Lecture 1: MBA Consultancy Project

Understanding the Client Needs

Identifying Client Problem

First Meeting with Client

Identify:
 What is the real challenge facing the company?
 Where does company add value?
 How will your solution add value?
 What is the timeframe to investigate the topic?

Narrow initial discussion to a specific aim and objective:

 What do they want you to resolve? (Focus on ONE problem)

 Can the problem be broken down into smaller issues that you can investigate?
Three aspects of a business problem

1. RATIONAL
 Determining economic cost of problem, firm’s ability to address it.
 What SPECIFICALLY do they want to resolve? Can it be achieved in the timeframe? Does company have the
resources / skills to invest in solution?

2. COGNITIVE
 How does the company perceive the problem? Is this the true problem?

3. POLITICAL
 How is the problem processed by the different depts.? Is there a conflict of priorities (accountancy vs marketing vs
production)?
Negotiate Objectives

 Focus on resolving objectives that can be addressed in relation to:

1. Time
2. Money / Resources
3. Skills
Agreement

Client’s Consultant’s
Objectives Appraisal
Agree on Research Proposal

 How you will investigate the topic?

 What sample you will target?
 How you will analyse the data?
 When the project will be completed?
Evaluating a company

 What is the current position of the company? (Where are they today?)
 What doe the company want to be in the future (goal)?
 What obstacles need to be overcome to achieve goal?
 What investments are needed to achieve future aspirations?
 What is the time frame of activities to achieve future goal?
What academic skills / tools can you apply to
your consultancy project?
Strategy Marketing HR Accountancy Research Professional
Methods Experience
PESTEL BCG matrix Organisational Segmentation by Sampling frame Subject
culture customer profitability strategy knowledge
assessment
SWOT / TOWS PLC Leadership Review of financial Principles of Network of
Assessment metrics designing a contacts
tools questionnaire
Porters 5 force ANSOFF Computations of How to conduct Access to
model matrix market capitalisation interviews information
sources
Brand
identity
prism
What are the External and Internal
Drivers?

External Internal
 MACRO environment  Cash flow / liquidity
 Regulations  Employee capital
 Board Priorities / Governance  Recruitment
 Natural Events  Supply chain issues
 Skills in specific areas (e.g. digital marketing)
Problem Diagnosis
(Fishbone Diagram – root cause analysis)
Seminar Activity

A client would like to learn about the best practices of building employee loyalty to ensure that they adopt a
strategy that leads to a loyal, happy and productive workforce.

1. How will you solve this challenge for the company?

2. What preliminary findings can you determine from your review of published sources and your experience?

Please prepare for your seminar next week by considering these questions. We will then work in groups to
explore these issues further.
References

 Management Consulting: A Guide for Students (2010) by David Biggs

 Art of Consultancy (2019) by Calvert Markham 

 Management and Business Research (2018), 5th Edition by Mark Easterby-Smith, Richard Thorpe, et al. 

 Real World Research (2016), 4th Edition by Colin Robson and Kieran McCartan