Questions on reduction in consumption waste

Question

Dear Ian,

Thank you for the case!

As I was solving this case, I noticed two things and I would like to get clarifications from you.

I noticed that the split between the three levels of income added up to 110% instead of 100%. Perhaps you may want to review the percentages so they add up to 100%.

Furthermore, in the final calculation, am I required to assume that developed countries contribute to all consumption waste globally?

Thank you!

Answer 1

Hi there,

My pleasure and I hope you enjoyed it!

Thank you for flagging the 110% issue. This is indeed a mistake and I'll look to get this fixed! Quick note that most cases have some sort of “error”. If it happens in a real interview, just roll with it.

For the final calculation, be careful here! There is a line in the case that says “The candidate should understand this and identify the developed world as the largest source of consumption waste.”

So, developed countries certainly do not contribute to all consumption waste globally. However, in the case we are saying that they contribute to a larger proportion of consumption waste. Two important things to note here:

80/20 rule. Consultants generally need to work towards the biggest hitters (both in cases and in real life)
In a case we will generally over-simplify in order to keep the case “contained”. Otherwise, the case would never end!

Thanks for the input and questions!

Answer 2

Hi there,

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. Even if I am not Ian, I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

First of all, you are correct with both statements.
Mistakenly, the three segments Wealthy, Middle Class, and Lower Class add up to 110% instead of 100%.
Moreover, even if there is a note that developing countries are the largest source of food waste, the case study ignores food waste in developing countries which indeed is not minor compared to developed countries, which certainly is an oversimplification.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Answer 3

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Answer 4

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Answer 5

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