Case Type: new business; investment.
Consulting Firm: Cognizant Business Consulting (CBC) 2nd round job interview.
Industry Coverage: apparel, clothing; sports, leisure & recreation.
Case Interview Question #00434: Our client is American business magnate, investor and philanthropist Mr. Bill Gates, the former CEO and current chairman of software company Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT and NYSE: MSFT). Bill Gates is consistently ranked among the world’s wealthiest people, with an 
estimated net worth of USD $59 billion in 2011.
Melinda Gates, the wife of Bill Gates, is a really good golfer. Recently, Melinda is thinking of entering the golf apparel business for women. You have been hired by Bill & Melinda Gates to find out if this idea is a good investment and how much money would they need to invest. As a business consultant, how would you go about helping the Gates analyze the women’s golf apparel business?
Possible Answers:
Part 1: Gather additional information
At the very beginning of the case, the interviewer should let the candidate ask for the relevant information. Here are some of the questions the candidate should be asking. The exact numbers are not very important, they are just meant to give the candidate a directional sense.
1. How big is the women’s golf apparel industry?
Historically golf has been a rich man’s game. However in the recent years, there has been an increase in the number of women playing the game, both professionally and casually. The industry is projected to grow at about 25% for the next 5 years and then ramp down to a 5% growth by the end of 10 years.
2. Are there any competitors?
