Case Book-Peter-K-2023-hard case book for non-entry level

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© 2023 Peter K. More at Peter-K.org
15 advanced-level
cases inspired by real
McKinsey interviews
with detailed answers from a
professional case prep coach
RECRUITING CYCLE OF 2023
CASEBOOK

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Peter K Casebook 2023. McKinsey style advanced-level cases
1
Top-notch quality frameworks for 15 hard
cases meticulously crafted based on real
McKinsey interviews
Dozens of challenging brainstorming
questions to push your ideation skills to a
new level
Only real data based on in-depth research.
No made-up numbers or fake industry facts
A lot of 2nd/3rd layer insights in each case to
boost your business acumen
01
02
03
04

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Only for McKinsey interviews and for advanced candidates
2
Only for McKinsey interviews
Only for advanced candidates
This casebook is designed to facilitate the preparation for McKinsey
interviews only. All the cases provided are representative of real
McKinsey interviews. Other leading consulting firms don’t use “wild
card” cases or other McKinsey-style hard cases.
These are hard cases. If you are at the beginning of your case
preparation journey, please make sure you’ve done at least 10 cases
first and then come back to this casebook.

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That’s why all the materials at www.Peter-K.org are priced at
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All the casebooks, e-courses, and other materials are based on
recent real cases with top consulting firms
Real cases
All the materials are highly practical and immediately
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e-courses are as short as possible
Hyper practical

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Year
2023
2023
2022
2023
2022
2023
2022
2022
2023
Contents
6
McKinsey
McKinsey
McKinsey
McKinsey
McKinsey
McKinsey
McKinsey
McKinsey
McKinsey
Inspired by
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
Wild
card
- 8
23
39
55
72
89
105
120
135
Lasio virus
Women’s equality
Climate change
K-12 teachers
Presence at Amazon
Customer engagement
Sustainability
Differentiation
Reputation
Name
Healthcare
Overall economy
Overall economy
Education
Pet supplies
Retail chain
Home supplies
Sport shoes
Education
Industry Math Charts Page
Hard
Hard
Hard
Hard
Hard
Hard
Hard
Hard
Hard
Level
-
-

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Year
2023
2023
2023
2023
2023
2022
Contents
7
McKinsey
McKinsey
McKinsey
McKinsey
McKinsey
McKinsey
Inspired by
10
11
12
13
14
15
Impact
of
trend
- 151
167
186
204
220
235
Plant-based meat
Digital fitness
AI
Distribution strategy
Digital transformation
Online training
Name
Fast food chain
Gym chain
Recruitment
Fast food chain
Pharma
Asset management
Industry Math Charts Page
Hard
Hard
Hard
Hard
Hard
Hard
Level
Implementation
-
-

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Case
#1
Inspired by
McKinsey
Lasio virus
© 2023 Peter K. More at Peter-K.org 8
2023

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Case #1. Inspired by McKinsey. 2023. Lasio virus
9
Wild card
A major African country has been facing a rapidly increasing number of child
infections with Lasio, a deadly virus. Lasio spreads from person to person and can
invade an infected person’s brain and spinal cord, causing paralysis. Most countries
eradicated Lasio through vaccination, but this African country has been struggling
of reaching 90% vaccination level needed to stop the virus. Currently only 50% of
children are fully vaccinated against Lasio. The World Health Organization (WHO)
has brought your team to design a plan to vaccinate 90% of children in the country
and stop the virus in 2 years.
Please provide this information only upon request
• Lasio mainly affects children under 5 years of age
• There are 5M children in the country
• Children should receive two doses of vaccine orally (by drops in the mouth)
• The vaccine is stored at low temperatures (2°C/35°F)
• There are no known side-effect of the vaccine
• Anti-oral vaccine videos have been circulating in the high-risk communities
• The country has been struggling to ensure a reliable supply of vaccines to
vaccination providers
Wild card Hard level
Interviewer-
driven case
15-20 minutes
to solve
Prompt
Additional
information
Case type

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Opening. Make sure the candidate follows these steps
10
Wild card
Typically the candidates are expected to restate the prompt to make sure they are on the
same page with the interviewer
Restate the
prompt
Candidates can react to the prompt by providing some quick thoughts which will
demonstrate candidates’ business acumen, e.g.:
• “Having a deadly virus uncontrollably spreading in a large country might represent
substantial risks for neighbour countries and for the rest of the world in general”
• ”Mass vaccination is operationally complicated and requires smooth collaboration between
multiple stakeholders like vaccine suppliers, vaccination providers, governments of
different levels, public opinion leaders, etc.”
• “There might be different attitudes among parents towards children vaccination fuelled by
disinformation and intimidation, so active marketing campaigns might be essential for
success”
Add colors
(optional)
Candidates often ask 2-3 questions before designing their framework. However, there is no
“that very right” question that candidates should ask. Questions for this case might be:
• What age groups of children are affected by the virus?
• How is the vaccine administered? Is it a one-shot or multi-shot vaccine?
• How large is this African country population-wise?
Candidates don’t always get answers to their questions. In fact, McKinsey interviewers often
say that they don’t have any additional information.
Ask 2-3
questions
• Typically candidates ask for a couple of minutes to structure their approach
• Sometimes McKinsey interviewers ask the first question and then the candidate takes
time to build their framework
Ask for a
moment to
structure
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02
03
04

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Case questions
11
Wild card
What factors would you consider to help this country boost
the Lasio vaccination rate to 90% in 2 years?
How to ensure the reliable supply chain of Lasio vaccines to
vaccination providers?
What suggestions do you have to increase the number of
children vaccinated against Lasio in this country? (Assuming
reliable supply of vaccines and no costs for patients)
What is the minimum number of vaccines required for the
country to achieve a vaccination rate of 90%?
01
02
03
04

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Q1. Framework
12
Wild card
Note: This is just one of many potential ways to structure your approach. Please treat this example only as a reference point and develop your own style.
• % vaccinated,
growth rate
• Break-down by age
groups and regions
• Vaccine efficacy
Vaccination
• Vaccination
providers (e.g.
hospitals, mobile
clinics)
• Availability of
vaccines and
equipment
• Capacity (# of
nurses, storage)
• Geographical
footprint
Vaccination
providers
• Awareness
• Accessibility (e.g. in
rural areas)
• Trust and
misconceptions
Patient
population
• Vaccination funding
(available budget)
• Accountability levels
(e.g. local, state,
federal)
• Vaccination progress
monitoring (e.g.
frequency,
granularity)
• Engagement and
coordination
Government
What factors would you consider to help this country boost the Lasio vaccination rate to
90% in 2 years?
1

