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Rice University
Houston, Texas, United States
Kailen Bond
Assistant Director
(3)
3
General
  • Graduate
  • 45 learners; teams of 5
  • 25 hours per learner
  • Dates set by experience
  • Learners self-assign
Preferred companies
  • 3/6 project matches
  • United States
  • Academic experience
  • Non profit, Small to medium enterprise
  • Any
Categories
General Market research Operations Competitive analysis Organizational structure Market expansion
Project timeline
  • June 30, 2023
    Experience start
  • July 1, 2023
    Research & Work Plan
  • July 31, 2023
    Current State Assessment
  • August 14, 2023
    Strategy
  • September 11, 2023
    Detailed Designs and Plans
  • September 20, 2023
    Experience end
Overview
Details

Looking to elevate your organization, and bring it to the next level? Bring on a team of 4-5 MBA students from Rice University to act as consultants to your organization on a large scale, comprehensive, enterprise strategy course that puts every discipline they have learned in their program to work. Students are in their final courses before graduation and looking for a challenging and engaging project.

This capstone will run from the beginning of July - September

Learner skills
Competitive analysis, Project planning, Business consulting, Business strategy, Marketing strategy
Deliverables

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

Exposes your organization to the capabilities of talented MBA professionals

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, second year MBA students will dive deep into the large scale project 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.

Projects we accept are encompassing enterprise strategy in nature and comprehensive for the whole business or non-profit. The project can include functional issues (e.g., marketing, talent management, operations/supply chain, valuations, etc.), but those will be considered under the umbrella of the main strategy project.

  • Focus on large scale strategy
  • Growth or expansion plans (most common – over 90% of projects)
  • Turnaround business plan
  • We do not include fundraising, sales or new customer/client cultivation or acquisition target solicitation activities in projects.

Company and Non-Profit Organization requirements to participate:

Companies:

  • Size: High End: ~$25MM annual revenues Low End: ~$2MM annual revenues
  • Must have been generating revenue for at least 1 year
  • Variety of industries, though no management or tech consulting companies.

Non-Profit, Community Service Organizations:

  • Size: High End: ~$10MM annual budget Low End: ~$250K annual budget
  • Variety of causes (e.g., education, social services, etc.), but no political parties or individual churches.


Required questions to apply

Companies must answer the following custom questions in order to apply to this experience:

Are you a company or nonprofit with more than 5 years of business operations?

Does your company or non-profit have an updated strategic plan already in place?

Does your annual revenue exceed $2MM for a company or annual budget exceed $250K for a non-profit?

Able to provide relevant information/data as needed for the project.

Able to provide a dedicated contact person who is available for weekly/bi-weekly calls to address students’ questions as well as periodic messages over the duration of the project.