MBA Strategic Recommendations

Main contact
Associate Professor
(2)
3
Timeline
  • November 18, 2018
    Experience start
  • May 31, 2018
    Midway Check In
  • December 10, 2018
    Final Presentation
  • December 10, 2018
    Supporting Documentation
  • December 17, 2018
    Experience end
Experience
3 projects wanted
Dates set by experience
Preferred companies
Ontario, Canada
Social Enterprise, Large enterprise, Small to medium enterprise, Family-Owned
Any industries

Experience scope

Categories
Product or service launch
Skills
strategic planning analytic thinking process improvement communication data analysis
Learner goals and capabilities

A full class of MBA students will work to develop and propose strategic solutions to a deployment, investment, or utilization challenge or opportunity your organization faces.

Learners

Learners
Any level
40 learners
Project
15 hours per learner
Learners self-assign
Teams of 4
Expected outcomes and deliverables

Final deliverables include:

  • A final presentation outlining the strategic recommendations from each student-consultant group. Organizations are strongly encouraged to attend all final presentations in person or remotely and determine a 'winning' proposal.
  • Supporting documentation from groups (ie statements, diagrams, research, etc.).
Project timeline
  • November 18, 2018
    Experience start
  • May 31, 2018
    Midway Check In
  • December 10, 2018
    Final Presentation
  • December 10, 2018
    Supporting Documentation
  • December 17, 2018
    Experience end

Project examples

Beginning this September, approximately 40 MBA students will work over the course of the semester to analyze a strategic challenge or opportunity your organization faces and provide you with effective recommendations.

Student-consultants will first individually apply academic theory and personal insights to develop strategic recommendations for your organization to implement. Based on the solution they develop, they will then be put into groups of 4-5 student-consultants to collaborate and produce a final proposal for your organization.

Example projects include, but are not limited to:

  • Developing a five-year growth strategy.
  • Creating and implementing a diversification plan.
  • Entering new markets (e.g., new products, international expansion).
  • Investigating and recommending a product or service expansion opportunity.
  • Developing a financial and strategic feasibility model.
  • Due diligence on a merger, acquisition, or joint venture.
  • External analysis of industry structure, competitive forces, and strategic groups.

Note: The best problems are those that involve the deployment, investment, or utilization of your organization's specialized resources and or capabilities to create value (economic and or social).

Additional company criteria

Companies must answer the following questions to submit a match request to this experience:

  • Q1 - Checkbox
    Attend the final presentations in December. Exact time TBD pending exam schedule.
  • Q2 - Checkbox
    Collaborate with the professor to provide a short written case (3-5 pages plus figures) including the problem, industry background, appropriate company financials, etc.
  • Q3 - Checkbox
    Provide a live presentation of your current strategic problem during week of November 19th. The problem must be strategic in nature.
  • Q4 - Checkbox
    Be available for a quick phone call with the professorto initiate your relationship and confirm your scope is an appropriate fit.
  • Q5 - Checkbox
    Minimum of 2-4 interactions with the students in-person or remotely (approximately 4-6 hours over the duration of the project).
  • Q6 - Checkbox
    Provide a dedicated contact who will be available to answer periodic emails or phone calls over the duration of the project to address student’s questions or provide additional information.
  • Q7 - Checkbox
    Be available for 5 hours (consecutively or in two 2.5 hour blocks) to meet with student groups for 30 minutes at a time in the first week of December prior to final presentations.