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Q1. Make sure the candidate follows these steps
13
Wild card
The best practice is to start with a 15-second big-picture overview, e.g. “I’d like to assess
this problem through the lens of four areas – first, vaccination; secondly, vaccination
providers; thirdly, patient population; and finally, government”
Do
horizontal
presentation
Wild card cases don’t usually require including any specific key points in a framework.
However, the candidate might think through the following dimensions when designing their
structure:
1. Indicator (e.g. definition, current level, historical data, break-down by…, impact)
2. Indicator components, drivers, stakeholders, supply/demand
The offered framework in this case covers the indicator (vaccination) and stakeholders
(vaccination providers, patient population, and government)
Hit key
points
To avoid cookie-cutter/generic approach, the candidates can incorporate 2-3 stories into
their structure presentation, e.g.:
• “In order to almost double the vaccination rate from 50% to 90%, the government might
need high-scale operations, aggressive marketing, and lots of funding”
• “Given accomplished 50% vaccination rate, I’d imagine the healthcare system has
necessary capabilities and talent, but might lack accessibility in some regions”
• “Given WHO’s support, we can rely on international vaccine supply as well”
Add stories
(optional)
McKinsey interviewers don’t usually expect it, but at the end of the structure presentation, it
is helpful for the candidate to show that they can drive team forward and prioritize, e.g. “If
this approach sounds reasonable, I’d like to start by digging into vaccination providers. Do
we have data on their number and geographical footprint?”
Finish with
a question
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02
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Q2. Reliable supply factors
14
Wild card
Production Warehousing Transportation Storage at clinics
[Given the large size of the
country, I anticipate strong
need in domestic vaccine
production capacity]
• Maximize utilization rate
of existing vaccine
manufacturers (e.g. add
new shifts)
• Expand domestic
production capacity (e.g.
invest in new production
lines and factories)
• Partner with foreign
vaccine manufacturers
[Vaccine storage might
require specific micro-
climate. So not any
warehouse facilities might
be eligible for our
purposes]
• Ensure storage quality
(e.g. microclimate) and
minimize waste
• Minimize idle capacity
• Expand existing
warehouses
• Invest in new storage
facilities
[Long-distance shipping
might be costly as trucks
require refrigerating
capabilities which are
energy-consuming]
• Upgrade the existing
fleet of refrigerated
trucks
• Expand the fleet
• Ensure high-quality
maintenance services
(e.g. build supplies of
spare parts, hire and
train more mechanics)
• Strengthen the truck
driver force (e.g. hire
more, train, incentivize)
[Clinics might lack required
cold storage capabilities and
capacity which might limit
vaccine accessibility]
• Modify the design of
vaccine packaging to ensure
longer shelf-life and storage
time
• Equip clinics with necessary
refrigeration capabilities
• Train staff to minimize
vaccine waste due to
improper storage and
vaccine administration
• Improve demand
forecasting models to better
predict required amount of
vaccines
How to ensure the reliable supply chain of Lasio vaccines to vaccination providers?
2
Note: This is just one of many potential ways to brainstorm. Please treat this example only as a reference point and develop your own style. [The candidate is usually
expected to generate at least 4 ideas. The best practice is 7-8 ideas, structured approach, and on-the-fly delivery without taking notes]

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15
Wild card
• 80% of interviewers feel comfortable when candidates take 30-40 seconds to
think and write down their ideas before walking the interviewer through them
• The best practice is to ideate on-the-fly
Take time or
do on-the-go
• The best practice is to structure brainstorming and offer a 10-second top-down
overview, e.g. “Great question! I’d structure it as a process flow of four steps
and see what can be improved at each step. First, vaccine production. Secondly,
warehousing. Thirdly, transportation. And finally, storage at clinics”
Do horizontal
presentation
(optional)
• Regular feedback from consulting firms is that candidates offer only three ideas
which is a bit on the lower end
• Push the candidate to provide at least 4 ideas
• Top-5% of candidates can usually suggest 7-8 ideas
Provide at
least 4 ideas
• To impress the interviewer, the candidates can contextualize some of their ideas
• Examples are given in [] brackets on the previous slide
Add colors
(optional)
01
02
03
04

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Q3. Vaccination growth ideas
16
Wild card
[A lack of trust in the
safety of vaccines and a
belief that Lasio threat is
exaggerated might
contribute to the vaccine
hesitancy]
• Launch a top-notch
vaccination web-portal
• Offer 24/7 hotline
• Run educational ads
• Recruit celebrities and
other vaccine
advocates
• Partner with
community leaders to
promote Lasio
vaccination
• Send out reminders for
next vaccine dose (e.g.
text messages, emails)
[Potentially low
urbanization rate might
suggest low population
density and thus lead to
accessibility issues]
• Maximize participation
of healthcare providers
in vaccination efforts
• Offer Lasio vaccination
at pharmacies
• Launch a network of
mobile clinics to offer
Lasio vaccination
• Increase the capacity
of existing vaccination
providers (e.g. dispatch
more nurses)
• Offer transportation in
remote regions to
vaccination sites
[Great patient experience
might drive word of
mouth]
• Expand working hours
and days
• Ensure no lines
• Accommodate walk-ins
• Invest in training staff
to be knowledgeable
and friendly
[Although not game-
changing, some additional
benefits might increase
attractiveness of
vaccination to low-income
families]
• Offer candies for kids
• Offer small gifts (e.g.
toys)
• Offer food for families
• Offer other healthcare
services (e.g. physical
checkups)
Increase awareness and
address misconceptions
Improve access
Improve vaccination
experience
Offer additional benefits
What suggestions do you have to increase the number of children vaccinated against
Lasio in this country? (Assuming reliable supply of vaccines and no costs for patients)
3

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17
Wild card
Take time or
do on-the-go
overview, e.g. “Sure. Some vaccination growth ideas that come to mind might
fall into four categories: awareness, access, patient experience, and additional
benefits. In order to increase awareness they could…”
Do horizontal
presentation
(optional)
Provide at
least 4 ideas
Add colors
(optional)
01
02
03
04

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Q4. Math exercise – prompt
18
Wild card
What is the minimum number of vaccines required for the country to achieve a
vaccination rate of 90%?
4
• Current vaccination results:
– 50% of children are fully
vaccinated (received 2 doses)
– 20% of children received 1 dose
– 30% of children didn’t receive
any doses
• Children of all age groups are
subject to vaccination
• Due to poor storage conditions
and inadequate vaccine demand
forecasting, 25% of vaccines go to
waste
• The children population is 5M in
this country
• The children population growth
rate can be neglected [for the
purposes of this calculation]
Please share with the candidate the
following information
Please provide this additional
information only upon request

|
(1-25%)
5M
(90%-50%-
20%)
2 doses 2M
Q4. Math exercise – calculations
19
Wild card
In order to reach a vaccination rate of 90% the country needs at least 4M vaccines
# of vaccines
needed for
children with
1 dose
# of vaccines
needed for
children who
didn’t get any
Total #of
vaccines
needed (incl.
waste)
5M 20% 1 dose 1M
4M
(1M+2M) 4M
4

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Q4. Math exercise – contextualization of the answer
20
Wild card
Note: The candidate is not expected to mention all the advanced comments, but adding some of them will demonstrate that the candidate can connect the dots, see the
depth, add colors and bring some insights even if the candidate is not that familiar with the industry/topic
At least 4M vaccines will be required to bridge the vaccination
gap and vaccinate 90% of the children
More adequate vaccine demand forecasts and additional
investment in refrigerating equipment might allow to reduce the
vaccine waste and thus decrease number of required vaccines
New distribution methods (e.g. mobile clinics, health camps)
might boost the vaccination but also increase the waste rate
leading to a higher required number of vaccines
The birth rate in African countries is likely far higher than in the
developed world, so a substantial number of additional vaccines
might be required for newborns (that aren’t considered in the
calculation)
Basic comments
(expected from
everyone)
Advanced
comments (for
outstanding
candidates)
4

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21
Wild card
• Providing a big-picture approach of how to calculate the answer might help the
candidate gain more points and help the interviewer follow the candidate’s
thought process
Structure
approach
• Often interviewers don’t provide all the information
• The candidate needs to proactively ask for missing pieces
Clarify
missing data
points
• Ideally the candidate shouldn’t make any mistakes
• It is okay to ask for some time to run numbers and then walk the interviewer
through the calculations (some interviewers though might push back and ask
you to do your Math on the fly)
Calculate
accurately
• The interviewers highly appreciate it when the candidate not only calculates the
answer correctly, but also contextualizes it
• For examples of contextualization, please refer to the advanced comments on
the previous slide
Add colors
(optional)
01
02
03
04

