Book Review: Case in Point

It's becoming more important (other people have convinced me it's becoming more important) to have a grasp on business basics, to have the fundamentals down, if you will. Not everyone has access to classes. If you'd like something less time consuming to help you think about business (notice I say not as an alternative to classes, or better yet, the actual practice), Case in Point may be a good start.

Case in Point (CIP)--which is meant to be preparation for consulting interviews--gives you a high quality framework for a variety of different subjects. Quick: What are some ways Coke should increase sales its revenue? Quick: How can Ben and Jerry estimate its market size and price strategy? Quick: Motorola wants to grow its company. What are some things you should think about? CIP helps you attempt to answer these questions.

My dad correctly pointed out to me that the answers are too general and don't depict reality--that it takes years to understand the complexities inherent in these decisions--but I'd still say that a framework is better than nothing. If you were an alien and wanted to understand our planet, wouldn't playing the Sims for a few hours (until your son went to military school or you used rosebud to renovate your house) be better than nothing?

I have underwent a case study with Robert, my friend who is applying for consulting positions and who I thank for introducing me to the subject, and I find that intellectually engaging in and of itself. I'm signed up for a business class with graduate students and engineers, we'll see if I stick with it.