MScBA MASTER IN MANAGEMENT

Consultancy Project
ROTTERDAM SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT, ERASMUS UNIVERSITY
BM28MiM Course manual and project descriptions
2023 (Cohort 2022-2023)

Lecturer(s) : diverse
Course coordinator : dr Bas Koene
Structure (e.g. lectures, tutorials, etc.) : Project structure, Coaching, Presentation
Assessment : See Course Assessment Plan
Conditions for access to tests (yes/no) : no
Teaching block : block 3-5
EC :6
Entry requirements or required background
: N/A
knowledge, if applicable
Course schedule : Please visit https://courses.eur.nl

Table of Contents

Course Overview ........................................................................................................................................... 4

General features and steps in the consultancy project.................................................................................... 5
The Projects .................................................................................................................................................. 5
Contributing to Positive Change in the World through the CP ................................................................................................ 5
The teams and team composition .................................................................................................................. 6
The coaches .................................................................................................................................................. 6
The academic coach ................................................................................................................................................................. 6
The company coach in the client organization ........................................................................................................................ 6
Ten Important Lessons for Making Your Project Successful ............................................................................. 7
Lectures, Workshops and Feedback Meetings ................................................................................................ 9
Self-reflection and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of your team ................................................... 9
Team charter........................................................................................................................................................................ 9
On Course app ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Survey teamwork ................................................................................................................................................................. 9
Assessment................................................................................................................................................. 10
General: attendance, team charter, deliverables ............................................................................................................. 10
Project Proposal, Final Project Report (assessed by Academic Coach and Company Coach)........................................... 10
Final project presentation at the client company (assessed by Academic Coach and Company Coach) ......................... 10
Team engagement with client and academic coach (assessed by Academic Coach and Company Coach) ..................... 10
Individual reflection report (assessed by Academic Coach):............................................................................................. 11
Process and Structure of course and project work ........................................................................................ 13
Plenary lectures/workshops ........................................................................................................................ 13
Introduction and kick-off meeting (Friday 13 January, 11.00-13:00) .................................................................................... 13
Team formation and project assignment (week 3)................................................................................................................ 13
Team registration............................................................................................................................................................... 13
Project assignment ............................................................................................................................................................ 13
Guest lecture Problem definition and structuring of a consultancy case - Simon-Kucher (16 January, 15:00-17:00.) ........ 13
Project simulation game (23 January, 11:00-13:00) .............................................................................................................. 13
Guest lecture Project Management - Berenschot (6 February, 11.00-13.00) ....................................................................... 13
Guest lectures / workshops - Working and contributing as consultant - Deloitte ................................................................ 14
Deloitte session 1 – Contributing as a consultant, your project proposal (17 February, 9.00-12.00) .............................. 14
Deloitte session 2 – Mid-project: Q&A, managing the project, visualization & storylining (31 March, 9.00-11.00)........ 14
Deloitte session 3 – Presenting results (12 May, 9.00-11.00) ........................................................................................... 14
Project work ............................................................................................................................................... 14
Initial meeting with client and academic coach – at client site – defining the problem (week 5, 6 or 7) ............................. 14
Defining the problem and project design, the project proposal; Deadline: 4 weeks after initial client meeting ................. 14
Team charter; Deadline: 1 week after initial client meeting ................................................................................................. 15
Research / developing solutions (February-May) .................................................................................................................. 15
Executive summary; Deadline: 17 May, 15.00 hrs. ................................................................................................................ 15
Presentation of the results and handing in the final report; Deadline: around 2 June ......................................................... 15
Final Internal Competition (2 June 9:00-18:00) ..................................................................................................................... 15
Reflection Paper; deadline: 6 June......................................................................................................................................... 16
Survey teamwork reflection .............................................................................................................................................. 16
Final reflection with academic coach ..................................................................................................................................... 16
Appendices ................................................................................................................................................. 17
Appendix 1: Guidelines for the Team Charter ....................................................................................................................... 17
Appendix 2 Guidelines for the Project Proposal .................................................................................................................... 24
Appendix 3 Grading Criteria for the Final Report .................................................................................................................. 25
Appendix 4 Guidelines for Personal, Professional and Academic Conduct ........................................................................... 26
Appendix 5 Guidelines for the Individual Reflection Report ................................................................................................. 27
Course Assessment Plan .............................................................................................................................. 28
Project descriptions..................................................................................................................................... 30
1. 12 To Zero Technology BV ...................................................................................................................................................... 30
2. AF-X Systems BV – project 1 ................................................................................................................................................... 32
3. AF-X Systems BV – project 2 ................................................................................................................................................... 35
4. Apolix ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 37
5. Berenschot .............................................................................................................................................................................. 38
6. Chikara Cambodia Foundation ............................................................................................................................................... 40
7. Cloud Integrate ....................................................................................................................................................................... 43

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8. ING .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 45
9. KPMG, Global Strategy Group ................................................................................................................................................ 47
10. Nature’s Principles ................................................................................................................................................................ 49
11. Oikocredit – Gjenge Makers Ltd. .......................................................................................................................................... 51
12. SENI Preps BV ....................................................................................................................................................................... 54
13. Siemens Healthineers Nederland BV .................................................................................................................................... 56
14. Signify ................................................................................................................................................................................... 58
15. Silentus B.V. .......................................................................................................................................................................... 61
16. SkyTeam Cargo ..................................................................................................................................................................... 62
17. SOA People Nederland N.V................................................................................................................................................... 64
18. United Nations Office for Counter-Terrorism ...................................................................................................................... 65
19. WoonZorgcentra Haaglanden (WHZ) ................................................................................................................................... 66

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Course Overview
The Consultancy project (or CP) constitutes and important part of the second half of the Master in Management program at
Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM). Over a period of approximately 4 months, you will work
intensively on a consultancy project in a team of approximately six students. Both a university and a company coach supervise
the project.
The projects are proposed by managers from a variety of organizations. They refer to actual business needs managers are
currently facing. Thus managers (=clients) expect useful and sustainable recommendations for an extant question or problem.
The general aim of the project is to respond professionally to a real-world management problem, to learn from working
together in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams and manage the project effectively (i.e. team and client processes), to
define, scope, analyze and structure a complex problem, to apply and integrate business knowledge on a ‘real-world’ case and
to develop useful recommendations.

More specifically the learning goals of the consultancy project are:

• Analytical skills:
o Dealing with a high amount of information in a short time in an (at the start) unknown domain and
gain/maintain an overview
o Being able to define, scope, analyze and structure an (formerly) unknown and ill-defined problem
• Problem-solving skills:
o Develop consistent, relevant and sustainable solutions for the client based on high professional standards
and understand the managerial implications
• Managerial / skills:
o Think independently and behave autonomously: working on problems – not following instructions
o manage and satisfy the various requirements from stakeholders
o Make use of the cross-cultural and disciplinary diversity in a team
• Leadership skills:
o experience and reflect on your impact on a team process. To learn more about managing team processes
and your own individual role within a team and think about improvements: how to work in multidisciplinary
and diverse team, how to take initiative and leadership roles, how to contribute to the most effective team
performance
• Getting socialized into the business world

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General features and steps in the consultancy project
By now, as a MiM student, you are already familiar with various business disciplines as covered in courses. In the CP the new
challenge is to focus on the combined use of this knowledge and the capacity to translate it into practical recommendations to
solve an ill-defined problem situation.

The steps in the project will be to:

• Define the problem and discuss the scope of a broadly described problem into a relevant and
• analyzable research question in collaboration with the client
• ‘Decompose’ this research question into an analyzable structure, formulate an initial hypothesis tree
• based on exploration of available information (be creative, collect!) and expertise (your team, others?)
• Draft a project proposal that presents a structured approach to problem solving, and provides
• a framework to organise and guides teamwork, and manage the client process.
• Propose solutions to the problem and
• Develop useful and sustainable recommendations and think about the managerial implications.
• At the end of the project, you will
• Present your findings at the company in front of a committee,
• Deliver a final report and
• Write an individual reflection paper about the learnings and team dynamics.

Please note: the project stops when you have presented your results including a plan for implementation; implementation as
such is not part of the assignment anymore.

As consulting team you are expected to work autonomously when developing and executing your project and actively take
initiative. Furthermore, you handle the process professionally, always using clear reasoning and evidence when addressing ill-
structured problems for which there are no verifiable answers, while always staying in contact and aligning with your client.

The Projects
The RSM Career Centre is responsible for acquisition of the projects, in close cooperation with the Academic Director of the
program. Projects are accepted based on the learning potential of the project for students and the General Management
focus of the project.
There is no such thing as a typical client or project. Client organizations can be large, well-known multinational companies;
medium-sized companies; or small entrepreneurial firms/start-ups. The projects can have an HR-, marketing-, strategy-, or
logistics focus. However, each project presents a unique ‘problem’ or managerial issue that the company in question needs to
solve or to address. Each project also provides students with a chance for an important learning experience. In all cases the
projects require a multidisciplinary and creative team effort.
Some other general attributes of business projects:
• Like real consultancy projects, the problem presented in the project description may often not be a clearly delineated
assignment but may require further analysis and clarification. Situations such as these may require refocusing or
redefining the problem by the team. It is your task and initiative to narrow down the challenge into a researchable
question.
• Problems do not stop at functional boundaries. Thus, projects are seldom entirely or only focused in specific areas
such as marketing, finance, or strategy.

Contributing to Positive Change in the World through the CP

In line with RSM’s mission to be a Force for Positive Change, we want to work toward positive change to address societal,
economic and ecological challenges in all aspects of our educational offering. We are convinced that that those problems

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need to be addressed, and that business can be a powerful instrument for doing so. Using the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) (https://sdgs.un.org/goals) as a reference framework, we’ve agreed with the companies working
with us that the ambition to contribute to positive change is an important aspects of all projects, i.e. enabling business to
transition towards a more sustainable, inclusive and innovative world.

The teams and team composition

The student teams consist of teams of around 6 students (the final number will depend on the number of students in class;
you will be informed about that). As you already know and already experienced in the past, teams must be cross-disciplinary
and cross-cultural. The teams must consist of diverse cultures/ nationalities. The share of one nationality in a team must be
lower than 50 % except for the Dutch nationality. There can be max. 4 Dutch students in a team of 6 students (in a team of 5
there can be max. 3 Dutch students). Homogenous teams in terms of gender identity are not allowed (e.g., no all-female
teams). Team formation is a class-wide process and must take into account the requirements as prescribed by companies. The
process of team formation is supported by the STAR board. The academic director keeps the right to intervene if necessary.

The coaches
An academic coach from RSM and an in-company coach from the client organization are assigned to the project. Obviously, it
is imperative for the success of the project that the student team develops and maintains a cooperative and constructive
relationship with both their coaches and manages to meet their academic and practical requirements and suggestions. This is
about successful stakeholder management. It is the team’s initiative and responsibility to schedule appointments and to plan
the activities ahead etc. Behaving in a proactive way during the whole process is an absolute necessity!

The academic coach

The academic coach helps the team scope and manage their project. Plan a meeting with your academic coach before the
first meeting with the client. The academic coach meets with the client organization at the beginning of the project during
the first briefing. Regular meetings with the teams will take place to ensure a proper progress on the project. Keep your coach
informed! Make sure you plan meetings with your academic coach every two weeks on average. Send your work at hand and
a brief progress report to the academic coach in advance. Discuss the specific arrangements with your coach. Mind that
professional reflection on project progress and challenges are important consulting skills. So do not hesitate to discuss
questions and challenges you encounter with your academic coach.
It should be absolutely clear that the team is responsible for maintaining a regular contact with the academic coach and the
client organization. Contact with the client organization is not organized by the academic coach. It is your initiative! Managing
the client relationship is an important managerial skill trained in consultancy project: taking up your responsibility, showing
initiative, being energetic and (to a certain point) persistent. In sum: behave in a professional way.

The company coach in the client organization

Your contact person (=company coach) in the client organization will provide information at the beginning of the project
during the first briefing. S/he will guide the team in such a way that the research satisfies the client organizations’ needs.
Make sure you agree on the right scope for the project with your company coach (given the workload for this project (6 ec’s)
this means a project of about one working day per week per team member.) It is the team’s initiative to regularly check and
discuss the scope of the assignment, project progress, the data collection process and to discuss whether the solution and
recommendations go in the desired direction and add value to the organization. The team should also discuss with the
company coach who else in the organization or elsewhere outside the organization should be approached for data gathering,
expertise, information, additional resources etc. Also discuss the type of deliverable the client prefers. This is normally an
elaborate slide deck (with notes and eventually an elaborate appendix). Meetings with the client organization/company coach
are organized on your request and by you/your team’s contact person (on average every two weeks). Again, be pro-active and
plan for regular sessions.

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There is one important rule of thumb: Never surprise your client! This is a ground rule in consulting. Stay in touch with your
client/company coach all the time and continuously check whether you are (still) on the right track, whether your work so far
is in line with his/her expectation and how you plan to continue. In sum: Manage client’s expectations! Also, the final
presentation should not really be a surprise for the company coach. It could be a surprise for the audience as the company
coach often invites colleagues.

At the end of the project the team together with the client organization and the academic coach will agree on a date for the
final presentation - in most of the cases at the client’s site. It is up to your initiative to set a convenient date for all parties for
the final presentation. The final presentation for the client should take place by the end of May. After a date is found, please
also inform the academic coach. If possible, the academic coach will attend the presentation as well.

Ten Important Lessons for Making Your Project Successful

RSM runs business/consultancy projects every year in several of its MSc programmes. Every year we see high-performing
groups, as well as teams that do not perform as well. Based on these experiences, we’ve gathered some important lessons
(suggested by your fellow students over the years) that can help you and your team toward a successful project:

Lesson 1: Manage those expectations!

