Q2:

The Mu Sigma business model lies in how it brings an interdisciplinary combination

of art (business analysis), science (applied mathematics) and scale (programming)
to solve business problems. While in most firms each of these three activities are
performed by different sets of people possessing different capabilities, Mu Sigma
trains and looks at one person to perform them a concept introduced to the
industry for the first time by Mu Sigma. Mu Sigma names this person the decision
scientist a person having the skills of a mathematician, programmer and a
business analyst at the same time.
While working with clients, Mu Sigma applies the DIPP (Descriptive-InquisitivePredictive-Prescriptive) framework. Simply put, this framework aims to fist gauge
the business performance as-is. It then looks to analyze the causes of the business
performance, by creating and validating/rejecting hypotheses simultaneously using
statistical analysis to extract more insights from the data. I then uses data modeling
and forecasting techniques to predict the future business performance using legacy
data. And finally, it uses the insights gained from the aforementioned steps to
recommend solutions or ideas to improve business performance.
The key differentiator for Mu Sigma is how it hires, trains and retains its employees.
Mu Sigma focuses on hiring large numbers of fresh graduates from engineering
colleges and the training them through the Mu Sigma University. . The Mu Sigma
University is a 3 month training program that trains these new recruits to become
decision scientists by equipping them with requisite skills in consulting, applied
math, data modeling, statistics and economics. Often referred to as the mini MBA
program for the quantitatively inclined, this 3 month program ensures graduates
go through a steep learning curve and has attracted a fair amount of praise from
clients.
Mu Sigmas strength as a startup lies in its high growth rate, its skilled workforce,
the fact that it operates in an industry with high barriers to market entry preventing
new players, experienced business units, strong financial backing and finally cheap
costs of talented workforce (being based in India). In terms of weaknesses, Mu
Sigma operates in an industry which is changing rapidly and herein it faces stiff

competition from the giants operating in this industry. Furthermore, their highly
trained employees can be poached or can leave in search of better prospects.