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MN30474: Management consulting: theory and practice

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2015/6
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: School of Management
Further information on credits Credits: 6
Further information on unit levels Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6)
Further information on teaching periods Period: Semester 1
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 30%, EX 70%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Coursework (CW 30% - Qualifying Mark: 35)
  • Examination (EX 70% - Qualifying Mark: 35)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites: Before taking this module you must take MN10005 OR take MN10071 OR take MN20080 OR take SP10043 OR take MN10568
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
The aim of this unit is to examine the theoretical and practical aspects of management consulting.

Learning Outcomes:
After completing this unit the student will be able to:
* Understand the context and background of management consulting;
* Apply key theories, concepts and frameworks to understand the sources of competitive advantage of management consulting firms;
* Analyse the organisational forms, networks and professional associations of management consulting firms;
* Understand the importance of and approaches to managing client and network relations;
* Understand the practices in the consulting process;
* Appreciate the key choices and dilemmas associated with careers, development and reward in management consulting.

Skills:

* Juxtaposition of theory and practice (taught)
* Identification good practice (taught)
* Case analysis (taught and facilitated)
* Practical skill development (taught and facilitated).

Content:

* Context and background
- Origins, growth, definitions and importance of the management consulting sector;
- Controversies and debates around the value of consulting;
- Types of management consulting firms and sectors;
- position of management consulting within the professions.
* Organisational form of consulting firms in terms of
- internal organisation (practice groups, project teams, matrix structures);
- forms of capital (human, social and organisational),
* Clients
- Concept of multiple clients;
- Ways of engaging with consultants;
- Roles played by clients
* Client-consultant relations:
- Variations in relations (types of interaction and client capture);
- Role of the client;
- Managing client relations.
* The practices and processes of consulting
- Engagement cycle ¿ key stages - acquiring contracts/setting up project teams/doing the work/producing reports/debriefing;
- Key issues associated with bidding for new business.
* Ethical issues
- Context and importance of ethics;
- Stakeholders and conflicts of interest;
- Possible resolution of conflicts of interest.
* Individual consultant perspectives
- Key concepts of commitment and multiple foci of commitment;
- Liminality and consulting;
- Organisational attempts to manage commitment.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

MN30474 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Chemistry
  • USCH-AFB03 : BSc(Hons) Chemistry with Management (Year 3)
  • USCH-AAB04 : BSc(Hons) Chemistry with Management with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USCH-AFM07 : MSci(Hons) Chemistry with Management (Year 3)
  • USCH-AKB04 : BSc(Hons) Chemistry with Management with Industrial Placement (Year 4)
  • USCH-AKM07 : MSci(Hons) Chemistry with Management with Industrial Placement (Year 4)
School of Management
  • UMMN-AFB02 : BSc(Hons) Accounting and Finance (Year 3)
  • UMMN-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Accounting and Finance with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UMMN-ANB01 : BSc(Hons) Business Administration with Thin sandwich placement(s) (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AYB05 : BSc(Hons) International Management and Modern Languages (French) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AYB04 : BSc(Hons) International Management and Modern Languages (German) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AYB06 : BSc(Hons) International Management and Modern Languages (Spanish) with Year Abroad (Year 4)

Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2015/16 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2016/17 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2015/16.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.