Oxford’s full-time one-year MBA programme attracts people of exceptional talent from across the globe. Towards the end of the MBA course, students can be drawn upon by organisations to carry out consultancy projects anywhere in the world.
Working with MBA Students: Strategic Consulting Projects
During July and August each year, MBA students have the option to undertake an eight-week consultancy project, in partnership with sponsoring organisations. Students work in teams of four. Most are multi-lingual and globally mobile and can therefore operate effectively in any international environment. Exceptionally, there may be the opportunity to use a team in October and November instead.
You can use the skills of these teams to:
- Get a fresh, multi-disciplinary and multicultural perspective on any challenge or opportunity your organisation is facing
- Receive practical recommendations that are innovative and creative in a format you require.
Organisations that participate in this scheme benefit from:
- Additional experienced staff at low cost
- A team that can bring to bear a multi-disciplinary, multi-functional and often multi-cultural approach
- Access to the expert advice and cutting edge research of a top class business school via student teams.
What are the objectives of the project?
MBA students undertake projects to demonstrate to the examiners their ability to apply the management skills they have learned during the course, building on the considerable experience acquired in their earlier careers. It also gives employers an opportunity to assess the calibre of possible recruits.
What do strategic consulting projects involve?
Many types of projects are undertaken. Ideally, a project focuses on an issue of major importance to the future strategic direction of an organisation or one of its divisions. Many projects cross departmental boundaries: some projects deal with product development, others may address organisational issues, for example. In most cases, the team also considers the financial and human resource implications of the issue.
One characteristic all projects share is that they are capable of benefiting from "state-of-the-art" management thinking and from the combined multi-functional skills of a consultancy team. The project may be carried out at a central site, but the team will possess substantial international business experience and be prepared to travel anywhere in the world.
Not all projects are carried out for commercial companies. Indeed some have been carried out for small charitable organisations. Considerable benefit has been derived from projects in recent years by public sector and not-for-profit organisations.
What are the benefits to students?
In the course of the project students learn to:
- Define and work to a project brief
- Research relevant information and carry out in depth analysis of data
- Work as consultants with a team of specialists
- Use negotiating skills
- Write a coherent and logical report which makes well thought out recommendations for implementation
- Deliver a result against an agreed deadline.
What support can organisations expect?
The Saïd Business School will:
- Appoint an advisor to the team from its faculty who will provide advice and guidance to them during the project
- Provide a single point of contact through the Projects Office in Oxford, which is contactable throughout the implementation phase of the project
- Supply administrative documentation for the process.
What are the organisation’s responsibilities?
We ask organisations working with students on strategic consulting projects to commit to the following:
Project definition
The organisation is initially asked to submit to the Saïd Business School Projects Office an outline of proposal on a supplied template. The proposal should include the broader issue that led to the need for the project to be undertaken. Once the project is approved as having met the requirements of the MBA course, sponsors will be supplied with a project brief template to provide detailed information regarding the project, which will be offered to the MBA students.
Named supervisor / contact
The organisation is asked to specify one person who will be responsible for the team during the project and also an individual to act as the point of contact between the School and the organisation.
Assessment
For examination purposes the organisation is asked at the end of the project to complete a two-page document assessing the team’s performance and evaluating it against any professional benchmarks relevant to the work.
Financial commitment
The organisation is asked to bear students’ expenses incurred during the project. These will include the team’s office and travel expenses and any accommodation expenses incurred while working at the organisation’s offices. The School makes no charge for administration of the scheme.
It should be borne in mind that the project may result in recommendations that, when implemented by the organisation, generate a substantial additional revenue stream or other financial benefits.
Induction
The organisation is asked to make available to the team in good time all necessary background materials and company records needed to start the project. The team should also receive an induction programme, if thought necessary. This will be defined and agreed beforehand in consultation with the organisation.
Health and safety
The team should be subject to the same health and safety measures applicable to employees within the organisation who carry out the same or similar types of work, either in the company premises or in the field.
Company records
The team should be allowed access to all company documentation, records and personnel necessary to conclude the project successfully. It is advisable that once agreements have been reached with the organisation, a date is set from which such information will become available.
How are projects set up?
The process has a number of stages:
- The company first expresses its interest in entering into partnership with the School and submits a project brief on a supplied template.
- Next, the Projects Office confirms that the brief meets the requirements of the MBA course.
- The brief is then offered to the MBA students who express interest in the project.
What about confidentiality and intellectual property?
The nature of the collaboration requires students to disclose information about the project to those involved in the University examination procedure and their academic advisor. A standard “letter of agreement” has been drawn up therefore by the Legal Services Office of the University of Oxford, that covers confidentiality agreements, as most company non-disclosure agreements would be inappropriate during the project implementation period. After the project is completed, an embargo for a period up to three years and exceptionally beyond that time, can be requested which will prevent the final report being lodged in the MBA library at the Saïd Business School. After that time ALL reports are only available to future generations of students for learning purposes from closed and secure library shelves.