Case Interviews Session

Agenda
◼Introduction to Case Interviews

◼Profitability Cases

◼Pricing Cases

◼GTM Strategy

◼Growth Strategy

◼Demo Case Interview

◼How to start your prep?

Introduction
What are Case
Interviews?
◼A Case IS NOT
◼ A HBS classroom case
◼ One that has a single solution
◼ For you to throw jargon and frameworks into
◼ Meant to be “cracked”; the process trumps the solution

◼A Case IS:
◼ A discussion enabler
◼ About asking the right questions
◼ A test of coherent/logical thinking
◼ Typically based on real-life engagements
What does an Interviewer
look for?
Success-oriented behavior
▪ Tolerance for ambiguity
▪ Toughness/Resilience

Analytical skills
▪ Framing the problem & breaking it into small coherent pieces
▪ Prioritization of issues
▪ Identifying relevant information & drawing conclusions
▪ Identifying key implications and next steps

Presence/communication
▪ Listening skills
▪ Oral skills/Charisma
 Typical Approach to
Case Interviews

Identify issues

Ensure complete Develop Request Synthesize findings

understanding of approach information to into
question at hand to solve problem test recommendations
hypothesis

Identify specific
opportunities
Understanding the Question
◼Make sure you clarify the problem statement
◼Ask if the client has any other objective?
Understanding the Context
• PESTLE • Market Structure
• Market Size • Market Share
• Market Growth

Selling at?

Via?

To whom?
• Market Share
• Competitive Advantage
• Years since inception
Ref: ISB Casebook (Pg 8)
Understanding the Context
• PESTLE
• Market Size
• Market Growth

Selling at?

Via?

To whom?

Ref: ISB Casebook (Pg 8)

Understanding the Context
• Market Structure
• Market Share

Selling at?

Via?

To whom?
• Market Share
• Competitive Advantage
• Years since inception
Ref: ISB Casebook (Pg 8)
Understanding the Context

Selling at?

Via?

To whom?

Ref: ISB Casebook (Pg 8)

Understanding the Context

Selling at?

Via?

To whom?

Ref: ISB Casebook (Pg 8)

Understanding the Context

Selling at?

Via?

To whom?

Ref: ISB Casebook (Pg 8)

Understanding the Context

Selling at?

Via?

To whom?

Ref: ISB Casebook (Pg 8)

Profitability Cases
 Profitability

Revenues Costs

Adding new Existing Revenue

Revenue Sources Sources

Revenue Source Revenue Source

1 2

Revenue Revenue
#customers Ticket size #customers Ticket size
per unit per unit

Value
4PAnalysis 3A Analysis
Chain
Frameworks that can be
used
Consumer
Purchase
Funnel

PESTLE
 Profitability

Revenues Costs

Adding new Existing Revenue

Revenue Sources Sources

Distribution
Product Type Geography Customer Type
Channel

Feasability Analysis:
PESTLE
3A
 Profitability

Revenues Costs
Pricing Cases
Pricing Strategy (1/2)
Investigate the company
• What products does company sell, where does the
company stand inmarket?
• What is the key objective? Profits? Market Share? Growth?
Brand Positioning? Competitive Response?Important!!

Investigate the product

• How does the client’s product differ from competition?
What is the USP?
• Alternates or substitute of the product?
• At what stage is the product lifecycle is product?
Pricing Strategy (2/2)
Choose a pricing strategy
• Competition based pricing
• Are there comparable products? If yes, how do they
compare to the client’s product?
• How are the priced? What is the pricing strategy used
in market?
• Cost based pricing
• Cost plus margin, based on the financial outcomes
expected from the product
• Ask for client’s cost structure for the product
• Value based pricing
• Based on customer’s willingness to pay
• Identify the target segment (Important), and perceived
value of the product to the segment
GTM Strategy
Go To Market (1/5)
Step I: Preliminary Questions (Sample)

▪What metric to use to decide whether to enter or not enter ?

▪Any specific reason for the given geography

▪Can you provide some more information on the product

▪Where do plan to lie in the value chain ?

 Go To Market (2/5)
Step 2: Overall Strategy
◼Estimate Profit = Market Size * Market Share * ((Price – Variable Cost) – Fixed Cost)
o Market Size – Calculate by Guesstimate
o Market Share – Ask interviewer or take an estimate for given product in a new
market
o Price – Either Ask interviewer whether he will be providing the price, else Calculate
by ‘Cost + Margin Method’ or ‘Value based pricing’ or ‘Competitor Analysis’
o Variable Cost – Ask if interviewer will provide, else calculate by breaking product cost
down to ‘raw material cost + labor cost + utility cost’
o Fixed Cost – Ask the interviewer
Go To Market (3/5)
◼Benchmark profit with other geographies

◼Also check investments required, calculate feasibility of plan

(Break-Even)
Go To Market (4/5)
Step 3: Establishing Value Chain (Challenges)
Production > Distribution/Retailing > Marketing &
Promotion/Customer Pull
Figure out feasibility based on the 3 stages of
value chain
Go To Market (5/5)
Step 4: How to enter the market
▪Start from scratch
▪JV
▪Acquiring a local company
Step 5: Recommendation/Summary on whether
the client should enter the market and how
Growth Strategy
Understanding the
scenario – 3Cs
◼Company:
◼ What’s our product mix / what are our existing revenue streams?
◼ Geographies we play in?
◼ State of financials

◼Competition:
◼ Market shares/growth rates
◼ How are they different (Price, product offering)?

◼Customers:
◼ Price sensitivity?
◼ Demand being met?
◼ Customer satisfaction?
Consulting and their 2x2s:
Ansoff Matrix
Growth Strategy
Framework
Mock Case
Interview
How to start
your Prep?
How to practise Case
Interviews?
◼Participants: Interviewer, Interviewee &
Moderator
◼Resources: Casebooks (preferably Indian) &
Interview Experiences
Questions
◼Should I memorize frameworks?

◼How many cases should I practice?

◼How to practice more Guesstimates?

◼What is the standard operating etiquette for buddy call?

◼How to handle stress interviews?