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College Journal.com: M.B.A. Students Dig In To a Real-World Product
Some of my first experiences in "real-world" marketing were as an undergrad student doing market research for the N.E.W. Zoo and the Green Bay Packers. I valued these opportunities as student and thought the world of this chance to put this type of experience on my college resume. I never, up until a couple of months ago, thought that I was taking business away from anyone.
Here's the scenario:
The Kelley School of Business at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana has a graduate program where students earn six academic credits rather than a salary for real-world marketing assignments done as "consulting" projects for local companies in need of marketing help. Hmm, sounds like the same thing that a "real-world" consultant might do for money? More to the point, Kelley School and one local company (so far, they are looking for more 'business') formed a long-term partnership this year called Bloomington Brands LLC. In effect, companies outsource brand management and some marketing responsibility to Bloomington Brands, which is staffed by full-time M.B.A. students at IU.
Here's the issue. Not necessarily my issue(yet...I don't do much consulting thus far), as I'm all for the hands-on education, but an issue nonetheless. Indiana University in Bloomington is a state run institution. The residents of Indiana pay state taxes of some description. Those state taxes go to fund various state functions, not the least of which is the education system, post-secondary and graduate schools included. Your state tax dollars are now subsidizing a state-run consulting business which is potentially taking away business from a for-profit consultancy which you may run.
Honestly, I'd have never thought of this unless someone pointed it out to me, or unless I'd have run into it myself. I have less of a problem if it's a private institution, because they are NOT funded by my state tax dollars. However, if I'm to give endowment money to my alma matter (St. Norbert College) and have them turn around and offer marketing consulting services to local business who are my target market, then I'll have a serious problem.
I invite your comments.
Posted by Dana VanDen Heuvel at November 10, 2003 09:59 AM | TrackBackI direct a technology major at a small liberal arts school and have worked with local companies using both undergrads and MBA students. The question of how many "consultants" we put out of work really involves student commitment. How much time are students willing to invest? How much time will students take to learn the client's industry? Finally, how much time will the client invest compared to what they invest in D&T, Accenture, or a local consultant?
We have worked on several projects that companies cannot afford to outsource or problems that they haven't gotten around to solving. As of yet, we haven't put any consultants out to pasture. But I might be inclined to agree that a state-funded college shouldn't be competing with local consultants for large scale projects.
Joel Kline
Lebanon Valley College
my job says.. burn the heretics (satisfied mr global ceo/my supervisor?)
but... unis compete with lots of stuff that companies do (r&d, teaching, gym facilities, theater.......)
not really an issue
and you're not going to give the job to a student run organization (even northwestern or harvard students) unless you have no money or don't care
students as consultants works, especially on a project basis, but ongoing? seems like a good way for incoherence in your brand (though maybe not that different from normal setups)
no real threat to any real business
Posted by: hey at November 11, 2003 11:50 PMAm co-teaching a class on mgt. consulting for undergrads (jrs and seniors) at Emory University.
We're doing something similar and I doubt if $ has been taken away from "real" consultants.
Student teams were assigned to not-for-profit clients. Teams are responsible for developing a strategic plan and all client relationships.
Clients along with a panel or reviewers will grade the final presentation ... instructors will not have input into that portion of the grade.
It's a win/win for all. Not-for-profits get a valuable analysis which they couldn't afford to pay the big bucks for and the students get to participate in a challenging real-world experience.
Feedback from all involved has been great.
Posted by: Toby at November 12, 2003 09:27 PMYou all have good points. The one thing that I've had in the back of my mind has been "these are not the type of people who'd be paying for a consultant's services anyway", at least, not any consultant worth her salt.
Consulting for non-profits, which Toby mentions, is a non issue, and a win-win all the way around. I'd love to see more institutions doing this since non-profits are mostly geared toward the greater good, and by helping them, you're doing well as a student by doing good for others. A gig is a gig, and on a resume, non-profit work is as good as anything going. It's actually better if you ask me, because it shows that you care.
That being said, this is still one of the those potentially "slippery slope" issues. What if students want to start a college-funded startup to take on those larger projects, or to sustain the projects that they've built up while in school. I still have an issue when my tax $$ go to fund a quasi-private enterprise, against which I may have to compete.
Thank you to everyone who has commented so far.
Posted by: Dana VanDenHeuvel at November 13, 2003 07:42 AM
It's kind of like swapping music files..."I would never buy the album, so what's the harm in copying a couple songs."
Are the companies jumping on board ones that wouldn't spend the real money a consultant would ask for?
Posted by: Dave J. at November 10, 2003 11:58 AM