Case Study

✰ In the Chicago subway system there are two escalators for going up but only one for going down to the subway. Why is that?

✰ You find three boxes at the store. One contains onions. Another contains potatoes. The third contains both onions and potatoes. However, all three of the boxes are labeled incorrectly so it's impossible to tell which box contains what. By opening just one box (but without looking in) and removing either a potato or onion, how can you immediate label the contents of all the boxes?

✰ There are 8 bags of wheat, 7 of which weigh the same amount. However, there is one that weighs less than the others. You are given a balance scale used for weighing. In less than three steps, figure out which bag weighs less than the rest?

✰ There are 23 rugby teams playing in a tournament. What is the least number of games that must be played to find a tournament winner?

☛ These questions are often used to test your ability to structure, as well as your ability to think laterally, make logical links and communicate clearly.

☛ Make mental calculations quickly by making sensible estimates and rounding numbers up or down.

☛ Does your answer make sense? If you're answer doesn't make sense, chances are you've made a bad assumption, estimate or calculation. Go back and carefully check your work and provide a new answer.

☛ You can use business frameworks (SWOT, Porter's Five forces, etc.) or mind mapping to support your analysis and answers, as long as it makes sense.

☛ Many market sizing questions revolve around issues being faced by an organization or industry. Commercial awareness can be very important to answering market sizing questions.

✰ How would you work with a subordinate who is under-performing?

✰ You're consulting with a large pharmacy with stores in multiple states. This company has improved sales but experienced a decrease in revenue. As a result, it is contemplating store closings. Explain how you'd advise this client?

✰ You are working directly with a company's management team. It is organizing a project designed to significantly increase revenue. If you were provided with data and asked to supervise the project, what steps would you take to ensure it's successful?

✰ You have been assigned to work with a small company that manufactures a popular product. However, a competitor begins selling a very similar product which incorporates state of the art technology. What would you advise your client to do?