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Recommendation
McKinsey typically doesn’t require
recommendation for their cases

|
Case
#2
Inspired by
McKinsey
Women’s equality
2023

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Case #2. Inspired by McKinsey. 2023. Women’s equality
24
Wild card
You’re working on an internal project for McKinsey Global Institute (MGI).
Your team is preparing a report on advancing women’s equality in Africa. Due
to the lack in gender diversity, Africa’s social and economic progress can’t
reach its full potential. At the current rate of progress, Africa could take more
than 140 years to achieve gender parity. What factors would you consider to
advance women’s equality and reach gender parity?
• Africa population is 1.4B (2023), 50% of whom are female
• According to experts’ estimates, Africa could add $300B-$1T (10%-35%)
to its GDP in 5 years by advancing women’s equality
• Africa has not made much progress in promoting women’s equality since
2015
• Progress towards gender parity varies significantly among African
countries
Interviewer-
driven case
15-20 minutes
to solve
Prompt
Additional
information
Case type

|
25
Wild card
Restate the
prompt
• “Diversity and inclusion is a hot topic today, and not only for political reasons, but also for
pure economic benefits. So, I understand the importance of the report”
• “Reaching gender parity might unlock huge potential in labor force, business leadership,
entrepreneurship, as well as bring social well-being to millions”
• “One of the major roadblocks on the path to women’s equality is likely traditional
attitudes and culture. The governments will need to address people’s stereotypes
regarding women’s role in a family, a society and an economy in general”
Add colors
(optional)
• What components are usually included in the definition of women’s equality?
• What African country is a leader in promoting gender equality and why?
• How large is the gap in women’s equality between Europe and Africa and what equality
metrics are most behind?
Ask 2-3
questions
Ask for a
moment to
structure
01
02
03
04

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Case questions
26
Wild card
What factors would you consider to advance women’s
equality and reach gender parity?
What would you tell African leaders on tangible next steps
to advance women’s equality?
In 2022 female entrepreneurs contributed $350B to Africa’s
economy (13% of GDP). Women represent only 20% of
African entrepreneurs. How can the African governments
empower women’s entrepreneurship?
How many women should join labor force in Africa to reach
the gender parity?
01
02
03
04

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Q1. Framework
27
Wild card
• Definition (e.g.
social, political,
financial, career)
• Current level and
growth rate
• Break-down by
African countries
Women’s equality
• Social impact
• Economic impact
• Political impact
Impact of gender
inequality
• Employment rate
• Professional &
technical jobs
• Unpaid care work
• Leadership positions
Gender inequality
at work
• Education level
• Political
representation
• Digital inclusion
(e.g. mobile phone
ownership)
• Legal protection
Gender inequality
in society
What factors would you consider to advance women’s equality and reach gender parity?
1

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28
Wild card
The best practice is to start with a 15-second big-picture overview, e.g. ”I’d like to look at
this problem through four dimensions: first, definition of women’s equality; secondly, its
impact; thirdly, inequality at work, and finally inequality in society”
Do
horizontal
presentation
structure:
The offered framework in this case covers the indicator (women’s equality) and components
(inequality at work and inequality in society)
Hit key
points
• “The lack of equal legal rights and freedoms is a crucial part of the problem of gender
inequality, however social and economic aspects might be as important”
• “Given African countries are mostly developing, I’d imagine that gender disparities are far
deeper in this region in comparison with the developed world”
• “Political, economic and social inequalities are highly interconnected so making progress
will require systematic action across a range of initiatives”
Add stories
(optional)
this approach resonates with you, I’d like to get aligned on the definition first. Do we know
how women’s equality is defined?”
Finish with
a question
01
02
03
04

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Q2. Solutions to advance women’s equality
29
Wild card
Education Business Culture Laws
[Investment in human
capital will not only
bridge the education gap
for women but also open
more career
opportunities and
improve financial and
legal literacy]
• Strengthen education
for girls
• Create/boost
professional programs
for women
• Scale up educational
programs for women
on financial and digital
literacy
[Equal economic
opportunities will enable
African countries to
substantially accelerate
GDP growth]
• Encourage business
leaders to include
gender equality in their
corporate goals
• Promote women
friendly corporate
cultures
• Empower women’s
entrepreneurship
• Encourage
corporations to launch
mentorship programs
for women
[One of the major
challenges to accomplish
gender parity is deeply
routed stereotypes about
women’s role in the
family, society, and
economy]
• Run campaigns to
promote gender parity
at work and in society
• Recruit celebrities and
opinion leaders to
promote women’s
equality
• Hold large-scale
events promoting
women’s equality
[Equal legal rights are
fundamental for gender
parity. Laws should be
not only adopted but
reenforced by
authorities]
• Strengthen women’s
rights at work and in
society
• Adopt regulations to
reenforce gender
equality
What would you tell African leaders on tangible next steps to advance women’s
equality?
2

|
30
Wild card
Take time or
do on-the-go
overview, e.g. “Sure. Let me break it down into four areas: education, business,
culture, and law. In terms of education…”
Do horizontal
presentation
(optional)
Provide at
least 4 ideas
Add colors
(optional)
01
02
03
04

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Q3. Ways to empower women’s entrepreneurship
31
Wild card
In 2022 female entrepreneurs contributed $350B to Africa’s economy (13% of GDP).
Women represent only 20% of African entrepreneurs. How can the African
governments empower women’s entrepreneurship?
3
Business education Business opportunities Access to finance
[To help women jumpstart
their companies, mitigate
potential business risks,
and see opportunities, the
government should invest
in business education]
• Create/support startup
incubators and
accelerators for women
• Promote mentorship
programs for
businesswomen
• Launch/strengthen
entrepreneurship
programs for women
[Facilitating business
opportunities will offer a
boost to women-owned
companies]
• Organize/sponsor more
tradeshows and business
conferences for women
• Support women’s business
associations
• Set targets for
government contracts to
purchase from women-
owned businesses
• Promote women-owned
businesses
[Women might be at
disadvantage to raise funds
or get loans for their
businesses due to gender-
based biases]
• Launch/encourage loans
for women-owned
businesses
• Offer grant/subsidies for
women-owned
businesses
• Create/support
investment funds that
are focused on investing
in women-owned
businesses

|
32
Wild card
Take time or
do on-the-go
overview, e.g. “Great question! The way I’m thinking about it is through three
lenses: business education, business opportunities, and access to finance. In
terms of business education…”
Do horizontal
presentation
(optional)
Provide at
least 4 ideas
Add colors
(optional)
01
02
03
04

|
33
Wild card
How many women should join labor force in Africa to reach the gender parity?
4
• See Appendix 1. • Currently 30% of females in Africa
participate in labor force
• Africa’s population is 1.4B, half of
whom are females

|
210M
0.75
(See App. 1)
280M
34
Wild card
70M more women should join the labor force in Africa to reach the gender parity (match
the size of male labor force)
# women that
are part of
labor force
# women
needed to
reach gender
parity
Additional #
women
needed
1.4B 50% 30% 210M
280M 70M
210M
4

