Management Consulting Essentials NBA 5690

Spring 2018

Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of

Management

Professor Randy L. Allen rla9@cornell.edu 255-0072

TA – Mihika Gadkari mmg254@cornell.edu

TA - Danielle Grossman deg228@cornell.edu
TA – Anna Koyfman ak2473@cornell.edu
TA – Graham Pearson gep68@cornell.edu

Office 455 in Sage

Office Hours are 10:30 to 11:30 and 3:00 to 5:00 on Tuesdays and
Thursdays and by special request

NBA 5960 Management Consulting Essentials

Syllabus Spring 2018
©Randy L. Allen
Course Objectives
This course will help students learn about consulting and the skills and capabilities to be a
successful consultant. The course will begin with a module on successful case interviews.
The consulting process will be discussed and why it leads to successful solutions for complex
business problems. With the consulting process understood the course will focus on
developing a problem definition diagnostic framework, hypotheses, analytical approaches,
data collection and conclusions. The course will also include concepts critical to consulting
including interviewing to collect information, facilitating meetings, managing clients and their
expectations, selling recommendations and developing impactful presentations. The course
will use a combination of lectures, case work, individual and teamwork to learn the concepts.

Course Structure
 Combination of lectures and readings
 Consulting Practitioners or Johnson Consulting students from consulting who will be
serving as guest speakers
 Brief quizzes on each of the readings
 One final Business Case with a team, and a final presentation

Grading
 There are no examinations
 Grading may be either letter grade or optional S/U. If you are taking the course as
S/U, you must have 75 points in total to receive a passing grade
 There will be 6 quizzes, 3 assignments and a final presentation
 Grade composition is as follows:
Quizzes 30%
Assignments 30%
Final Case Presentation 30%
Attendance 10%
100%

Grades will be adjusted individually for unequal team contribution

Expectations of Students
 No food in the classroom
 Be on time. Late arrivals may result in unexcused absences
 No laptops or smartphones during lectures
 If you need to miss a class or arrive late, you must notify the TAs in advance and
provide a valid reason. There are no more than two excused absences without
speaking with Professor Allen
 Active participation in class discussions is required
 Active contribution to your team is required
 Each Student in this course is expected to abide by the Cornell University Code
of Academic Integrity. Any work submitted by a student in this course for

NBA 5960 Management Consulting Essentials

Syllabus Spring 2018
©Randy L. Allen Page 2 of 8
 academic credit will be the student’s own work. For this course, collaboration
is allowed for team project work and as otherwise directed by the professor.
 Full identification and clear citing of information and data sources used in work
products is the standard

Course Materials
 Digital Course Packets are available through Blackboard
 The Minto Pyramid Principle by Barbara Minto. There are 15 copies of the book on
course reserve in the Sage Library. If you plan to go into consulting it would be a
good book to buy. You can buy it on her site for $135 plus postage from NYC. You
can email her for a student discount. http://www.barbaraminto.com/textbook.html
 (Optional): There is a Minto App for iPhones and Android that costs $14.99 which
provides a very good overview and can serve as an on-going reference.
http://www.barbaraminto.com/concept.html

NBA 5960 Management Consulting Essentials

Syllabus Spring 2018
©Randy L. Allen Page 3 of 8
 Class Date Teaching Reading Due Assignment Due Quiz
January 25  Introduction
Class 1  Lecture
o Course Overview &
Goals
o What is consulting?
o Why do Clients use
Consultants?
o What makes a
Successful
consultant?
o Consulting firms
January 30  Ace the Case - Lecture
Class 2
February 1  Ace the Case Part 2
Class 3  Data Sheets
 Math
 Structure
 Practice

February 5  Reading Assignment is  The Minto Pyramid Quiz 1 on reading is

Assignment due Principle due by 11 PM
o Logic in Writing February 5th
 Introduction
 Chapter 1

February 6  Mock Case interview

Class 4  Practicing cases
o Guidelines
o Acting as the
interviewer
 Practice
 Reminder on resources

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Syllabus Spring 2018
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 Class Date Teaching Reading Due Assignment Due Quiz
February 7  Reading Assignment is  The Consult-Client  Quiz 2 on reading
Assignment due Relationship: Managing due by 11 PM on
and Leading Your Client February 7
in the course packet
• The Minto Pyramid
Principle
o Appendix C
Summary of Key
Points Mentioned in
the text
February 8  Consulting Process  Choose 2 out of 3 problems,
Class 5  Consultant Client and structure the case. This
Relationship is an individual assignment
for case practice.
 Submit your choice of team
members via Blackboard.
Teams should be four
members. If you do not have
a team we will set them up
by February 13
February 12   The Minto Pyramid  Quiz 3 on reading
Assignment Principle due by 11 PM on
o Logic in Thinking February 12
 Introduction
 Chapter 6
o Logic in Problem
Solving
Introduction

February 13  Consulting in the 

Class 6 real world - Guest
Speaker (TBD)
 Assign Teams

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Syllabus Spring 2018
©Randy L. Allen Page 5 of 8
 Class Date Teaching Reading Due Assignment Due Quiz
February 14   Building Logic,  Quiz 4 on reading
Assignment Designing the Solution, due by 11 PM on
and Thinking about February 14
Execution in the course
packet.
February 15  Problem Definition Map  Sample Engagement  Agree with your teammates
Class 7 and Issues Analysis letter on Blackboard on when you will meet to do
 Frameworks  work and how you will
o What is a Framework? communicate
o When do you use a
framework?
o Example Frameworks
o Reading datasheets in
cases

February 22  Data Collection and

Class 8 Analysis
 Using Data analysis to
talk to the client
 Research Skills, Tips,
and Tricks - Guest
Speaker (TBD)
February 26   Interviewing and  Quiz 5 on reading
Assignment Collecting Data in the due today February
course packet 26 by 11 PM
February 27  Interview skills •  Develop a problem definition
Class 9  Interactive discussion map based on the assignment
two engagement letter
February 28   Minto on Blackboard or  Quiz 6 on reading
Assignment course reserve due today by 11 PM
o Logic in
Presentation

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Syllabus Spring 2018
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 Class Date Teaching Reading Due Assignment Due Quiz
o Chapter 11
Reflecting the
Pyramid on a
screen
 Selling the Solution in
the course packet
March 1  Developing and Selling  Read Final Case  Data Analysis assignment on
Class 10 your conclusions and assignment Blackboard
solutions
 Helpful tools
 Providing the total
answer

March 6  Building Compelling

Class 11 Presentations

March 8  Panel of Johnson

Class 12 second year students
on their consulting
experience
 What does a final
project look like?
March 13  Change Management
Class 13
March 15  Case and Behavioral  Final Case Write Up (Team
Class 14 review Assignment) due by 5 PM in
 Open discussion Blackboard
 Managing your career  Include your team name,
– Guest speaker individual names, and Net
IDs on the presentation

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Syllabus Spring 2018
©Randy L. Allen Page 7 of 8
NBA 5960 Management Consulting Essentials
Syllabus Spring 2018
©Randy L. Allen