization criterion would be satisfied as this option has the potential of $1 million in profits per year. At the time of renewal of the contract, Nakamura would have immense bargaining power.
• Negotiate terms of offer with SSW: The terms would be that NLC would supply 300,000 pieces in the first year. If market demand exists, NLC should expand capacity to provide the expected demand.
• Action Plan: In the first phase, NLC would supply SSW with 300,000 pieces. 125,000 of these would be obtained by utilizing excess capacity, while the remaining would be obtained from the domestic market. If the expected demand for lacquer ware exists in the U.S., NLC would expand capacity to meet the expected demand. The debt incurred would be paid off by the fifth year.
• Contingency Plan:  In case the demand is not as expected in the first year, NLC should not service the U.S. market and instead concentrate on increasing penetration in the domestic market.

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Case Study On Motivation With Question And Answers Case Solution & Analysis

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case study on motivation with question and answers  Case Solution & Analysis

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