Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Lecturer
Warren Riddell
Teaching Assistant
James Robinson
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Credit points |
Credit points
4
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
((Admission to MBA and 32cp including MGSM835 and (MGSM820 or MGSM850)) or (admission to MSocEntre and 32cp including MGSM869) or (admission to GradCertMgtPostMBA)) and permission by special approval
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit is designed to introduce students to the management consulting sector and to enable them to confidently use the practice and processes of management consulting in the context of working on a specific, identified business issue for a client.
The unit is designed to enable participants to assume the role of consultants to management and presents an intense experiential learning opportunity in a ‘real world’ situation. As such the unit is structured so that participants develop creative results-oriented solutions to the issue(s) faced by the client and to obtain the client’s engagement and ‘buy-in’ to the recommended solutions.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
For group work, it is assumed that all members have made a fair contribution and so will be awarded the same mark. You are required to contribute and participate fully in your group. You are required to contribute and participate fully in your group. At the end of this assessment task each student must submit a confidential peer review, for each member of their group. The peer review, along with the lecturer's evaluation, will inform the final individual grade awarded.
I reserve the right to adjust marks upwards or downwards for any student if I have reason to believe that the group grade does not accurately reflect a student’s contribution.
Marking Criteria
Grading of the group presentations and consulting reports will take into account the following criteria (note – the report will be marked as a whole and therefore these criteria are not equally weighted):
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
---|---|---|---|
Client Presentations | 40% | No | Session 10 |
Consulting Report | 40% | No | Session 10 |
Individual Reflections Report | 10% | No | Session 9 |
Class Contribution | 10% | No | Session 10 |
Due: Session 10
Weighting: 40%
Each group will be required to make a presentation of the key report findings to the client and class (recognising client confidentiality issues). This presentation will be assessed and graded with major input from the client.
These presentations will be of a maximum 20 minutes duration after which the group will take questions from the client and the lecturer. The lecturer will provide more details during the course, including the basis on which the presentations will be assessed.
In addition, the group may decide (or be requested) to make separate presentation/s to the client organisation. These are strongly encouraged, but will not be marked/assessed as part of the course.
You are required to contribute and participate fully in your group. At the end of this assessment task each student must submit a confidential peer review (5% of total weighting), for each member of their group. The peer review, along with the lecturer's evaluation, will inform the final individual grade awarded.
Due: Session 10
Weighting: 40%
The Consulting Report will be addressed to the client, as would be the case in a professionally engaged assignment. It must be a professionally written document, using consistent professional language and with full referencing of your evidence based research.
The Report must stand on its own; independent of the Presentation you will be giving. The Report is not to be a transcript of the Presentation.
As a general guide the report will follow this type of flow:
The activity on which you will be assessed will be your ability to structure a logical flow of reasoning and to argue in a tight, compelling way (a) what is being addressed, (b) why it is an issue, (c) what the key dimensions and implications / impacts of the problem are, (d) what the proposed solution encompasses; and of course, (e) how you have arrived at the proposed solution / recommendation.
Some instructions on the final client report:
Report length - Fifteen pages maximum (including Executive Summary and excluding Appendices). Assignments longer than the prescribed limit may be penalised. If you need to include extra material, you can do so in a small number of appendices that are clearly numbered and referred to in the body of the report. Please assume that the appendices will only be read if they are relevant and useful.
You are required to contribute and participate fully in your group. At the end of this assessment task each student must submit a confidential peer review (5% of total weighting), for each member of their group. The peer review, along with the lecturer's evaluation, will inform the final individual grade awarded.
Due: Session 9
Weighting: 10%
This individual reflections report is about testing your capability to articulate your personal journey on this unit that will also draw upon the application of what you have learned in your other MBA units and your professional work.
It is about your ability to articulate, i.e., put into words, your personal journey of self-discovery. Typically this is about recognising change in yourself, moments of epiphany (ah-ah moments) when something that was unclear, becomes clear, and new learnings that have truly become manifest.
This will test your self-awareness.