The perfect project does not exist, nor does the perfect company, coach or team. You may have high expectations of the
project, but you must also be realistic. As in real life, things may turn out differently than you expect. Be open-minded and
flexible. Projects will vary, but it is important not to compare your project with that of other students. Projects that look
disappointing on paper often turn out to be great (perhaps even fun) learning experiences.

Lesson 2: You and your team own the project

The consultancy project is a great learning experience, but what you get out of it depends largely on what you yourself invest.
Take responsibility for the project; it is not the responsibility of the academic coach or the company coach to make it
successful.

Lesson 3: You can make or break the project

The consultancy project and your team can only fly when all team members, including you, are motivated and committed.
Good intentions are not enough; you must invest time and energy into the project, into your fellow team members and other
stakeholders; inspire and motivate them and each other.

Lesson 4: Manage your team, not just the project

The consultancy project is not only about solving business problems, but also about managing team dynamics. Failed
cooperation within a team is one of the main causes for disappointing projects.

Lesson 5: Socialize and get to know each other

Smooth cooperation in the team does not happen by itself. Try to understand each other’s learning goals and competences.
Socialize if that helps and meet each other in more informal settings outside university. Building these bonds can often
smooth the edges toward successful working relationships within a team.

Lesson 6: Deal with frustration in the team before it deals with you
Frustration about progress, the project, the company, the team or the coaches is bound to appear in any group after some
time. Deal with it, before it deals with you. We will be offering mandatory training and advice sessions and reflect on team
dynamics regularly with your academic coach. Use this training well and put similar efforts into managing team dynamics as
you put into addressing the business question at the heart of your project.

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Lesson 7: Manage your stakeholders
Keep your academic supervisor and company coach well informed about progress throughout the project and discuss your
concerns with them, even when they involve differences of opinion. Make sure that you are on the same page and keep all
communication open, effective, and transparent.

Lesson 8: Good problem exploration is essential

Consultancy is not only about finding the right solutions, but also about asking the right questions. Assignments are often
ambiguous, broad and may change during the first weeks. Problem exploration and redefinition of the assignment is an
essential step towards a successful project.

Lesson 9: Adopt a professional working style

Make the team as efficient as possible. Set meetings; formulate objectives; structure meetings; take minutes; respect
deadlines; assign tasks and responsibilities; take initiative and always follow through.

Lesson 10: The final presentation is not the final test of the Consultancy project
The final presentations are the ‘icing on the cake’: they allow you to exercise your presentation skills and your skills in ‘selling’
your project to a student/academic/business audience. Though the final presentations are mandatory, and your team is in
part assessed on performance, the final presentations should not be viewed as the goal of the project. The goal is the value
that you and your team add to the company and what you learn from the project. Grading happens accordingly.

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Lectures, Workshops and Feedback Meetings
Lectures, seminars and coaching are offered throughout the project to help students with mastering skills that are relevant for
project management and consultancy projects. During the course most time is spent on project work. Lectures, seminars and
workshop meetings are kept to a minimum, but are important moments to learn about and professionally reflect on key
consulting skills and your experiences in the projects. Therefore, attendance to all meetings is MANDATORY for successful
completion of the consultancy project, as well as toward your final grade for the module.

Self-reflection and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of your team

Working as a professional consultant requires not only managing the client systems you engage with, but also your own
consulting team and yourself. Consulting teams operate in a complex and dynamic environment and thus always need to
monitor progress, reflect on performance, and when necessary, adapt, learn and improve the way in which they handle their
assignment. This means that professional reflection is an integral part of the project. Active reflection is expected during and
at the end of the project and supported in three ways:

Team charter
To facilitate your teamwork and raise awareness to key issues in effective team leadership, you are required to develop a
team charter that will guide the team through the business project. You can find the guidelines for the team charter in
appendix 1. You need to share the team charter with your academic coach (not your company coach!) and upload it on canvas
1 week after your company briefing with the client organization.

On Course app
Teamwork is an integral part of the success of any consultancy project. However, a well-balanced team is often not self-
evident. You don’t always get to decide with whom you work. Even if you do, there’s no guarantee that you’ll be successful.
Conflicts of interest and differing values or goals often get in the way of a team’s progress.
To support you in managing teamwork we have developed the On Course app. This app will help you to monitor your team
dynamics and enable you to take actions when necessary. Every week, you will receive an invitation to fill out a mini survey
on your team. Based on the information key indicators of team performance1 are fed back to the team, the team’s (academic)
coach and the academic director. During the project use this information to reflect on team progress and performance, as a
team and in your meetings with the academic coach.
At the end of the project, students are requested to also reflect on the outcomes over time in their individual reflection
report. The use of this app is mandatory and will count in the final reflection on the project.

Survey teamwork
To stimulate reflection on the (team-)work a survey will be sent out towards the end of the project. All team members have to
fill in this survey. The results of the survey consisting of your personal rating and the average of your peers in your team
should help you to reflect on your experience during team work, your learning points and your outlook for the future. If you
do not fill in the survey you won’t get results from the peers either and you have to craft the reflection paper based solely on
yourself.

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the answer of individual team members cannot be identified

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Assessment
Students are assessed both individually and as a team by the academic coach and the company coach. The academic coach
will highlight academic criteria (such as report structure, argumentation, scoping, analysis) and the company coach practical
criteria (such as understanding clients’ needs and initiative). The final grade may be adjusted at the discretion of the academic
director on the basis of the student evaluations and/or attendance during mandatory classes (including the final
presentations) and for the entire duration of the CP.
The following criteria are applied toward determining final grades (the assessors are between brackets):

General: attendance, team charter, deliverables

• Full attendance: the student has attended all sessions related to the Consultancy Project.
• Completed team charter: The group has addressed all elements of the team charter (See also Appendix 1: Guidelines
for the team charter)
• Timely submission of all assignments

Project Proposal, Final Project Report (assessed by Academic Coach and Company Coach)
• Analysis: The team understands the company’s problem/challenge and its related context: it correctly identifies key
issues and prioritizes effectively.
• Structure, transparency, and rigor: The team's problem-solving and project management approach are structured
and rigorous. The team's diagnoses, analyses and recommendations are supported by compelling evidence.
• Creativity and feasibility: The team's problem-solving approach, solution approach and/or recommendations are
creative and innovative. Recommendations include clear next steps and can be implemented at acceptable cost.
• Impact and relevance: The team understands the company’s needs and intentions and the interests of different
stakeholders. Recommendations, if implemented, are likely to have significant impact on solving problem/meeting
the challenge.
• Clarity: The team's key messages are prominent and clear; the documents are individually and collectively coherent,
concise, well structured, written efficiently and professionally

Teams must submit both reports (Project Proposal and Final Project Report) in the form of a Slidedoc (unless requested
otherwise by academic coach and company coach). A Slidedoc is a standalone, reading document representing a hybrid
between a written report and a presentation. It is a visual document, developed in presentation software such as Powerpoint,
but intended to be read and referenced instead of projected. Unlike a presentation document, the Slidedoc should be
perfectly readable for any interested person. For more information and examples, see www.duarte.com/slidedocs.
The slidedoc for the proposal will consist of a maximum of 20 slides (excluding appendices and including title slide). The
Slidedoc for the final report will consist of a maximum of 50 slides (excluding appendices and including the title slide). See also
Appendix 2 and 3.

Final project presentation at the client company (assessed by Academic Coach and Company Coach)
• assessment will focus on similar aspects as the ones listed under project proposal and project. In addition, the
following criteria are also included:
• Clarity and selling power: The team's key messages are persuasive; the presentation is coherent, concise, well
structured, and delivered in a professional manner
• Techniques: The team is effective in using an appropriate range of communication tools, methods and media to
convey and support key messages

Team engagement with client and academic coach (assessed by Academic Coach and Company Coach)
• High impact engagement: the team is successful and effective in organizing its own process; meetings and other
touch points are efficient, collaborative, constructive and/or insightful.

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 • Process management: the team communicates transparently and proactively, and follows a structured, thoughtful,
and professional approach in engaging with the organization and the academic coach. This includes timely and
appropriate professional reflection for improving/finetuning and coming to a high-quality end result for your project.
The team adheres to the standards of professional and ethical conduct. See also Appendix 4.

Individual reflection report (assessed by Academic Coach):

• Quality of description, interpretation, and reflection: the student provides an accurate and compelling description of
the group process and is able to critically analyze the team’s project management style and the role of individual
team members in this process, including their own role and contribution.
• Style and presentation: the report is coherent, well-structured, written efficiently and in a professional style, See also
Appendix 5.

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Table 1: Overview project activities and deliverables

What? Format When is it due?

Initial meeting with Meeting, get to know each other, discuss ideas Before client briefing
academic coach project and your plan and preparation for client (To be scheduled by team!)
briefing
Initial meeting with Initial meeting with company coach. Briefing Scheduled by career centre for your team in
client company project, Prepare well! week 5-7

Team Charter Written document 1 week after initial client meeting

On Course App Complete brief online survey Every week

Project proposal Slidedoc: max. 20 pages including cover slide and 4 weeks after initial client meeting
excluding appendices and
Survey teamwork Complete online survey Between 1-7 May

Executive summary Executive summary: Slidedoc, max. 7 pages Wednesday 17 May, 15:00 CET
(including cover slide; no appendices) – max.
reading time: 3 minutes
Presentation internal competition: Powerpoint On day of presentation (Friday 2 June)

Final report Slidedoc: max 50 pages including cover slide and Around 2 June
excluding appendices
Company Presentation Powerpoint On the day of the presentation (week 20-22,
scheduled by team)

Individual reflection Written document (1500 words max) Tuesday 6 June

paper
Final project reflection Feedback session with team and academic coach Week 23-24
meeting (To be scheduled by team)

Important: The initial meeting with the client organization will be organized by the Career Centre, during the period of
week 5-7. You are requested to keep your availability (outside of your Block 3 courses) as open as possible during this
period in the interest of being able to schedule these meetings with the companies!!

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Process and Structure of course and project work
The consultancy project cannot be planned in all details as every organization is different and unexpected events always
happen during a project. Still, there is a general timeline and structure for this course that should help you to go through the
various stages of a consulting project professionally and help you structure the work and timeline for your project.

Plenary lectures/workshops
The plenary lectures and workshops provide valuable tools and insights for your project work.

Introduction and kick-off meeting (Friday 13 January, 11.00-13:00)

The consultancy project starts with a general introduction of the projects, an overview of the course and the mode of
learning. We explain the challenges of the consulting project and how the lectures, workshops, reflection assignments and
coaching are designed to support your project and learning from the CP.

Team formation and project assignment (week 3)

During the following week - you will form teams. Team formation is a class responsibility. It is only completed when all
students are part of a team, and all teams are sufficiently diverse (see section on teams above). Team formation is
coordinated by the STAR board.

Team registration
At the end of the week, you register your teams project preferences, ranking all the projects according to your preference. A
link for registration will be opened on Sin-online to register your preferences in due time. When registering you also need to
indicate the final team composition and your team’s contact person. Deadline for team registration and project preferences
is: Friday 20 January, 23:59

Project assignment
When assigning projects to teams, we will check team composition with project requirements and aim to accommodate your
first choice as much as possible by using an algorithm provided by RSM. The distribution of projects will be shared and
discussed with the STAR board Chair. The assignment of projects to teams will be announced on Canvas on Wednesday 25
January (end of the day). No swaps among projects can be made except if you can organize this amongst each other with the
consent of all involved and consent of the MiM academic director.

Guest lecture Problem definition and structuring of a consultancy case - Simon-Kucher (16 January, 15:00-17:00.)
Working on a consulting project is different from doing a purely academic research project. In this guest lecture consultants
from Simon-Kucher will share their views on how to structure problem solving and organize the work to solve a consultancy
case.

Project simulation game (23 January, 11:00-13:00)

For most students a consultancy project is a new experience. Furthermore, you need to work together as team, drawing on
each other’s strengths. To give you a first taste of what you can experience during the consultancy project, and help you
reflect with your team on what is important, we have developed a project simulation game. You will play the game with your
team.
This activity will help teams to prepare for potential pitfalls in the project, to work out their joint tasks and to start thinking
about the team charter (see appendix 1).

Guest lecture Project Management - Berenschot (6 February, 11.00-13.00)

Scoping, planning and organizing are critical activities in consulting. During this lecture/workshop, a guest speaker/consultant
from Berenschot will address the issue of scoping, planning and organizing a consultancy project, what tools are available and
how to plan for the unexpected.

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Guest lectures / workshops - Working and contributing as consultant - Deloitte
In a series of three guest lecture/workshops consultants from Deloitte will work with the teams to address the operational
challenges of designing, managing and presenting the outcomes of your consultancy projects.

Deloitte session 1 – Contributing as a consultant, your project proposal (17 February, 9.00-12.00)
After the first meeting with the client all teams are developing their project proposal (scoping and situating the project,
defining the problem, and describing a structured approach to problem solving). During this workshop you will be asked to
reflect on your experience of the first client meeting, your plans for the project and your project proposal. Topics: consulting
and the contribution of the consultant, working with the client, and applying the hypothesis-based approach to your own
projects.

Deloitte session 2 – Mid-project: Q&A, managing the project, visualization & storylining (31 March, 9.00-11.00)
Mid-project, the project is evolving, and the outcomes are taking shape. Topics: will be addressed: sharing experiences,
discussing challenges in managing the project and working with the client, discussing output, visualization and storylining.

Deloitte session 3 – Presenting results (12 May, 9.00-11.00)

Consultants from Deloitte will work with you addressing the following topics: Q&A and Tips & tricks for end deliverable and
final presentation.

