CASING GUIDES
Intro to Casing
Structure
Case interviews are assessed individually to showcase your critical thinking, analysis, and creativity.
Presented with a hypothetical business scenario, students are guided to discuss ideas and brainstorm solutions. While we don't ask you to implement specific frameworks, we recommend you spend a couple minutes reviewing some of the most common frameworks to get a feel of what a real case feels like!
Preparation
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Do a quick research of simple consulting scenarios e.g. profitability, marketing, expansion strategy
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Research different frameworks to help you better identify and categorize questions
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Get a general understanding the small business and Ithaca landscape
EXAMPLE SCENARIOS
1. Handwork artisan
Handwork, an Ithaca artisan cooperative, sells different handmade pottery, art, jewelry.
With their profits coming from 40% tourists, 30% students, and 30% locals, they have been struggling with declining profitability recently from COVID-19. They’ve hired our consulting organization to help them understand the source of declining profits and provide recommendations on how to turn the situation around.
The founder of Handwork has asked how can we reverse this trend and what recommendations do you have for the client?
2. Thai Basil
Our client is Thai Basil, a local Thai restaurant in the Commons. They have decided that they wanted to expand their operations and open up a new location.
As one of the 6 Thai restaurants in Ithaca, what is the best strategy Thai Basil should pursue to ensure another successful entry point into the Ithaca market?
The owners have asked if this a sustainable business model and if it is currently a good entry point.