Consulting Fundamentals

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

NOTE: This subject has a quota of 60.

Students will be selected into the subject as they self-enrol during the re-enrolment period. Master of Commerce (Management) and Master of Commerce (Marketing), for whom MGMT90148 Consulting Fundamentals is a core subject, will be given preference for places. Students enrolling after the quota has been reached will be withdrawn from the subject and given preference for subject places in the following semester.

Approximately 2 hours of personal study per hour of class time is required to achieve a satisfactory level of performance.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject will critically explore the purpose and value of consulting as a practice and as a profession. Through tracing the consulting lifecycle and the examination of client-consultant relationships, students will learn to emulate the requisite soft and technical skills of effective consultants and develop an understanding of what it means to be an external change agent. Using a case-based approach, this subject will introduce various consulting frameworks and tools used to diagnose, analyse and solve complex but seemingly common organisational problems. In the process, students will gain a firm appreciation of the art and science of professional consulting and learn to apply problem-solving approaches that balance methodological rigour with creativity and lateral thinking.

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

• Critically evaluate the dynamic nature of consultant-client relationships and the role of consultants as change agents in organisations;
• Demonstrate a working understanding the consulting profession which includes the various stages of the consulting lifecycle and the inherent legal and ethical challenges;
• Exhibit an ability to apply methodical and evidence-based approaches to addressing business problems using various consulting tools and frameworks; and
• Exhibit the soft skills and attributes necessary in effective consulting, which include; teamwork, ability to work with imperfect information, critical thinking, independent learning and verbal and written communication skills.

• Attendance and participation from weeks 1-12 (10%)
• 20-30 minutes team-based presentation, due weeks 5-11 (20%)
• 3,000 word individual consulting report, due week 11 (40%)
• Take-home exam, due during the exam period (30%)

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On successful completion of this subject, students should have improved the following generic skills:

• Problem solving skills and critical thinking which is fostered in the seminar program where students will apply various consulting tools and frameworks to case studies;
• Collaborative learning and teamwork which is enhanced through seminar activities and team-based assessments;
• Verbal and written business communication skills developed through seminar discussions and presentation assessment; and
• Research skills facilitated through the major assignments.