21228 Management Consulting

Faculty of Business: Management
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level: Undergraduate

Result Type: Grade and marks

Handbook description

This subject examines how management consultants conduct business analysis of enterprises, including assessment of business strategies, processes and systems. It explores different approaches to business development encompassing launching new business ventures, acquisition, joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers, electronic business design and development. It also considers methods of consultancy project design and management, and different performance measures. Finally, the subject takes a critical look at the responsibilities and ethics of consultancy contract management including project costing, scheduling and reporting.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

Understand the values underlying different perspectives and approaches to management consulting, the analytical tools employed and outcomes desired
Critically analyse the market environment of a business enterprise and business strategies, processes and systems in terms of the objectives of the enterprise, and other potential means to achieve these objectives
Appreciate effective methods of creating developing, extending and transforming business enterprises, and to understand the resources requirements of development projects
Understand the skills required and responsibilities exercised in engaging in management consultancy contracts including project costing, scheduling and reporting
Appreciate the liability and ethical issues involved in consultancy work.

Contribution to graduate profile

This subject forms part of the Management Major and Management Consulting Sub-major. It will serve to integrate and develop the different aspects of management consulting. It will consider different consulting perspectives and approaches to applying the range of knowledge to finding potential solutions to business problems through business analysis and development. The subject will inform students about appropriate performance measures in different business enterprises, and alert students to the responsibilities of professional and ethical consulting practices.

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject is based on a lecture and tutorial format. The key role of teaching will be to facilitate the interdependent learning of students. An intensive tutorials program delivers a series of face-to-face presentations, interactive learning discussions and exercises throughout the semester dealing with both the theory and practice in identifying appropriate options and strategies to cope with the changing context of contemporary consulting. Students are encouraged to extend their knowledge by using the library. Teamwork and group facilitation skills are developed in class through peer learning activities. Students are further supported through the use of UTS Online offering subject material and information.

Content

Making sense of management consulting
Approaches to the consulting
The cycles of business
Critical reflections on management consulting
The consultant as a change agent
The future of management consulting.

Assessment

Critical Reflection Essay (Individual)	25%
The assignment requires the students to write an essay on how their own appreciation of the nature of consulting work has evolved from their original perception of management consulting, how it works and role it plays in the business world incorporating the ideas and concepts covered through the readings set over the first seven weeks of the course. It addresses objectives 1-4 and contributes to the Bachelor of Business learning goals for students to 'have well developed critical and analytical skills'.
Consulting Guide and Presentation (Group)	30%
Students are required to collaborate with team members in the development of a report on operating a successful management consulting practice in Australia. It assures objectives 3 and 5.
Final Take Home Exam (Individual)	45%
The examination will be in a multiple choice format. It assures objectives 1-5.

Examination will be conducted to under time restricted conditions which will significantly address security of assessment concerns. The examination questions will be entirely rewritten each semester and will cover a wide range of issues in the course. Group assessment will require confidential contribution statements to monitor student participation by the subject coordinator. Individual essay assessment is subjected to plagiarism detection software.

Recommended text(s)

Clark, T. and Fincham, R. (Eds), (2002), Critical Consulting: New Perspectives on Management Advice Industry. Blackwell, Oxford.

Wickham, P.A. (2004), Management Consulting: Delivering an Effective Project. Pearson Education Ltd, Essex.

Indicative references

Block, P. (2000). Flawless Consulting: A Guide to getting your expertise used, 2nd Edition. San Francisco: Jossey Bass/Pfeiffer.

Clark, T. and Salaman, G. (1996). 'The management guru as organizational witchdoctor', Organization , 3, 85-107.

Heron, J. (1989). The Facilitators' Handbook , London: Kogan Page.

Lippitt, G. and Lippitt, R. (1986). The Consulting Process in Action, 2nd Edition. San Francisco: Jossey Bass Inc.

Oswick, C. and Grant, D. (1996). (eds), Organisation development: metaphorical explorations. Pitman Publishing, London.