Practice Case Studies for MBA Group Discussions

Practice Case Studies

Case Study I

There is a peculiar situation in a particular firm. A talented woman employee is the only earning member of her family, since her husband does not do any work. At the same time, he insists that his wife come home on time and not spend extra time at work, so that she manages household work, takes care of the children etc.

As a result, her boss notices that at times, the woman comes in to office tired and sleepy. In addition, at times, she has to leave for the day with work unfinished.

What would you do if you were the woman’s boss?


Case Study II

Your name is XX. You are in the R&D division of a well-known and reputed firm. A couple of years back, you had come up with an idea for a revolutionary new product that you thought would take the market by storm. You had shared this idea with both your immediate boss as well as the CEO of the firm. Your immediate boss too thought that the idea was a fantastic one and that the product would be highly successful. Unfortunately, the CEO did not agree and hence, no action was taken.

Now, it so happens that your immediate boss has taken over as the new CEO of the firm. He remembers your idea and states his intention to launch the new product. He also clearly indicates that you would soon be getting a handsome reward for your idea.

However, your own thoughts about the product have now changed. You have begun to agree to the old CEO’s view that the product may not be so successful and runs the risk of becoming obsolete soon after its launch, meaning that the investment on it would be wasted.

What would you do? If you share your new opinions about the product with the new CEO, you may well lose the reward that he had promised you..



Case Study III

You are the district collector of an area. The Government is planning a large project in the area and states that it would provide incomes and employment to a number of people in the area. However, the local people are completely against the project and feel that it would actually lead to a loss of their livelihoods.

In addition, they protest that the compensation that they are supposed to get is very low and does not reflect the true value of the land that they are being forced to give up. They also have concerns about the Project Developer, whom they feel is an unscrupulous person.


What would you do in this situation?







Case Study IV

You have witnessed an accident. A car ran over an old man and injured him badly. The car does not stop, but the driver speeds away. You are not absolutely sure, but you are reasonably certain that you have recognized the car as one that belongs to a close friend of yours.

What would you do in this case? Would you inform the police as to whose car it was?







Case Study V

You are leading a team at a well known corporate firm. One of your employees is a brilliant performer and always gets things done. His work is far better than anyone else’s.

However, there is also one problem. He is a poor team player. His team members complain that he is highly individualistic, does not co-operate with them, etc. If he asked to lead a project, he subjects them to too much stress and demands, most of which they feel are unachievable.

What should you do?





Case Study VI

You are a Senior Manager, heading a particular Business Unit. Below you is a Manager, who is extremely competent in his work and also, is excellent at presentation skills. As a result, he has helped your unit win significant additional business.

The problem is that not many sub-ordinates like this manager’s management style. He tends to micro-manage work, ask for frequent updates, look over people’s shoulder as they work etc. As a result, he has become quite unpopular. Some of your sub-ordinates have even left the firm due to this reason, stating that they could not tolerate this kind of ‘intrusive behaviour’.

What would you do?







Case Study VII

You have just joined as the Head of Operations of a large firm. While reviewing the Projects currently being implemented, you notice a big problem with one of them.

This particular project is running way behind schedule and there have also been large over-runs in terms of cost.

You make preliminary enquiries and find that the Managers of the project blame the Project Management Consultant who had earlier been appointed to take care of implementation. On the other hand, the Project Management Consultant states that the Project Managers are to blame.

What do you plan to do?




Case Study VIII

You are in a Senior Management role. Your company operates in an industry in which there are only two other major players. Due to your company’s success, it decides to expand.

It thus hires a number of people who were earlier employed with its competitors. As you can imagine, they react strongly and accuse you of ‘poaching’ their employees and threaten legal action.

What would you do?








Case Study IX

Your family has been running their own export-oriented business for a number of years and been doing fairly well. Your father sends you abroad to do an MBA. You complete your degree and return back.

You wish to work in the corporate sector; however, your family insists that you should join the family business.

They state that this is why they had made you do an MBA, and had even funded the expensive course from abroad. If you had to work in the corporate sector, you might as well have done your MBA in India, is their argument. They sent you abroad for your MBA so that you gain an international exposure, so important for an export-oriented business. In addition, if you now don’t manage the family business, they who shall?

What would you do?




Case Study X

Your family has been running their own export-oriented business for a number of years and been doing fairly well. Your father sends you abroad to do an MBA. You complete your degree and return back to join the family business.

You now express a wish to expand the business by hiring more people, including others with an MBA degree from good institutes.

Your family opposes this, stating that MBAs are too expensive and will not add much value. “They have no practical knowledge, ” states one of your older family members. Another adds that they are likely to leave for ‘greener pastures’ any time they get a chance. In short, they do not support your idea at all.

What would you do?

Case Study XI

You are a talented girl from a successful business family. Your family has educated you well and you complete your post-graduation from a reputed University.

When the time comes for you to start working, however, you are rather shocked to find that your family opposes this. They make it clear that you should get married soon and take care of the household in your husband’s home. They start looking for a match for you.

You are left very surprised and hurt at your family’s attitude, which you feel is old-fashioned and discriminatory. What do you plan to do?




Case Study XII

You are the Managing Director of a family-owned firm that has been around for several years in the country. Your company has a good reputation in the market for its products, but is not known to be a good pay-master.

You see a big opportunity for your firm to diversify into a new sunrise industry. However, the salaries typically offered in this new sector are much higher than those in the businesses you currently manage. You know that there will be a big hue-and-cry if you establish a new firm and offer substantially higher salaries in this company.

At the same time, the new industry offers substantial profits and you know that a company with an established good reputation could do really well.

How will you manage the situation?