SCMG608
Supply Chain Consulting
0.5 Credit

This project resembles SCMG607, but students work in 2-3 person teams assigned by faculty, instead of individually, and the project is more ambitious. With faculty input, teams will select from a provided set of projects. To enhance learning and creativity, faculty will form teams with diversity and complementarity of skills. Faculty will also ensure no student does both SCMG607 and SCMG608 projects at the same company. This is needed to avoid teams where one student has prior firsthand knowledge of the client firm, to which other team members must defer (thereby diminishing their own learning experience).  The university and the client firm will negotiate the MOU and the NDA that the course instructor and/or university, student team, and client firm will sign.

Course requirements include (i) meetings with the instructor every 2 weeks using Skype or similar software or in person, (ii) a final report to the instructor and the client firm, and (iii) a presentation to the client firm with the instructor attending. The client firm will provide input to the grading, especially from the perspective of implementation, but faculty will assign the final grade. The course will begin with instruction in the basics of consulting teamwork, including how to conduct a meeting, make a presentation as a team, and manage the team’s relationship with the client firm and among team members. Practical challenges to implementing change within the client firm will be emphasized, to avoid unrealistic recommendations.