Project work
Initial meeting with client and academic coach – at client site – defining the problem (week 5, 6 or 7)
Shortly after the project assignment you will get a more detailed introduction by the client organization about the background
of your team project and the desired deliverables. This is the first meeting of the team with their company coach. The
Academic coach will also attend.
The meeting will be organized by the RSM Career Centre, during the period of week 5-7. You are requested to keep your
availability (outside of your Block 3 courses) as open as possible during this period in the interest of being able to schedule
these meetings with the companies. You need to arrange your own transport to the client site (if applicable). The contact
person in your team will get all the necessary information about the briefing (time etc.) from the Career Centre. This contact
person should also arrange the contact and meetings with the client organization and the academic coach during the project.
Be well prepared for this briefing! Get acquainted with the company and the assignment by reading through public
information, discuss it within your team, schedule a meeting with your academic coach before the visit. This will allow you to
be active during the briefing and be able to raise relevant questions. During the briefing, you should make sure that the
client’s question and the client’s needs are thoroughly understood. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, e.g. what is the client’s
real problem? What is the scope of the problem? What is the client’s aim? What must be achieved? What are constraints/
limitations that should be taken into account during this assignment? What is not part of the assignment? What should be the
deliverable? How to cooperate?

Defining the problem and project design, the project proposal; Deadline: 4 weeks after initial client meeting
Following the first client meeting, teams draft a project proposal (see appendix 2), which entails a brief description and
analysis of the issue, suggestions for research, a time schedule (project phases) and an overview of resources needed, how
the contact with the client organization will be maintained, and what the deliverables will be in the various phases. This
project proposal should be discussed with the company and the academic coach in a second meeting. Developing a good
project proposal is an iterative process. The guest lectures offered by Berenschot and Deloitte (see point 6) support the
development of a good project proposal.
Typically, this stage is more difficult than most students assume. Initial project assignments often need further clarification,
scoping down and reformulation before they present a clear, feasible project that can be undertaken in the relatively short

14
period of time permitted by the length of the semester. Discuss choices and challenges you experience in formulating the
project proposal with your academic coach.
Within four weeks after initial meeting with the company the project proposal is shared with the company coach. It also
needs to be uploaded on Canvas.

Team charter; Deadline: 1 week after initial client meeting

To facilitate your teamwork and raise awareness to key issues in effective team leadership, you are required to develop a
team charter that will guide the team through the business project. You can find the guidelines for the team charter in
appendix 1.
Submit your completed team charter to your academic coach (not to the company coach!) AND via Canvas within one week
following the company briefing.

Research / developing solutions (February-May)

During the major part of the Consulting project the teams have to manage the research process by themselves and, of course,
have to organize regular meetings with their academic and company coach. Activities, meetings, phases in the project, project
deliverables, etc. must be organized and performed autonomously by the team itself. Make sure you align with your
academic and company coach how they want to be informed and how they want to be kept up-to-date.
When conducting the project, be mindful of the relevant stakeholders. For sure, the academic coach and the company coach
are two different but evenly important stakeholders, but mind that there are more stakeholders you will encounter during the
research. In any consultancy project a key element of success is to be aware of and manage the forcefields in which you
operate.

Executive summary; Deadline: 17 May, 15.00 hrs.

Close to the end of the projects an executive summary must be uploaded on Canvas. The executive summary asks you as a
team to reflect on the essence of your findings and contributions. The executive summaries will be forwarded to the members
of the internal jury to prepare the internal competition (see below).

Presentation of the results and handing in the final report; Deadline: around 2 June
Somewhere in the weeks (20, 21 or 22) the teams will present their final findings to the company in front of a committee,
often at the client’s site. The coach and the academic director (if possible) will attend the presentation as well. Please, arrange
a meeting for this final presentation by yourself on time after consultation with the persons involved.
Make sure a digital version of your final slide deck is sent to the client, the academic coach and the academic director. Also
upload it on Canvas.

Final Internal Competition (2 June 9:00-18:00)

At the end of the Consultancy Project an internal competition will be organized. All the teams will give a presentation inhouse
at RSM. The presentations take place in front of a professional jury appointed by RSM. There will be an internal competition
with a prize for the winner (surprise). This presentation cannot take longer than 10 minutes.
Make sure that confidential information is removed from your presentation – but take care to still present detailed findings
(not just a superficial presentation).
Be aware that the final, internal competition in front of a jury is different from the company presentation, as the jury is not
familiar with the context of the research question and has access to the executive summary only. The following should be
included in your presentation:
• Context of the problem
• Research question
• Outcomes of your analysis
• Your recommendations

15
 • One major insight about the team process

Reflection Paper; deadline: 6 June

The Consultancy Project concludes with a reflection on the team’s combined effort and each student’s individual learning
experience. Each student writes an individual learning report in which he/she analyses the team process and their individual
role in this process. A key element is the question regarding what students have learned in terms of project and consultancy-,
research- and team skills. The reflection paper should not exceed 1500 words and must be submitted on Canvas (see appendix
5 for more information). It counts for 15 % of the overall grade

Survey teamwork reflection

To stimulate reflection on the (team-)work a survey will be sent out towards the end of the project. All team members have to
complete this survey. The results of the survey, consisting of your personal rating and the average of your peers in your team,
should help you to reflect on your experience during teamwork, your learning points, and your outlook for the future. If you
do not fill in the survey you won’t get results from the peers either and you have to craft the reflection paper without the
survey outcomes. This may affect your grade.
Important dates for the survey:
Mon 1 May: survey is sent out
Sunday 7 May: survey must be filled in
Tuesday 23 May: results are sent out

Final reflection with academic coach

At the end of the Consultancy Project all teams are required to schedule a final team reflection meeting with their academic
coach. It is part of professional consulting to reflect on a project at the end and determine learnings. During the meeting the
teams reflects on the project together with their academic coach.

16
Appendices

Appendix 1: Guidelines for the Team Charter

To facilitate your teamwork and raise awareness to key issues in effective team leadership, you are required to
develop a team charter that will guide the team through the consultancy project.
The team charter needs to address the following topics:
a. What are the general objectives and ambitions of our team? What do we want to get out of this
experience? What are our ambitions and expectations in terms of delivery and grades?
b. How will we lead our team? How will we establish team leadership? Will the leader be permanent, rotate,
or be task specific? What are the team leader’s tasks? Are there other tasks or roles that need to be
identified?
c. How will we manage meetings and teamwork? How often will we meet? For how long? What will we do
prior, during and after each of these meetings?
d. What team values and rules of behavior will regulate our work together? What is most important to each
of us in teamwork? How will we handle different perspectives, divergent opinions and conflict?
e. How will we monitor our progress?
f. How will we deal with possible breakdowns?
g. Any other issues for consideration?

Format and Grading Criteria

Please note that we are looking for a realistic document that will reflect in-depth discussions of all of the above
issues. Then complete the team contract template that begins on the following page and treat that document as a
team contract that you all have agreed to adhere to throughout the course. This task is graded on a Pass/Fail basis.

Submit your completed team charter to your academic coach AND via Canvas within one week following the
company briefing.

17
Team Charter Template2

Team name:
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

How many members does this team consist of? ……… members

Enter the names of all team members here below:

Name: ………………………………………………………………………….

Name: ………………………………………………………………………….

Name: ………………………………………………………………………….

Name: ………………………………………………………………………….

Name: ………………………………………………………………………….

Name: ………………………………………………………………………….

Part I: Establishing the Team Charter

Objectives: Practice forming and negotiating expectations and developing a shared understanding of how your
team will function.

Background: Your team will be responsible for completing a strategic business plan. Of course you each enter the
group with expectations about one another and what seems like reasonable behaviour. Yet – it is highly unlikely
that you all have exactly the same expectations. That’s where this charter comes in. To be effective, the charter
must be made explicit and shared among group members. Without a shared understanding, some members’
expectations may not be met, leading them to become disillusioned and de-motivated. As a result, group
effectiveness will probably be diminished and there will be less motivation.

The charter provides a means for managing group performance. To be effective, all members must explicitly agree
to a set of norms for group behaviour, and policies and procedures to address behaviours that fall outside the
norms. Procedures define the actions you will take. Policies define what triggers you take to these actions.

2
(Strategic Business Plan, 2012. Based on Mathieu, J. E., & Rapp, T. L. (2009). Laying the foundation for successful team performance trajectories: The roles of team charters and
performance strategies. Journal of Applied Psychology, 94(1), 90-103)

18
Instructions:

Step 1: Each member provides the following information.

Write down the following information for every member listed on Team Attributes page:
• Personal background
• Time constraints (e.g., when you are available to do your part)
• Your strengths and weaknesses relevant to the upcoming projects
• How you work best
• Anything else the group needs to know

Step 2: Discuss expectations for the group, the projects, and one another. Everyone should contribute to this.
Reach a consensus on a set of expectations. Write these expectations down on the Group Expectations, Goals, and
Objectives worksheet, being sure that each expectation is explicit and clearly explained. These expectations should
be listed in behavioral terms that are measurable (for example, rather than saying “members should do their
work,” say “members should have their work ready according to our agreed schedule,” etc.

Step 3: Discuss the procedures you will use if a team members’ performance falls outside the agreed upon norms.
For instance, procedures for giving rewards, giving feedback, giving a warning. Define your procedures and write
them down on page 3.

Step 4: Discuss the behaviours that will lead to using the procedures outlined in STEP 3. So, in this step you define
the behaviour that is not desirable. For example, you may decide coming late to meeting is grounds for oral
feedback, being late for a second meeting may require a written warning, being late for a third meeting may lead
to an extra duty for the late person. Of course it can also be reported to the teacher when the negligence is
extreme. Come to a consensus and write these down on page 4.

Step 5: Circulate a draft copy of your charter document to all team members for review and revision. Submit your
completed team charter to your academic coach AND via Canvas within one week after the company briefing.

Step 6: Refer to this team charter throughout the project and regularly reassess whether all team members are
abiding by the agreements toward harmonious, effective cooperation.

19
Team Attributes

In the spaces below, fill in each team member’s name and respective answers to the questions in STEP 1.

Name Answers

20
Group Expectations, Goals, and Objectives

Team goals (e.g., to be a team, to be the best, the funniest, the most informative, the most interesting, etc.)

Division of labour (Who is going to do what? Be specific and provide detail per project)

Name Answers

Timetable (what deadlines do you need to set?)

21
Group Performance Norms

Attendance to team meetings:

Performance of tasks:

Quality of work:

Contribution of ideas:

Degree of cooperation:

Attitude:

Rules of etiquette:

Other:

22
Group Procedures and Policies

If a group member performs at a level much higher than expected, we will:

If a group member performs at a level much lower than expected, we will (be specific about what behaviour will
lead to what actions):

TEAM CHARTER

We have reached a consensus on the terms of our contract and performance plan. We understand what the
expectations are for our team and hereby commit as a team to abide by them.

Name: ………………………………………………… Date and signature: ………………………………………………

Name: ………………………………………………… Date and signature: …………………………………………………

Name: ………………………………………………… Date and signature: …………………………………………………

Name: ………………………………………………… Date and signature: …………………………………………………

Name: ………………………………………………… Date and signature: …………………………………………………

Name: ………………………………………………… Date and signature: …………………………………………………

23
Appendix 2 Guidelines for the Project Proposal

The project proposal identifies and analyzes the problem (issue) at hand, formulates a research question about
what needs be solved, and discusses an action plan about what to do, when to do it and how to do it.
The purpose is to make sure that all stakeholders agree with the analysis, deliverables, timing, costs of the project.
Mind that during the first weeks of the project the proposal is an evolving document where you aim to sharpen
the project scope and project plan and deliverables as soon as possible! Successful teams start working on it as
soon as possible and work with the client to develop it.

What makes a good proposal?

• A good proposal is convincing and creates confidence. A good proposal shows:
• That you understand the business issue in its broader company or industry context
• That you understand the underlying needs of the client company, and the constraints they impose on
which research questions and solutions are acceptable and which not
• That you are able to formulate a clear and focused research question
• That the way you propose to answer the research question (your solution approach or methodology) is
consistent with the problem
• That your solution approach is the best approach possible
• That your solution approach is feasible
• That the data that you will use are available and valid
• That you are aware of the things that can go wrong and therefore have prepared for contingencies

A good proposal manages expectations. A good proposal makes clear:

• What the aims and objectives of the project are
• The scope of the project: what is inside the project, what is outside the project?
• Which actions you will undertake during each part of the project
• What the deliverables are. And, when and how you will deliver
• When and how you will report back to your two coaches
• Which criteria the client organization will use to assess the quality of your output
• What you expect from the client organization
• What the costs (e.g. telephone costs, travel costs) are and how they are related to activities
• What the overall scheduling is of the activities

A good proposal is clear and transparent. A good proposal:

• Can be transferred to any other coach and he or she will understand its essence and its quality.
• Can be transferred to any other MiM team and be executed the same way as you have planned.
• Is fact-based, and uses arguments that are compelling
• Uses professional, objective and precise language
• Uses a structure and a form that foster readability

24
Appendix 3 Grading Criteria for the Final Report

Analysis
The team understands the company’s problem/challenge and its related context: it correctly identifies key issues,
and prioritizes effectively. This includes aspects such as:
• The report starts with a clearly formulated question and agenda which guides the reader through the text
• Problem analysis is well informed by correct use of the literature and frameworks; is systematic.
• Supporting materials explain, support and elaborate the arguments, findings and conclusions in the text.
• Arguments used are compelling and convincing
• The report uses clear definitions, formulates starting assumptions and underlying considerations

Structure, transparency and rigor

The team's problem-solving and project management approach are structured and rigorous. The team's diagnoses,
analyses and recommendations are supported by compelling evidence. This includes aspects such as:
• The report presents clear facts and findings that support conclusions and recommendations
• Recommendations are a logical extrapolation of the evidence presented and are consistent with the
problem identified

Creativity and feasibility

The team's problem-solving approach, solution approach and/or recommendations are creative and innovative.
Recommendations include clear next steps and can be implemented at acceptable cost. This includes aspects such
as:
• Development of innovative and creative solutions, realistic recommendations and detailed
implementation plan
• The team displays originality and creativity in its analysis and solution approach

Impact and relevance

The team understands the company’s needs and intentions and the interests of different stakeholders.
Recommendations, if implemented, are likely to have significant impact on solving problem/meeting the
challenge. This includes aspects such as:
• Good understanding of the needs and intentions of different stakeholders
• Content offers many useful insights and guidance for the client firm
• Content is specific and actionable

Clarity
The team's key messages are prominent and clear; the documents are individually and collectively coherent,
concise, well structured, written efficiently and professionally. This includes aspects such as:
• Clear structure, and logical flow; text is well written; logically argued in a skillfully structured text.
• Visuals are to the point and support the storyline
• Language is precise and professional

25
Appendix 4 Guidelines for Personal, Professional and Academic Conduct

The Erasmus University Rotterdam and Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University are committed to
the highest ethical standards of professional conduct and integrity; all members of the University community are
therefore expected to respect and abide by the Rules of Conduct and to encourage others to do the same. The
Rules of Conduct relate to correct conduct and procedure in the University buildings and on the University sites,
the working conditions, elimination of sexual harassment, the prevention of smoking in prohibited areas, the
protection of privacy and copyright.

