1、Case interview 分析工具/框架案例面试分析工具/框架一Business Strategy1 市场进入类 行业分析（波特 5 力，市场趋势，市场规模，市场份额，市场壁垒等） 公司宏观环境（人口，经济，自然，技术，政治），公司微观环境（公司，供应商，市场中介，顾客，竞争对手，大众） 3C（Competitor, Consumer, Company/Capabilities） Cost-revenue固定成本，可变成本收入怎么计算？时间序列估计，可比公司估计 市场细分很重要，niche marketA. 地理细分B. 人口细分（年龄及生命周期阶段细分，性别细分，收入细分）C. 心理细分
2、（社会阶层，生活方式，个性特征）D. 行为细分（购买时机-柯达，利益细分-牙膏，用户状况，使用率，忠诚度）2 行业分析类 市场（市场规模，市场细分，产品需求/趋势分析，客户需求） 竞争（竞争对手的经济情况，产品差异化，市场整合度，产业集中度） 顾客/供应商关系（谈判能力，替代者，评估垂直整合） 进入/离开的障碍（评估公司进入/离开。对新加入者的反应，经济规模，预测学习曲线，研究政府调控） 资金金融（主要金融资金来源，产业风险因素，可变成本/固定成本） 风险预测与防范3 新产品引入类 营销调研 产品？价格？即 4P 4C (Customer, Competition, Cost, Capabil
3、ities) 市场促销，分校渠道（渠道选择，库存，运输，仓储） STP 和 4P（ Product, Price, Place, Promotion） 产品生命周期二Business Operation1市场容量扩张（竞争对手，消费者，自己实力）2利润改善型 Revenue, Cost 分析，到底是销售额下降造成，还是成本上升造成 如果销售额下降，看 4P 了（是价格过高？产品质量问题？分校渠道问题？还是 promotion 的 efficacy 有问题？） 如果成本上升，看固定成本 or 可变成本是否有问题？（固定成本过高，设备是否老化，需要关闭生产线、厂房，降低管理者工资等，可变成本过高，
4、看原材料价格是否上升，有没有降低的可能，switch suppliers? 还是人员工资过高，需要裁员等） 成本结构是否合理，产能利用率如何（闲置率）3. 推销任何一种产品/服务 4P，3c4. 定价 以成本为基础的定价成本加成定价，以目标利润（盈亏平衡定价） 以价值为基础定价 以竞争为基础定价三Market Sizing/Estimation 市场趋势，市场规模，市场份额，市场壁垒等 市场集中度 市场驱动因素（价格，服务，质量，外观） 关键成功要素 KSF四M&A 类 整合原因（synergy, scale, management impulse, Tax consideration, Di
5、versification, Breakup Value） 5C（Character, Capacity, Capital, Conditions, Competitive Advantage） 类型：horizontal, vertical, congeneric, conglomerate 估值方法：DFC，Market Multiple( EBITDA，P/E ，P/B) DFC：Pro Forma Cash Flow Statement，Discount Rate Hostile VS Friendly takeovers所有咨询公司面试可能用到的分析结构Advanced concep
6、ts & frameworks MBAs and other candidates with business background, take note - interviewers will expect you to have a more detailed take on your case than an undergraduate would have. Here are some commonly used case concepts. Net present value Perhaps the most important type of decision company ma
7、nagers must make on a daily basis is whether to undertake a proposed investment. For example, should the company buy a certain piece of equipment? Build a particular factory? Invest in a new project? These types of decisions are called capital budgeting decisions. The consultant makes such decisions
8、 by calculating the net present value of each proposed investment and making only those investments that have positive net present values. Example: Hernandez is the CFO of Western Manufacturing Corp., an automobile manufacturer. The company is considering opening a new factory in Ohio that will requ
9、ire an initial investment of $1 million. The company forecasts that the factory will generate after-tax cash flows of $100,000 in Year 1, $200,000 in Year 2, $400,000 in Year 3, and $400,000 in Year 4. At the end of Year 4, the company would then sell the factory for $200,000. The company uses a dis
10、count rate of 12 percent. Hernandez must determine whether the company should go ahead and build the factory. To make this decision, Hernandez must calculate the net present value of the investment. The cash flows associated with the factory are as follows: Hernandez then calculates the NPV of the f
11、actory as follows: Since the factory has a negative net present value, Hernandez correctly decides that the factory should not be built. The net present value rule Note from the example above that once the consultant has figured out the NPV of a proposed investment, she then decides whether to under
12、take the investment by applying the net present value rule: Make only those investments that have a positive net present value. As long as the consultant follows this rule, she can be confident that each investment is making a positive net contribution to the company. The Capital Asset Pricing Model
13、 (CAPM) In the above example, we assumed a given discount rate. However, part of a consultants job is to determine an appropriate discount rate (r) to use when calculating net present values. The discount rate may vary depending on the investment. Beta The first step in arriving at an appropriate di
14、scount rate for a given investment is determining the investments riskiness. The market risk of an investment is measured by its “beta“ (?), which measures riskiness when compared to the market as a whole. An investment with a beta of 1 has the same riskiness as the market as a whole (so, for exampl
15、e, when the market moves down 10 percent, the value of the investment will on average fall 10 percent as well). An investment with beta of 2 will be twice as risky as the market (so when the market falls 10 percent, the value of the investment will on average fall 20 percent). CAPM Once the consulta
16、nt has determined the beta of a proposed investment, he can use the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) to calculate the appropriate discount rate (r): The risk-free rate of return is the return the company could receive by making a risk-free investment (for example, by investing in U.S. Treasury bil
17、ls). The market rate of return is the return the company could receive by investing in a well-diversified portfolio of stocks (for example, S&P 500). Example: Shen, Inc., a coal producer, is considering investing in a new venture that would manufacture and market carbon filters. Shens chief financia
