Strategic Decision

Strategic decision cases present a binary or multi-option choice requiring structured analysis. You will evaluate go/no-go decisions, compare strategic alternatives, assess risks and feasibility, and recommend a clear course of action.

Brainstorming Comparison Crisis Management Decision Analysis Feasibility Go/No-Go Decision Impact Analysis Impact of Trend Risk Analysis Strategic Options
Total Cases: 43
Companies: 5
Easy 1 Medium 26 Hard 16
Medium

Hydrogenous

Project Selection Strategic Decision Non-profit

Hydrogenous is an international NGO that leads initiatives to combat extreme drought as part of the global effort led by the United Nations Convention …

15 min
Darden
50
McKinsey
Medium

Tres Burritos

Profitability Strategic Decision Retail

Your client is a national burrito chain with 100 locations. There has been a widespread flu virus growing in the U.S. which has the potential to hurt …

15 min
NYU
50
Medium

WolverineHomes

Profitability Strategic Decision Real Estate & Energy

WolverineHomes owns and manages over 200 single-family homes in the Ann Arbor, Ypsi, and Jackson areas. Recently, severe weather events have caused …

15 min
ROSS
50
Medium

Calling the TTC

Market Entry Profitability Telecommunications

One of the main factors that drives customer retention in the telecom market is coverage: companies that can boast that they receive a signal …

15 min
Queen's
50
BCG
Medium

Stance at a Distance

Cost Reduction Accounting Education (Public Sector)

Our firm has just wrapped up a project with The Stance School, which offers K-12 education in Philadelphia, to help them with developing two major …

15 min
NYU
50
Medium

Sticky Surfactants

Profitability Operations Manufacturing

Your client, CavalierChem, is a global chemicals manufacturer. CavalierChem recently acquired a manufacturing facility that makes surfactants as part …

15 min
Darden
50
Medium

Wahoo Wind

Market Entry Profitability Energy

Your client, Wahoo Wind, builds windfarms in Texas, Iowa, and Oklahoma. The company is looking to expand into the growing offshore windfarm market on …

15 min
Darden
50
Hard

Activist Action

Shareholder Value Activist Investor Consumer Goods

Your client is a large CPG company with multiple business units including snacks, beauty, and home (cleaning) products. Your client is under pressure …

15 min
Duke
50
McKinsey
Hard

AI

Strategic Decision Growth Strategy Recruitment

Our client, JobJedi, is a major job board in the Philippines that began operating in 2019 and has experienced rapid growth. Currently, the platform …

15 min
PeterK
50
Medium

Ban the Box

Strategic Decision Non-profit

After many years of "tough on crime" positions by politicians without regard to government budgetary implications, and the economic and social impact …

15 min
Columbia
50
McKinsey
Hard

Beta Optics

Strategic Decision Financial Analysis Healthcare (Ops)

Beta Optics is a U.S.-based mid-size prescription eyeglass lens manufacturer. Due to the pandemic their revenues dropped by 30% in 2020 as far fewer …

15 min
PeterK
50
Medium

Campaign Swag

Profitability Product Launch Retail

Your client is the owner of a regional chain of convenience stores operating in the United States. It is an election year, and one of the leading …

15 min
Cornell
50
Medium

Combating Climate Change

Strategic Decision Non-profit

The mayor of NYC was just elected based on her platform of creating a more environmentally sustainable city. During her campaign, she set a mandate to …

15 min
Columbia
50
BCG
Medium

Contagion Containment

Strategic Decision Risk Management Non-profit

Your client is the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the Summer Olympics are a couple months away. A viral outbreak has occurred in a country …

15 min
Darden
50
McKinsey
Hard

Digital fitness

Strategic Decision Growth Strategy Gym chain

DoubleSweat is a national low-end gym chain with 2,400 clubs across the U.S. They're concerned about the sky-rocketed demand for digital fitness (e.g. …

15 min
PeterK
50
Kearney
Hard

DrugGen

Strategic Decision Product Decision Healthcare (Pharma Ops)

DrugGen is a U.S.-based drug company. Given trends toward patient compliance and eco-friendliness, they are considering changing the packaging of an …

15 min
PeterK
50
Medium

East Asia Cuisine

Market Entry Strategic Decision Retail

Our client, Randy, is a second-year MBA student at Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management. Having missed the wonderful food in her hometown, …

15 min
Cornell
50
McKinsey
Hard

Fertilizer Company

Strategic Decision Financial Analysis Agriculture

Fertilizer Company is a U.S.-based fertilizer manufacturer that produces 1.5M tons of nitrogen, phosphatic and potash fertilizer annually. They have …

15 min
PeterK
50
BCG
Hard

Mickey Tires

Strategic Decision Cost Reduction Consumer Goods

Mickey Tires is a U.S.-based tire manufacturer. In 2020 their sales shrank by 10% due to the pandemic-related drop in car mileage as states were …

15 min
PeterK
50
Kearney
Hard

OmegaMed

Strategic Decision Technology Investment Healthcare (Software)

Our client is a clinic chain OmegaMed that offers primary care services at their 500 clinics. The company has been expanding rapidly in an inorganic …

15 min
PeterK
50
Medium

Pharmaceutical Company

Market Entry Product Launch Healthcare

Our client is the U.S. pharmaceutical division of a multi-national corporation. In about six months the division will receive FDA approval to launch …

15 min
Harvard
50
McKinsey
Hard

Plant-based meat

Strategic Decision Growth Strategy Fast food chain

The CEO of a $1B regional fast-food chain Up-N-Down Burger (UDB) has asked your team to help her prepare for the annual strategy meeting with the …

15 min
PeterK
50
BCG
Hard

POS Vend

Business Model Transformation Strategic Decision Technology

Our client is a U.S.-based point-of-sale (POS) software provider POS Vend that offers inventory systems for retailers and restaurants to process …

15 min
PeterK
50
Medium

Sparkle Co.

