Cases, also known as case studies, are business problems that a candidate is presented with during a case interview at a management consultancy. The challenge is to solve it under pressure and in a structured way.
Practice With Cases on Various Topics
tkMC Case: Portfolio optimization of a holding company
Your client is a holding company that has three larger companies in its portfolio. The successful portfolio has developed very dynamically over the last two years and the companies are facing different challenges. The management takes this situation as an opportunity and wants to carry out a portfolio optimization. As a consultant, you are first asked to carry out a portfolio analysis and then to prepare recommendations for action for the portfolio decisions.
BCG Platinion Case: Digital transformation of an entire corporation
The CIO of a major insurance company needs your support to renew the company's IT landscape as a starting point for their digital transformation.The IT landscape of the client is highly fragmented and integrated. Most IT applications are "legacy" monolithic custom developments (running on Mainframe) and are hosted on-premise.There are issues with stability and scalability of applications plus IT costs are ever increasing "Time-to-market" to release new functionalities is too high, due to constraints of current architecture.You are asked to quickly assess the status quo, identify main areas of intervention and measures to address the pain points and renew the IT landscape. Note: This case is interviewer-led. The cases in our interviews are more candidate-led. In this case, you take the lead and manage the entire case from start to finish. So be prepared for this when you apply to us.
Simon-Kucher Case: GST Cruise Company
Cruise company German Sea Tours (GST) is a successful operator of international cruises. GST currently offers several cruise trips, lasting between 5 and 24 days. Additional services can be booked on board (e.g. excursions at each destination, onboard leisure activities). Customers tend to book their tickets several months in advance. GST has had a long history of revenue growth, but in the past five years, it showed lower growth rates. Board members are not sure whether the market, in general, saw lower growth or whether the problem is specific to GST. GST recognizes that winning new customers and stimulating existing customers to book their vacations with GST is crucial for future growth and therefore has always focused on keeping a close relationship with its (potential) cruise-trip bookers. GST’s chief commercial officer (CCO) Ms. Brown has hired Simon-Kucher & Partners to assess the market environment and competitive positioning for cruise ships and to conduct a subsequent evaluation of potential growth options.
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Roland Berger Case: Onlinestar
Onlinestar, an online retailer of furniture and garden products (core business), has grown significantly in recent years as a result of an expansion of its product portfolio. The company mainly imports goods from Chinese manufacturers but also operates its own production of cat lavatories (special business) in Eastern Europe. The company sells its goods via Amazon and eBay, and recently via an online shop on its website. Despite this development, the financial ratios have deteriorated in recent years. In particular, the gross profit margin decreased significantly. Combined with a significant increase in shipping costs, this led to a negative result for the first time in the recently ended fiscal year and a resulting strained financial situation. Against the background of expected stagnating sales for the current financial year, short-term action is required.The board of Onlinestar asks you for an analysis of the reasons for the negative result as well as a derived recommendation for action. As a consultant, you should bring in your knowledge in online trading and develop solutions. In addition, the management board would like to receive a sales and gross profit plan from you for the current financial year.
EY-Parthenon Case: Virtual Marketplace
A leading online real estate marketplace in Germany – your-new-home.com – is struggling with stagnating sales after many years of high growth rates. In a preliminary project with EY-Parthenon, the market environment has already been examined in detail – competitors, new entrants, customer needs, etc.As a result, you are asked to identify growth areas and quantify the potential sales uplift for the management.
Oliver Wyman Case: Full Electrons Ahead
Your client, large automotive OEM WyCar, has developed its first fully electric vehicle (EV) and introduced it as a pilot on the Austrian market last year. However, sales have been far below the expected numbers. The management has engaged you to support them in understanding the reasons and advise them on how to adjust the product offering.
Oliver Wyman Case: On the Right Track
TrainCo is a manufacturer of rolling stock, or trains, with production sites in three European countries. The company has seen declining profitability over the past years; however, they are currently in a very good position to bid for and win a big contract for regional trains for a Swiss national rail company. They have asked you advise to them on whether they should place a bid for the contract.
DHL Consulting case: Bike Shop
You have been hired to support the owner of a bike-shop as a business consultant. The bike-shop has suffered a significant revenue decline during the last year, and now the owner would like you to assess the situation and options for the way forward.They want to know last year’s profit, i.e. how it was affected by the revenue decline, and what the priority actions are to survive the next year. (short term)In addition they would like to understand the strategic competitive position of the shop better and how to increase revenues again mid- to long-term.
