A US MBA case memo leads with the recommendation in the first two sentences, then supports it with three or four pieces of evidence, addresses the strongest counter-argument, and closes with implementation. The analysis goes in exhibits; the page itself carries the decision.
Why the Format Is Inverted
Academic essays build toward a conclusion. A case memo states the conclusion and defends it — because it imitates a document written for an executive who will read the first three lines and skim the rest.
The one-page limit is the point of the exercise. Anyone can write six pages; the skill being assessed is deciding what a decision-maker needs and discarding the rest.
The Structure
- Recommendation (2-3 sentences). What should be done, by when, and the expected outcome. No preamble, no restatement of the case.
- Rationale (3-4 short paragraphs or bullets). The strongest evidence, each with a number attached and a pointer to the exhibit that supports it.
- Risks and mitigation (1 paragraph). The best argument against you, and what you would do if it materialised.
- Implementation (3-5 lines). First moves, owners, timeline, resources.
Opening that works: "Aurora should license its technology in Southeast Asia rather than build owned capacity, entering Vietnam and Thailand in Q1 2027. Licensing delivers 60% of projected revenue with 20% of the capital and preserves the option to acquire once demand is proven."
What Goes in Exhibits
Exhibits do not count toward the page limit at most schools, and that is deliberate. Move everything quantitative there: the NPV calculation, the sensitivity table, the competitor comparison, the five-year projection. The memo references them — "at a 12% discount rate, NPV is $4.2m (Exhibit 2)" — and moves on.
Every exhibit must be referenced in the memo. An unreferenced exhibit signals analysis done and not used.
Common Failures
- Restating the case. Your reader taught it. Every sentence of summary is a sentence of analysis lost.
- Recommending "further analysis". The exercise is deciding under uncertainty. If you need more data, say what you would do meanwhile.
- Listing options without choosing. A memo that presents three alternatives evenly has not done the job.
- Framework tourism. Running SWOT, Porter and PESTLE in one page shows breadth and no judgement. Use whichever framework produces the insight and cite it once.
- Numbers without a source. Every figure should trace to case data or a stated assumption.
Handling Uncertainty Well
Strong memos commit while acknowledging what is unknown: "This assumes the Vietnamese tariff regime holds through 2028. If tariffs rise above 15%, licensing economics deteriorate and the owned-capacity option becomes preferable — I would revisit at the Q3 review." That reads as judgement. Hedging every sentence reads as avoidance.
Editing to One Page
Write it long, then cut. In order: remove case summary, move every calculation to an exhibit, delete adverbs and hedges, convert prose to bullets where the content is a list, and cut any sentence that does not change the reader's view.
Do not shrink the font to 9pt or narrow margins to 0.5 inch. Instructors read hundreds of these and notice immediately, and it signals you could not make the cut the assignment asked for.
Frequently asked questions
How long should an MBA case memo be?
One page of text unless the brief says otherwise, usually with exhibits excluded from the limit. The constraint is the assessment: the skill being tested is deciding what a decision-maker needs and cutting everything else.
Should a case memo start with background?
No. Start with the recommendation in the first two or three sentences. Your instructor knows the case, so summary consumes space that should carry analysis. Background belongs in a memo only where a specific fact is essential to understanding the recommendation.
Can I recommend gathering more information?
Only alongside a decision. Case exercises assess judgement under uncertainty, so "further analysis is required" reads as avoidance. If information is genuinely missing, state the assumption you are proceeding on and what would change your view.
How many frameworks should I use?
Usually one, applied well. Running several in a single page demonstrates recall rather than judgement. Choose the framework that produces the insight your recommendation rests on, and put the working in an exhibit.
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