|
35
Wild card
70M women should join the labor force to match the number of
employed men in Africa
This sounds challenging not only because 70M is sizeable
population, but also because Africa demonstrates far higher
labor-force-participation rate than the world average of 0.64
(see Appendix 1)
Boosting the number of women in the labor force is crucial as
it’ll have a multiplier effect on other gender parity metrics. For
example, it’ll improve formal employment of women and number
of female managers/leaders
I’d imagine that a good amount (~50% if not more) of the
female population are girls and elderly, who aren’t able to join
the labor force. That might explain the seemingly low number of
30% of females who participate in the labor force
Basic comments
(expected from
everyone)
Advanced
comments (for
outstanding
candidates)
4

|
36
Wild card
thought process
Structure
approach
Clarify
missing data
points
Calculate
accurately
the previous slide
Add colors
(optional)
01
02
03
04

|
Recommendation

|
Appendix 1. Gender inequality at work in Africa, 2019
38
Wild card Case #2. Inspired by McKinsey. 2023. Women’s equality
Female/Male ratio (# of women to # of men)
0.37
0.33
0.73
0.86
0.64
0.33
0.39
0.68
0.68
0.75
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
Africa
World average
Gender parity
Real data
Labor-force-participation rate
Formal employment
Professional and technical jobs
Unpaid care work
Leadership positions

|
Case
#3
Inspired by
McKinsey
Climate change
2022

|
Case #3. Inspired by McKinsey. 2022. Climate change
40
Wild card
The government of a West European country Franland has been under international
pressure recently to accelerate the decarbonization of its economy. According to
scientists, to reverse the odds of the most dangerous and irreversible effects of
climate change, the countries should cooperate to limit global warming to 1.5
degrees Celsius by 2030. In particular, Franland should reduce its greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions by 20% by 2030. They have hired your team to help them out.
What factors would you consider in building a plan to reduce GHG emissions?
• Franland is a developed country with 60M people
• Franland enjoys multiple strong sectors - industries, agriculture, power/energy,
transportation, etc.
• Franland’s GHG emissions were ~360 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent
(MtCO2e) in 2021
• Franland’s GHG emissions are expected to keep declining, but not fast enough to
meet its national mitigation targets by 2030
Interviewer-
driven case
15-20 minutes
to solve
Prompt
Additional
information
Case type

|
41
Wild card
Restate the
prompt
• “The climate change is on agendas of most countries as its catastrophic consequences
have been becoming more obvious recently”
• “Given our client is a West European country, I’d imagine they have access to financial
resources and latest technology to decarbonize their economy”
• “The biggest challenge to accomplish such a radical decline in GHG emissions is to lead a
cross-sector transformation which might be a multi-year project and take a lot of will
power and political capital”
Add colors
(optional)
• What types of gases are included in GHG?
• What’s the structure of the Franland’s economy? Is it a developed country?
• What sectors are the largest contributors to GHG emissions in Franland?
Ask 2-3
questions
Ask for a
moment to
structure
01
02
03
04

|
Case questions
42
Wild card
What factors would you consider in building a plan to
reduce GHG emissions in Franland?
What solutions can you come up with to reduce Franland’s
GHG emissions?
By how much (percentage-wise) will Franland be able to
decrease GHG emissions from 2021 to 2030?
In case of ongoing high GHG emissions, Franland would like
to be ready for the adverse effects of climate change. What
initiatives to foster climate resilience can you suggest?
01
02
03
04

|
Q1. Framework
43
Wild card
• Types of gases
historical data
• Break-down by
region
• Benchmarking vs
other European
countries
GHG emissions in
Franland
• Industry
• Power generation
• Transportation
Sectors that burn
fossil fuels
• Agriculture/
livestock
• Waste management
• Deforestation
Other sectors,
emitting GHG
• Legislation &
taxation
• Investment in
technology
• Awareness &
education
Potential action
areas
What factors would you consider in building a plan to reduce GHG emissions in
Franland?
1

|
44
Wild card
The best practice is to start with a 15-second big-picture overview, e.g. ”There are four
areas I’d like to double-click on. First, analyze the status quo with GHG emissions in
Franland. Secondly, explore sectors that burn fuel. Thirdly, get a better understanding of
other sectors emitting GHG. And finally, build an action plan.”
Do
horizontal
presentation
structure:
The offered framework in this case covers the indicator (GHG emission level) and drivers
(sectors that burn and don’t burn fossil fuel)
Hit key
points
• “Given Franland is a developed country, its economy is likely focused on services and
large portion of manufacturing facilities has been moved to low-cost countries by now.
So, industry might not be the biggest contributor to GHG emissions”
• “I’d think Franland enjoys solid GDP per capita, and thus the number of cars per
household is fairly high. So, transportation should drive a major part of GHG emission”
Add stories
(optional)
is helpful for the candidate to show that they can drive team forward and prioritize, e.g.
“That’s my plan of attack. If it makes sense to you, I’d like to explore the current status of
GHG emissions in Franland. Do we know the current level of…”
Finish with
a question
01
02
03
04

|
Q2. Solutions to reduce GHG emissions
45
Wild card
What solutions can you come up with to reduce Franland’s GHG emissions?
2
Industry Power generation Transportation
Agriculture and food
consumption
[Generally speaking, the
approach might be four-
fold: substitute current
energy sources with non-
fuel-based alternatives,
improve efficiency, reduce
energy waste, and
consume less carbon-
based products]
• Promote electrification
of operations (that
require heating, e.g. in
construction)
• Encourage industrial
efficiency (e.g.
implement less energy-
consuming tech)
• Eliminate energy waste
• Set targets for
recycling (e.g. plastics)
[Coal-, gas-, and oil-based
power generation is likely
one of the major
contributors to GHG
emissions. Abating or even
abandoning this outdated
tech might be vital to
reaching 20% reduction in
GHG emissions]
• Invest in renewables
(wind/solar)
• Prioritize hydroelectric
power plants
[The car emission
standards have been
tightened over the last 20
years. Further reduction in
GHG emission in
transportation might be
driven by high tech]
• Promote electric
vehicles (e.g. subsidies)
• Invest in self-driving
technology (e.g. to
ensure more energy-
efficient driving)
• Consider advancing
“uberization” (to reduce
personal use of cars)
[The biggest driver of GHG
emission reduction in the
agriculture might be a
change in dietary habits. In
particular, dramatically
cutting down on the
consumption of meat]
• Reduce livestock (to cut
down on methane)
o Promote plant-based/
cultivated meat
o Inspire vegetarian
diets
• Upgrade cultivation
methods
• Minimize food waste

|
46
Wild card
Take time or
do on-the-go
overview, e.g. “I’d like to generate some ideas for specific sectors that contribute
to the GHG emission the most. First, industries; secondly, power generation;
thirdly, transportation; and finally, agriculture”
Do horizontal
presentation
(optional)
Provide at
least 4 ideas
Add colors
(optional)
01
02
03
04

|
47
Wild card
By how much (percentage-wise) will Franland be able to decrease GHG emissions from
2021 to 2030?
3
We expect the following decline in
GHG emissions across sectors by
2030 (2021 as a base year):
• Agriculture - 10%
• Industry - 20%
• Buildings - 30%
• Transport - 40%
• The rest - negligeable change
• Appendix 1

|
69 20% 14
48
Wild card
Franland will be able to reduce its GHG emissions by 24% by 2030 according to the
current estimates
…Agriculture
…Industry
…Buildings
47 10% 5
63 19
2021 to 2030?
3
30%
…Transport 120 48
40%
Overall
reduction by
2030
5+14+19+48 24%
357
Expected reduction
in GHG emissions
(MtCO2e) in…

