In today’s Trivia Tuesday we turn our attention to the signature experiential learning opportunities available at Michigan’s Ross School of Business and the London School of Business.
The Multidisciplinary Action Project at Ross is the centerpiece of the first-year curriculum. In the course, student teams are paired with companies in the U.S. and abroad to complete a significant consulting assignment. The teams work for Fortune 500 companies, entrepreneurs and non-profits on projects related to business plan development, human resource planning, marketing, process improvement, growth strategies and more. MAP is designed to provide a capstone experience to the first year, demanding that students draw on the lessons learned across the general management core classes. The faculty and administration believe that the process of working with a team and client to define a project, assemble and analyze needed information, and recommend an action plan is an important experience that builds the leadership skills necessary to identify and solve future problems.
Past MAP projects include creating a strategic plan for the Disaster Response Group of Thailand’s Habitat for Humanity, conducting an in-depth competitive analysis for JP Morgan Chase, launching a new product for a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, and developing an expansion and growth strategy for Infosys Technologies. Past locations have included local projects in Ann Arbor and Dearborn, Michigan, domestic projects in Denver, Phoenix and Connecticut, and international projects in Ireland, Mexico, Hong Kong and India.
At London Business School, second-year students undertake a paid consulting engagement to solve a company’s critical business problem. Teams of two or three students work with a company’s management to determine the project’s scope, deliverables and remuneration.
London students have worked with a wide range of companies on the second year project, including NGOs, charities, and the regional offices of multinational corporations like IBM and Nike. Projects have also been wide-ranging, although each involves research and analysis of a concrete business problem. Interim deliverables vary based on the arrangement with the company, but all teams are required to produce a final written report summarizing their findings and suggesting solutions. Students typically negotiate payment from £100 to £300 per workday, although those without relevant industry experience are often willing to accept lower compensation, as are students who work for startups or charities. Most projects extend from two to four months, with students devoting 25-30 working days to the undertaking – all while completing other coursework.
For more on the opportunities for hands-on learning at Ross or LBS, or to explore the experiential learning offerings at other leading business schools, be sure to check out the schools’ websites or Academics and Special Programs sections of the Clear Admit School Guides!
