Case Study@VGSoM

The CASE :

There's a non-ferrous metal manufacturing company which is the market leader in India. But for the last two years it is running in losses because of the cyclical nature of the business. The cyclical nature being that one year you incur a loss, while the very next year you have a profit. Some high level manager ( i dont remember the designation) needed help. He had 2 options:
(i) To expand is some related sector like asbestos sheets, rods, etc which had similar boom-bust cycle, and
(ii) To diversify to a totally new high gain sector.

So, the manager needs to convey his thoughts to his superiors. What should he do now?

The SITUATION :
There were twelve (11 guys and 1 girl) of us in the room sitting in the form of U shape. The panel comprised of 3 professors from IIT Kharagpur.
I was candidate no. 6, more or less centrally placed in the U shape.

The TWIST :
In a normal scenario, when a case study starts it begins from candidate 1, then 2, until it reaches 12. here was the googly. They made 12 chits with 1..12 written on it and put it in a bowl. One of the professors told

India is a democratic country, we have to appease everyone...so in order to randomize the process...we will pick up a chit and the no. written on it will be called aloud. The candidate having the same no. will then speak for a minute.

So inspite of being candidate 6, my turn to speak came 10th.

The STUDY BEGINS :
The candidates spoke in favour of either of the points and finally stuck with one point. I could easily feel that by the time my turn comes to speak, i would be devoid of any new points of my own (a very common phenomenon in a group discussion or case study). My mind went into overdrive at that moment, and i could literally feel my heart beating oops zooming.

The TURN finally comes :
Finally it was my turn to speak. I put forward my strong case of the possible scenario where we can utilise both the options. In case of the first option the favourable points being the ready market(it being the market leader), gathering funds from the financial institutes, etc. In the mean time, the company can develop its R&D center to explore other channels. It can also go for a feasibility study from a consulting firm to deliberate about the pros and cons of diversifying. So, we are exploring about the possibilty of utlising the second option as well.

The FINAL TWIST :
After all had finished with their turn, the professor told

Now it will be an open discussion. Our earlier experience at Mumbai and Delhi is that it turns out to be a fishmarket. So appoint a moderator and he /she will guide the dicussion.

I told that why dont u select a chit once more, so that the guy/girl can be randomly selected?
He then told, ok, u be the moderator.
Bas fir kya tha..dil bol raha tha maar dala...maar dala..
But i managed it well perhaps, which i learnt later during my interview.