MBA Consultancy Projects
UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
Contents
MBA Consultancy Projects
INTRODUCTION ........................................ 2
WHAT IS THE BIRMINGHAM APPROACH? ............ 3
DELOITTE TRAINED .................................... 4
WHAT COMPANIES SAY ............................... 5
CONSULTANCY PROJECT TIMELINE .................. 6
CONFIDENTIALITY ...................................... 7
COSTS .................................................... 7
ONGOING PROJECT MANAGEMENT ................. 8
HOW DO I GET STARTED? ............................. 9
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APPENDIX
CLIENT BRIEF / PROPOSAL FORM
MBA Consultancy Projects
Introduction
Companies in the UK and around the world can commission our MBA students for
summer consultancy work. This is an excellent high value - low resource-intensive –
consultancy offering that draws upon the diverse professional skills of our
experienced-hire MBA students.
Consultancy projects allow our students to demonstrate and develop their business
acumen, whilst providing an excellent strategic resource to your company and
allowing you to test their abilities before you recruit.
MBA Consultancy Projects
Students draw on the analytical and management skills they learn on our MBA
programme, in addition to their own business experience, multi-language abilities,
cultural skills and knowledge of their home market or sector specialism to provide
valuable input to the client company. The format of these projects is entirely
flexible. Students can be located within the company or carry out the investigation
as a field-based study from the University.
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You set the brief and we source the right student with the right professional
background and qualifications to successfully deliver what you need.
Our students are ready to help you find solutions and assist you by delivering
recommendations at the end of the project which can be in Finance, Marketing,
Strategy, Operations, IT, HRM, or any other business requirement.
The projects are approximately nine to ten weeks in duration, running throughout
June and July with some prep and negotiation time allocated in May.
What is the Birmingham Approach?
Projects start in May (with students free to commit fulltime to the project from
Monday 26th May) and will end by Friday 1st August, after which the student focuses
entirely upon the dissertation component. Each project is undertaken by a single
student, but companies can submit multiple project briefs if they wish. Following
receipt of your brief, the student will produce a research proposal that will explain
their understanding of the project requirements and will set out a plan of action to
complete the research. This plan will include objectives, proposed method, timing
and costs. The proposal will be subject to discussion and negotiation but we will
require your approval of the proposal and costs before the students fully commence
work.
MBA Consultancy Projects
Students are briefed to produce a project that addresses your brief and provides
useful business information to help inform business decisions. In terms of output,
the student is required to produce a Report for you by 1st August. This can involve a
presentation if you require which you can arrange with the student to deliver at a
time suitable to you both, either at this point, or later in the year if preferred.
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In terms of input from the company, the student will initially be asked to produce a
Project Management document, as part of their assessment, by Friday 13th June.
This document will include the deliverables of the project and the timescales which
the student must have agreed with you by this date. The company is therefore
asked to ensure that time is allocated prior to 13th June, to work with the student to
achieve agreement on the deliverables and practicalities of the project and sign-off
the document to evidence to the assessor that this has taken place. We also request
the company to designate an internal manager to the project. We suggest a
minimum of fortnightly catch-ups between this person and the student throughout
the project. Dependant on the project requirements, this person must also be
briefed to support the student by providing data and opening up channels necessary
to carry out the research. At the end of the project in August, we will send through
a short feedback form, which we request be returned to us by Friday 29th August, in
line with the student’s dissertation submission.
The project will be supervised by a member of Business School faculty (or
nominee) to ensure the research methods and data sources being used are
appropriate and are being executed in a professional and objective way. It will also
be overseen by the MBA Projects Director. The latter individual will keep in touch
with the client to ensure that expectations are being met and will handle any
difficulties in relationships or student progress should they arise.
Deloitte Trained
MBA Consultancy Projects
All students who select a consultancy project go through an intensive training
programme devised and delivered by Deloitte consultancy specialists. This includes:
project scoping, client engagement, problem identification, project management and
presenting recommendations and feedback.
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What Companies Say
“We were blown away. We have never been in a position where we have such clarity
and insight in where we are going, which is a direct result of the students’ findings and
recommendations.”
Swissport – European Vice President
“The student’s research into ‘The Challenges and Methods involved in Large Scale
Outsourcing of Government Services’, provided a very useful international perspective
on a topic that we feel may well resonate in the UK in the coming months.”
