Exam Best Practice Aim of Presentation To inspire you - in how to prepare increased performance To guide you - in what not to do To suggest to you – a structured answer of the exam questions John Sohn Henley student 2006/01 – 2009/05 MBA (part 3 average grade) A Part 3 exam A+ Developed the Exam Best Practice Model Part 1 & 2 fulfilled at average grade level www.johnsohn.dk 1

Best practice guide Understand the case and prepare notes (3 weeks) Know how to answer and what to write (3 hours) 50% Comfort zone Stress zone Learning opportunity www.johnsohn.dk 2

How to fail an Exam – for sure Work alone Repeat your notes in you exam booklet Focus on details rather than the story Be descriptive – do not discuss Use the notes of others Suggest innovative genius solutions Don’t relate to the case Don’t answer the question Make sure you fail on more than 3 of the above www.johnsohn.dk 3

Study the case in teams One week (5-6 days) away from the world Question and listen to each other Agree on the story-line Make time to have fun It will be an experience to remember for a lifetime www.johnsohn.dk 4

Read and Describe an Overview of the Case Situation in brief Where are they and where were they supposed to be (present) What went wrong and why (past) What should management do (future) www.johnsohn.dk 5

Make a timeline www.johnsohn.dk 6

Calculate ALL financial data www.johnsohn.dk 7

Do ALL the relevant strategic analysis Relevance means - SO WHAT conclusion Narrow down in further theories and models in KEY ISSUES www.johnsohn.dk 8

Describe ALL the relevant business transformation issues Relevance means – USEFULL TO MANAGEMENT Narrow down in further theories and models in KEY ISSUES www.johnsohn.dk 9

Create an Overview + Restate “The Situation in Brief” www.johnsohn.dk 10

Do the note sheet ALONE but - inspire each other Make it a positive contribution Note sheet is evaluated www.johnsohn.dk 111

The Purpose of Your Exam Response This is what your grade Will depend of to determine the answer to the questions in as broad a perspective as possible, and how you could develop an answer that support this! to develop and explanation of the points you make, that are relevant to the answer! to show you know, can use and apply theory and models to cases specific data (qualitative and quantitative)! to answer question and demonstrate logical and useful conclusions relevant to management in the case! www.johnsohn.dk 122

Prepare your mind at the exam This will prepare your mind for meeting the purpose read carefully and see it in the full case perspective note your answer either in notes (quick/short) or in exam booklet (risky if your discussion afterwards is not related) make a note of the structure of models/theory and discussion you will use to lead to your answer use your prepared models to be sure of WHAT and WHERE the case relevance are, and WHY it or connections between models are relevant in the broad context of the case www.johnsohn.dk 133

This will assist in alignment of your mind and pen to the expectations of the examining party www.johnsohn.dk 144

Chance favors the prepared mind! Forget electives and dissertation for a while Make the next three weeks something to remember for the rest of your life Chance favors the prepared mind! www.johnsohn.dk 155