Elaborating on these Rules of Conduct this document outlines the principles and guidelines for personal,
professional and academic behaviour with regard to the International Business Projects.

• The International Business Project is a professional experience and professional conduct is expected from
you at all times especially regarding punctuality, attire, demeanour and language. Inappropriate behaviour
reflects directly upon RSM. It can greatly jeopardise RSM’s relationships with business connections and/or
contacts.
• You must not misrepresent yourself when submitting your matching resume or at any time in the process
preceding the kick-off of the project. RSM has the right to verify all pertinent information regarding your
candidacy at any point. Examples of misrepresentation include grade inflation, exaggerated job
responsibilities, overstated foreign language competency and deliberate overestimation of the time you
have available for working on the International Business Project.
• Once you have been matched to an International Business Project you are expected to complete that
project. Verifiable medical or family emergencies are the only circumstances that may be considered in
excusing students.
• Should you need to cancel on an International Business Project, you risk forfeiting your study credits.
Decisions in these matters are made by the Academic Director with the informed consent of the university
coach.
• The rules pertaining to plagiarism can be found in the Rules of Conduct, you should be aware of the fact
that these also relate to the International Business Project.
• The initial briefing meeting – as well as any subsequent meeting(s) with the client company – is a
professional commitment. Failure to keep an appointment or late notification is unacceptable behaviour.
If you must cancel a meeting for a serious reason, the International Business Project client company must
be notified immediately.
• Students are expected to dress in appropriate business attire for all meetings and/or presentations unless
specifically exempted by the International Business Project client company.
• The client company has agreed to reimburse student teams for expenses incurred in the research process
of its International Business Project. Your request may be for reasonable and legitimate expenses only. Ask
the company directly or contact the Career Centre (careercentre@rsm.nl) for information on
reimbursement with the company.
• If you encounter necessary expenses exceeding an item on the budget or the total of estimated costs you
agreed upon with the client company, you should get written consent from your company coach to ensure
reimbursement.

These guidelines are not exhaustive. They are intended to serve as a framework within which the IBP process
should function, and as a standard of professionalism to be upheld. Thank you for adhering to these guidelines.

26
Appendix 5 Guidelines for the Individual Reflection Report

Aim
The Consultancy Project confronts students with real-life business problems but also offers them a learning
experience in terms of:

• Consultancy: to understand the work of a consultant, how to analyse organizational problems, how to
develop solutions and recommendations, and how to develop a professional client relationship.
• Project management: how to structure, plan and coordinate activities
• Individual and interpersonal competences: leadership, persuasion, social support skills, how to give
feedback to others, time management skills, organising skills, communications skills
• Teamwork, intercultural competencies: how to work as a team? How to deal with the challenges of
diversity in team?

The purpose of the individual learning report is to have you reflect on your experiences with respect to these
fields.
• The consultancy experience: How do you evaluate your team’s performance in terms of a. problem
analysis; b. the implementation and recommendation; the working relation with the client? What were
good practices? What were ineffective practices?
• Project management experience: How did your team structure and coordinate the work? How do you
evaluate your team’s performance in terms planning, organising and coordinating the necessary activities?
What would you do similarly next time? What were good practices? What were inefficient practices?
• The teamwork experience: How did the group start off and evolve over time? What went well or did not
go well? What problems or issues occurred during the project? What was the output of the team in term
of performance, member satisfaction? Did the group meet its own expectations and that of its
stakeholders? What are good practices and bad practices?
• Individual role: What are your personal strengths and weaknesses in terms of teamwork and project
management skills? What has been your own role in the team? How much have you contributed to its
outcomes? What would you do differently next time?

Submit your report by e-mail to your Academic Coach and AND via Canvas.

27
Course Assessment Plan
Assessment formats
Learning goals per course (After following this course, the student is Final Report Company Presentation Final project Individual Total
able to: ) Team On Course Project Survey Executive
Presentation internal reflection reflection
Charter app Proposal teamwork Summary
competion meeting paper
Analytical skills: Dealing with a high amount of information in a short x x
time in an (formerly) unknown domain and gain/maintain an x x x
overview
Analytical skills: Being able to define, scope, analyze and structure an x x x x
x
(formerly) unknown and ill-defined problem
Problem-solving skills: Develop relevant and sustainable solutions for x x x x x x
the client based on high professional standards and understand the x
managerial implications
x x x x
Managerial skills: Think independently and behave autonomously:
x x
working on problems – not following instructions
x x x
Managerial skills: manage and satisfy the various requirements from
x
stakeholders
x x x
Managerial skills: Make use of the cross-cultural and disciplinary
x x x
diversity in a team
x x x
Leadership skills: experience and reflect on your impact on a team
x x x
process
x x x x
Getting socialized into the business world x x

70% academic coach: final deliverables, p/f p/f 15% 100%

process (academic criteria);
Weighting p/f p/f p/f p/f
15% company coach: final deliverables,
process (practical criteria)
Minimum grade required (4.5 or pass) pass pass pass pass 5.5 pass pass 5.5 5.5
Opportunity to resit or an improvement option within the academic No No No Yes
No No No No
year
Form of examination (e.g. MC, Open ended questions, etc.)
Group / Individual Group Individual Group Individual Group Group Group Individual
NOTES:

29
Project descriptions
1. 12 To Zero Technology BV

Project title
HyFloat

Company details
Company name : 12 To Zero Technology BV
Contact person : Dr Jamie Frew
Visiting Address : CIC Rotterdam
Stationsplein 45, A4.004
3013AK, Rotterdam
Mobile : 06 26 87 33 45
E-mail : Jamie.frew@12tozero.com
Website : www.12tozero.com

Company information
12 to Zero is a start-up which is developing a new technology for renewable energy harvesting from the deep
oceans. The patented design uses space within wind turbines for hydrogen storage in a unique low cost high
reliability supply scheme.

Project description
We are developing a new technology for renewable energy harvesting from the deep oceans hoping to solve the
energy crisis. We’re a small company with big ambitions.
We are looking for a credible strategy on how a small start-up can move into mega scale engineering.

Our project:
Write a business plan for the company based on business model CANVAS methodology. Several business models
to be devised and evaluated and a final one recommended based on achievability and maximization of value for
the founders.
We are looking into deeper business models:
1) Based on licensing;
2) Partnering with large companies to provide a fully integrated design;
3) Owning our own wind fields – we think this is the most profitable one but it would mean we are entering
the energy sales market and would step out of the technology market.

We are hoping the students can do in-depth analysis and come up with suggestions for business models. Please
also include various sets of funding so we know in which direction to address our stakeholders.

Project’s contribution to positive change

HyFloat is a floating wind foundation that achieves dual use of materials to provide both buoyancy and storage for
floating hydrogen production. HyFloat therefore offers a method to make offshore hydrogen production reliable
and available at little extra cost vs competing concepts.
Europe is in the grip of an energy crisis. The answer to the energy crisis is harvesting the power of deep ocean
winds to provide energy. Distributed offshore hydrogen production offers the chance to provide green hydrogen
for industry and energy applications. The HyFloat concept offers the chance to access deep offshore hydrogen
production at a lower cost than any competing technology, due to its inherent simplicity and efficient use of
materials, and thus enables a greener and more prosperous society.

Preferred profile of the student team

Must speak English to business level, STEM or business background, great EXCEL skills, proactive. Must be
interested in renewables technologies, wind energy and hydrogen a plus.

31
2. AF-X Systems BV – project 1

Project title
Project 1: Market entry strategy in Energy Storage Systems (ESS) segment

Company details
Company name : AF-X SYSTEMS BV
Contact person : Mr. Drs. R. D. Hooglandt
Visiting Address : Impuls 20
1446 WX Purmerend
Telephone : 020 205 04 84 / 06 11 01 08 59
E-mail : ralph@af-x.com
Website : www.afxfiresolutions.com

Company information
Fires seriously damage the environment and lead to huge financial losses globally. They cause an estimated
$329bn in annual costs in the USA, approx. 2.1% of GDP. Similar estimates for the EU put the annual costs of fire at
€126bn (1% of the GDP for the EU). Apart from the financial burden, fires often result in tremendous and
irreplaceable losses as evidenced by the widely publicized events in the EU such as the fire at the ChemiePack
industrial plant in the Netherlands in 2011 (requiring €70M in clean-up costs due to the toxic contamination of
underground water), the Grenfell Tower fire in London in 2017 (resulting in 72 deaths and damages of up to £1bn)
and the Notre Dame fire in Paris in 2019 (which destroyed part of this invaluable cultural heritage site, with
reconstruction estimated at €billions). This clearly indicates the fundamental need for fire protection, which is
currently not being effectively met due to the limitations of the available fire extinguishing methods.
AF-X Systems is a keen and ambitious organisation with a flat organisational structure and short communication
lines. We are an innovative organisation that puts its clients first, as our customer friendly attitude and our speedy
and effective response to market queries illustrates. We have a strong and patented brand that is on the brink of
growing into a global market leader in the segment of aerosol fire extinguishers.

Project description
On basis of the segmentation model designed by RSM students last year (2022) you will now be asked to design a
market introduction and penetration program for the focus area Energy Storage Systems (ESS Segment). During
this versatile and challenging project you’ll be working closely with our entire team. Your responsibility will be to
design and start executing a market entry plan in the Dutch ESS segment.
• You will research and analyse the ESS segment in The Netherlands and determine the best market
approach for AF-X in this segment
• You will make choices in how to penetrate this segment best and prepare for executing them
• You will map all relevant parties within the designated segments and draw up a plan of attack, taking into
account budgetary restraints and available manpower.
• You will start implementing your own new trade marketing plan for the ESS segment

32
Not only will you be challenged to join and support our organisation, but you will also be invited to (pro-)actively
help us think and venture your opinion. This project offers ample opportunity for initiatives and to act as a full
member of the team.

Eventually, you will be expected to present your findings and plan to our shareholders: Mr. Ribbink, (Partner Keen
Ventures and Marketeer of the Year 2005, Advertiser of the Year 2006, formerly Unilever, Mars and TomTom), Mr.
Staal (Partner AAC Capital, formerly ABN-Amro Bank), Mr. Stolp (Private investor, formerly Intertrust), Mr van
Roon (independent, formerly Heineken).

Project’s contribution to positive change

AF-X has the SEAL of Excellence status with the EU Horizon Accelerator Program.
AF-X is MVO (CSR) awarded in the Netherlands.

Our goal is to improve on earlier aerosol products and naturally, over traditional methods (water, foam and gas).
We have developed AF-X Fireblocker, a patented next generation condensed aerosol fire extinguishing system that
is environmentally neutral (does not contaminate surface and ground water sources, does not harm the ozone
layer, does not produce greenhouse gases, and does not use drinking water). It is compact, easy to install, durable,
cost effective and does not require additional structural provisions (such as piping, bulky storages and pressure
relief systems). Due to its compact design involving only dry materials and the absence of additional constructional
provisions, AF-X offers significant savings in costs compared to traditional suppressants. AF-X provides different
types of fire protection with specific applications including: protection of electrical cabinets and panels, sensitive
documents and equipment, data centers, power plants and engine rooms.

Economic
AF-X lowers costs of installation (40% compared to water systems and 36% compared to foam systems) and
maintenance (66.7% compared to water systems and 75% compared to foam systems). By effective suppression, it
also reduces material and economic losses and helps to avoid lengthy interruptions to businesses

Environmental
AF-X contributes to a cleaner environment and the protection of water sources, and complies with the goals set by
the Montreal Protocol and the Kigali Amendment for the protection of the ozone layer and the reduction of
greenhouse gas emissions

Social
AF-X minimizes risks to human life due to the immediate dangers posed by the fire itself and the various secondary
effects of extinguishing agents

33
Preferred profile of the student team
We are looking for people with excellent commercial skills. Not only will you come up with creative solutions, but
you will also know how to win people over. You are a team player, a strong communicator and result driven. A
customer-oriented attitude is part of your DNA and you thrive on a dynamic working environment where no two
days are ever the same.

