This exercise walks students through using conjoint analysis to determine customer preferences and price sensitivity using the example of car sales. It includes steps to determine attribute levels, holdout concepts, training concepts, part-worth utilities, and validating the results. The students are tasked with designing their own conjoint experiment using the associated Excel workbook.
Associate Jack Hereford must analyze the earnings quality of Nuware Imports. His specific task is to assess the accounting policies of Nuware as aggressive or conservative and then recast the current earnings of the company as if it had employed the accounting policies used by its closest peer. A number of adjustments are required, including those related to inventory, receivables, fixed assets, s
This exercise consists of a set of incomplete worksheets with which students must calculate (1) the effect of hypothetical changes in capital structure on firm value, and (2) the effect of a major recapitalization on the share price of Koppers Company. Illustrating in particular Modigliani and Miller's theory about the relationship between debt and firm value in a taxable world, this exercise lays
The owners of a chain of hardware stores are preparing the most recent quarter financial statements. A number of business details are provided, including information to assess accrual accounting net income: sales, cost of sales, operating expenses, interest, depreciation, and taxes. The most recent balance sheet is provided, enabling an assessment of basic accruals (e.g., tax payable).
This case
This exercise and its accompanying handouts, designed to be used in courses for non-MBA audiences that explore aspects of entrepreneurship, guide students through the development of their very own business plan. From researching and deciding on a business concept, to developing prospective customer profiles and understanding target markets, to creating financial and operations projections, this se
These vignettes highlight several ethical issues for MBA students as they begin to look for a job. They serve as a practical springboard for a discussion of topics, including one's obligation to classmates, the recruiting firm, and the school itself.
This exercise is a way for facilitators to make in-the-moment adaptations to existing scripting exercises, in order to address questions and scenarios that arise during Giving Voice to Values (GVV) sessions. In a GVV program, participants are invited to practice scripting responses to and creating action plans for a values-challenging scenario. Sometimes, a participant’s values challenge starts to
In this set of three exercises, students are cast in the role of marketing manager of one of three product categories. They must choose a specific brand in their category and use research trend tools and Google Ads Keyword Planner to explore and analyze consumer demand, identify customer segments, research product features, identify competitors, and, finally, choose paid-search keywords. The exerc