NordWerk - Restructuring & Liquidity Planning
Our client is NordWerk Components, a privately owned Tier-2 automotive supplier headquartered in Germany. The company generates approximately €420m in annual revenue and employs around 2,000 people across three plants.Over the last 18 months, NordWerk has been impacted by declining OEM call-offs, rising energy and raw material prices, and increasingly delayed customer payments. As a result, liquidity has deteriorated, and management fears a potential covenant breach within the next 6–9 months.Management has asked you to support a restructuring program, starting with liquidity planning to stabilize the business and maintain stakeholder confidence.
EV Strategy for a Leading Luxury Automotive OEM
Your client is a leading luxury automotive OEM. The company has recently launched its first fully electric flagship vehicle, internally called Project Aurora. The model is priced in the ultra-luxury segment and represents a major departure from the company’s traditional portfolio.It is the brand’s first five-seater vehicle.It emphasizes comfort, practicality and daily usability more than track-oriented performance.It features a futuristic aerodynamic design that differs strongly from the brand’s traditional styling language.It uses software and acoustic engineering to recreate some of the emotional cues that customers associate with combustion-engine vehicles.Initial reactions have been polarized. Some analysts believe the company is modernizing its brand and preparing for the future of luxury mobility. Others argue that Project Aurora risks damaging the company’s iconic identity and alienating core customers. After the unveiling, investor reaction was negative.The client has hired your consulting team to answer one key question: What should the company’s EV strategy be over the next five years?
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Roman Roads – Launching Autonomous Taxis in Italy
UrbanAI Mobility is a European venture-backed startup specialising in autonomous vehicle (AV) software and fleet management. The company is now evaluating its first consumer-facing market entry. Italy has been shortlisted due to its high urban density, significant tourist traffic, and a regulatory framework that recently authorised Level 4 AV trials in designated city zones. Rome has been identified as the priority launch city, given its combination of high ride-hailing demand, international tourism, and a mayoral administration publicly supportive of smart-city initiatives.The competitive landscape includes established ride-hailing operators (FREE NOW, Uber), traditional licensed taxis (approximately 14,000 in Rome), and two European AV startups that have announced intentions to launch in Southern Europe within 18 months. “UrbanAI is considering launching an autonomous taxi pilot in Rome. Should they do it and if so, how should they approach the market entry?”
PE Aurora Capital - Possible aquisition of Nordstock Exchange Group
Aurora Capital Partners is a European investment fund. Aurora is considering acquiring NordStock Exchange Group (NEG), a publicly listed company that owns and operates a Nordic stock exchange and related services.NEG earns revenue from four main activities:1. Equity listing fees (companies paying to list their shares)2. Cash equities trading (fees on buying and selling shares)3. Derivatives trading (options, futures, etc.)4. Market data & analytics (selling data feeds and analytics to banks and investors)NEG was historically seen as a solid, predictable business. However, over the last five years it has grown more slowly and is less profitable than some competing European exchanges. Its share price has also underperformed.Aurora believes that, under new ownership, NEG could:- Improve its technology and reduce outages- Launch new derivatives products- Grow its higher-margin data & analytics business- Streamline operations and increase profitabilityAurora has asked you to:1. Assess whether NEG looks like an attractive acquisition2. Identify key performance gaps vs. peers3. Estimate, in simple terms, how much profit could increase under an improvement plan4. Suggest actions and a recommendation
BCG Platinion – RetailCore: Legacy Integration
Note: this case focuses on technology strategy and architecture and is primarily designed for candidates pursuing technology specialist tracks (e.g., McKinsey Digital, BCG Platinion, Accenture Strategy).RetailCore is a European fintech founded in 2016 and headquartered in Amsterdam. The company offers current accounts, personal loans, and credit cards to 2.4 million customers across six markets (IT, DE, FR, NL, ES, PL).RetailCore grew rapidly by adopting a cloud-native microservices architecture. However, in 2022 it acquired a traditional German bank (LandBank) to accelerate its full banking licence. The acquisition brought a legacy IBM z/OS mainframe from the 1990s into the heart of the platform. The CTO estimates that 60% of all production incidents over the past 18 months are attributable to integration friction between the two systems.The CEO of RetailCore has engaged you as a BCG Platinion team. The Board has made available an extraordinary budget of €28 million over 18 months to solve the technology problem. How would you structure the solution and allocate the budget?"
