Consulting Projects Program Overview

Each year about 130 students participate in our consulting program. It has become a cornerstone of the Crummer Business School's commitment to experiential learning and and an integral part of our curriculum.

Over 28 companies, organizations, and/or entrepreneurs identify a project they would like to see addressed by a team of students during the 12-week term period. In conversations between the company and a program director, a deliverable is defined and the project is written up and posted on Blackboard, an internal school communications network available to all eligible students. Where possible, companies participate in a student information session, held shortly before each term starts, in the SunTrust auditorium at Crummer. Each company representative makes a 5-minute presentation to promote its project to the assembled students. If a representative is unable to attend, the program director will present the project on their behalf.

Students then apply to their preferred project and teams of 4-6 members are formed and assigned. A supervising instructor, a member of the Crummer faculty or an experienced practitioner from the community, is appointed to mentor each student team. The team is briefed by the company on the specific issues that need addressing and is provided with the appropriate guidelines, available information, and company contacts. The agreed deliverable is usually in the form of an oral presentation to company executives, accompanied by a written report.

Projects have been completed for both large and small U.S. companies wishing to build their international presence, for foreign companies seeking to enter North American markets, and for foreign firms needing assistance in their own markets. Projects vary, and can include a focus on finance, accounting, marketing, business plan preparation, general business research, operations, organizational issues, or other similar areas of business.

Recent Consulting Projects

• Conducting a study to evaluate the feasibility of introducing a new line of products in China for a major direct marketing firm.

• Conducting a study of the European mortgage industry to determine whether a mortgage-related service might have a market.

• Creating a business plan for a Brazilian property development firm who recently purchased the largest thermal baths in their country.

• Conducting an evaluation for a software development company to determine the potential for their product line and to identify the appropriate channels of distribution in eastern European markets.

• Defining a growth strategy for a regional management-consulting firm in a strong expansion mode.

• Developing a financial investment model of small and medium-sized Florida-based businesses for a local investment firm.

• Developing an operations performance evaluation system for hourly employees at a large resort and convention hotel.

• Conducting a study of four cities to determine their residents’ perceived quality of life and rank their status according to specific, predetermined criteria.

• Identifying a positioning, and possible acquisition strategy, for four publications based on the opinions of subscribers.

Global Consulting Projects

The primary distinguishing feature of the Crummer Global Consulting Project program is a week-long trip abroad that the student teams take during project week. Accompanied by their supervising instructor, students do field research, gain a first-hand understanding of the cultural and social aspects of the market, and in many cases, meet and interact with the overseas management of the sponsor company.

Benefits to Sponsoring Organizations:

• Having a talented student team address issues facing your firm

• Obtaining a quality deliverable in real time at no charge

• Partnering with a prestigious Institution

Many companies participating in the program have identified an open market cost of $15,000 to $40,000 for the work performed for them. Additionally, students are often hired by these companies as a result of their performance.

Benefits to the Students

• Experiential learning by applying classroom concepts to real world situations

• Exposure to your organizational culture

• Gaining some understanding about how decision-making and project management works within your organization

• Learning to work effectively as a team member

• Gaining first-hand experience of the cultural and social aspects of working abroad

What we ask of Sponsoring Organizations

• Active participation in the project by providing available information and resources to the students to help them make the most of their learning experience.

• For Global Consulting Project, a financial commitment to cover a fair part of the international travel-related costs, which would otherwise be borne by the students.

How to Participate in the Consulting Program

We are always interested in entertaining proposals for upcoming projects. If you have a project that a team of MBA students can successfully complete over a twelve-week semester with your involvement, email or call the appropriate program director. A meeting will be scheduled and the project scope and desired deliverable discussed and agreed upon.

The global consulting project program director is Associate Professor of International Business, Jim Johnson. Professor Johnson can be reached at 407-646-2486 or by e-mail at jpjohnson@rollins.edu.

The domestic consulting program director is Dr. Robert Prescott, Associate Professor of Management. He can be reached at 407-646-2593 or by e-mail at rprescott@rollins.edu.