On top of that:
• You are in the final stages of your Commercial Studies
• You have strategic skills
• You are obviously interested in (Trade) Marketing
• You are a top organiser and planner

34
3. AF-X Systems BV – project 2

Project title
Project 2: Strategic focus area for new fluorine free extinguishing medium

Company details
Company name : AF-X SYSTEMS BV
Contact person : Mr. Drs. R. D. Hooglandt
Visiting Address : Impuls 20
1446 WX Purmerend
Telephone : 020 205 04 84 / 06 11 01 08 59
E-mail : ralph@af-x.com
Website : www.afxfiresolutions.com

Company information
Fires seriously damage the environment and lead to huge financial losses globally. They cause an estimated
$329bn in annual costs in the USA, approx. 2.1% of GDP. Similar estimates for the EU put the annual costs of fire at
€126bn (1% of the GDP for the EU). Apart from the financial burden, fires often result in tremendous and
irreplaceable losses as evidenced by the widely publicized events in the EU such as the fire at the ChemiePack
industrial plant in the Netherlands in 2011 (requiring €70M in clean-up costs due to the toxic contamination of
underground water), the Grenfell Tower fire in London in 2017 (resulting in 72 deaths and damages of up to £1bn)
and the Notre Dame fire in Paris in 2019 (which destroyed part of this invaluable cultural heritage site, with
reconstruction estimated at €billions). This clearly indicates the fundamental need for fire protection, which is
currently not being effectively met due to the limitations of the available fire extinguishing methods.
AF-X Systems is a keen and ambitious organisation with a flat organisational structure and short communication
lines. We are an innovative organisation that puts its clients first, as our customer friendly attitude and our speedy
and effective response to market queries illustrates. We have a strong and patented brand that is on the brink of
growing into a global market leader in the segment of aerosol fire extinguishers.

Project description
Problem: Most extinguishing mediums based on foam contain fluorines and therefore releases PFOS/PFAS when
used as fire agent. These PFOS/PFAS are harmful for human, animals and environment. We have developed a new
extinguishing agent without using fluorines. This new product, named PTX (Power To Extinguish), does not harm
the environment, is 100% bio-degradable and is cost-effective. It will be very effective for Class A fires (fixed
materials) Class B fires (liquid), Class E (electrical) fires and for oil and fat fires (Class F)

You will be asked to design a segmentation model where and how to introduce this new product to the market.
During this versatile and challenging project, you’ll be working closely with our entire team.

• You will research, analyse and determine the best market approach for AF-X
• You will add focus to the segmentation policy
• You will map all relevant parties within the designated segments and draw up a plan of attack, considering
budgetary restraints and available manpower.
• You will start implementing your own new trade marketing plan.
Not only will you be challenged to join and support our organisation, but you will also be invited to (pro-)actively
35
help us think and venture your opinion. This project offers ample opportunity for initiatives and to act as a full
member of the team.

Project’s contribution to positive change

AF-X has the SEAL of Excellence status with the EU Horizon Accelerator Program.
AF-X is MVO (CSR) awarded in the Netherlands.

Our goal is to improve on earlier existing products and be an environmental friendly alternative. We have
developed PTX as the next generation PFAS Free extinguishing agent suitable especially for nature and forest fires,
but also for all kind of Class A fires. We developed a PTX product especially for Class A fires, think of nature and
wood fires, and all kind of fixed material fires like fires that occur in storage, warehouses, production facilities etc.
It is a product based on water and should be added to the normal extinguishing water in a 5% solution. In doing
so, it will make regular water 5 times more effective.

Economic
Fires got extinguished 5 times faster of you will need 5 times less water for the same result. PTX offers significant
savings in costs compared to traditional suppressants. By effective suppression, it also reduces material and
economic losses and helps to avoid lengthy interruptions to businesses

Environmental
PTX contributes to a cleaner environment and the protection of water sources, and complies with the goals set by
the Montreal Protocol and the Kigali Amendment for the protection of the ozone layer and the reduction of
greenhouse gas emissions

Social
AF-X minimizes risks to human life due to the immediate dangers posed by the fire itself and the various secondary
effects of extinguishing agents

Preferred profile of the student team

We are looking for people with excellent commercial skills. Not only will you come up with creative solutions, but
you will also know how to win people over. You are a team player, a strong communicator and result driven. A
customer-oriented attitude is part of your DNA and you thrive on a dynamic working environment where no two
days are ever the same.

On top of that:
• You are in the final stages of your Commercial Studies
• You have strategic skills
• You are obviously interested in (Trade) Marketing
• You are a top organiser and planner

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4. Apolix

Project title
International Expansion Strategy for a start-up

Company details
Company name : Apolix
Contact person : Alexander Stromberg
Visiting Address : Vasteland 78
3011 BN Rotterdam
Mobile : 06 48 61 12 84
E-mail : alex@apolix.nl
Website : www.apolix.nl

Company information
Apolix is a Rotterdam start-up specialized in process mining; a data-driven method to analyse and optimize
business processes. We are operating from our HQ in Rotterdam, but have customers in more than 12 different
countries. Apolix is found in 2019 and grew to a team of more than 15 FTE without any external financing. Apolix is
a pure-play Celonis only consulting firm. This means the only software we use for our services is Celonis; which is
also the market leader in process mining with a valuation of more than $13 billion. Celonis has more than 300
global partners of which Apolix is recognized as one of the nine platinum partners.

At Apolix we have ambition to be the number one process mining consulting globally, therefore explaining our
wish to expand internationally in the coming year. The recommendations done by the students working on this
project will be seriously considered and serve as the foundation for our expansion plan in the coming year. Thus,
your project will have a significant and real impact to our company!

Project description
We have the ambition to open up a second office in Europe next year, however, we are not sure about the entry
strategy. Initially, we would like to evaluate several countries to enter, thereafter have a more in-depth report
about the best strategy to enter this market. Currently we are considering France or the UK.

Project’s contribution to positive change

At Apolix we work hard to have a positive impact on the environment around us. One of our four core values is
even: a force for positive change (That’s what you get when RSM alumni start a company ;-)). We have some our
customers with sustainability projects, but are also actively involved in voluntary work in our environment.

Preferred profile of the student team

Not a particular profile, but I am only willing to take on a motivated group of students. I was one of those students
who wanted to get a passing grade with minimal effort; that will not be sufficient for this project, as we will
seriously consider your proposal for our expansion strategy.

37
5. Berenschot

Project title
AI and the decision-making process

Company details
Company name : Berenschot
Contact persons : Joes Wigman (team lead), Onno Ponfoort & Birthe Stam available 2-4
hrs./week
Visiting Address : Van Deventerlaan 31-51
3528 AG Utrecht
Mobile : 030 291 69 16
E-mail : o.ponfoort@berenschot.nl
Website : www.berenschot.nl / www.berenschot.com

Company information
Berenschot is an independent, Dutch management consulting firm with an international orientation. For over 80
years we cooperate with our clients in the private and the public sector to develop smart new insights. Our firm is
staffed with inspiring and determined individuals who all share the same passion: transforming complex issues
into practicable solutions. We devote a great deal of attention to quality and development. We offer employees
ample room for R&D in socially-relevant, economic and professional subjects.

Project description
Artificial intelligence holds a major promise: supporting and improving decision-making in organizations. Until
now, AI has not delivered on this promise. The added value of AI is not tangible: the use of AI to quickly analyze
external sources is not widespread and seems to be quite cumbersome to implement; Augementing decision
making with AI is not plug-and-play; Automated decision making by an ‘AI-companion’ is not a trusted process.

We wonder how and when AI will be available to support decision making processes within organizations> And
which steps should an organization like Berenschot (consultancy) take, to benefit from AI before the competition
does?
Our request is to conduct market research into currently used AI ‘in-process’ decision support examples at
consultancy firms, including the requirements and efforts taken by the case organizations to make it work.
• How do other consultants use AI (or contemplate to use AI)? What value is created with it?
• Which processes are supported by AI and what are the estimated costs/gains of the AI support?
• How should Berenschot prioritize AI within the organization (roadmap)?
• What capabilities are key to develop internally?

Project’s contribution to positive change

Berenschot is an ‘Equal Opportunity Employer’. We value economic advancement, but not against ecological costs.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals serve as benchmark. An assessment of the sustainability of the suggested
development is required to be part of the end report the students deliver.

38
Preferred profile of the student team
• Digital savvy (Automation, Data, AI) NB At least 2 of 5 team member must have some operational AI
experience
• Online Research capabilities
• Consulting experience
• Economics, business and organization: capable of assessing financial and social impact of AI
• ‘Out of the box’–thinking, free spirits

39
6. Chikara Cambodia Foundation

Project title
‘Soap in Return for Plastic Waste’

Company details
Company name : Chikara Cambodia Foundation
Contact person : Carina van Silfhout
Visiting Address : Jacob Mosselstraat 14 B
2595 RH Den Haag
Mobile : 06 18 20 86 94
E-mail : info@chikaracambodia.com
Website : www.chikaracambodia.com

Company information
Chikara Cambodia is a foundation registered in 2019 in the Netherlands, which has founded an environmental
project in Cambodia.
Cambodia deals with huge plastic pollution and the little awareness among the local people regarding the
importance of a clean environment. Besides that, there are limited opportunities for an education for the
underprivileged young people. The project addresses these two issues in one project.
Our mission is helping poor countries like Cambodia, to tackle and deal with their environmental challenges,
especially the plastic pollution. Our motto is; 'Educate for a Cleaner World'.

Project description
Our project brings awareness regarding the plastic pollution and hygiene among the poor population and we give
scholarships for the underprivileged youngsters. We integrate these two components in one project.
With our concept ‘soap in return for plastic waste’, the Chikara Cambodia youngsters create awareness and
motivate communities to clean their own environment. The gathered plastic will be recycled into learning
materials for poor schools. Our concept brings a solution for the local low environmental awareness and the
plastic pollution. The project is now up and running and it proves that it works!
To make the project powerful with a ripple effect and self-sustainable, we need a local business with a profit
model. Only then these communities with its people will be independent and self-supporting and the project will
stay sustainable.
We want to start a local social enterprise in ecological soap and plastic recycling. At the moment we started with a
production of ecological soap on low scale and recycling of plastic waste into learning materials.
We have a wide local network and regularly online meetings with our local Cambodian partners and stakeholders.

What we have right now;

• 10 underprivileged Cambodian youth who have received a scholarship from CC for a full (university)
education, where they are also trained by CC to become 'Environmental Leaders'.
• In the poor community 's, in the context of 'sharing', the young people actively shape the CC mission
'Educate for a Cleaner World'. They give monthly workshops at 6 primary schools. The communities are
being involved as well (range of 10.000 people)

• It runs through our concept of 'Soap in return for plastic waste'. The Cambodian students produce the
ecological soap themselves in our small factory. Production of 4000 soaps in half a year, which are
given for free to the schools and it’s children (in return for plastic waste). The last step is the recycling
40
 of the plastic waste into learning materials for the schools. The system behind the concept is up and
running.
We work closely on this with local partners and stakeholders.

We are now also working on a design for a bigger building, where we can scale up and have the three parts in 1
building; soap production, education and plastic recycling of the waste plastic. We have a piece of land there and
are now in the process of securing financing for this building (funds and grants). Timely we want to get into the
business model, focusing on selling the soap (bars and liquid soap).
Business
How can the production of soap be further professionalized, the design of the education space serve even more
purposes, and how can the plastic recycling process be arranged so that the total sum of all activities becomes
financially profitable (minus cost recovery) and self-supporting.
Investment cost / depreciation cost is n/a (The building project is financed from income grants and funds)
Costs such as management and maintenance, replacement costs for production equipment, purchasing, energy
consumption and labor costs must be included.
The sales market must be considered.
It is important to ensure the continuity of the following three pillars:
• supply of raw materials and packaging materials
• production processes
• sales market

Project’s contribution to positive change

Our project proves bringing a positive change towards the SDG’s: 1. no poverty, 3. good health and well-being, 4.
quality education, 8. decent work and economic growth, 13. climate action, 15. life on land, 17 partnerships for
the goals. Our experience is, that it works to integrate a number of SDG’s together, though the SDG number 13
‘climate action’ and SDG number 17 ‘partnerships for the goals’ have our strongest focus.
There is no time to waste in getting the world cleaner. Only by propagating the right thing and working together
will the impossible become possible. Poor countries need the richer West to make this happen. By sharing
knowledge and experiences, supporting them financially and working together, we can make this happen.
We want to contribute to get a poor country like Cambodia clean of plastic waste in a sustainable way.
Our motto here is ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together’

Preferred profile of the student team

We are looking for master business administration students, who want to work in a team to create a business plan
for a social enterprise in Cambodia.

Skills;
• Team player
• Able to communicate and match with other cultures -> stakeholders, partners, students (online)
• Proactive attitude
• Flexible
• Initiative
• Command of the English language and if possible Dutch language

Affiliation;
• Want to mean something for a cleaner world
• Affinity with undeveloped countries and want to be a part of developing and innovating rural areas
• Interested in the Asian, specifically the Cambodian culture

41
With whom are the students supposed to work with during their project?
Students are supposed to work with the NGO Chikara Cambodia and particularly with the Board / co-founders and
other Dutch and International expertise within the network of CC.

Chikara Cambodia:
Carina van Silfhout (co-founder / the Board CC), expertise;
• trainer / supervisor/ coach (Inveni Coaching, training en advies)
• project management (social projects)

Giel Hagelaar (co-founder CC / the Board) expertise;

• owner of a carpentry factory (1985 / 2001)
• project leader and manager municipality of Helmond (2001 to present)
Ronny Simon (Team member CC) expertise;
• owner Start-up and Scale-up
• expertise on business plans, marketing and communication

Other Dutch expertise:

Brain Lamme - Coach & Trainer & CEO at Rhiza Consultancy
• former IBM employee, Senior Managing Consultant, Client Executive
Boudewijn van Silfhout - CEO at eLEAF (Team Chikara Cambodia)
• former IBM employee, Executive Partner

Other International expertise :

Arjen Laan - CEO Pactics Group, Cambodia
Ineke Leferink - Founder and dir Panha Sabay, Cambodia
Hun Rerngsey- Founder and dir FACCH, Cambodia

We have a broad network of partners and stakeholders in the Netherlands and Cambodia. There is, if necessary,
also the possibility to consult them.
IBM and Hogeschool Windesheim Zwolle are during three years partner of Chikara Cambodia.
Because we are partner with IBM, we may use their ‘Skillsbuild Platform”. This might be interesting for the
students working with us on this project.

