SOL12 Management Consulting

• Topics

  This course focuses on how management consultant (MC) may work in the best interest of client through interacting and communicating with client. Developing MC-client relationship is emphasized to encourage collaboration and open exchange of information.

  Students will work on cases applying key tools so that MC works appropriately with client. Key theoretical tools to help to define and solve client's problems are humble inquiry and three models of how to consult. One section of this course attends to how MC should work with client to encourage and deal with resistance to change in client organization.

  This course aims to prepare participants to conduct management consulting in practice by elevating student competence in communicating with and giving advice to managers.

• Learning outcome

  After finishing this course the students are expected to -

  Know and have insight into:

  • what it means to serve client's interests.
  • how the consultant develops a good relationship with the client.
  • three models as a tool to help the client in handling their problems.
  • how to diagnose, define and solve client's problems.
  • how the consultant gives appropriate advice in managing resistance to change i organizations.

  Skills:

  • apply knowledge on how to build a good relationship with the client.
  • apply three models in handling the client's problems.
  • help client in diagnosing, defining and solving client's problems.

• Teaching

  Three teaching hours per week. The teaching is divided into two activities; lectures including guest lectures from consulting firms - and groups working on their written semester paper (exam) under teacher supervision. This course emphasizes a student-oriented teaching methodology integrating teaching and written semester paper. Groups work on their written semester paper during the course.  

  Since physical attendance in groups increase student interaction compared to digital interaction, physical attendance is recommended.

• Required prerequisites

  None

• Credit reduction due to overlap

  SOL12 is the equivalent to VOA033, and students will not get credit for both courses.

• Compulsory Activity

  Requirement for course approval: Groups submit a draft of parts of the written semester paper for written response from teacher.

• Assessment

  Written group based semester paper (counts 100 % of grade). 4-5 students in each group. The paper may be written in English, Danish, Norwegian or Swedish.

  Assessment is only offered in the teaching semester (autumn).

• Grading Scale

  Grading scale A-F

• Literature

  Selected book chapters and articles (will be made available in Leganto)