06220685 - Consulting

This course introduces the student to the world of international consulting, with a wide range of themes: from the analysis of the international market of firms and types of consulting service, to the practices of the consultant throughout the chain. relationship and project with his client, until the creation of a consulting firm.
This course is intended to be interactive and participatory with thematic discussions, workshops and group presentations, case studies.

Estimation of private study (outside of contact hours) : 6 hours

DIMENSION OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
The participants are encouraged to act and consult in accordance with the ethical standards and norms defined by the iaelyon (Charte de Responsabilité Sociétale et des engagements des membres de la communauté de l'iaelyon)
One part of the course is about ethics and ethical behaviour in consultancy and as a consultant

TARGETED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

The objective of this course is to gain an in-depth understanding of the consulting industry in the 21st century (in Europe). Students have four key perspectives on the consulting industry:
1. A description of management and strategy consulting
2. An understanding of the problem-solving process
3. A critical analysis of the industry (ethics)
4. Some advice for the career of a consultant

The objective is that participants get a practical approach on what management and strategy consultants do and how they do it (case studies, discussions, presentations)

This course will help students develop their analytical skills, develop their strategic skills, practice cross-cultural group work and leadership and gain, to some extent, insight into change management.
 

1 Introduction

2 The Descriptive Perspective
2.1 The Consulting Industry
2.2 Types of Management Consultancy

3 The Practitioner's Perspective
3.1 Clients, Procurement, and the Request for Information
3.2 The Consulting Life-Cycle
3.3 Consulting Approaches, Methods and Tools (Problem Solving)
3.4 Consultancy Skills
3.5 Running a Consultancy

4 The Critical Perspective - Ethics of Consultancy

5 The Career Perspective

PRESCRIBED TEXTS AND PUBLICATIONS :

1. HENRY, Jane E. and HARTZLER, Meg (1998), Tools for Virtual teams, Quality Press, Milwaukee.
2. O'MAHONEY, Joe and MARKHAM, Calvert (2013), Management consultancy, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
3. RASIEL, Ethan M. and FRIGA, Paul N. (2002), The McKinsey Mind. Understanding and Implementing the Problem-Solving Tools and and Management Techniques of the World's Top Strategic Consulting Firm, McGraw-Hill, New York.

RECOMMENDED TEXTS AND PUBLICATIONS :

1. KERZNER, Harold and BELACK, Carl. (2010), Managing Complex Projects, International Institute for Learning, New York.
2. KERZNER, Harold and SALADIS, Frank P. (2009), Value-Driven Project Management, International Institute for Learning, New York.
3. MINTO, Barbara (2002), The pyramid principle. Logic in Writing and Thinking, Prentice Hall, London.

Final Exam
Written, Individual assignment:
Essay based on a case study

Continuing Examination
*3 hours of class time – 30 min. per team
Final group presentation of the outcomes and recommendations of the consulting project or on an other topic relevant for consultants (eg. Digital transformation, Artificial intelligence…)

Weight: 60% individual, 40% group (20% report, 20% presentation)

TEACHING METHODS
Powerpoint presentation, case studies, videos, individual and group work, breakout sessions, class discussions and presentations.

NATURE OF MATERIALS
PPT, videos, case studies,...

TEACHING INNOVATIONS AND USE OF TECHNOLOGY
Moodle, Google Drive, Vidéos.

PRE-REQUISITES IN TERMS OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
Participants should have a solid knowledge of international management and a good understanding of the main functions within a company.
A first experience and knowledge in project management is useful.
Openness and willingness to collaborate in cross-cultural teams is necessary to carry out group work/presentation.


ADVISED PRIOR READING :

1. HENRY, Jane E. and HARTZLER, Meg (1998), Tools for Virtual teams, Quality Press, Milwaukee.
2. O'MAHONEY, Joe and MARKHAM, Calvert (2013), Management consultancy, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
3. RASIEL, Ethan M. and FRIGA, Paul N. (2002), The McKinsey Mind. Understanding and Implementing the Problem-Solving Tools and and Management Techniques of the World's Top Strategic Consulting Firm, McGraw-Hill, New York.

RESOURCES AVAILABLE :
Students can access key resources (academic articles, journals, videos, etc.) through the electronic library (accessible through their student account). Databases such as EBSCO, Proquest, Cairn or Sciences Direct offer very broad access to academic articles. The Diane, Europresse and Factiva databases offer relatively rich access to press resources as well as accounting data. Finally, the Statista and Xerfi databases will allow students to access various market studies allowing them to better understand the trends of the various sectors.