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7. Cloud Integrate

Project title
Go-to-market strategy for Cloud Integrate Smart Connector

Company details
Company name : Cloud Integrate
Contact person : Fabrizio Fitzgerald Farina
Visiting Address : Fred. Roeskestraat 115
1076 EE Amsterdam
Mobile : 06 36 46 13 34
E-mail : fabrizio@cloud-integrate.com
Website : www.cloud-integrate.com

Company information
Cloud Integrate is a Salesforce consultancy firm with a 100% focus on helping organizations realize their strategic,
commercial, and operational objectives.

We strongly believe that technology must always be a means to a business goal. Therefore, we always start from a
deep understanding of clients’ business needs, challenges, and goals—before selecting and implementing
technology solutions.

With our focus on business analysis and proven agile development approach, we leverage our expertise and
creativity to find the best solutions for our clients.

Project description
We are currently exploring the possibility to develop and launch a digital integration tool (Smart Connector) that
connects different systems (CRMs, ERPs, Messaging Apps, etc.) to ensure seamless data flows to increase
companies’ operational efficiency.

On the one hand, through the enhanced data integration of our Smart Connector, companies will be able to solve
supply chain-related challenges that lower productivity and increase waste. Connecting customer data with
production systems means companies will be able to manage resources in a better way avoiding costly
inefficiencies.

On the other hand, the Smart Connector breaks an important hurdle for small and medium enterprises that lack
the resources to invest in digital development activities to spearhead innovative business models.

Based on our experience and project implementations, we are aware of a big market gap that few other system
integrators have looked into but without delivering a satisfactory solution.

We would like the consulting project to focus, amongst other things, on the following points:
1. Conduct market research on the Conversational Commerce market trends
2. Conduct a competitive analysis of the Conversational Commerce market, including interviews with subject-
matter experts and technical experts
3. Conduct a SWOT analysis
4. Produce a business model for a go-to-market of the Smart Connector

43
Project’s contribution to positive change
SDG 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and
decent work for all.
• Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading
and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors.
• Target 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation,
entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small-
and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services
• Target 8.4 Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production
and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-
Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production, with developed countries
taking the lead

SDG 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

• Target 12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources
• Target 12.6: Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable
practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle

Preferred profile of the student team

• Experience/ strong interest in digital transformation
• IT background preferred
• Entrepreneurial experience/mindset
• Problem structuring and problem-solving skills
• Strong proactive attitude

44
8. ING

Project title
Future of supply chain infrastructure

Company details
Company name : ING Bank N.V.
Contact persons : Matthew Collins, Jorrit van der Windt, Aydin Celik
Visiting Address : Bijlmerdreef 24 (Acanthus)
1102 CT Amsterdam
Mobile : 06 15 18 40 89
E-mail : aydin.celik@ing.com
Website : http://www.ing.com

Company information
ING is a global financial institution with a strong European base, offering banking services through its operating
company ING Bank. ING Bank’s 57,000 employees offer retail and wholesale banking services to customers in c. 40
countries.

ING Group shares are listed on the exchanges of Amsterdam, Brussels and on the New York Stock Exchange.

Part of ING Bank is the ING Wholesale Bank (WB). The WB is active through c. 40 offices and covers international
corporate clients with a variety of financial services (loans, debt and equity advise, payment solutions and financial
market products). To provide the best services to our clients, the WB is divided into 6 sectors. One of those sectors
is Transportation & Logistics (T&L). The T&L teams are located in Amsterdam, London, Frankfurt, Brussels and
Singapore and service the following sub sectors: Shipping, Automotive, Aviation, Container & Logistics and Land
Transport.

Project description
The Covid pandemic has been the ultimate test for resilience of the transportation and logistics industry. Its impact
has been seen both on the passenger travel but also on the transportation of the goods with major supply chain
disruptions which persist even after 2.5 years. At the same time, we observe that the sustainability and
digitalization remain as the most dominant sector trends as the stakeholders look for ways to future proof the
global supply chain. Ports, especially container terminals, are a vital component of the supply chain, considering c.
70% of the global trade are handled by the container liners.
In order to stay one step ahead in business and further enhance the strategic dialogue with its clients, ING T&L
team believes that it is essential to develop its knowledge on where the markets are moving to. As a result, we are
looking for a project team to explore the following questions:
• What does the future entail for the global supply chain and logistics infrastructure?
• How are the sustainability and digitalization discussions (such as decarbonization, automation etc)
expected to change the ports (container terminal) infrastructure? What are the major innovations relevant
for the terminal operators?
• What are the expected impact on the container liners (customers of the container terminals) and,
ultimately, for the consumers?

45
As the T&L sector team, we will benefit greatly from the outcome of this project in our strategic dialogue with our
clients, by having a better understanding about how their operations will change in the short- to medium-term.
The findings of this project will also support us becoming a knowledge center in our sector. Secondly, ING supports
its clients in their transition towards a more sustainable business model by way of providing “Sustainability
Improvement Loans”. By answering the above questions, Sustainable Finance team will be able to propose more
relevant sustainability KPI structures which are in line with the transition of our clients. Finally, the findings will
shed light on the potential positive and negative impacts of the changes in the supply chain, which ultimately will
support our risk management activities.

Project’s contribution to positive change

Sustainability and digitalization are the enablers of a greener supply chain. By having a deeper understanding of
the potential solutions and how the future will look like, we expand on our sector knowledge and support our
clients on their way to net zero targets.

Preferred profile of the student team

Bachelor or Master student with affinity with the Transport and Logistic industry. Good problem solving skills, a
clear writer and communicator. Is able to connect with people on different levels (in terms of seniority). Curious
and willing to dive deep into a new topic. Proficient in English (writing and verbal).

46
9. KPMG, Global Strategy Group

Project title
Thriving in the economic downturn: A Strategy Consulting approach

Company details
Company name : KPMG, Global Strategy Group
Contact person : Martijn Helder
Visiting Address : Laan van Langerhuize 1
1186 DS Amstelveen
Mobile : 06 83 17 09 54
E-mail : helder.martijn@kpmg.nl
Company information
KPMG is one of the world’s largest audit and advisory companies that offers services in assurance, tax, technology,
sustainability, and strategy for all sectors. KPMG’s strategy consulting practice is called Global Strategy Group
(GSG). The GSG’s mission is to create value for clients. We strive to balance the hard edge of financial performance
and investment returns with risk, sustainability, and innovation. GSG professionals help organisations and
executive teams change, grow, adapt, shape and respond to disruptive forces. We support organisations in
defining their ambition and developing innovative strategies that embed the agility, customer-centricity, and
operational excellence needed to thrive in dynamic markets.
Project description
The dust of the COVID-19 pandemic is settling, yet it is still affecting our world today. The pandemic and the war in
Ukraine lead to global economic disruption: labour-market pressure, high inflation rates, and disrupted supply
chains. Many analysts expect a recession in the months to come. The time is now for Global Strategy Group to
prepare.
Therefore, this project entails an analysis on how GSG (∼200 colleagues – stakeholder group is 30 colleagues
across all function levels) should position itself and which propositions GSG should offer to provide optimal
support to our clients in the economic downturn. Research questions that could be part of the analysis are:
• What will be the impact of economic downturn on the industries (e.g. Consumer goods & Retail, Agri-food,
Industrial manufacturing) typical client organizations of GSG Netherlands (GSG NL) are in?
• What are the triggers for potential client organizations to need or seek help from GSG?
• Given these triggers, what solutions or propositions should GSG offer to best support clients in distress?
• What are the practical actions GSG should take to achieve this?
This assignment will challenge you to think critically to develop a tailored, pragmatic and sustainable
recommendation. It will include detailed analyses on e.g. the impact of the recession on the industries of our key
and potential clients, and GSG Netherlands’ optimal positioning in the global strategy consulting market to support
clients through the downturn. The assignment requires primary research through interviews within and outside
KPMG and secondary research using industry, peer and open-source analyses.

47
The final deliverable is a presentation document and verbal presentation to the GSG NL team. You can decide how:
we are open to your innovative ways of presenting the recommendation. Our team will offer on-site story-lining
and slide-writing trainings that will give you a head-start for the project delivery!

Project’s contribution to positive change

This project contributes to positive change, as it seeks for pragmatic solutions to help organisations create
sustainable value that can withstand an economic crisis. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies
are increasingly becoming part of our advice on value creation opportunities, and these can be a key driver in the
transition towards sustainable growth during economic downturn.
Preferred profile of the student team
• Strong interest in (strategy) consulting
• Core consulting skills: Problem structuring, logical thinking, concept to reality, and story-lining
• Quantitative and qualitative analytical skills
• Professional English proficiency is required

48
10. Nature’s Principles

Project title
Market strategy for biological soil remediation in the EU

Company details
Company name : Nature’s Principles
Contact person : Jerry Chen
Visiting Address : Wilhelmina van Pruisenweg 35
2595 AN Den Haag
Mobile : 06 39 72 34 01
E-mail : jerrychen@naturesprinciples.eu
Website : www.naturesprinciples.eu

Company information
Nature’s Principles is a spin-off from TU Delft aspiring to produce the most sustainable lactic acid in the world by
using residual streams as feedstock in our patented fermentation technology. Together with our team of engineers
we are scaling up the technology and realizing a green factory by 2024. The first customers will be on the soil
remediation market, where our product is used as a key nutrient for naturally breaking down hazardous chemicals
in the soil.

Project description
Background
In The Netherlands, it was discovered that various hazardous chemicals, mostly chlorinated hydrocarbons, in the
ground posed an unacceptable risk. If these chemicals leaked into the groundwater, the Dutch source for drinking
water would be contaminated. Contractors would initially excavate all the soil through large civil projects. Over the
years, biological in-situ soil remediation has become increasingly popular, where microbes and nutrients are injected
at the contamination site and the contaminants are broken down naturally by the microbes. This solution is less
invasive for the environment and significantly lower on costs, especially if the contamination is deeper in the ground.

Goal
It is NP’s aim to increase traction in the soil remediation market outside The Netherlands in the coming 3 years by
securing offtake volumes of 10 kilo tons per year. The goal for this project is to evaluate its feasibility and develop a
business strategy to achieve this by performing desk research and relevant field work.

Sub-questions
Some questions for your consideration:
• What are the market sizes and CAGRs in the various European countries?
• What is the level of market readiness in these countries?
• What are the regulatory requirements on the national level and where are the DMUs?
• What does the competitive landscape look like?
• What strategic partnerships in the value chain can be identified?

49
Project’s contribution to positive change
Nature’s Principles has the potential to significantly reduce the carbon footprint on lactic acid production with its
patented technology. Additionally, we will contribute to the raw material transition because lactic acid is a
powerful platform chemical that serves as a building block for biodegradable plastics. By building traction and a
healthy business outlook, Nature’s Principles shows validation on the technology and scale its production more
effectively.

Preferred profile of the student team

We value an interdisciplinary team with complementary skills of the various team members. Some competencies
we think are important for this project are analytical capabilities, strong listening skills and teamwork. It will be
beneficial if at least two students have a background in engineering and the natural sciences.

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11. Oikocredit – Gjenge Makers Ltd.

Project title
Recycling plastic: Housing the poorest of Africa

Company details
Company name : Gjenge Makers Ltd via Oikocredit International
Contact person(s) : Nzambi Matee – Gjenge ( in Nairobi, Kenya);
Ging Ledesma and/or Patrick Stutvoet – Oikocredit (in
Amersfoort, The Netherlands)
Visiting Address : Oikocredit, Berkenweg 7
3818 LA Amersfoort
PO Box : Gjenge - 4064-00100 Nairobi ,Kenya
Phone :+25 47 26 55 77 15/ +25 47 03 28 95 06
E-mail : gjengemakers@gmail.com
Website : www.gjenge.co.ke

Company information
Gjenge Makers Ltd. Is a sustainable alternative affordable building products manufacturing company currently
producing eco friendly pavement blocks made of a composite of waste plastic and sand. The blocks hold three
times the compression strength of normal concrete pavement blocks. The company was founded in 2017 and
its products are certified by the Kenya Bureau of Standards; it is also a member of the Kenya Association of
Manufacturers.

Oikocredit is a social impact investor registered as a cooperative society in the Netherlands since 1975. It offers
loans, equity investments and capacity building support to social enterprises which are aligned with Oikocredit’s
mission of improving the lives of low income people and communities. It supports enterprises in over 33
countries and has a total development finance portfolio of over €1 billion (One billion euros).

Oikocredit sees the potential of Gjenge not only addressing the serious and gigantic problem of plastic waste
globally but also the potential of addressing the gaping need for affordable housing for low income people
particularly in the sprawling slums of Africa, Asia and Latin America. Gjenge’s aspirations to provide an
affordable housing solution to poor communities is one which Oikocredit wishes to support.

Project description
Gjenge is a very young company recycling low grade plastics for their current product of pavement stones/blocks
in various sizes for driveways, courtyards and the like. Their set-up is quite similar to the Save Plastics factory in
Almere, The Netherlands.

Gjenge launched its first product in 2019 – recycled plastic based paving blocks. In its first two years (2020-2021)
since its launch to the market it has seen a considerable, progressive increase in acceptance/adoption in the
market which has pushed further for Affordable Building Blocks. This signal from the market has led Gjenge to
invest in research and development in providing these building blocks on the way to developing a prototype low
cost housing model. At the moment Gjenge continues to expand its paving blocks production to meet increased
demand while research and development on the building blocks and low cost housing solution is in its early
stages.