|
49
Wild card
Based on the current estimates, Franland will be able to decrease
its GHG emissions by 24% and meet its target of 20% by 2030
More than half of the reduction is supposed to come from
greener transport, which makes sense given rapid growth of
electric vehicles and high oil prices over the last ten years
It’s surprising to see that Franland doesn’t expect a lot of
reduction from agriculture. With strong trends of healthier
nutrition, rapidly expanding number of vegetarians and sky-
rocketing demand for plant-based meats, I’d expect to see a
more encouraging decline in GHG than 10%
I’d imagine that buildings emissions come from burning gas for
heating and cooking. Switching gas stoves and gas heaters to
electric ones might be incredibly capex intensive, so 30%
emission reduction seems a bit aggressive target
Basic comments
(expected from
everyone)
Advanced
comments (for
outstanding
candidates)
2021 to 2030?
3

|
50
Wild card
thought process
Structure
approach
Clarify
missing data
points
Calculate
accurately
the previous slide
Add colors
(optional)
01
02
03
04

|
Q4. Climate resilience initiatives
51
Wild card
In case of ongoing high GHG emissions, Franland would like to be ready for the adverse
effects of climate change. What initiatives to foster climate resilience can you suggest?
4
[Rising global temperatures cause more frequent and
more severe heatwaves, wildfires, and rainfall-driven
floods. Those represent economic and life threats to
communities of Franland]
General
• Create early-warning systems
• Build climate risk insurance schemes
Heatwaves
• Invest in urban greening
• Increase covered public areas with AC and water
stations
Wildfires
• Invest in emergency services (e.g. fire-fighting
equipment)
• Improve forest management
Floods
• Build flood protection infrastructure (e.g. dams)
• Floodproof buildings and drains in high-risk areas
• Limit new construction in high-risk areas
[Rising temperatures affect
agricultural yields and life
conditions of livestock]
• Increase strategic supplies of
food and seeds
• Encourage crop and livestock
diversification
• Invest in R&D of crop and
breed genetics to develop
heat-tolerant varieties
• Expand farmlands to low-risk
areas
[As temperatures rise,
snowpack and glaciers are
expected to decrease, reducing
the amount of water available
in rivers]
• Expand water storage
capacity
• Upgrade the water filtration
systems
• Diversify water supply
sources
• Promote water conservation
measures among population
Hazard mitigation
Agriculture
resilience
Fresh water
availability

|
52
Wild card
Take time or
do on-the-go
overview, e.g. “That’s right. I’d like to focus on three areas with most evident
climate change impact - hazards, agriculture, and fresh water supply”
Do horizontal
presentation
(optional)
Provide at
least 4 ideas
Add colors
(optional)
01
02
03
04

|
Recommendation

|
Appendix 1. Franland’s GHG emissions* by sector,
MtCO2e/year (Metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent)
54
Wild card Case #3. Inspired by McKinsey. 2022. Climate change
Note: *Include energy-related CO2 emissions and methane emissions (~80% of all GHG emissions)
130 127
107 120
70 68
65
69
65 65
55
63
49 47
35
47
24 21
17
23
23
22
20
18
17
17
15
17
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
2018 2019 2020 2021
34%
19%
18%
13%
6%
5%
5%
2021
Waste
Power
Energy
(own use)
Agriculture
Buildings
Industry
Transport
378
367
314
357 100%
Real data

|
Case
#4
Inspired by
McKinsey
K-12 teachers
2023

|
Case #4. Inspired by McKinsey. 2023. K-12* teachers
56
Case #4. Inspired by McKinsey. 2023. K-12 teachers
Wild card
Around a quarter of U.S. K-12* teachers are thinking of leaving their jobs (~900k
educators). 9% of teachers left the profession in 2022 (e.g. switched to other
industry) which is more than double that of countries with high-performing K-12
systems (e.g. Finland and Singapore). The nation’s education talent challenges are
on the top of the agenda of the U.S. Education Secretary. They have hired your
team to suggest a plan on how to dramatically lower the teacher attrition rate and
get the situation under control. What areas would you like to explore to help the
client turn things around and decrease the number of quitting K-12 teachers?
• There were 3.5M K-12 teachers (full- and part-time) in the U.S. in 2022
• The number of K-12 teachers grew by 2% annually in 2013-19, but then
declined by 5% over 2019-22 due to the pandemic-induced layoffs
• 2M K-12 teachers quit their jobs in 2022 (e.g. to switch to another school), out
of which 315k left the profession entirely (e.g. joined another sector)
• In 2010-18 the number of people completing a teacher-education program
declined by a quarter (from 220k to 160k per year)
• The number of K-12 students in the U.S. was flat in 2013-19 at ~51M and
decreased by 2-3% during the pandemic in 2020-21
Interviewer-
driven case
15-20 minutes
to solve
Prompt
Additional
information
Case type
*K-12 - kindergarten through grade 12 (incl. elementary and secondary school grades)

|
57
Wild card
Restate the
prompt
• “The covid-induced burn-out and stress related to the radical shift from in-person to
online education might have pushed a lot of K-12 teachers to reconsider their careers and
prioritize their mental health”
• “I’d expect the teachers’ attrition rate to slow down in the short-term given the ongoing
recession, as the labor market conditions right now might not be too welcoming.
However, once the economy starts improving, we might see a jump in teacher quitting”
• “The rapid development in online learning, AI tech like chatGPT, and teaching software
might increase the expectations from schools and put additional pressure on teachers”
Add colors
(optional)
• How many K-12 teachers are in the U.S. and is their number increasing?
• What are the major drivers of teachers’ attrition rate?
• How homogenous the attrition rate is across the U.S.? Or is it highly state-specific?
Ask 2-3
questions
Ask for a
moment to
structure
01
02
03
04

|
Case questions
58
Wild card
What areas would you like to explore to help the client turn
things around and decrease the number of quitting K-12
teachers?
What are the major reasons driving K-12 teachers to leave?
Your team has led a survey of 2k K-12 teachers on the key
attrition factors (Appendix 1). The inadequate compensation
is the top problem. What can you suggest to address it?
By how much did the number of employed education
workers change in 2018-22 in the U.S.?
01
02
03
04

|
Q1. Framework
59
Wild card
historical data
• Break-down by
region/tenure/
subject
• Benchmarking
against top K-12
systems (e.g.
Finland, Singapore)
Teacher attrition
• Changes in
education level
• Financial
assessment
• Analysis of
perception/morale
of teachers and
students
Impact of teacher
turnover
• Career opportunities
• Compensation
• Workload & work-
life balance
• Leadership quality
Attrition drivers
• Community factors
• Meaningful work
• Non-financial perks
(e.g. proximity)
Retention factors
What areas would you like to explore to help the client turn things around and decrease
the number of quitting K-12 teachers?
1

|
60
Wild card
The best practice is to start with a 15-second big-picture overview, e.g. “It’s my pleasure to
work on this problem. I’d like to consider four workstreams. First, educate myself on the
current data of attrition rate. Secondly, evaluate the impact of teacher turnover. Thirdly,
assess attrition drivers. And finally, explore retention factors”
Do
horizontal
presentation
structure:
The offered framework in this case covers the indicator (teacher attrition) and drivers
(attrition drivers and retention factors)
Hit key
points
• “I’d imagine that teacher labor markets are fairly local as teachers won’t likely move to a
new city for a job. So, the attrition rate and drivers might be quite region-specific”
• “My understanding is that teaching is a low-paid occupation, and compensation and perks
might be among top turnover reasons along with the rise of tech industry that might steal
STEM professionals”
• “Education has become more politicized lately with growing restrictions on what to teach
and limits on teachers’ autonomy which might take away from attractiveness of this job”
Add stories
(optional)
“Does it sound like a fair plan of attack? If so, do we have historical data on the teacher
attrition?”
Finish with
a question
01
02
03
04

