Use these cases when no member has a live problem to bring — or when the group wants to practice a specific type of analysis without the stakes of a real situation. Each case is intentionally varied in industry and problem type to match different strengths in the library.
The person playing Client should spend five minutes reading the case carefully before presenting — it helps to inhabit the role rather than just reading from the page. The Client can answer questions that aren't in the brief by extrapolating from what's given; they don't need to know what the "right answer" is.
Case 1: The Community Hospital Crossroads
Situation: Mercy Regional is a 450-bed community hospital and the dominant provider in a mid-size metro area. The system has been profitable for a decade, but a large academic medical center 35 miles away recently announced plans to open a satellite oncology clinic in Mercy's market. Mercy's board is split on how to respond. One faction wants to invest $85M in building a new oncology center to compete head-on. Another argues for a formal partnership with the academic center rather than a costly new facility. The CFO notes that the $85M would be debt-financed at a time when operating margins have compressed from 7% to 4% over three years. The board meeting is in six weeks.
Core question: Should Mercy build the oncology center, and if so, should it go independent or partner with the academic center?
Frameworks to reach for: Porter's Five Forces, Ansoff Matrix, Stakeholder Mapping, Prioritization
Case 2: The SaaS Slowdown
Situation: Vantage HR is a 400-person SaaS company serving mid-market HR and people operations teams. Eighteen months ago the company was growing at 40% year-over-year; today growth has slowed to 12%. Monthly gross revenue churn has risen from 1.8% to 2.4%. Leadership is split: the CEO believes it's a market saturation problem, the CRO thinks it's a sales execution problem, and the CPO argues the product has fallen behind. Net Revenue Retention remains strong (108%) among the top 20% of customers. New logo acquisition has declined more sharply than expansion revenue. A recent customer survey shows high satisfaction with core features but complaints about integrations and implementation time.
Core question: What is actually driving the slowdown, and where should the company focus to return to growth?
Frameworks to reach for: Profitability / Revenue Tree, Root-Cause Tools, Marketing Mix / Jobs-to-be-Done, Hypothesis-Driven Approach
Case 3: The Brand Under Siege
Situation: Fieldstone is a regional snack and specialty food brand with strong loyalty in the Pacific Northwest. Eighteen months ago, a national DTC competitor launched with near-identical positioning — "wholesome, ingredient-forward snacks" — using a direct-to-consumer model that eliminates the retailer markup, enabling prices 25% lower than Fieldstone's retail shelf price. The competitor has grown 60% since launch. Fieldstone's retail sales are flat; margins have compressed as retailers demand increased trade spending to keep Fieldstone on shelf. Fieldstone has loyal customers but limited digital presence. Retail accounts represent 94% of revenue. The company has not launched a DTC channel.
Core question: How should Fieldstone respond to the DTC threat without abandoning the retail relationships that built the brand?
Frameworks to reach for: Porter's Five Forces, Value Chain Analysis, Blue Ocean Strategy, Marketing Mix / Jobs-to-be-Done, Ansoff Matrix
Case 4: The Advisory Firm's Next Move
Situation: Aldridge Partners is a 120-person management consulting firm based in Denver with a strong regional reputation in financial services and healthcare. The firm has been profitable for 12 consecutive years. Two growth paths are actively debated by the partners: (A) open offices in two adjacent markets — Phoenix and Salt Lake City — following the traditional geographic expansion model; (B) invest in building a virtual delivery capability and national digital presence, serving clients across the country without physical expansion. The Denver market is becoming more competitive as national firms expand their regional footprints. A junior partner made a compelling case for Option B at the last partners' retreat but was not taken seriously.
Core question: Which expansion path should the firm pursue, and on what basis should the partners make this decision?
Frameworks to reach for: Ansoff Matrix, Three Horizons, Business Model Canvas, Stakeholder Mapping, OGSM
Case 5: The Margin Squeeze
Situation: Apex Packaging is a specialty packaging manufacturer serving food and pharmaceutical companies. Over three years, EBITDA margin has declined from 18% to 11%, despite 8% annual revenue growth. The CFO has run preliminary analysis suggesting the problem may be on the cost side, but the CEO believes pricing pressure from customers is the primary driver. Raw material costs (resins and films) have increased 22% over the period. Headcount has grown faster than revenue. Two major customers representing 35% of revenue renegotiated contracts at lower prices 18 months ago. The company has not raised prices to smaller customers in two years. The board wants a clear diagnosis before next quarter's earnings call.
Core question: What is causing the margin decline — and what should management do about it?
Frameworks to reach for: Profit / Profitability Tree, Root-Cause Tools (5 Whys / Fishbone), Value Chain Analysis, PESTEL
Use the Client Brief Template to prepare the case before presenting it.