著名商学院案例手册 Case Book Cornell.doc

GETTING STARTED So you want to be a consultant. And you know that case interviews are an important tool consulting firms use to gauge how candidates might perform on the job. Don’t worry. These practice cases, a partner, and lots of practice, are all you need. Doing well in a case interview is a matter of practice and preparation. Case interview skills are something you learn, not something you’re born with. This book will help you review key concepts and expose you to an array of business issues. By practicing these cases, you will learn to present a clear, concise, focussed, and organized flow of logical thoughts while analyzing a business problem. Remember that the field is growing and firms are starved for good candidates. All they need is a reason to hire you. HOW TO USE THESE CASES These practice cases are designed to simulate the case interview experience for you and a partner. You should proceed as you would in an actual interview. This is your opportunity to sharpen your presentation, analytical and other critical skills while under fire. You should have a pen and a pad of paper on which to take notes, and a natural but professional disposition. Read the question, but only read the recommended solutions when you have first explored and exhausted all possible answers. ABOUT THE QUESTIONS Many of the questions presented are taken from actual case interviews with top firms. Others were developed specifically for this book. The questions vary in scope and length, and cover a broad range of industries and business problems. They are often intentionally vague. It is up to you to define the problems presented within the case materials. Only through practice will you develop a sense of the types of questions frequently asked. Acknowledgements and thanks go to the respective management consulting clubs of Chicago, Michigan, MIT, Stanford, and Wharton from which many of these cases are derived. ABOUT THE SOLUTIONS There are no correct solutions per