Overview
CAPS 697: Consultancy Project is the culminating experience of the MBA program designed to integrate theory and practice through an applied consultancy engagement. Before the course begins, students must identify a sponsoring organization to serve as their client. This may be their current employer or another organization approved by the Academic Area Manager (AAM). The organization can be for-profit, not-for-profit, public, or hybrid, but it should present a clearly defined management challenge, be available to provide data, and designate a contact person to support the consultancy project.
The student should first discuss a potential project idea informally with the organization to confirm its interest and the project’s feasibility. Once the organization agrees in principle, the student must complete the Client Agreement Form and the Letter of Engagement, which must be signed by both the company representative and the AAM. This agreement formalizes permission to use secondary data only and outlines the project’s general scope, expected deliverables, and confidentiality requirements. The signed form and the letter must be submitted before Week 1 and attached as an appendix to the Consultancy Project Proposal.
Working individually, students act as consultants to address the identified management challenge, collaborating with the client to diagnose issues, develop actionable strategies, and present their recommendations supported by MBA-level analytical tools.
Students apply integrative knowledge from the MBA program (i.e., marketing, finance, operations, strategy, and leadership) to generate evidence-based solutions that align with the client’s objectives and ethical business practices. The course is assessed through a project proposal, interim progress report, and final consultancy report, ensuring both academic rigour and professional relevance.
Outline
This course is divided into weekly lessons over 10 weeks:
- Week 1: Define Project Scope and Submit Proposal
- Week 2: Conduct Environmental and Organizational Analysis
- Week 3: Problem Definition and Data Framework
- Week 4: Secondary Data Review and Synthesis
- Week 5: Midpoint Review and Progress Assessment
- Week 6: Strategic Analysis and Option Development
- Week 7: Recommendation Design and Validation
- Week 8: Implementation Planning
- Week 9: Report Drafting and Feedback Integration
- Week 10: Report Submission
Learning outcomes
By the end of this course, students should be able to
- diagnose and analyze organizational challenges using secondary data.
- apply MBA frameworks to develop strategic, evidence-based recommendations.
- synthesize findings into a professional consultancy report.
- integrate financial, strategic, operational, and ethical considerations in problem solving.
- communicate insights clearly and persuasively to managerial audiences.
- reflect critically on the consultancy approach and professional development.
Evaluation
Your grade will be based on the successful completion of three written assignments, evaluated on a pass/fail basis:
| Activity | Weight |
| Consultancy Project Proposal (Week 1) | Pass/Fail |
| Interim Progress Report (Week 5) | Pass/Fail |
| Final Consultancy Report (Week 10) | Pass/Fail |
To receive a passing grade in this course, you must meet these minimum standards:
- Receive a Pass on all three deliverables (Proposal, Interim Report, Final Report).
- Work consistently on assigned report sections throughout the course and meet all specified deadlines.
Materials
Digital course materials
Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
Cook, R., Harris, M., & Barber, D. III. (2022). Management consulting projects: A step-by-step experiential guide (6th ed.). Routledge.
All additional materials are available online through the Digital Reading Room (DRR) in Brightspace.