18、l officer, Apelbaum, wants to calculate the NPV of the proposed venture in order to determine whether the company should make the investment. After studying the riskiness of the proposed venture, Apelbaum determines that the beta of the investment is 1.5. A U.S. Treasury note of comparable maturity
19、currently yields 7 percent, while the return on the S&P 500 stock index is 12 percent. Therefore, the discount rate Apelbaum will use when calculating the NPV of the investment will be: Although this is an overly simplified discussion of how consultants calculate discount rate to use in their cash-f
20、low analysis, it does give you an overview of how consultants incorporate the notion of an investments market to select the appropriate discount rate. Porters Five Forces Developed by Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter in his book Competitive Strategy, the Porters Five Forces framework
21、 helps determine the attractiveness of an industry. Before any company expands into new markets, divests product lines, acquires new businesses, or sells divisions, it should ask itself, “Is the industry were entering or exiting attractive?“ By using Porters Five Forces, a company can begin to devel
22、op a thoughtful answer. Consultants frequently utilize Porters Five Forces as a starting point to help companies evaluate industry attractiveness. Take, for example, entry into the copy store market (like Kinkos). How attractive is the copy store market? Potential entrants: What is the threat of new
23、 entrants into the market? Copy stores are not very expensive to open - you can conceivably open a copy store with one copier and one employee. Therefore, barriers to entry are low, so theres a high risk of potential new entrants. Buyer power: How much bargaining power do buyers have? Copy store cus
24、tomers are relatively price sensitive. Between the choice of a copy store that charges 5 cents a copy and a store that charges 6 cents a copy, buyers will usually head for the cheaper store. Because copy stores are common, buyers have the leverage to bargain with copy store owners on large print job
25、s, threatening to take their business elsewhere. The only mitigating factors are location and hours. On the other hand, price is not the only factor. Copy stores that are willing to stay open 24 hours may be able to charge a premium, and customers may simply patronize the copy store closest to them
26、if other locations are relatively inconvenient. Supplier power: How much bargaining power do suppliers have? While paper prices may be on the rise, copier prices continue to fall. The skill level employees need to operate a copy shop (for basic services, like copying, collating, etc.) are relatively
27、 low as well, meaning that employees will have little bargaining power. Suppliers in this situation have low bargaining power. Threat of substitutes: What is the risk of substitution? For basic copying jobs, more people now possess color printers at home. Additionally, fax machines have the capabili
28、ty to fulfill copy functions as well. Large companies will normally have their own copying facilities. However, for large-scale projects, most individuals and employees at small companies will still use the services of a copy shop. The Internet is a potential threat to copy stores as well, because s
29、ome documents that formerly would be distributed in hard copy will now be posted on the Web or sent through e-mail. However, for the time being, there is still relatively strong demand for copy store services. Competition: Competition within the industry appears to be intense. Stores often compete o
30、n price, and are willing to “underbid“ one another to win printing contracts. Stores continue to add new features to compete as well, such as expanding hours to 24-hour service and offering free delivery. From this analysis, you can ascertain that copy stores are something of a commodity market. Con
31、sumers are very price-sensitive, copy stores are inexpensive to set up, and the market is relatively easily entered by competitors. Advances in technology may reduce the size of the copy store market. Value-added services, such as late hours, convenient locations, or additional services such as crea
32、ting calendars or stickers, may help copy stores differentiate themselves. But overall, the copy store industry does not appear to be an attractive one. As dot-coms come under fire, one case question weve heard increasingly is “How would you create barriers to entry as an Internet Startup?“ Product
33、life cycle curve If youre considering a product case, figure out how “mature“ your product or service is Strategy tool/framework chart Heres one way to think about the choice between being the lowest-cost provider or carving out a higher-end market niche - what consultants call differentiation. The
