what does Academic way of solving cases mean ?

Hi,

It's too academic when you:

• Follow the casebook framework (e.g. Viktor Cheng)
• Follow the well-known academic frameworks (e.g. 4P) without rewording them
• Provide too academic approaches and judgments without taking into account the realities of the real business

Best

Hello,

It basically means that you were relying too much on standardized frameworks and solutions tha you can find on the books.
You have to consider that the single interviewer listens to hundreds of brilliant students that have probably used your same material to prepare. Everytime he's looking for something new and "unexpected", something that can make your solution really impactful and unique.
You should leave the books for a while and try to go beyond the standard resolution of a case. To achieve this, it's fundamental to train with other people (candidates or coaches) that can give you new ideas and hints to extend your approach.

Hope it helps,
Luca

Hi,
he's probably talking about following standard frameworks, instead of customizing your structure starting from the question and the client. With my candidates, I strongly work on being case-specific and on using industry-related terms. Improvement feedback are taken seriously in consulting, therefore I suggest to work on these points.

Best,
Antonello