UrbanBrew Coffee Roasters
Our client is UrbanBrew Coffee Roasters, a specialty coffee roaster and café chain that currently operates five locations in Denver, Colorado. UrbanBrew is known for ethically sourced single-origin beans and a community-oriented café experience. UrbanBrew has been saving up capital to launch a new flagship location in Chicago, as they have been facing competitive saturation in Denver, and they believe there is a larger serviceable addressable market in the Chicago metro area.UrbanBrew has brought in your firm to help them understand the answers to two main questions:1. Which neighborhood within Chicago is the most desirable?2. How should UrbanBrew go about increasing their profitability as a business?
Novion Therapeutics
Your client is Novion Therapeutics, a leading American biotech company focused on gene and cell therapies. With a market capitalization of around $120 billion, Novion is recognized for its innovations in rare disease treatments and its mission to advance human health through breakthrough biotechnologies in immunology, oncology, and genetic medicine.Recently, the company has faced growing investor pressure. Despite strong products, its firm-value growth has stagnated, and investors are expecting a visible strategic move within the next quarter. The CFO has identified several high-growth, capital-intensive R&D and acquisition projects, but Novion lacks sufficient cash reserves to fund them. What should the CFO do next?
McKinsey Round 1: Homeware Heaven
Our client is Homeware Heaven. They are a homeware and appliance retailer that sells items such as kitchen appliances (fridges, ovens), kitchenware, lighting, bedding and bath products, home decor etc. They have 100 stores in the top 20 cities in the US. Their stores are large stand-alone stores located outside of the city centre. Over the last 3 years, business has not been going well for our client. Their revenue has been declining year over year and they have had fewer unique shoppers in their stores. They have hired McKinsey to help them turnaround the situation
BCG Round 1 Case: Telecommunication Troubles
Your client, Convo Telco, is a leading national telecommunications player in a developing country. They offer both mobile and fixed (e.g. broadband, internet) products across the country. Over the past few years, they have been facing declining profitability and have asked you to help them identify what is the problem
FastFood Chain Turnaround
Our client (FastFood Co) is a fast-food company that has > 20 restaurants in the city. Recently, the business has encountered significant challenges, with net profit drops to negative.The client wants us to help them turn around the business. How would you help them?
Chemical Merger Synergies
Two global chemical companies announced their intent to merge. Senior management of the two companies called your firm the day after the merger was announced. The client needs a more in-depth understanding of the benefits from the merger for its board and would like your firm to help out. In short, 2 questions to solve: (1) what are some of the financial benefits from the merger? (2) how much are these benefits worth?
Pets Medicine Profit Improvement
Your client is a global drug company producing and selling medicine (pills, powder, ointments, injections, etc.) for a variety of pets (dogs, cats, birds, fish etc.). In addition to organic growth, the company grew significantly over the past few years by acquiring several other pets medicine companies in different parts of the world. During this period, profitability of the company decreased significantly. The CEO is concerned with this decline and wants to put in place a plan to raise the profitability to at least 70%.
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Consulting interviews are among the most competitive and difficult job interviews that exist. Interviewers use cases as an indicator to test whether you have what it takes to become a successful consultant. In order to pass, you need to ace the case interview part. And in order to ace the case interview part, you need to be well-prepared. Thus, practicing cases is one of the most important aspects of interview preparation in consulting. During different rounds of interviews you will have to solve cases again and again to prove your structured and analytical thinking as well as your communication skills.
You can practice cases on your own and go through them to get a first feeling for the structure. Afterwards, you should go into a real interview environment and practice cases with other members on the platform. You will find more than 50 mock-interview requests on the Meeting Board every day, which you can easily accept. If there is nothing suitable on the Meeting Board, you can also use the Candidate Listing. Here you can find active members on the platform and send them a direct meeting request. If you want to take your case practice to the next level, we recommend you to schedule coaching sessions with our coaches who have many years of experience in helping candidates receive their dream job offer.
In an interviewer-led case interview, the interviewer leads through the conversation. This means that the interviewer asks specific questions and also controls the time you have to analyze and answer different questions and therefore the depth of your analysis. In contrast, the candidate-led style (which is more common) is about you taking the initiative as a candidate. The initial problem is given to you by your interviewer. Afterwards, you have the freedom to structure the case according to your ideas and to ask questions proactively in order to find a solution to the problem.
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Our selection of case studies mirror the wide variety in real case interviews. Thus, you can solve challenging problems around market sizing, market-entry, pricing, or operations strategy. Moreover, all provided cases are marked with a level of difficulty and the respective case style. This will allow you to filter for interviewer-led (as used by McKinsey) and candidate-led cases. In addition, some of our corporate partners granted some great original cases that have been used in real interviews. Check them out to get some authentic insights about the real application process of top firms like Bain, Roland Berger, and many more. These cases are clearly indicated by the firm's logo.