34、Four Ps This is a useful framework for evaluating marketing cases. It can be applied to both products and services. The Four Ps consist of: Price The price a firm sets for its product/service can be a strategic advantage. For example, it can be predatory (set very low to undercut the competition), o
35、r it can be set slightly above market average to convey a “premium“ image. Consider how pricing is being used in the context of the case presented to you. Product The product (or service) may provide strategic advantage if it is the only product/service that satisfies a particular intersection of cu
36、stomer needs. Or it may simply be an extension of already existing products, and therefore not much of a benefit. Try to tease out the value of the product in the marketplace based on the case details you have been given. Position/Place The physical location of a product/service can provide an advan
37、tage if it is superior to its competition, if it is easier or more convenient for people to consume, or if it makes the consumer more aware of the product/service over its competition. In the context of a business case, you may want to determine the placement of the product or service compared to it
38、s competition. Promotion With so much noise in todays consumer (and business to business) marketplace, it is difficult for any one product/service to stand out in a category. Promotional activity (including advertising, discounting to consumers and suppliers, celebrity appearances, etc.) can be used
39、 to create or maintain consumer awareness, open new markets, or target a specific competitor. You may want to suggest a promotional strategy in the context of the case you are presented relative to the promotional activity of other competing products/services. The Four Cs The Four Cs are especially
40、useful for analyzing new product introductions and for industry analysis. Customers How is the market segmented? What are the purchase criteria that customers use? Competition What is the market share of the clients? What is its market position? What is its strategy? What is its cost position? Does
41、he/she have any market advantages? Cost What kind of economies of scale does the client have? What is the clients experience curve? Will increased production lower cost? Capabilities What resources can the client draw from? How is the client organized? What is the production system? The Five Cs This
42、 framework is mostly applied to financial cases and to companies (although it can be applied to individuals). You may employ it in other situations if you think it is appropriate. Character Evaluate the dedication, track record, and overall consumer perception of the company. Are there any legal act
43、ions pending against the company? If so, for what reason? Is the company progressive about its waste disposal, quality of life for its employees, and charitable contributions? What sort of impact would this have on the case you are evaluating? Capacity If you are dealing with a manufacturing entity,
44、 are its factories at, above, or below capacity, and for what reasons? Are there plans to add new plants, improve the technology in existing plants, or close underperforming plants? What about production overseas? Capital What is the companys cost of capital relative to its competitors? How healthy
45、are its cash flows, revenues, and debt load relative to its competition? Conditions What is the current business climate the company (and its industry) faces? What is the short- and long-term growth potential in the industry? How is the market characterized? Is it emerging or mature? These questions
46、 can assist you in evaluating the facts of the case against the environment that the company/industry inhabits. Competitive Advantage This is the unique edge a company possesses over its competitors. It can be an unparalleled set of business processes, the ability to produce a product/service at a l
47、ower cost, charge a market premium, or any number of other assets that create an advantage over other market players. Whatever the case, these advantages are usually defensible and not easily copied. In evaluating business cases using the Five Cs framework, you should look for those unique qualities
48、 that a company possesses and identify any that meet the criteria mentioned above. You may suggest that the company leverage its competitive advantage more aggressively or recommend alternatives if that company has no discernible advantage. Value Chain Analysis This approach involves assessing a com
49、panys overall business processes and identifying where that company actually adds value to a product or service. The total margin of profit will be the value of the product or service to buyers, less the cost of its production, as determined by the value chain. In most cases, a competitive advantage is only temporary for many of todays products/services. Being first to market, having a unique formula or configuration, or having exclusivity in a market were once long-term defensible strategies. But today,
