Making history: Participating in the LBS International Case Competition finals
By Raghav Mallavarapu ’25 Evening & Weekend MBA Program
“Congratulations, buddy! We made it. We’re advancing to the finals!” These words hit like a jolt of adrenaline. Sitting at my desk, drowning in back-to-back work calls, I was in sheer disbelief. Mridul, the relentless driver and the moving force that kept us going even when the road was unclear, had just dropped the biggest news of our journey.
Four part-time MBA students — Mridul Mohta, Sai Nagarjuna Ankala, Hirak Buch and I — had just become the first team from the Kellogg Evening & Weekend Program and the only North American team to secure a spot in the 2024 London Business School Impact Case Competition finals. We had been juggling demanding careers, evening classes, late-night study sessions and the grueling pace of an elite competition. This wasn’t just another milestone — this was our moment.
The weight of the moment was undeniable and the challenge ahead was as exhilarating as it was humbling. In just a short time, we would be standing on an international stage, presenting our strategic recommendations before a panel of Strategy& consultants competing against elite MBA teams from globally renowned institutions.
But this was more than a competition. It was a proving ground, an arena that demanded intellectual rigor, and the agility to thrive in the high-stakes landscape of consulting environment. A sandbox to put ourselves to the test, where resilience, strategic ingenuity and the ability to think under pressure would be tested at the highest level. A crucible where we would push our limits, refine our skills and emerge more capable of stepping into the very future we had been preparing for.
Confronting the challenge: A nation at the digital crossroads
The case presented us with a complex societal challenge: to develop a comprehensive strategy for the leadership of a rapidly growing, digitally connected nation facing dual cybersecurity crises, including an increase in cyberbullying among teenagers and a rise in sophisticated phishing attacks targeting the elderly population. The challenge resonated deeply with our team, as we recognized that these weren’t merely hypothetical scenarios but reflections of urgent real-world issues affecting vulnerable demographics and digitized construct across modernizing societies.
What made this challenge particularly compelling was its multifaceted nature requiring solutions that balanced technological interventions, policy frameworks, educational initiatives and cultural considerations. We quickly realized that a one-dimensional approach would be insufficient.
The 10-day timeframe presented a significant challenge. Our team was committed to delivering more than just a theoretical deck — we wanted to develop actionable recommendations grounded in real insights. This goal meant conducting primary research alongside our demanding day jobs and evening classes then powering through all-nighters, only to drive back from the city straight to our respective workplaces.
Strategic immersion: Applying academic frameworks to real-world problems
Instead of treating the case as an abstract exercise, we applied the Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive (MECE) problem-solving framework, which we had practiced extensively in our experiential classes, the Deans Consulting Alliance and client-driven field studies. This methodology was invaluable in identifying unique problems within the overarching complex challenge.
Also, rather than relying solely on secondary research, we leveraged our network within the Kellogg community, connecting with fellow students who were parents of teenagers, cybersecurity professionals and individuals who worked with elderly populations. These conversations revealed the deeply human and user-centric nature of the problem, providing crucial insights that sharpened our understanding and shaped our approach.
We identified all parties involved in both cyberbullying and elderly phishing scenarios from government agencies and technology platforms to schools, community organizations and families. This comprehensive stakeholder analysis revealed potential intervention points that might otherwise have been overlooked. We recognized that effective solutions in highly developed digital ecosystems might be inappropriate for nations still building their technological infrastructure and digital literacy.
A pivotal moment came on day six when we realized our initial approach was too fragmented. Drawing on the systems thinking concepts, we restructured our entire framework to create an integrated solution that addressed root causes rather than symptoms. This decision meant discarding significant portions of our work, but the cohesive strategy that emerged proved far stronger.
The 10-Day marathon: Dedication beyond deadline
The competition’s 10-day timeline demanded exceptional time management and resilience. We established a rigorous schedule: morning for individual research before work, evenings for team alignment sessions and late nights for collaborative development. As the deadline approached, we pulled two all-nighters in the school’s meeting rooms, fueled by determination and countless cups of coffee.
What sustained us through this intense period was our shared commitment to problem-solving and the challenge’s social importance. This wasn’t merely an academic exercise but an opportunity to address issues that had real-world implications. The high-impact, high-empathy mindset cultivated at the classroom session and through our Kellogg interactions permeated our approach. Ideas were valued based on their merit rather than their source, and each team member willingly took on whatever necessary tasks regardless of formal roles.
The final 48 hours were particularly grueling. After a full workday followed by an evening class, we gathered in a study room to integrate our components and refine our presentation. We worked continuously until 5:00 a.m., drove home to shower and change and then reported to our day jobs. Despite the exhaustion, there was unmistakable energy driving us forward — the belief that we were creating something meaningful.
Emerging with a stronger consulting mindset
This experience reinforced several critical consulting lessons. First, the importance of spending adequate time understanding the challenge before rushing to solutions. Second, the value of primary research and stakeholder engagement in developing nuanced insights. And third, a need to balance structured analytical frameworks with creative thinking.
The competition revealed that effective consulting isn’t about having all the answers immediately but rather about asking the right questions and following a disciplined problem-solving approach. The MECE framework we applied is identical to methodologies used by leading consulting firms, providing practical experience that classroom exercises alone cannot replicate.
What ultimately distinguished our team from the rest, I believe, was our commitment to understanding the human dimension of the challenge. We recognized that behind every data point were real people: teenagers struggling with online harassment and elderly individuals vulnerable to financial exploitation. This empathetic perspective, combined with analytical rigor, produced recommendations that were both technically sound and implementable.
This experience has cemented both my own and our team’s desire to pivot into consulting. The intensity of the competition — diving deep into complex problems, synthesizing diverse perspectives and developing actionable recommendations under tight deadlines — mirrors the consulting experience. Personally, I have gained confidence in my ability to navigate ambiguity and structure problems systematically and working alongside Mridul, Sai and Hirak has reinforced the power of collaboration, adaptability and strategic thinking — essential skills for successful consulting engagements.
As I continue my journey at Kellogg, I carry forward a deeper appreciation for collaborative problem-solving and the power of diverse perspectives. The competition demonstrated that the most robust solutions emerge when we combine analytical frameworks with genuine stakeholder engagement — a lesson our team will apply throughout our consulting careers.
The London Business School Impact Case Competition transformed us from students into strategic thinkers. While the academic knowledge from Kellogg provided our foundation, it was the school’s emphasis on practical application and collaborative problem-solving that enabled us to translate classroom theories into a competitive strategy.
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