IIMA Course Catalogue

Programme

PGP

Term

Academic Year

2021-22

Course title

Consulting and Professional Service Firms

Area

Strategy

Credits

0.75

Instructor(s)

Prof. Sunil Sharma

Course Description & Objectives

Description and Intent:
This course is about solving a strategy/organization problem using a management consulting approach. This means that the operating system of this course will be the problem-solving approach and the focus will be both on knowledge and skills required for being a successful management consultant. As such, it deals with analytical, behavioural, and creative aspects of solving vaguely defined managerial problems.

Our perspective in this course is of a professional whose fundamental job is to solve problems for strategic issues for a client organization. It therefore involves understanding means of acquiring, developing, and processing both information and insights by following a structured process. The know-how and Know-why of this process is critical for consultants who often have to question status quo. This role also demands deep functional knowledge and creative problem solving and these skills are relevant to both specialized consulting firms as well as internal consulting teams.

To help participants assume end-to-end ownership of a consulting assignment, the course will also address topics related to the issues relevant to professional service firms in general, including: ethics and professionalism, managing client relationships, and organizational architecture of PSFs.

Through project work, in-class exercises, and discussion, participants with learn the skills and knowledge required to undertake critical analysis of a vaguely defined strategy problems and also sources of superior performance, strategic capabilities, and distinctive processes that sustain PSFs. The output of this academic involvement would be a plan detailing solution and strategic interventions for the client organization.

The course builds on understanding of concepts taught in Strategic Management and other affiliated courses and provides students an opportunity to create a practice platform for their learning.

Objectives:
The core learning objective of the course is to enable participants to develop conceptual, ethical, and skill-based understanding required to practice strategy consulting.

During the course the participants will have the opportunity to learn the following aspects of strategy consulting.

1. Gain knowledge of analytical dimensions of organizational architecture and strategies of consulting firms.
2. Learn the problem-solving technique and mind set required for solving vaguely defined problems with ability to create and present solution blueprint.
3. Learn nuances of nurturing a team of professionals, client relationship, professional conduct, and project implementation.
4. Understand knowledge architecture required for consulting profession including client relationship, leading a team of professionals, ethics & professional conduct, and organizational learning.
5. Discuss and explore preference for a consulting career

Apart from these, the course intends to provide participants with following skills and knowledge.

Knowledge	Skills
Strategy & Consulting architecture	Problem solving
Leadership in Consulting Firms	Client relationship
Problem Solving Process	Abstraction
Professional Ecosystem	Content presentation

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