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The company has shown great resilience during the period of the pandemic – having increased its scope and
production despite the restrictions brought about by covid. In fact, demand for the pavement materials has led
Gjenge to double its present capacity – approaching Oikocredit, among others for the financing to do so.

But it still has a long way to go – both for its early, standard product of pavement blocks but also, more
importantly, with its ambition of developing a prototype affordable housing solution from plastic waste for
which there is a prototype for the basic building block.

Gjenge is based in Kenya and it is there where the first steps will be taken towards this ambition. In Kenya,
there is an affordable housing deficit of about 2 million units and this figure increases with 200,000 units per
year according to the national construction authority of Kenya. In addition, the cost of building one bedroom in
Kenya amounts to an average of KSH 35,000 per square meter. As a result, the final cost of building can be
approximately KSH 600,000 to KSH 1.5 million. An analysis done by Gjenge indicates that about 60% of this
total amount goes to the cost of materials. Poor people in Kenya and in other slums throughout Africa (if not the
world) face the unscaleable challenge of ever owning a decent home in their lifetimes.

Gjenge would like to provide alternative building materials as well as a prototype house model with a lease to own
financial model to address this challenge.

As a startup company, Gjenge is composed of highly driven individuals with exceptional technical capacities.
Nzambi Matee is one such individual and she brings with her a team of colleagues who are equally proficient.

Gjenge needs support to develop a comprehensive business model for the building blocks. The company has
several ideas on what it plans to roll out but requires the necessary tools on how to plan, execute, collect feedback
and analyse the data on the various business models that could work.

The company would also like support in developing an approach and the tools to measure both the economic and
social impact of the pursuing the development of building blocks and the low cost housing plastic solutions.

Finally, it needs support in pinpointing the skills, talents and organizational/management infrastructure needed to
execute the strategy and plan.

The above would include support in building Gjenge’s financial models, its projections, working out the costing for
the prototype as it is developed, developing the strategy and implementation plans for rollout – first in Kenya and
subsequently in other neighboring countries. Gjenge needs support in fine-tuning its business model to ensure
financial sustainability while remaining faithful to its ambitious social impact target. Develop the business case for
capital raising.

Project’s contribution to positive change

Project contributes to solving the waste pollution problem by recycling and upcycling plastic waste. When
successful, it will also provide alternative, lower cost, strong and durable house construction products as well as an
affordable low- cost housing prototype for low income people. In the course of implementation, opportunities
also present themselves to organize the value chain and provide job opportunities to many skilled and unskilled
youth in Kenya and the rest of Africa.

Preferred profile of the student team

Strong financial background – costing, budgeting, financial modelling, stress/scenario building, breakeven analysis,
cash flow analysis; structuring presentations for capital raising; business modelling, strategic planning, and
preparation of workplans.

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53
12. SENI Preps BV

Project title
Development of a corporate finance and licensing strategy for an innovative solution for the nitrogen problem of
Dutch livestock production

Company details
Company name : SENI Preps BV
Contact person : Marco Pieerse
Visiting Address : Swingdreef 27, Hardewijk
Callejon Joya 2, Juviles, Spain
Mobile : 06 53 18 98 99
E-mail : MP@senipreps.com / Marco.Pieterse1@gmail.com
Website : www.senipreps.com (landing page only)

Company information
SENI Preps BV is an early-stage company that was established in 2020 and is focused on solving the nitrogen
problem of livestock agriculture.
The company raised funds with the Rabobank and the Ministry of Economic Affairs for the technological
confirmation in the form of Proof of Concept of its solution by Wageningen BioVeterinary Research (WBVR), a
prestigious international research organisation. As a next step, animal field tests will commence in February 2023
as part of the preparation for market allowance of the additive on the EU market by the European Food Safety
Authority (EFSA).

The company management/founders:

Ir. Marco Pieterse, CEO, is an agricultural economist and an experienced science-based venture developer with a
background in venture capital at the World Bank and Gilde Investments (F&A fund), and entrepreneurial
experience in a series of early-stage companies. Successfully negotiated license deals including with among others
Shell, Philips, and Bayer.
Dr. Gerrit Keizer, CSO, is a highly experienced scientist and business manager and previously led ventures in a
similar field in a variety of roles, head of R&D (biotech), business manager (dairy industry, DSM) and CEO
(veterinary industry), with the last role for 17 years at CEDI Diagnostics and Thermo Fisher. (Co-)founder of
Micreos human health (bacteriophages), Heacado (simplification of medication intake for pets) and Vivaltes
(replacement of animal tests).

Product SENI Preps developed a bio-technological solution for the highly pressing problem of ammonia (a volatile
form of nitrogen) emissions of intensive livestock farming. Globally, large scale animal farming leads to
environmental and public health problems. The product is a feed additive that is fed to livestock (cows, pigs,
calves, weaning pigs) that already in very small quantities prevents the formation of ammonia.

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Problem description
Intensive livestock farming is responsible for a large part of the ammonia emissions in the Netherlands as well as in
other European countries with a large intensive livestock sector, in particular Germany, Denmark, Belgium, and
Italy. Emissions have negative consequences for the surrounding nature, public and animal health, with damages
estimated by Ecorys (2020) in the Netherlands alone at €17 billion per year. This has resulted in the Dutch
government being forced by the EC to take measures to stop building and infrastructure construction, reduce the
maximum driving speed and threat of forced closure of farms close to Natura 2000 areas.

Market environment
A system with tradable ammonia quota per Dutch Province has started in recent years with prices highly
dependent on local demand for nitrogen emission permits, according to intermediaries varying from €40 per kg in
pure farming areas to over €175 per kg in industrial areas. Dutch pig production is responsible for 20 million kg
ammonia emission corresponding to a value of €1.1 billion (1.6 kg ammonia/pig/year), assuming a nitrogen quota
trade price of €55 per kg. Dutch cows emit 65 million kg of ammonia per year (value: €3.6 billion per year) of an
overall total of Dutch ammonia emissions of 132 million kg. The problem is such that then
Total emissions of all European pig and cow production are an estimated multiple of 12 of these numbers. In
Canada, the US and China ammonia emissions present additional markets.

Project description
The RSM team is asked to do the following :
1. Validate, improve and extend the current financial model of the company and investigate the markets for
the feed additive for pigs and cows in the Netherlands, the EU and globally;
2. Develop a valuation of the technology assuming the likely licensing process, define substantiated
milestone payments and royalty payments based on comparables from the feed additive and biotech
sector technologies. Such comparables are e.g. DSM’s Bovaer (reduction of methane emissions from cows)
and Elanco’s Experior for ammonia from steers.
3. Develop a strategic advice for SENI Preps management on licensing and exit scenarios.

Project’s contribution to positive change

Nitrogen and ammonia (a form of nitrogen) emissions from industry, agriculture and livestock farming are harmful
for animal welfare, public health, and biodiversity, as per the UNs SDG 12. By feeding a biological and patent
pending additive to in particular pigs and cows, the formation of ammonia is strongly reduced.

This product when introduced on the market will as its first effect reduce the tension between Dutch farmers and
the Government, reduce emissions and promote biodiversity.

Preferred profile of the student team

• Valuation and corporate finance skills
• Market analysis
• Corporate strategy
• Dutch (reading), English (reporting, discussion)

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13. Siemens Healthineers Nederland BV

Project title
How to meet the information needs of Dutch Healthcare Professionals

Company details
Company name : Siemens Healthineers Nederland B.V.
Contact person : Lia Manshanden
Visiting Address : Prinses Beatrixlaan 800
2595 BN Den Haag
Mobile : 06 21 21 11 54
E-mail : Lia.manshanden@siemens-healthineers.com
Website : www.siemens-healthineers.com/nl

Company information
We pioneer breakthroughs in healthcare. For everyone. Everywhere.

Siemens Healthineers AG pioneers breakthroughs in healthcare. For everyone. Everywhere. As a leading medical
technology company headquartered in Erlangen, Germany, Siemens Healthineers and its regional companies are
continuously developing their product and service portfolio, with AI-supported applications and digital offerings
that play an increasingly important role in the next generation of medical technology. These new applications will
enhance the company’s foundation in in-vitro diagnostics, image-guided therapy, in-vivo diagnostics, and
innovative cancer care. Siemens Healthineers also provides a range of services and solutions to enhance
healthcare providers’ ability to provide high-quality, efficient care. In fiscal 2022, which ended on September 30,
2022, Siemens Healthineers, which has approximately 69,500 employees worldwide, generated revenue of around
€21.7 billion and adjusted EBIT of almost €3.7 billion. Further information is available at www.siemens-
healthineers.com.

Project description
The effects of the pandemic and the rapid developments in digitization have an impact on the way we are
informed, including on our customers; the medical specialists and directors of healthcare institutions and medical
laboratories in the Netherlands. Next to this development we also see that the ratio between men and women
working in HC is also have an effect on the information needs and the way to meet these needs.

We now want to map this out better so that we can optimize our communication strategy. Of course, we know
very well with whom we want to communicate, but the means and channels have become unclear due to above
described developments. For this we want to investigate/analyze the challenging divers target groups.

Until now, our communication strategy has largely focused on sales support through many conference and
exhibition participations, customer magazine (HealthMatters on our website), advertising placements, e-
newsletters and a single digital lead nurture campaign.

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The project will start with an extensive knowledge transfer and meetings with a.o. general director, marketing
manager, product - and sales management. After this a concrete investigation plan is expected including advise
about research methodologies for the different target groups.
Based on the analysis and research the plan will provide us proposals on the means by which our communication
goals can be achieved most effectively.

Preferred profile of the student team

Advice for the effective reach (resource mix) of our (especially young generation) stakeholders in compliance with
the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) so that we can support healthcare professionals with valuable
information about the Siemens Healthineers product portfolio that contributes the improvements in patient care.

Preferred profile of the student team

Our customers are highly educated people and you are therefore verbally strong, assertive, but polite. You are
certainly not afraid to approach the target group. If you have an affinity with healthcare, that is certainly an
advantage.

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14. Signify

Project title
Fiber optics market study

Company details
Company name : Signify
Contact person : Ronald Gelten
Visiting Address : High Tech Campus 7
5656 AE Eindhoven
Telephone/mobile : 06 11 52 93 33
E-mail : Ronald.gelten@signify.com
Website : https://www.signify.com/global

Company information
Signify is the world leader in lighting for professionals, consumers and lighting for the Internet of Things. Our
energy efficient lighting products, systems and services enable our customers to enjoy a superior quality of light,
and make people’s lives safer and more comfortable, businesses more productive and cities more liveable.

With 2019 sales of EUR 6.2 billion, approximately 37,000 employees and a presence in over 70 countries, we are
unlocking the extraordinary potential of light for brighter lives and a better world.

BrightSites is a “startup business unit” within Signify. Core of our strategy is to leverage the lighting infrastructure
to provide wireless connectivity for the last mile. We extend the fiber optics network, wirelessly. This is more cost-
effective, faster to deploy and more flexible to provide connectivity for city-IOT and (5G) telecommunications. We
do this by incorporating high-frequency radio equipment into our luminaires (into the streetlights if you will).
First phase of technology development is finished and various commercial opportunities are now coming.

Project description
Our proposition sits between the optical fiber network and “access layer”. We therefore interact with
companies in both spaces. We collaborate with (or sell to) service providers who offer complete data solutions:
they rent capacity on the fiber network and offer wireless connectivity through our products. They typically
provide this as a operational service in which they own and operate the full network: hardware, software,
datacenter, fiber capacity. They offer these services to multiple tenants on their network and are therefore
often referred to as Neutral Hosts.

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In this context, we want to gain knowledge about the fiber ecosystem in a few markets. Several aspects to be
investigated
• Technical (to some extent): Passive (PON) vs Active optical networks (AON). What are the trends, which
option is used for which applications
• Who are the players, how is the market structured for
o Long Haul (national backbone, 100’s of km in length)
o Metro (Metropolitan area, fiber in the cities, approx. 10 km in length, city wide, terminating in the
manholes/access chambers in the neighborhoods)
o Access fiber (fiber terminating at the door / camera / device).
• What are market trends and dynamics. Consolidation / fragmentation. Any market outlook?
• What are typical price levels for wholesale (B2B) connectivity and Retail connectivity (B2C, where C can be
consumer or Company, e.g. fiber connection to homes and businesses).
• What are typical cost structures / margins? (this may not be achievable)
• What government funding programs and subsidies are in place
• What are market developments, e.g. consolidations / acquisitions
The above topics are illustrations. Before the project starts, we make this more concrete. We will invite one or two
knowledgeable people from a UK-based partner company, who can be available for some introduction in the world
of fiber.

Knowledge on UK market is easily obtained through our UK-based colleagues and partners, but this knowledge is
not logged in any form. Basic knowledge can be gained quickly by interviewing a few UK-based people. Other
markets can then be analyzed subsequently. Wish list of countries to cover: UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain,
Norway, Sweden, Netherlands.

Some good information on fiber optics networks can be found on the Eurofiber website:
https://www.eurofiber.com/en-nl.

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Project’s contribution to positive change
Some say that data is the “oil of the future”. But, unlike oil, we see that data is being commoditized rapidly. In
other words: data is cheap. This trend started with physical data storage (hard discs) to data processing
(datacenters, cloud) and data transport (fiber optics to the home, affordable 4G/5G subscriptions). As a result, a
plethora of new businesses and business models have emerged, new data-hungry and data-based applications
become financially viable. And this, in turn, leads to an exponential growth of data consumption. None of this
should be a surprise to any active participant in the digital society.