|
Q2. Major attrition drivers
61
Wild card
What are the major reasons driving K-12 teachers to leave?
2
[K-12 teachers are likely
far less paid than their
colleagues at colleges or
other bachelor-degree
professionals while they
still need to pay similar
amount of student loans]
• Low salary and bonuses
• Poor perks (e.g. health
insurance, retirement
plan, childcare)
• Large student loan
payments (for their
teacher education
programs)
• Weak or no labor union
to ensure a fair pay
[Given that most K-12
schools are public, teachers
might face a lot of
bureaucracy and reporting
that may negatively impact
their job satisfaction]
• Unsustainable work-life
balance (e.g. hefty
workload, incl. high
student-to-teacher ratio)
• Lack of necessary
equipment and materials
for adequate teaching
• Covid-induced burnout
• Restricted teaching
method flexibility
• Limited work schedule
flexibility
• Unsafe workplace
[Teaching is both science
and art and there might be
a lot of potential to master
it. Poor results and no path
to improve might
demoralize teachers]
• Limited career growth
opportunities
• No meaningful
professional
development
• No skills transferable to
other industries/roles
• Lack of professional
satisfaction (no
meaningful results)
[Teaching involves a wide
variety of stakeholders like
parents, school leaders,
peers, and students.
Inability to build and
navigate these social
connections might hurt
teachers’ morale]
• Poor school leadership
(lack of administrative
support)
• Inadequate colleague
support
• Lack of or toxic parent-
teacher-student
community (e.g. low
respect)
• Overall feeling of being
undervalued
Compensation and
benefits
Work conditions Development Culture

|
62
Wild card
Take time or
do on-the-go
overview, e.g. “Thank you for the question! I’d like to explore four areas:
compensation, work conditions, development, and culture”
Do horizontal
presentation
(optional)
Provide at
least 4 ideas
Add colors
(optional)
01
02
03
04

|
Q3. Compensation increase ideas
63
Wild card
Culture
Your team has led a survey of 2k K-12 teachers on the key attrition factors (Appendix 1).
The inadequate compensation is the top problem. What can you suggest to address it?
3
[Given teacher shortage and attrition
are likely localized, blanket
compensation increase might be too
costly for the government and not
the most efficient]
• Increase salaries for specific
subjects (e.g. STEM) and tenure
• Consider launching pay-for-
performance programs (e.g. to
reward best teachers)
• Increase size of classes (in case of
per-student funding)
• Pay for extra responsibilities taken
by teachers
• Offer more lucrative retirement
plans
[Monetary benefits for teachers might also
come from covering living costs, where the
government can enjoy more levers]
General costs
• Offer free/subsidized childcare
• Offer free/reduced-price public
transportation
• Offer more affordable healthcare plan
• Engage NGOs that provide classroom
supplies for free
Professional development costs
• Introduce student loan forgiveness
programs (e.g. for teaching majors)
• Subsidize upskilling programs
• Offer tax dedications for professional
development costs
[Increasing compensation for
schools with the most acute
teacher turnover might be the
most efficient fund utilization
to improve teacher retention]
• Offer bonuses for teachers
in high-need schools
• Introduce cash awards for
best results in high-need
schools
Increase compensation
Reduce teachers’ living
costs
Administer tar-
geted interventions in
high-need schools

|
64
Wild card
Take time or
do on-the-go
overview, e.g. “That resonates with me a lot. The way I’d look at it is through
three lenses: increase compensation, decrease teachers’ living costs, and
administer targeted interventions in high-need schools”
Do horizontal
presentation
(optional)
Provide at
least 4 ideas
Add colors
(optional)
01
02
03
04

|
65
Wild card
By how much did the number of employed education workers change in 2018-22 in the
U.S.?
4
• Appendix 2.
• The number of education workers
job openings almost doubled from
160k (Jan’18) to 280k (Jan’23).
• 10M education workers were hired
during 2018-22 (incl. double-
counting as same teachers, for
example, might have changed
schools)

|
66
Wild card
The number of employed education workers didn’t change over the last five years in the
U.S.
Total number
of separations
in 2018-22
Change in the
number of
education
workers in
2018-22
U.S.?
4
12 months 10M
161k + 162k + 203k + 136k + 166k
10M 10M 0

|
67
Wild card
The number of education workers hasn’t changed since 2018 as
new hired staff offsets existing attrition
The education worker shortage has likely become more acute
over the last five years given the flat dynamic of the education
worker number and almost doubled amount of education worker
job openings
High attrition rate might be very costly due to hiring and onboarding
expenses. Lower turnover will enable schools to capture cost
savings and potentially channel these additional funds to increase
teacher compensation which will improve retention rate even more
This zero increase might be misleading as the teacher labor
markets are hyper-localized. So, the change in the teacher number
might be very uneven across the country resulting in regions with
high need in teachers and regions with teacher abundance
Basic comments
(expected from
everyone)
Advanced
comments (for
outstanding
candidates)
U.S.?
4

|
68
Wild card
thought process
Structure
approach
Clarify
missing data
points
Calculate
accurately
the previous slide
Add colors
(optional)
01
02
03
04

|
Recommendation

|
Appendix 1. Top reasons that drove U.S. K-12 teachers
to leave or plan to leave, % of respondents (n=2,000), 2022
70
Wild card
26%
30%
31%
33%
48%
21%
31%
23%
31%
42%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Workplace
flexibility
Leadership
Well-being
Expectations
Compensation
Left
Plan to leave
Real data

|
Appendix 2. Average monthly separations of workers*
in state and local government education in the U.S., k
71
Wild card
50% 47% 50%
49% 51% 52%
54% 56% 49%
62%
63%
32% 33% 32%
35%
33% 32%
31% 29%
34%
23%
21%
18% 20%
18%
16%
16% 16%
15% 15%
17%
15%
16%
0
50
100
150
200
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Other separations
Layoffs and discharges
Quits
135 134
126
147
151 149
161 162
203
136
166
*Includes teachers, instructional aides, administrators, professional staff, support staff, maintenance personnel, cafeteria workers, and transportation workers
Real data

|
Case
#5
Inspired by
McKinsey
Presence at Amazon
2022

|
Case #5. Inspired by McKinsey. 2022. Presence at Amazon
73
Wild card
Paw Pet Products (PPP) is a U.S. major premium dog toy manufacturer with
$50M in revenue (2022). With over 300 items, they offer many puzzle toys and
interactive dog toys – from squeak toys to tug ropes – for all breeds and sizes.
As part of their positioning strategy PPP would like to strengthen their presence
at Amazon, a large distribution channel and an important marketing platform for
them. The CEO has invited you to look into this and design a strategy on how to
boost PPP’s presence at Amazon. What factors would you consider?
• Amazon is the most visited e-commerce platform in the U.S., with ~3B visits
a month, 200M global Amazon Prime members, and ~$400B in revenue/year
• Two-thirds of U.S. consumers start their product search on Amazon
• PPP sells through offline and online channels, incl. Amazon
• PPP doesn’t plan to go internationally and would like to focus on the U.S.
• PPP doesn’t have their own page/store at amazon.com, their product pages
aren’t that developed, and their rankings aren’t the highest in comparison
with other dog toy brands
Interviewer-
driven case
15-20 minutes
to solve
Prompt
Additional
information
Case type

