PREPARATION FOR INTERVIEW

PREPARE FOR CASE-BASED GROUP DISCUSSION :

As mentioned earlier, a case is a written description of a situation or event. The case consists of the information which indicates the factors which have led the emergence of the problem. However, such information may not be as complete as one wish. Therefore, some assumptions are made about the factors leading to the emergence of the problem as well as its solution. A case may be very lengthy running into several pages or it may be short spreading into half a page or so. Because of time constraint, only short cases are used in group discussion. Before discussing the case, it has to be analyzed to identify factors leading to the problem and alternatives available to solve the problem. For analyzing a case, you can adopt following guidelines:

1. If questions at the end of a case have been given, read the question first. This will quicken the process of identifying problem. This process is based on the maxim: know the problem on prima facie basis and subsequently go into its details. Analysing a case within the stipulated time which uses to be quite short in the group discussion situation, is of paramount importance.
2. Read the case and identify: (a) what are the relevant facts about the problem or problems? (b) what are the crucial unknown aspects of the problem? (c) in what ways, can logic and reasoning be used to determine crucial inferences, connections, and relationships? And (d) in what manners, contradictory facts and arguments can be weighed in arriving at solutions.
3. If allowed, mark more relevant portions by a pencil. This practice will draw your attention more quickly during case discussion process. If not allowed for such a practice, write these portions briefly.
4. If you have made your first reading very quickly and some issues are not clear to you precisely, go for a second reading.

After case analysis, case discussion will start. During case discussion process, you may adopt the following guidelines:

1. If you are taking initiative to start case discussion, narrate briefly the case contents and factors that have generated the problems. You should also invite other candidates to take one question at a time for orderly discussion.
2. While participating in the case discussion, you define the problems and their solutions based on the facts given in the case. If these facts are not adequate to arrive at solutions which happen in many cases, make suitable assumptions and let others make known the basis of your assumptions.
3. Try to be specific in offering your solutions and avoid vague and over-generalized statements like ‘need for better management, ‘human nature, etc.’

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