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The Greatest Show on Earth

#Non-Profit
ProHub Comment

This case tests creative problem-solving and the ability to balance quantitative financial analysis with qualitative animal welfare considerations. The candidate must navigate the tension between the cheaper Florida option ($320,000) and the ethically superior India option ($881,500), ultimately demonstrating that non-profit advisory work requires prioritizing mission alignment over cost minimization. The case emphasizes the importance of asking clarifying questions early and structuring solutions clearly.

Estimated Time 15 minutes
Difficulty Medium
Source Columbia
50 / 100
Barnum & Bailey Circus is a traveling company of clowns, animals, and acrobats that performs year-round across the United States. While each act is thrilling, the clear stars are the elephants who have been trained to do tricks to delight and entertain the masses. However, due to increasing pressure from animal rights groups and severely declining profits, Barnum & Bailey Circus is now closing after 146 years of continuous operations. As a result, all of the animals need to be relocated. This is a relatively simple task for the smaller animals such as dogs and lions, but the elephants pose a unique problem due to their size. We are advising our client, the World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), on a pro-bono basis how to find a suitable home for the elephants. What factors would you consider when securing new caretakers for these majestic creatures?

Clarifying Information

  1. What is the goal? - “We’ve asked you to consider what is most important”
  2. When are they hoping to finish the transfer? - “This process can take a while to set up, but ideally it would be accomplished withing the next two months”
  3. How old are the elephants? - “Assume there is an even distribution between the young and elderly”
  4. How many elephants are there? - “There are 10 elephants”
  5. Where are the elephants located? - “They are located in Baraboo, Wisconsin”