MBA Consultancy Projects
PA Consulting – Senior Partner
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“I was delighted with the final presentation delivered and the interaction between the
student and our R & D UK team over the summer. It was also excellent to have the
opportunity to interact with academic members of Birmingham Business School. A job
well done! Looking forward to supporting future projects.”
Rhodia Novecare – VP R&D and Innovation Paris
MBA Consultancy Projects
Consultancy Project Timeline for Companies
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Jan – end of Feb
Complete the Client
Brief Form
Feb – March
Projects presented to
students
March
Student application
process
March – April
Company interviews
and selection
April - May
Project start-up/scoping
meetings
28th April- 2nd May
Deloitte consultancy
training for students
26th May
Offical start-date for all
projects
13th June
Project Management
document signed-off
June – July
Two weekly review
meetings
1st August
Project completion
Confidentiality
The project will be undertaken with due regard for the University of Birmingham’s
code of conduct for research and students will be required to complete an ethics
checklist as part of the proposal. This latter checklist will ensure that the rights of
potential respondents are respected in terms of confidentiality and anonymity.
All information collected by students in the course of the project, and the final report
itself, will be treated in complete confidence and will not be disclosed to third parties
or published. Indeed, we will ask the students to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
The report will need to be read and assessed by selected Business Academics and it
will be put through an electronic plagiarism check, beyond this, the content will not
be disclosed.
Costs
Any associated cost is dependent on the nature of the project and is negotiated
accordingly.
MBA Consultancy Projects
In all cases, out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the student must be covered by the
company. This includes travel, phone calls, photocopying, research / report
purchases etc. Often, there is no further charge, although it is not unusual for the
company to pay a discretionary bonus to the student at the end of the project based
on outcome.
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On occasions where the student is required to carry out work tasks at the company,
take on regular hours over the summer, or is bringing significant expertise, as a
result of their own professional background, then it is likely that appropriate
remuneration will need to be negotiated accordingly. The MBA Projects Manager will
act as first liaison with the company in such cases.
We also expect a company designated person to be the internal manager of the
project which does constitute a resource impact.
Ongoing Project Management
During the project delivery stage, the student is responsible for the effective
management of the consultancy project and all communications with the client and the
Business School. However, the students all receive support and guidance throughout
from their dissertation supervisor and the MBA Projects Director, who acts as a broker
between the company and the student in the initial selection phase, and thereafter as
necessary.
Students and companies are advised to do the following to ensure the smooth running
of the project:
1. At the initial company meeting, the student and company representative should
agree in principle a project timeline, this should be followed up with an email to
confirm the dates in writing.
2. There should be regular two-weekly meetings between the company and the
student to provide a time when progress can be reported and difficulties with
progress resolved (meetings can be conducted online, face-to-face or by
telephone conference).
3. Delivery outputs should be agreed at the start of the project e.g., Copy of the
dissertation, Executive Summary, Presentation. The company is asked to
demonstrate the agreement in writing by signing off the student’s Project
Management Document by Friday 13th June.
MBA Consultancy Projects
4. A final deadline date for these deliverables must be agreed to ensure project
completion by Friday 1st August.
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5. A Project Agreement document, outlining confidentially and ownership, must be
agreed and signed by both the company representative and the student.
All companies and students will be briefed on these guidelines by the MBA Projects
Director.
How do I get started?
If you wish to propose a project for our MBA students, please fill in the form below
or contact:
Andrew Miles
+44 (0) 121 414 6254
MBA Consultancy Projects
[email protected]
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Company Consultancy Project: Client Brief /Proposal Form
Company Name & Contact Details
Background to the Client Organisation
Please provide a brief outline of your company and links to any websites/further information
Project Aim and Objectives
Please describe the project/s including; overall aim, key objectives and outcome expectations
Please return to Andrew Miles: [email protected]
Project Aim and Objectives (Continued)
Skills/Knowledge/Interests Required by Student Consultant
Support for the Student Consultant
Please say how salary (if applicable) and ‘out of pocket’ expenses will be covered e.g. on presentation of receipt for
previously agreed expenses. Also, highlight any other benefits to the student e.g. opportunity to network
Please return to Andrew Miles: [email protected]
Consultancy Time Period and Contact time
Please outline for how long you expect the project to run e.g. Also, say what your expectations are in terms of
Student Consultant contact time e.g. two-weekly meetings, 2 days/week etc.
Any Further Information
Please return to Andrew Miles: [email protected]