【正文】 set as well. In either case, push them to clear the cobwebs away and give you the cases they’ve stored away. Firms do say that these events are nonevaluative, but we are a bit suspicious. Just in case, we suggest you play it safe an behave yourself. Keep all your clothes on.3. Management and Strategy Professors: These cases are pretty good and supply a mixture of the types of cases that we have discussed. This is a good place to start.2. Consulting Firm Practice Events: This monthly rag is a twominute read and can help you stay current (and it’s free, if you just fill out a painful survey). Many of these brochures are kept up in the CMC and are handed out at the firm presentations. Web links are available on the CMC web page. You can tell a lot about a firm from its web site. Alumni) or even find graduates. Use this function to harass second years! Check under links and news to see the latest remended readings. We try to change the content regularly. “Ace your case” type resources: both panies offer a general guide to the case interview. Well worth it to get one of them. 4. The Kellogg Consulting Club Web Page These firms provide industry overviews that are both candid and current. Products can be ordered via their web sites and Kellogg students get a discount. This article is a few years old now, but is a great one for you if you really don’t get the whole consulting thing. A book that details the use (and abuse) of consultants. May cure you of your desire to bee a consultant, but gives a good overview. (3) then feed into the following equation:Profit = Price * Quantity – FC – VC Overhead Labor PPamp。 Value Chain Organizational Readiness Financial structure Substitutes Supplier Power Who has done this type of project already?Porter’s Five Forces: ProfitabilityPROFIT IMPROVEMENT CASESThese cases test your ability to determine the most important factors that contribute to a firm’s revenues and profits and an understanding of cost dynamics. Example case: You are put on a case team hired by a large manufacturer of paper products whose profit is down 20% over last year? Your role is to stop this downturn in profits – what would you do?Or:Example case: I was recently working for a major clothing manufacturer whose unit profit margins had remained at historic levels, but whose overall pany profits were falling. What would you remend?The task here is to show the interviewer how you would isolate the source of the problem and then remend a solution. INVESTMENT CASESThese cases ask you to focus more heavily on finance and to think of the scenario in terms of longterm payoff. POETS, NO NEED TO PANIC!!!!Example case: Kafe Kellogg is considering investing in a margarita bar, should they do it?Or more likely:Example case: A concrete manufacturer is considering purchasing a small regional concrete producer. Should they? The basic question you are looking to answer is whether this is a positive NPV project for the firm. For nonFinance people, you do really need to understand this, but it should only take a halfhour in January with an investment banker or quant jock. You need to figure out whether the discounted cash flows that will be received in the future as a result of this investment will exceed the investment needed today. It just takes a tiny bit of work to figure out what the cash flows actually are and how they change over time.“WILD CARDS” OR “BRAINTEASERS”Brainteasers have an undeserved BAD reputation. They can be the easiest cases to solve once you get used to them. Example case: “How many golfballs are in the air in the wold right now? OrExample case: “How many haircuts are given in Chicago per day?” The most important point (and we’ll put it in italics for you) is: The interviewer is not looking for a RIGHT answer. If a friend es out of an interview and says, “Gosh, I calculated that there are 57 phone booths in Evanston and it turns out there are over 300, I guess I’ll have to look for a brand job now”, please give them a good slap for us. Getting a RIGHT answer is unimportant, showing logical thinking is essential.Interviewers are looking for people who can think on their feet, are fortable with ambiguity, can make logical assumptions and then e up with reasonable estimates with confidence. Sounds easy doesn’t it? The key to answering brainteasers is making assumptions with confidence. For example, a friend and I were both recently asked to size the market for bridal registries in an interview. My estimate was 50 times bigger than his (OOPPS!) – we both got called back to the second round! These cases are well worth practicing, but we estimate they make up only about 10% of cases given. Case Frameworks:In the back of this booklet you will find a list and description of the “frameworks” that work best in generating ideas for solving cases. Familiar examples include: Porter’s five forces, Kotler’s 4 P’s and value chain analysis. You don’t need to know them all, but they do provide guidance for solving many case problems. Developing A “Toolkit”If you want to enter case interviews prepared for 90% of the cases that you will encounter, you will want t