|
74
Wild card
Restate the
prompt
• “Amazon is a great distribution channel given its nation-wide customer reach and
outstanding customer experience. PPP is a small business with only $50M in revenue, so
Amazon might help the client dramatically increase brand awareness and geo footprint”
• “Amazon makes products look commoditized as customers are pigeonholed to choose
offerings mostly based on price. For a premium brand like PPP, that’s an obvious risk”
• “During the pandemic the dog adoption sky-rocketed as people were locked down and
felt isolated. The e-commerce grew explosively too as offline retail was closed so
customers developed new habits of online shopping. So, I’d imagine the dog toy market
got a boost and it makes sense for PPP to strengthen online channels in their distribution”
Add colors
(optional)
• What portion of PPP’s sales comes from Amazon?
• Does PPP have any budget they’re ready to invest to boost their presence at Amazon?
• Does PPP have any plans to go internationally (as Amazon is an international platform)?
Ask 2-3
questions
Ask for a
moment to
structure
01
02
03
04

|
Case questions
75
Wild card
What factors would you consider to strengthen PPP’s
presence at Amazon?
As part of the pilot, the team would like to upgrade product
images, infographics, compelling titles, and reviews for a
best-selling PPP’s product RopeBiter. By how much will it
increase its annual sales?
A quick benchmarking analysis revealed that PPP gets far
fewer reviews than its peers at Amazon. What can PPP do
in order to increase the number of reviews?
Some high-end pet supply brands aren’t present at Amazon
at all (e.g. The Foggy Dog, Kanine, Tuft & Paw) which
seems like a thought through strategy. What downsides
might Amazon presence have for PPP?
01
02
03
04

|
Q1. Framework
76
Wild card
• Definition of
presence (e.g.
strategic, financial)
• PPP’s revenue from
Amazon (e.g.
historical data and
% of total)
• Any recent changes
to PPP’s presence at
Amazon
Presence at
Amazon
• Breadth (# listings)
and depth (# SKUs)
of PPP’s offerings at
Amazon
• Product availability
(e.g. % sold-out)
• Latest additions to
Amazon and
innovation pace
Product
• Product page design
(e.g. clear overview,
intuitive lay-out)
• Customer journey
(e.g. conversion
rates at different
steps)
• Major pain points
• Rankings/reviews
Customer
experience
• PPP’s own page at
Amazon
• SEO (search engine
optimization) at
Amazon
• Promotions/ads at
Amazon
• Community
development (e.g.
community-driven
Q&As)
Brand and
marketing
What factors would you consider to strengthen PPP’s presence at Amazon?
1

|
77
Wild card
The best practice is to start with a 15-second big-picture overview, e.g. “Thank you for
having me on this project. The way I’d like to attack this problem is by looking into four
areas: presence at Amazon, product, customer experience, and finally brand and marketing”
Do
horizontal
presentation
structure:
The offered framework in this case covers the indicator (presence at Amazon) and
components (product, customer experience, brand and marketing)
Hit key
points
• “Given the customers can’t touch and feel the product, the product page should be
visually appealing, offer a holistic description, top-notch pictures, and ideally videos”
• “Dogs are perceived as family members, so customers choose products for their dogs
with diligence and care. That’s why customers might be less resilient to potential flaws in
PPP’s brand perception and customer journey at Amazon”
• “Dog owners are often part of local communities that they connect to when they use dog
parks or go for a walk. That’s why community feeling might be crucial for PPP’s presence
at Amazon and can be offered through posts, Q&As, followship, ads, etc.”
Add stories
(optional)
this framework makes sense, I’d like to start by getting more data on the current PPP’s
presence at Amazon. Do you know…”
Finish with
a question
01
02
03
04

|
78
Wild card Case #5. Inspired by McKinsey. 2022. Presence at Amazon
As part of the pilot, the team would like to upgrade product images, infographics,
compelling titles, and reviews for a best-selling PPP’s product RopeBiter. By how much
will it increase its annual sales?
2
• Appendix 1. • The conversion rate to PPP’s
RopeBiter page is expected to
grow from 5% to 7%
• According to the base scenario,
the conversion rate from unique
RopeBiter page visitors to
purchases should increase from
10% to 11%
• The unit price for RopeBiter is $25

|
79
Wild card
The annual sales of RopeBiter should increase by $0.66M
2
4k $25 12 months $1.2M
New volume
sold
Current
annual sales
New annual
sales
800k 7% 11% 6.2k
4M
6.2k $1.86M
$25 12 months
Annual sales
increase
$1.86M $1.2M $0.66M

|
80
Wild card
The expected annual revenue will increase by more than 50% to
$1.86M
Double-digit conversion rate to purchase might be a bit aggressive.
However, it might make sense as customers often come to Amazon
specifically to make a purchase, and Amazon enjoys strong
customers’ trust which might boost the conversion rate
$25 per unit makes sense as PPP is a premium brand, so they
target customers with low price sensitivity and high willingness
to pay
While expected 50% jump in sales is outstanding, it isn’t
reasonable to extrapolate this result to the overall PPP’s business.
RopeBiter is just ~2% of PPP’s revenue ($1.2M/$50M) and given
it’s a best-seller, it might not be representative for other products
Basic comments
(expected from
everyone)
Advanced
comments (for
outstanding
candidates)
2

|
81
Wild card
thought process
Structure
approach
Clarify
missing data
points
Calculate
accurately
the previous slide
Add colors
(optional)
01
02
03
04

|
Q3. Actions to increase number of reviews
82
Wild card
A quick benchmarking analysis revealed that PPP gets far fewer reviews than its peers
at Amazon. What can PPP do in order to increase the number of reviews*?
3
Existing buyers New buyers
Professional
reviewers
[PPP can use every touch-point
with customers to request a
review]
• Use product inserts (a card in
the packaging) to ask for a
review
• Ask for reviews through
Amazon’s review requests
• Contact customers with poor
reviews to address their
problem (and hopefully
they’ll update their review)
• Reach customers after
customer service calls/emails
to ask for product reviews
[Improving the quality of customers’
interactions with PPP’s brand and
products will naturally lead to more
reviews]
Marketing
• Invest in aggressive online marketing
to attract more buyers
• Encourage reviews through ads, offline
events, newsletters, etc.
• Create visually appealing packaging
Pricing
• Offer limited-time steep discounts
[great deals usually encourage reviews]
Customer experience
• Ensure quick lead times (e.g. join
Amazon Fulfillment)
• Offer 24/7 Customer Support Service
• Launch 100% satisfaction guaranteed
• Upgrade product images, include
infographics, create compelling titles
[Professional reviewers are likely
to provide more balanced and
objective reviews as they have
tried a lot of similar products
already, know the industry
standards and best practices]
• Partner with influencers to
review PPP’s products
• Contact top Amazon reviewers
in dog toy category and ask
for reviews
*According to Amazon’s rules, sellers can’t directly incentivize positive reviews (e.g. discounts or free products for positive reviews)

|
83
Wild card
Take time or
do on-the-go
overview, e.g. “I’d like to generate some ideas by thinking about types of
potential reviewers. First, existing buyers. Secondly, new buyers. Thirdly,
professional reviewers”
Do horizontal
presentation
(optional)
Provide at
least 4 ideas
Add colors
(optional)
01
02
03
04

