Course Overview Entrepreneurship Is the Pursuit of Opportunity Without Regard to Resources

Course: Management 622

Title: Management Consulting

Instructor: Dr. David Y Choi [email protected] x: 8-2344 Office: Hilton 200B

Course Schedule: W: 7:15 – 10:00 pm

Office hours: TuWe Th 4:30 – 6:30 and by appointment

Course Overview This course is designed to provide an introduction to management consulting and the consulting industry. It is aimed at covering basic conceptual, analytical, and technical knowledge and skill sets necessary for consultancy engagement success. The course draws on a broad selection of readings, cases, guest speakers, and projects to examine how organizational issues are identified, analyzed, and resolved through the consulting process.

A highlight of the course is the formation of student teams for the undertaking of real client projects for local companies. The teams consult with the client organizations, develop project proposals, and get hands-on experience through the management consulting process. Specific deliverables such as strategic recommendations, action plans, reports, and presentations are generated.

Topics covered include an overview of the management consulting industry, consulting professionalism, consulting career considerations, the components of the consulting process, client management, data collection and analysis, team building/dynamics, application of strategic management concepts/frameworks, and the development of alternatives and recommendations. Presentation skills both oral and written will be emphasized also.

This course is recommended for those expecting to work as external or internal consultants (which is almost everyone), as well as for those who desire to sharpen project, teamwork, and client relations skills.

The Consulting Project: Students not interested in doing their absolute best in their client engagement should not take the course. Consulting is not for everybody and those with little interest should not be wasting their valuable time. We will be working with real client who depend on us to deliver results. Although our clients do not pay us, they end up spending an enormous amount of time providing information and answering questions. Not delivering solid work is an embarrassment to our class and our university.

Each team is to maintain the most professional relationship with its client(s). Each team will provide weekly progress report and a mid-semester and a final presentation to the client(s).

Industry Survey: Each student team (not necessarily the same as the consulting team) will be assigned to pick a segment within the consulting industry (e.g., IT consulting or HR consulting) and make a presentation to the class on a weekly basis. The presentation should discuss the overall segment, the players, future prospects, requirements to get into the industry, best ways to get a job in it, etc. Prerequisites: MBA status. Completed with many of the core courses such as accounting, organization, marketing and strategy. Curiosity about consulting. Serious, professional attitude.

Materials Required: Handbook of Management Consulting : The Contemporary Consultant, Insights from World Experts by Larry E. Greiner, Flemming Poulfelt. Also read and subscribe to http://www.consultant-news.com, http://www.consultinginfo.com, and http://www.vault.com to learn about management consulting.

Preparation: Students are expected to come prepared to class. Every team needs to come with proof of solid progress each week. Weekly progress report includes a page describing the progress made and new power point slides depicting the new analysis and insights each week. Every team member is expected to contribute their share to the weekly assignments.

Participation: Your participation will contribute to the success of all project teams. Valuable contributions through good questions, relevant remarks, and other participative activities that demonstrate your knowledge and encourage creative information and attitudinal exchange will be highly rewarded.

Ways you might flunk the course. This is a course that is designed to prepare you for the real world, so the course will be run as such. Therefore, these are some of the ways you may flunk the course: . Your client is not satisfied with the deliverable . Any sign of slacking (lack of professionalism) of any kind, which shows that you are not serious in delivering value to clients or maintaining/enhancing the reputation of our program . You don’t do your share of the group assignments, resulting in your teammates doing most of the work (“freeloaders”) . You do not come prepared to class, letting your team and class down . You show little sense of responsibility or respect for the class, e.g., by not contributing in project discussions . You show little courtesy to your classmates by continuing to be late and absent without a great reason . Your performance does not meet a certain minimum criteria as determined by the instructor

Grading Grading Items Dates Allocation % (might change) Participation & Preparation Weekly 25 % - Attendance - Participation - Discussion In-Class Consulting Industry TBD for each team 15 % Presentation Consulting Project Weekly Assignments 60 % Client Proposal Project Plan Initial Assessment Background Research Interview Results Hypotheses Development Mid-Project Presentation Recommendations Final Presentation Total 100 % The most important item is the consulting project. Instructor will also consider peer evaluation for grading purposes.

Class Activities: Note this is a course in development. Below is an approximate schedule of activities and materials to be covered. Week Main Topic Assignments Before Class Aug 31 Introduction to Class

Sep 7 Client meeting discussion Have met with clients Proposal discussion Client Project Proposal Draft Sep 14 Developing Hypotheses Signed Project Proposal Detailed Project Plan Progress Report – Initial Hypotheses Sep 21 Progress Report Team 1 Presentation Strategy Consulting Results of Background Research Sep 28 Progress Report Progress Report IT Consulting Team 2 Presentation Oct 5 Results of Completed Interviews Results of Completed Interviews Compile relevant readings (HBR etc) Oct 12 Progress Report Team 3 Presentation HR Consulting Oct 19 Mid-Semester Presentation Mid-Semester Presentation Oct 26 Progress Report Team 4 Presentation Operations Consulting Nov 2 Progress Report Team 5 Presentation Marketing Consulting Nov 9 Progress Report TBD Nov 16 Progress Report Team 6 Presentation Certain Consulting segment Nov 23 Recommendations Recommendations Nov 30 Progress Report Team 7 Presentation Certain Consulting segment Dec 7 Progress Report Team 8 Presentation Certain Consulting segment Dec 14 Final Presentation