This report must not be just a description of the process you followed, nor should it be used as a means to comment on others in your group.
You are advised to keep a diary or record points as they arise over the weeks before the report is due. Do not leave it to week 8 or 9 to complete it, you will be running out of time and will be focused on the Consulting Report and Presentation.
This report must be 2000 words (+/- 50 words) in length. Submission will be done in class in print form and in iLearn at the class in week 9.
Extensions and penalties:
No extensions will be granted. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late (for example, 25 hours late in submission – 20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for special consideration is made and approved. No submission will be accepted after solutions have been posted.
Due: Session 10
Weighting: 10%
Each group will need to prepare a short (1 to 2 pages) Project Status Report (PSR) to be submitted at each scheduled lecture. The PSR will be written with the client as the target audience. It should discuss the group’s progress with the consulting project, including elements such as a list of key milestone dates, an outline of the group’s approach to the consulting problem, and preliminary findings. Issues regarding scope, key risks being managed, critical inputs / information required and any resource constraints, should also be flagged.
Class participation will be assessed by the lecturer based off your Project Status Reports.
Required Text
There is no set text. Recommended readings on selected topics on management consulting are listed at the end of this Unit Guide.
MGSM iLearn
The web page for this unit can be found at: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MGSM
Students must have the intent to attend all classes starting 2 April, and every Tuesday evening 6pm-10pm at the Ryde campus. The course will be presented over 10 weeks, it is a highly intensive and demanding course that will provide a unique experience for the appropriately qualified and experienced students.
The unit will be driven by the steps in conducting the living case study, as follows:
Session |
Topic |
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1 |
Course Introduction, overview of the client issue, meeting with client |
2 |
Defining/framing the business issue |
3 |
Creative team dynamics |
4 & 5 |
The consulting process and hypothesis building |
6 |
Developing insights and options |
7 |
Drawing conclusions and making recommendations |
8 |
Communicating and presenting |
9 |
Dress rehearsals |
10 |
Final presentation to the client and delivery of the consulting report |
Each group will need to prepare a short (1 to 2 pages) Project Status Report (PSR) to be submitted at each scheduled lecture. It should discuss the group’s progress with the consulting project, including elements such as a list of key milestone dates, an outline of the group’s approach to the consulting problem, and preliminary findings. Issues regarding scope, key risks being managed, critical inputs / information required and any resource constraints, should also be flagged. Each group may also bring along work papers and analyses for discussion with the lecturer.
Should there be more immediate concerns group members are expected to escalate these matters immediately to the lecturer.
By Week 2 each group needs to have developed a comprehensive project plan showing roles, responsibilities, accountabilities, milestones, deliverables and key dates.
By week 3 each group should have prepared an engagement contract to be shared with the client that defines more clearly the direction of your research and scope your potential hypotheses/recommendations.
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
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When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues
This graduate capability is supported by:
Leadership: Develop the skills required of leading consultants with respect to the synthesis of comprehensive business data in order to make well-informed and strategically sound decisions.
Global mindset: Assessment of the implications of strategic decisions from a whole of entity perspective, across of a wide spectrum of stakeholders
Citizenship: Submit recommendations (to clients) that are consistent with the principles of corporate social responsibility and community ethics
Creating sustainable value: Development of recommendations that create value for clients over the short and longer-terms by ensuring organisational resilience and adaptability
The interactive environment of the classroom is central to the learning experience. Students are required to attend the full duration of all classes for the units in which they are enrolled. We recognise that exceptional circumstances may occur, such as unavoidable travel on behalf of your organization or the serious illness or injury of you or a close family member.
Special consideration may be given for a maximum of 20% non-attendance for such circumstances as long as lecturers are contacted in advance, and supporting documentation provided, to request exemption from attendance. Failure to abide by these conditions may result in automatic withdrawal, with academic and/or financial penalty.
These unit materials and the content of this unit are provided for educational purposes only and no decision should be made based on the material without obtaining independent professional advice relating to the particular circumstances involved.