Course Detail

Consulting Lab (42709)

Course Description by Faculty

  • Davis, Harry
  • Content

    Consulting Lab (formerly Strategy Lab) is an experiential lab course designed to give students the experience of engaging with real clients on strategic issues as management consultants. Professor Harry L. Davis designed the course with Joe Raudabaugh (MBA ’80), an emeritus partner at Kearney who became interested in experiential education as a student in one of Prof. Davis’ original New Product Laboratory courses. Projects are sourced from real clients by Kearney consultants, who also serve as coaches for student teams.

    Students have two objectives in this course: to (1) address the complex, strategic business problems brought by clients and develop actionable, data-driven recommendations and (2) to develop their own interpersonal and leadership skills in the context of a flat team. Teams will be created based on project interest from students. Each project will center on an important strategic challenge and require students to apply a broad set of concepts and tools. Kearney will coordinate client participation, supplement faculty with consulting resources to coach and support the student teams, and provide collaboration technologies to enable the teams and clients to work virtually. Previous clients have included 3M, Campbell Soup, Georgia Pacific, Nike, Walgreens, Feeding America, Siemens Energy, Emerson, IDEX, Avendra, Innerworkings, Valkre, Accretive Health, Beam Suntory, Facebook, and Walmart.

    The Spring 2022 session will be in person, and classes will be held at the Gleacher Center.

    Additional meetings:
    In addition to the regular Thursday afternoon meetings, there are three additional required meetings. If you cannot commit to attending these sessions, you should not apply for the course. Please note that the first is before the beginning of the spring quarter.

    February 24, 2022 2-5 PM
    April 1, 2022 8-12 AM
    May 27, 2022 8-12 AM

    Enrollment:
    Enrollment in Consulting Lab is by application. The application will close on Monday, February 14 at 8:30 AM. Applicants will be notified of their status by Friday, February 18.




  • Prerequisites
    Students will be enrolled if they apply and receive notice that they have been admitted to the course. Given the importance of forming stable teams, any drops/withdrawals are only with approval. Cannot enroll in BUSN 42709 if BUSN 42701 taken previously: strict.
    Restrictions
    • Application-based course

  • Materials
    This course will have a Canvas site.
  • Grades
    Evaluation Criteria: project deliverables (paper and presentation), reflection assignments, participation in project teams, and engagement in the Thursday class sessions. Cannot be taken pass/fail. No auditors.
    Grades
    • Mandatory attendance week 1

    • Allow Provisional Grades (For joint degree and non-Booth students only)

    • Early Final Grades (For joint degree and non-Booth students only)

    Restrictions
    • No auditors

    • No pass/fail grades

  • Syllabus
  • Winter 2022Section: 42709-01TH 2:00PM-5:00PMLocation: TBDRemote-Only
  • Spring 2022Section: 42709-01TH 2:00PM-5:00PMGleacher Center308In-Person Only
Description and/or course criteria last updated: February 9 2022