|
Q4. Disadvantages of presence at Amazon
84
Wild card
Financial Marketing Product
[Partnership with any big-name
distributor might substantially
change the economics of the
business and affect both revenue
and cost structures]
Revenue
• Cannibalization of sales from
other channels (both offline
and online)
• Potential Amazon’s restrictions
on pricing
Costs
• High sales commissions
charged by Amazon
• Additional opex to meet
Amazon’s requirements on
delivery time and packaging
[Distribution channels usually don’t
offer a lot of potential for
marketing and sometimes might be
detrimental to brand perception]
Brand
• Inability to tell a brand’s story
• Commoditization of PPP’s
premium brand (as customers
compare products mostly based
on price)
Customers
• No access to customer’s data
(thus, no newsletters,
personalized offerings, customer
segmentation)
• Loss of control on customer
experience
[Amazon product pages dramatically
increase the transparency of PPP’s
business with other players. Detailed
product descriptions, number and
content of reviews, traffic volume,
etc. offer robust revenue proxies
and disclose key competitive
advantages]
Product flexibility
• Inability to personalize/ customize
dog toys
• Limited information for product
innovation given no access to
customers and their feedback
Unethical competition
• Elevated risks of rise in
counterfeit and copycats
• Risks of Amazon launching
their own dog toys based
on PPP’s sales data
Some high-end pet supply brands aren’t present at Amazon at all (e.g. The Foggy Dog,
Kanine, Tuft & Paw) which seems like a thought through strategy. What downsides
might Amazon presence have for PPP?
4

|
85
Wild card
Take time or
do on-the-go
overview, e.g. “To suggest potential disadvantages, I’d like to look into three
areas - financial assessment, marketing, and product”
Do horizontal
presentation
(optional)
Provide at
least 4 ideas
Add colors
(optional)
01
02
03
04

|
Recommendation

|
Appendix 1. RopeBiter’s monthly sales funnel at Amazon,
2021
87
Wild card Case #5. Inspired by McKinsey. 2022. Presence at Amazon
800k
40k
4k
Number of unique
visitors of dog toy
pages
Number of unique
visitors of PPP’s
RopeBiter page
Volume of Rope-
Biter purchased,
units
5%
10%

|
More at
Peter-K.org

|
Case
#6
Inspired by
McKinsey
Customer
engagement
2023

|
Case #6. Inspired by McKinsey. 2023. Customer engagement
90
Wild card
Texas-based supermarket chain Y-E-S saw a drop in their customer engagement
in 2020-21 driven by the pandemic. The customer engagement didn’t improve in
2022 after most pandemic-related restrictions were lifted. The decreased
customer engagement hurts Y-E-S’ brand perception, marketing efficiency, and
financial results. They have approached your team to build a robust actionable
strategy to boost their customer engagement. What areas would you investigate
to help the client?
• Supermarket chain Y-E-S has 400 stores in Texas and Mexico and generates
$22B in annual sales (2022)
• Y-E-S offers groceries and products across a wide variety of needs: beauty,
pets, kids, health, home, and others
• Y-E-S is known for affordable prices, high quality, and convenient locations
• Y-E-S doesn’t enjoy a developed digital footprint (incl. online store, social
media, online news)
• Y-E-S is perceived as local chain and Texans are proud of shopping at Y-E-S
Interviewer-
driven case
15-20 minutes
to solve
Prompt
Additional
information
Case type

|
91
Wild card
Restate the
prompt
• “During the pandemic the customer behaviour changed as people got used to online
shopping and got exposed to far more digital marketing, which might have affected Y-E-S’
customer engagement”
• “Decreased customer engagement might be crucial for the client’s business, as it might
lead to lower retention, less frequent purchases, and thus hurt customers’ life-time-value”
• “Supermarket chains operate in a highly commoditized market where differentiation is
challenging but might provide strong competitive advantage. Customers’ excitement
about the brand and overall high customer engagement might be that competitive edge”
Add colors
(optional)
• How does the client define customer engagement?
• How large is this supermarket chain in terms of number of stores and sales?
• What is the typical profile of Y-E-S’ customers (e.g. demographics, income level)?
Ask 2-3
questions
Ask for a
moment to
structure
01
02
03
04

|
Case questions
92
Wild card
What factors would you consider to help the client boost
their customer engagement?
The client would like to embrace livestream commerce as a
way to build consumer engagement and present a modern,
innovative image to customers. What sales will a series of
livestreaming events generate for the client over 2023-24?
Some regional supermarket chains have already piloted
livestreaming events (LEs), for example, with virtual cooking
classes, where they feature local chefs. Each event racks up
200k-500k views. Why are customers so attracted to LEs?
What are some advantages that Y-E-S will enjoy if they
succeed in building out a regular series of livestreaming
events?
01
02
03
04

|
Q1. Framework
93
Wild card
• Target audience,
key customer
groups
• Customer
engagement metrics
adopted by Y-E-S
historical data
Customer
engagement
• Financial
implications
• Brand equity
• Marketing efficiency
• Employees’ morale
Impact of low
customer engagement
• Overall experience
(e.g. NPS, customer
satisfaction rate)
• Customer
purchasing behavior
(e.g. # visits, time
spent in-store,
average purchase)
• Customer flow (e.g.
churn/retention, %
new)
Offline/online
shopping
• Social media (e.g. #
comments/likes)
• Emails/newsletters
(e.g. open rate, click
rate)
• Loyalty program
(e.g. # members,
point redemptions)
• Marketing
events/promotions
Marketing
channels
What factors would you consider to help the client boost their customer engagement?
1

|
94
Wild card
The best practice is to start with a 15-second big-picture overview, e.g. “Four workstreams
that I’d dig deeper in are: first, customer engagement; secondly, impact; thirdly,
offline/online shopping; and finally, engagement at marketing channels”
Do
horizontal
presentation
structure:
The offered framework in this case covers the indicator (customer engagement) and
components (customer engagement at shopping and at marketing)
Hit key
points
• “Customer engagement is multi-faceted and can be assessed across various dimensions,
but the most vital dimensions are likely shopping experience and customer interactions in
different marketing channels as they directly affect the bottom-line”
• “Supermarkets are an old-fashioned and tech-light industry which doesn’t offer a lot of
levers to engage with customers, so the client should be creative to solve this problem”
• “Customer engagement differs drastically between generations, and if elderly and gen X
would be responsive to typical marketing technics, gen Z needs almost 100% digital”
Add stories
(optional)
“This is how I’m thinking about this problem. Does it resonate with you? If so, let me
double-click on the customer engagement metrics. What does Y-E-S use for that today?”
Finish with
a question
01
02
03
04

|
95
Wild card
• Appendix 1. • We can use Walmart’s event
volume as a benchmark for Y-E-S
and plan 30 livestreaming events
in 2023 and 100 events in 2024
• The expected average sales per
event is $30k in 2023 and $50k in
2024
The client would like to embrace livestream commerce as a way to build consumer
engagement and present a modern, innovative image to customers. What sales will a
series of livestreaming events generate for the client over 2023-24?
2

|
$50k 100 events $5M
96
Wild card
Y-E-S should expect additional revenue of ~$6M in 2023-24 generated from
livestreaming events
Expected
revenue in
2023
Expected
revenue in
2024
Total
expected
revenue in
2023-24
$30k 30 events $900k
4M
$900k $5.9M
$5M
The client would like to embrace livestream commerce as a way to build consumer
engagement and present a modern, innovative image to customers. What sales will a
series of livestreaming events generate for the client over 2023-24?
2

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