Data Detective
This simulation is part of your Harvard Business School course pack and is open now on the Harvard website.
The simulation is designed to help you learn how the operating and financing characteristics of a business are reflected in its financial numbers. You will play a financial detective looking for clues to help you to identify each company based upon its common size income statement and balance sheet and selected ratios. In addition to identifying the companies, you are also asked to provide a rationale for your choice and to indicate your level of confidence in your choice..
A few tips on completing the exercise:
- Go through the tutorial before you start so that you understand the tools that are available to you.
- Read the entire description of the company that is provided; the detailed information will give you clues to what to expect on the common size financials.
- Start by trying to identify a company or companies that will not have a balance sheet account or expense line item that the other companies will have. Then try to work through the common size financials and ratios provided to match characteristics with the company descriptions given.
