Action Learning Project
General
- Graduate
- 30 learners; teams of 4
- 30 hours per learner
- Dates set by experience
- Learners self-assign
Preferred companies
- 2/5 project matches
- United States
- Academic experience
- Large enterprise, Small to medium enterprise
- Any
Categories
Skills
Project timeline
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January 26, 2022Experience start
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February 2, 2022Project Plan
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March 22, 2022Mid-Point Client Briefing
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April 23, 2022Final Report
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April 24, 2022Final Presentation
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October 5, 2022Research and Work Plan
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May 3, 2022Experience end
Timeline
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January 26, 2022Experience start
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February 2, 2022Project Plan
The purpose of the assignment is to have teams formally plan the activities and workload of solving a complex, multi-month, detailed project and provides information for the teams and the instructors to hold individual team members accountable for their participation in the course.
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March 22, 2022Mid-Point Client Briefing
Client briefing on the Mid-Point Report. It will be presented to the company’s project team sponsors and ALP faculty members. Presentation dates/times will be scheduled by the Faculty Director with the company liaison.
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April 23, 2022Final Report
The team’s final written report to the company on their recommendation. It will include the team’s research findings, analytical results, recommendations, designs, implementation plans, etc. that collectively encompass their recommended solution to the project’s problem statement.
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April 24, 2022Final Presentation
The final assignment is a formal presentation and an executive summary document based on the Final Report. It will be presented to the company, including project team sponsors and often senior executives, as well as ALP faculty members.
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October 5, 2022Research and Work Plan
Teams will formally plan the activities and workload of solving a complex problem, over a multi-month project, with a remote client. This also provides information for the teams and the instructors to hold individual team members accountable for their participation in the course.
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November 1, 2022Current State Assessment
An in-depth assessment of the client’s current situation to form the basis for the strategic analysis. Generally, it should identify critical issues that must be addressed by the strategy, as well as organizational competencies and other opportunities upon which the strategy should be built.
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November 15, 2022Strategy
This assignment includes descriptions of all strategic options considered by the team, critical assumptions, qualitative costs/benefits of the different options, and analyses that form the basis for prioritization and final strategy selection.
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December 13, 2022Detailed Designs and Plans
Will be comprised of four elements: the detailed designs of the recommended solution (strategy + functional improvements); a comprehensive value proposition; a high-level implementation plan for your
recommendation; and a risk analysis and mitigation approach. -
December 17, 2022Final Presentation
The final assignment is a formal presentation and an executive summary document based on the Assessment, Strategy, and Detailed Designs and Plans assignments. It will be presented to the company, including project team sponsors and senior leadership, as well as the Capstone faculty director.
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May 3, 2022Experience end
Overview
- Details
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Looking to elevate your organization, and bring it to the next level? Bring on students from Rice University to be your student-consultants, in a project-based experience. The Action Learning Project (ALP) course gives students the opportunity to apply concepts and methods gained in first-year core classes (strategy, marketing, finance, accounting, and organization behavior, etc.) and their own professional experience to solve a complex, real-world managerial problem. Students will work with executives at these organizations and the course faculty members through the semester to develop thorough and actionable recommended solutions to the challenges facing these organizations. It requires student teams to take the initiative in understanding the company, industry, and functional discipline; identifying, gathering and analyzing the relevant information/data; and developing actionable recommendations to the client.
- Learner skills
- Competitive analysis, Project planning, Business consulting, Business strategy, Marketing strategy
- Deliverables
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Provides a detailed, actionable recommendation at the strategic and tactical levels
Taps both student and Rice University, Jones Graduate School of Business faculty expertise to develop the recommendations
Approaches your strategic challenges with fresh, yet experienced perspectives
Builds your company’s long-term relationship with Rice University and the Jones Graduate School of Business in Houston, Texas
Project Examples
In this course, students will dive deep into a complex, real-world managerial problem that you provide, utilizing all disciplines learned throughout their program. Students work with one or two dedicated primary contacts from your organization to gain a thorough understanding of the needs of your business and the competitive landscape of your industry.
As a participating organization, you'll be asked to provide crucial information to our students, that we protect with a non-disclosure agreement. We also ask primary contacts to meet regularly with students, typically once a week, to ensure open communication and project focus. Student review and recommendations will encompass all areas of your business, and at completion teams will deliver a final presentation and roadmap to implement your project goal.
Additional company criteria
Companies must answer the following questions to submit a match request to this experience:
Be available for a quick phone/virtual call with the instructor to initiate your relationship and confirm your scope is an appropriate fit for the course.
Provide an opportunity for students to present their work and receive feedback.
Provide relevant information/data as needed for the project.
Are you a company with >5 years of business operations?
Provide a dedicated contact person who is available for weekly/bi-weekly drop-ins to address students’ questions as well as periodic messages over the duration of the project.