Unit information: Management Consultancy in 2020/21

Unit name	Management Consultancy
Unit code	EFIM30064
Credit points	20
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Professor. Sturdy
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	Management Research Methods
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Management - Business School
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

The aim of this unit is to introduce students to management consultancy research and practice. It will also give students the opportunity to draw together some of their learning over the course of the programme and use it to solve a real management/organisational challenge. In assigned groups (normally of 4-6), students will be allocated a consultancy research brief from outside organisations such as local charities (or, if not available, a project on the consulting industry). They will jointly establish a set of project objectives through desk-based research and problem analysis to formulate a proposal. They will then undertake the research in order to satisfy the objectives and present the results and recommendations in both a verbal and written report. In addition, individually, students will evaluate the implications for practice of selected academic research on a specified consulting industry issue or dilemma.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit, students will be able to:

1. Identify and execute a coherent consultancy research project to achieve a set of goals.
2. Analyse and interpret the resultant data using appropriate methods and relevant techniques.
3. Present the results using appropriate academic and practitioner conventions, in academic essay / report format and verbally.
4. Provide evidence of an advanced level of competence in the design, execution and reporting of an independent consultancy project.
5. Demonstrate competency as a reflexive practitioner.
6. Analyse and evaluate academic research relevant to management consultancy.

Teaching Information

Teaching will be delivered through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous sessions including lectures, tutorials, drop-in sessions, discussion boards and other online learning opportunities.

Assessment Information

Summative assessment:

Group Consultancy Report (7000 words) and Individual Reflection (500 words) (50%) ILOs 1-5.

Individual Essay (2000 words) (50%) ILO 6

Reading and References

Wickham, L and Wilcock, J (2016) Management consulting – delivering and effective project. 5th edition. Pearson.

O'Mahoney, J. & Markham, C (2013). Management consultancy. Second edition. Oxford University Press.

Baaij, M (2014) An introduction to management consultancy. Sage.

Kipping, M and Clark, T (Eds)(2012) The Oxford handbook of management consulting. Oxford University Press.

Armbrüster T. (2010) The Economics and Sociology of Management Consulting: Cambridge University Press.

Indicative academic journals: Organization Studies, Journal of Management Studies, Management Learning, Harvard Business Review, Journal of Organizational Change Management, 'Journal of Marketing Communications

Other sources

https://www.consultancy.uk/; mca.org.uk/; feaco.org/; sourceglobalresearch.com/; Management Databases page

Financial Times, Harvard Business Review, The Economist and consulting firms’ websites