But there is a limit, and cities are running into it. All this data needs to be transported and fiber optics is the
technology of choice. Affordable, high capacity across long distances, virtually maintenance free. What’s not to like?
Well, think about where this cable goes: underground. In cities, this is rapidly becoming a problem. Trenching in
public spaces is disruptive (for people, traffic) and destructive (trees, road). The cables have to be beside the road
under the curb or sidewalk. And that space is limited and almost full. The number of broadband-connected devices
and buildings is getting so big that the space for is becoming restrictive.
Part of the reason is that a fiber with 40 Gbps is used to connect 40 Mbps cameras (as just one example). Such a
fiber takes 100% space but only 0.1% of data capacity is used. Our solution is inspired by office buildings: there are
cables throughout the building, but almost all equipment connects to these cables via a wireless “communication
layer”. In an office this is done via WiFi. In a city, this can be done via 4G/5G telecoms. The challenges with this are
• telecom networks are configured for high download capacity, but low upload capacity. Therefore, it is very
limited in solving broadband connectivity challenges
• 5G telecom deployment strategies will shift from macro sites (on towers, rooftops) to micro sites (small
cells). Areas that require high telecom capacity will require connection of many small cells. And these areas
are typically the same as highly fibered areas, hence with little or no space for more fiber cables.
Our solution incorporates wireless technology in the streetlighting luminaires. It creates a wireless network
(“communication layer”). Similar to an office environment, this enables connection of many (broadband) devices to
the fiber network in a simple, cost-effective and flexible way.

Next to the above considerations, analysis shows that a wireless solution comes with significant carbon footprint
reduction. Compared to fiber, the wireless data layer has up to 80% lower carbon footprint (note that the wireless
data layer still needs optical fiber in places, but much less).

Preferred profile of the student team

Students with a high degree of motivation and interest to be part of the dynamic and fast-moving world in
Ventures, experience in market research, value chains and commercial aspects
• Some technical background needs to be present in the team, e.g. one or two team members with technical
education. It is unavoidable to dive into some technical aspects of fiber networks.
• Language: English
• Wish list of countries to cover: UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands. Countries
can be selected based on language skills in the team, but we expect at least 4 countries to be covered.

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15. Silentus B.V.

Project title
“Go-To-Market Strategy for the Benelux Market”
Company details
Company name : Silentus B.V.
Contact person : Hugo Valdivia
Visiting Address : Tollenstraat 87-A
3035 NE Rotterdam
Mobile : 06 13 87 64 79
E-mail : hugo.valdivia@silentusapp.com
Website : https://www.silentusapp.com

Company information
Silentus’ mission is to help workers and students increase their productivity, improve their work-life balance, and
enjoy a healthier lifestyle, enabling them with a smart app to prioritize notifications and keep themselves
accountable on their progress.
Silentus’ features are built to help users maximize their time and energy levels, increasing their focus and building
healthy habits.
Silentus, a Founder Institute alum, launched its Android version in August 2022, and iOS in October same year, and
joined Station F (world’s largest startup campus, based in Paris), where they are working on closing its seed
funding round.

Project description
Silentus is currently promoting its productivity app and the benefits derived from its usage to a target audience
made up of freelancers, startup founders, and students; however, in 2023 we want to focalize our efforts on niche
locations and communities, starting with the Dutch market, expanding to the rest of the Benelux area.
For this purpose, we’re looking for additional support from RSM students to define a Go-to-market strategy that
will help us increase our user acquisition rate and more importantly, our conversion rate to paid users. Here, we
would like to assess different channels both online and offline to drive our traction and meet our goals.

Project’s contribution to positive change

Silentus’ contribution is directly linked to UN SDG 3 “Good Health and well-being” due to our focus on helping
users build new habits, that will result in an improvement of their work-life balance and overall well-being (for
instance, by setting clear boundaries between work hours and personal time by using our solution).

Preferred profile of the student team

Silentus’ business language is English; however, due to the geographical focus of this project, a good
understanding of Dutch language would be a strong plus. Regarding specialization, Marketing and/or (Business)
Strategy are the areas that are more closely related to our assignment.
On skills, some that we think would be instrumental are: market/customer research (interviews, surveys),
analytical (to draw conclusions from the input collected by talking to potential users), good communication (to
present Silentus to potential users and to present the results of this project).

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16. SkyTeam Cargo

Project title
Determine and implement a SkyTeam Cargo Sustainability policy and program

Company details
Company name : SkyTeam Cargo
Contact person : Nico J.J. van der Linden
Visiting Address : Amsterdamseweg 55
1182 GP Amstelveen
Mobile : 06 43 38 36 65
E-mail : nico.vanderlinden@skyteam.com
Website : www.skyteamcargo.com

Company information
The SkyTeam Cargo alliance was established in 2000 and today is the world’s unique only air cargo alliance. Since
then, it has seen more members joining the alliance and now offers flights to almost 800 destinations in 150
countries between its partners: Aeroflot Cargo (suspended), Aerolíneas Argentinas Cargo, Aeromexico Cargo,
AirFrance-KLM Cargo, China Cargo Airlines, Czech Airlines Cargo, Delta Cargo, ITA Airways Cargo, Korean Air Cargo
and Saudia Cargo. Together the member airlines operate more than 2,709 aircrafts including 45 full freighters.
Thanks to the joint expertise of the members the alliance bridges the globe while offering the most extensive
network, clearly defined product portfolio and seamless transfer of services.
The centralized alliance office is based in Amstelveen, The Netherlands and occupying a separate wing at KLM’s
headoffice.

Project description
Although some SkyTeam Cargo members are actively involved in sustainability programs the Cargo Alliance is
lacking an overall policy paper which sets the framework for all members and will be necessary to orchestrate joint
initiatives by all members. When the framework is set and approved joint initiatives should be explored and
initiated.
The following steps are foreseen:
• Conduct desktop research on global cargo sustainability programs and initiatives.
• Create clear and concise descriptions of cargo members sustainability programs and initiatives.
• Research and gather documentation on the position of SkyTeam Cargo sustainability program in the
industry.
• Create SkyTeam Cargo sustainability policy paper in cooperation with and support of Member airline
experts and SkyTeam Cargo management.
• Connect with the SkyTeam Flight Challenge organization and translate initiatives to SkyTeam Cargo
members.
• Ideation on ways to incorporate sustainability in SkyTeam Cargo’s strategy.

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Project’s contribution to positive change
Sustainability in general has taken a prominent role in the aviation industry and in the SkyTeam Alliance
specifically. We believe it is our license to operate. That is why SkyTeam took it on to organize The Sustainable
Flight Challenge beginning 2022 and through this initiative add value to the members. Part of the SkyTeam flight
challenge was to initiate ideas around air cargo part of the members. The Cargo industry by itself is already very
active in programs like Sustainable Fuel together with freight forwarders and shippers. The use of light weight
materials to reduce CO2 emissions are also becoming more eminent.

Preferred profile of the student team

We offer a great learning experience since the team will be exposed to all facets of project management in a high
complex and international environment. It is a great opportunity to see a great variety of aspects related to the
aviation industry, but all with the sustainability aspect included!
Required skills:
• Knowledge of air cargo business or environmental studies is preferred but not essential
• Strong execution skills, with demonstrated ability to deliver results and take tasks/ assignments to their
full conclusion (and continuation, as necessary)
• The ability to be self-starters and work independently, delivering on assigned tasks systematically. Escalate
when necessary.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and interpersonal skills
• Marketing or analytical experience
• Cross-cultural awareness is preferred because it’s in an international environment where different cultures
require different approaches to get things done.
• Curiosity. The team will be going on their own scavenger hunt for relevant and meaningful information, so
a true desire to want to understand things and dig into a topic is essential.
• Care about the details and combine that with strong execution skills. This to deliver results and take tasks/
assignments to their full conclusion.
• Ability to effectively communicate in English (both spoken and written)

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17. SOA People Nederland N.V.

Project title
How a focus on sustainability impacts a corporate brand

Company details
Company name : SOA People Nederland N.V.
Contact person : Nachenthaly Francisco
Visiting Address : Meentwal 9
3432 GL Nieuwegein
Telephone/ mobile : 030 609 58 00 / 06 26 90 69 54
E-mail : NAFRA@soapeople.com
Website : www.soapeople.nl

Company information
The common focus of SOA People is agility and Innovation. We inspire innovative solutions powered by SAP, to
deliver performance excellence for our customers.
In this digital era, business and technology need to work in close harmony. When we interact with a service and
with technology, we expect to have the ultimate customer experience, with real time data at our fingertips.
Employees, suppliers and customers want to see this.

Our customers are our partners. Working collaboratively, we deep dive into their businesses and allow then to
dive into ours. This is why we deliver more than IT solutions. We help our customers to see the bigger picture,
delivering business and growth outcomes to enable performance

Project description
As a company we do have our sustainability projects, but we are not vocal about it and we could do more. It is just
difficult to figure out where to start and to have a phased approach (to not want to do everything at once). The
projects will include a general analysis on the impact of different types of sustainability
projects/activities/approaches on a corporate brand and how this translates to our business: in short – we would
like advice on how to improve our corporate brand with a focus on sustainability.

Project’s contribution to positive change

We want and need to do our part in making the world a better place. For our employees, but also for our
customers. We already do this through innovative solutions for our customers, but we could do more for our
employees and improve their working environment.

Preferred profile of the student team

We want to have a proactive group with students who are not afraid to speak their minds and are comfortable
giving advice to management (this would be the end goal). We have no preference regarding languages, but if
interviews are part of gathering information for their project, it would be most efficient to have at least one
student who speaks English so he or she can translate. Other than that, we would like to have a diverse group
when it comes to gender and if possible, culture, so the advice giving covers all bases.

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18. United Nations Office for Counter-Terrorism

Project title
Fundraising strategy for non-traditional donors for UNOCT

Company details
Company name : United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism
Contact person : Andres Moreno Mera
Visiting Address : UN secretariat, floor 27, New York.
Telephone/mobile : 06 49 81 84 84
E-mail : Andres.morenomera@un.org
Website : https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/

Company information
The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945. Currently made up of 193 Member States,
the UN and its work are guided by the purposes and principles contained in its founding Charter.

The UN has evolved over the years to keep pace with a rapidly changing world.

But one thing has stayed the same: it remains the one place on Earth where all the world’s nations can gather
together, discuss common problems, and find shared solutions that benefit all of humanity.

Project description
Understand what profile of non-traditional donors (high net worth individuals, foundations and for-profit
companies) are potentially willing to engage with the United Nations in peace and security. Identify the key entry
points (focal points) funding instruments and windows relevant for UNOCT.
In addition, identify best practices, strategies and benchmarking of engagement to date with potential non-
traditional donors with the UN and other international organizations with the aim of designing an effective
engagement initiative with potential non-traditional donors.

Project’s contribution to positive change

The project will enhance the UNOCT’s opportunities for engagement with non-traditional donors for critical
partnership building to support delivery of programmatic support to counter terrorism and preventing violent
extremism.

Preferred profile of the student team

A diverse team (gender and geographical balance) with strong research and writing capacity, understanding of
international organizations and private sector.

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19. WoonZorgcentra Haaglanden (WHZ)

Project title
Sustainable Redevelopment at the WZH “De Sonneruyter” Site

Company details
Company name : WoonZorgcentra Haaglanden (WZH)
Contact person : Annemarie Baas- Braun
Visiting Address : Polanenhof 479
2548 MP Den Haag
Mobile : 06 14 61 87 74
E-mail : abaas@wzh.nl
Website : https://www.wzh.nl/

Company information
WoonZorgcentra Haaglanden (WZH) offers care, treatment and support for dementia, physical illnesses and NAH.

Project description
Context:
Sonneruyter was a dated nursing home. Dutch policy changes resulted in the abolishment of nursing homes. Some
10 years ago, the Sonneruyter building was demolished. The site lay fallow for years because WZH was busy with
other projects.

Given the current situation, WZH is looking to realize a future-proof facility at this specific location (affluent
neighborhood, many owner-occupied homes, rapidly aging), consistent with the mission and core mission of WZH.
This will have to take into account:
- Strong aging population and increasing demand
- Shrinking workforce
- Changed government policy
o Separation of housing and care which also applies to the WZH target group
o Identifying and meeting the needs of the elderly who are not yet ready for nursing care (24 hour care)
o Better integration of care in society and involving the environment in the facility to be realized
o Bringing together social facilities
o Involving the environment in the development of the plan (in light of the new Environment Act)
- Implementing these requirements in such a way that it leads to responsible exploitation in terms of real estate,
care and services

The project revolves around the former WoonZorgcentra Haaglanden (WZH) “De Sonneruyter” site. The prime
location offers great potential for social and sustainable value creation. WZH aims to put People Planet Profit theory
to practice. In order to determine the best fit with all relevant needs and requirement a strategic analysis is to be
performed which should lead to actionable recommendation for WZH. The consultancy team will determine a range
of possible purposes for the location, select the best option which creates optimal (societal) value and formulate a
strategy and action plan for WZH to achieve relevant aims.

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These goals are a facility appropriate to WZH, but future-proof, embedded in the social and community context of
the neighborhood. Whereby the national policy of separation of housing and care, integration of care, promotion of
longer independent living and stimulation of vitality of citizens and the living environment are also concretely
implemented.

Research question:
How can WZH achieve sustainable future-proof development of the former “ De Sonneruyter” site together with
local residents and stakeholders?

Project's contribution to positive change

The project focusses of creating a new sustainable purpose for the location “De Sonneruyter”. WZH, a non-for-
profit, specifically aims to consult all stakeholders including the municipality in finding a purpose that fits with
current societal challenges. A long term strategy which takes short term societal needs into account such as flex
housing for immigrants and students is part of the solution space. At the same time, WZH wishes to work with all
relevant stakeholders including housing corporations, the municipality and local residents

Preferred profile of the student team

A specific student profile has not been determined besides in interest in creating societal impact. Given the project
which in part aims to perform a broad stakeholder analysis the inclusion of students who are Dutch native
speakers is relevant.

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