Business Consulting

CATALOG DESCRIPTION: A field-based course, open to all economics and business students, designed to develop strategic problem solving skills in a corporate setting. Emphasis is placed on the complexities of organizational environments and the implications of different strategies on firm organizational structure and prospects.

RATIONALE: This course offers students an opportunity to apply their academic coursework and learnings to real business problems. It pairs students with international peers to work jointly on a common project and as such it has a strong international dimension. It constitutes a first step towards a professional career in the business consulting industry.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: As a result of taking this course, the student will be able to: 1. Apply business research skills to complete a business project based on information provided by the sponsor firm 2. Evaluate current business practices of a business organization 3. Analyze and synthesize business information and make appropriate strategic decisions 4. Demonstrate the ability to work as part of a culturally diverse team 5. Apply professional communication skills to present an executive summary of project results to the project sponsor firm

METHOD OF TEACHING AND LEARNING: Aligned with the teaching and learning strategy of the college, the following methodology is applied:

- Students are trained in the fundamentals of consulting (data gathering, diagnosis of issues, research & analysis, development of recommendations) and communication in a professional environment (development and presentation of a consulting report).

- In addition to traditional lecturing and applied learning exercises, professional consultants are invited for guest lectures to add context and perspective to the field of consulting.

- During the practicum period, DEREE students are paired with students from other universities to execute a consulting project for a sponsor company. Projects focus on various management topics, including performance measurement, marketing plan development, international business strategy, corporate structure, financial analysis and strategy development, as well as information technology.

- Upon completion of the course, students provide a reflective essay, stating reflections and learnings from the experience.

ASSESSMENT:

Summative: Coursework: Research and Analysis Case (individual; 800- 1,000 words) 20%

Consulting project and presentation 80%

The formative coursework aims to prepare students for the examination, and to enable students to achieve an appropriate balance between the theoretical (conceptual) and applied aspects of the subject. The coursework tests Learning Outcome 1. The project and presentation test Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. The final grade for this module will be determined by averaging all summative assessment grades, based on the predetermined weights for each assessment. Students are not required to resit failed assessments in this module. Failure to pass the module results in module repeat.