Profitability Market Entry (new product) Retail

Sparkle Co. is a mid-sized private beverage company ($900MM annual sales) that manufactures sparkling water in a range of flavors. After several years …

15 min
Columbia
50
McKinsey
Medium

University Program

Growth Strategy Market Entry Education

Your client is a university in an African country that is thinking of launching a new Global Bachelor of Management (GBM) Program. The university …

15 min
Wharton
50
Hard

Vitriolic Wealth

Profitability Strategic Decision Financial Services

Your client, the President of Vitriolic Wealth Advisors, has come to you in a crisis. Vitriolic's Chief Financial Officer was recently found to have …

15 min
Cornell
50
McKinsey
Hard

Women's equality

Wild card Growth Strategy Overall economy

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. …

15 min
PeterK
50
Medium

BudgetAir: A Weighty Decision

Strategic Decision Profitability Transportation

BudgetAir is a low-cost national airline based in Philadelphia, PA. Being from the "city of brotherly love", the airline is focused on customer …

15 min
Pennsylvania
50
Medium

California Wildfires

Strategic Response Strategic Decision Non-profit

The state of California has experienced devastating wildfires in recent years, causing deaths and billions of dollars worth of damage. The disasters …

15 min
IESE
50
Medium

Hair Products: Private Equity Case

Merger & Acquisition Strategic Decision Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)

Our client, a consumer-focused private equity firm, is considering acquiring a mid-sized hair products company. The hair products the company makes …

15 min
Pennsylvania
50
Medium

Locker Up!

Profitability Strategic Decision Real Estate

Our client is a real estate developer in Hong Kong owning several shopping malls with high foot traffic in Central and Sheung Wan. The client wishes …

15 min
HKUST
50
Medium

Nica Productions

Profitability Strategic Decision Media & Entertainment

Nica Productions is an American Media company that is trying to figure out its next project. This company has an extensive experience producing series …

15 min
IESE
50
Hard

Activist Action

Strategic Decision Consumer Goods

Your client is a large CPG company with multiple business units including snacks, beauty, and home cleaning products. Your client is under pressure …

15 min
Duke
50
Medium

Goodbye Horses

Strategic Decision Healthcare

Your client is the CFO of Aperture Laboratories, a leading US biopharmaceutical company with a market cap >$150B. Aperture develops and manufactures a …

15 min
Duke
50
Medium

Jane Darden's Ranch

Market Entry Strategic Decision Retail

Your client is Jane Darden, a longtime owner, and operator of the Wahoo Cattle Ranch, which has been in the family since 1883. However, since the …

15 min
Darden
50
McKinsey
Medium

Colombian Hippos

Strategic Decision Non-profit

At the height of his criminal activity in the 1980s, Pablo Escobar imported a menagerie of exotic animals to Colombia to show off at his personal zoo. …

15 min
Duke
50
Medium

Goodbye Horses

Strategic Decision Financial Analysis Healthcare

Your client is the CFO of Aperture Laboratories, a leading US biopharmaceutical company with a market cap >$150B. Aperture develops and manufactures a …

15 min
Duke
50
McKinsey
Hard

Water Provision Scheme

Strategic Decision Non-profit

As of March 2021, the Education Ministry (EM) in India believes that more than 42,000 government schools across the country don’t have drinking water …

15 min
Duke
50
Medium

Novelty Games

Launch Decision Strategic Decision Media & Entertainment

Novelty Games, a gaming company, is launching their new generation gaming console, "Novel 2.0". The Chief Product Officer's team has discovered a …

15 min
ESADE
50
BCG
Medium

Jurassic Vale

Market Sizing Merger & Acquisition Media & Entertainment

Vale is a Brazilian multinational corporation engaged in metals and mining and is the largest producer of iron ore and nickel in the world. A few …

15 min
Wharton
50
Hard

Lux Rides

Pricing Market Entry Manufacturing

Lux Rides, an Italian 2-wheeler brand is looking to enter the luxury scooter segment in Vietnam. 2-wheelers are very popular in the country and the …

15 min
Wharton
50
EY
Easy

Salt Lake City Airport

Strategic Decision Market Sizing Transportation

Our company is pitching to the President of the Salt Lake City International Airport next week, hoping to earn a big contract with the Airport moving …

15 min
Wharton
50
McKinsey
Hard

Insurance for the underserved in India

Market Sizing Profitability Financial Services

The Indian insurance market is heavily underpenetrated. The majority of insurable, adult population either is not insured and this has serious …

15 min
Wharton
50