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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 26 minutes
Difficulty Medium
Source Columbia
10 / 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”
Mock Interview
Interviewer

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?

You

Thanks. Before analyzing, I'd like to clarify a few key questions...

Interviewer

Good question. Let me provide some background information...

You

Based on this, I suggest analyzing from these dimensions...

AI Score
Structure Analysis Communication Business Sense Quantitative
Practicing...
Score coming soon
Practice this case with AI Mock Interview

A pro-bono consulting case where candidates advise the World-Wide Fund for Nature on relocating 10 circus elephants. The core challenge involves comparing two destinations (Florida nature preserve vs. India elephant sanctuary) across financial and animal welfare dimensions, then identifying creative fundraising approaches to achieve the mission-aligned recommendation despite higher costs.

Key Insights:

  1. Pro-bono cases require explicit focus on non-financial objectives alongside cost analysis—the case notes warn candidates not to ‘get lost in profit-maximizing’
  2. Structured frameworks matter: breaking down the problem into elephants, options, costs, fundraising, and risks helps organize analysis and shows interviewer reasoning
  3. Balancing trade-offs is essential: the recommended India option costs $561,500 more but aligns with the organization’s mission; the response acknowledges risks and next steps
  4. Creativity and brainstorming are tested in Question 4 (fundraising strategies) and Question 5 (clown employment), rewarding candidates who go beyond basic analysis
  5. Clarifying questions establish facts (10 elephants, located in Wisconsin) and reveal priorities (native habitat, long-term viability) that should drive the recommendation