Argomenti dell'insegnamento
The objective of this laboratory is to apply and thereby broaden students´ skills regarding analyzing and crafting strategies, organizational structures, processes, information management and corresponding technologies. Additionally, soft-skills and interpersonal ability to communicate and negotiate should be developed and/or improved. Students –ideally in collaboration with a similar cohort from Baruch College– will be assigned to specific business problems of firms and conduct consulting tasks that include application of knowledge acquired in previous courses especially in the BAC track of the Ms A&F or comparable majors. Through presenting the results of the consulting work in front of clients, lecturers, and fellow students communication skills are enhanced. • Role and functions of management consultants • Methods, instruments, and tools of management consulting • Communication with clients • Reporting and presenting results

Modalità di insegnamento
Some basic introductory sessions, frequent weekly feedback with client firms and lecturer and (re)directing sessions, final presentation preferably in front of clients; roundtable discussions and self-reflection.

Obiettivi formativi e risultati di apprendimento (ulteriori info.)
Knowledge and understanding: Knowledge of key aspects of management consulting and methodological approaches Applying knowledge and understanding: Applying this knowledge through interpreting the task, setting up a project, collaborate with team members and the client, to presenting results Making judgments: Ability to comprehend the clients’ needs and restrictions, to choose appropriate methods and presentation tools. Communication skills: Learn and practice to communicate effectively with client, team members, and supporting lecturing staff. Experience cross-cultural teamwork and environments. Learning skills: The need to gather and interpret data from different sources to solve or at least illustrate management problems advances learning skills. Interpersonal communication skills; presentation and negotiation skills

Modalità d'esame
Option A - Attending/active: Efforts and engagement shown ‘in-class’, during kick-off meetings, weekly ‘Jour-Fixe’ sessions, and in the client-student (consulting) communication and collaboration; demonstrated ability to access internal and external data-sources to solve the problem (30%), final report (50%), and team presentation (20%). Option N - Non-attending/no participation: Quality of a scholarly review article (20 text pages; approx. 10,000 words plus references, appendices if needed) on topical issues relevant for example to the consulting sector. Topics are only assigned by the lecturer at the beginning of the semester at the explicit request of the non-attending student. The student can submit non-binding suggestions. The due date of the work will be the exam date. A brief ‘contract’ based on an exposé provided by the student will be signed or agreed upon by the candidate and the lecturer. It is expected that the student shows exceptional effort for being provided an exception, i.e. non-attending. Knowledge of the basic literature listed below is required as well as proficiency in writing scholarly papers. The paper has to be written and presented in German and counts for 80% of the course grade. The remaining 20% is based on a written exam (MC; closed-book) in German.

Criteri di valutazione
Option A - Attending/active participation: See above; clients’ satisfaction and evaluation; breadth and depth of analyses; quality of report (content and formal requirements); quality of presentation (content and presentation skills) Option N - Non-attending/no participation: Content (complexity and difficulty), structure, comprehensiveness, writing, quantity and quality of scholarly sources used, and formal issues (e.g. citation and layout) – in short rigor and relevance and quality of presentation (content and presentation skills).

Bibliografia obbligatoria

Grant, R.M.: “Contemporary Strategy Analysis”, 9th ed., Wiley (ISBN: 9781119120834)

Nippa, M. & Petzold, K. „Functions and Roles of Management Consulting Firms - an Integrative Theoretical Framework.“ In: A.F. Buono (Ed.), Developing Knowledge and Value in Management Consulting: Research in Management Consulting, Volume 2. Information Age: Greenwich, CT: pp. 209-230.

Bibliografia facoltativa

Nippa, M. & Schneiderbauer, D. (2004) „Erfolgsmechanismen der Top-Management-Beratung. Einblicke und kritische Reflexionen von Branchenken-nern.“ Physica: Heidelberg, Berlin.

Altre informazioni
Since the majority of the course consists of external customer- and peer-oriented teamwork, their assessment of individual performance—in addition to continuous assessment in the consulting process—is included in the overall assessment. Free riding or dropping out of teamwork during the course should be avoided out of solidarity with the other students.