EN
IT
Obiettivi Formativi
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The course provides students with the basic notions in the field of organizational communication and presentation skills, delivering an overview of the management and organizational tools that can be designed to handle the internal and external communication activities of modern organizations. More specifically, attention will be paid to the tacit and explicit competencies that underpin the ability of human resources to establish sound exchanges at the one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, and many-to-many levels. Starting from an organizational contextualization of what is meant by communication, the teaching will delve into the conceptual and practical challenges of organizational exchanges of data and information, enhancing the students’ ability to participate in meaningful communication activities within any types of organizations, including public sector entities, private firms, and non-profit institutions.
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING:
The students will acknowledge the issues characterizing the multifaceted communication exchanges that are enacted within organizations. During the teaching activities, the challenges related to effective communication at the individual and collective levels will be deepened, with a focus on the topics of strategic and managerial alignment between internal and external communication, the role of organizational culture in affecting interpersonal exchanges within organizations, and the consistency between organizational communication and organizational action. Moreover, the students will improve their awareness of the specific skills and expertise that are needed to timely and properly manage the multiple tools and approaches available to enact communication within and across the internal and external organizational boundaries.
APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING:
People who will attend at the teaching activities will be involved in active learning sessions that will be aimed at applying to practice the theoretical constructs and the conceptual tools discussed during frontal lessons. Active learning activities will include, inter alia, case study analysis and discussion, role playing sessions, and simulations. The contextualization of conceptual knowledge developed by students will concern a variety of organizational context, allowing students to acknowledge and understand the multifacetedness of challenges characterizing the appropriate management of communication at the organizational level.
MAKING JUDGEMENTS:
At the end of teaching activities, students will develop autonomy of judgement about the strategic, structural, and managerial factors that affect the alignment between internal and external communication. Moreover, the discussion of the conceptual issues presented during class activities will empower students to critically assess and improve their presentation skills, adapting them to the evolving challenges faced by organizations in turbulent environmental conditions.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
As a result of the attendance at the teaching activities, students will be able to identify and handle the hard and soft tools available to manage the communication needs of organizations. Since role playing activities and in basket sessions will be embedded in classwork activities, the students will benefit from the opportunity of directly experiencing the ambiguities and hurdles affecting the management of communication processes within organizations. Besides, they will be able to increase their presentation skills, achieving a mastery in handling the tools and approaches of organizational communication.
LEARNING SKILLS:
Students will recognize that organizational communication is a critical tool of representation of the individual and collective identity of organizational members. The conceptualization of organizational communication as a symbolic artefact and as a cultural tool will sustain the students’ awareness of the role played by organizational communication in paving the way for managerial effectiveness and business excellence.
Learning Objectives
TRAINING GOALS:
The goals of the course in "Digital Management Consulting" is to train future management consultants to be deployed in digital transformation projects, providing them both a general knowledge on the consulting profession and a specific knowledge on managing digital consulting projects.
More specifically:
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
Develop an understanding of the management consulting industry, the understanding
of consulting projects, related diagnosis and solution development, its communication
and implementation.
APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
Understand and apply the tools management consulting firms use in order to manage
their digital projects, with a specific focus on Design Thinking and Agile.
MAKING JUDGEMENTS
Understand the approach management consulting firms use in order to manage their
business and their professionals, especially when dealing with Digital Transformation
projects.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Understand how to structure the presentations and communicate the evidence from
the management consulting projects in order to get the customer “buying-in”.
LEARNING SKILLS
Build (transferrable) management consulting skills, such as structured problem solving,
design thinking approach and agile consulting project management.
Programma
Il corso si struttura in due parti:
PART 1: Management Consulting fundamentals
• Overview on management consultancy
- Nature and role of consulting
- Management of a consulting firm
• Management of a consulting project
- Problem diagnosis and solution development
- Communication and implementation
• Overview on digital management consulting
- Digital transformation challenge
- Digital disruptors in consulting
PART 2: Digital Management Consulting approaches and tools
• Design thinking methodology
- Main steps and applications examples
- Impacts on the consulting work and the value delivered to customers
• Agile methodology
- Main steps and applications examples
- Impacts on the consulting work and the value delivered to customers
• Configuring a Enterprise-based application
- Main steps and functionalities of an application platform (such as CRM)
- Key steps in configuring it and delivering value to customers
PART 1 will be based on a mix of lectures on theory and interactive sessions to discuss the emerging issues.
The reference readings are:
- Baaij, M.G., An introduction to Management Consultancy, Sage, 2014. In particular:
• Management consultancy (chapter 1 and 2)
• The management of consultancy firm (chapters 7, 8 and 9)
• The management of consultancy projects (chapters 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15)
- Cerruti, C., Tavoletti, E. and Grieco, C. (2019), "Management consulting: a review of
fifty years of scholarly research", Management Research Review
- Tavoletti E., Kazemargi, N., Cerruti, C., Grieco, C. and Appolloni. A. (2021), “Business
model innovation and digital transformation in global management consulting firms”,
European Journal of Innovation Management.
PART 2 will be based on a mix of lectures on the techniques, testimonials and
groupworks on the topics.
The reference material is made of the course slides and reports from leading-edge
consulting companies (included in the course website).
Program
The course is structured in two parts:
PART 1: Management Consulting fundamentals
• Overview on management consultancy
- Nature and role of consulting
- Management of a consulting firm
• Management of a consulting project
- Problem diagnosis and solution development
- Communication and implementation
• Overview on digital management consulting
- Digital transformation challenge
- Digital disruptors in consulting
PART 2: Digital Management Consulting approaches and tools
• Design thinking methodology
- Main steps and applications examples
- Impacts on the consulting work and the value delivered to customers
• Agile methodology
- Main steps and applications examples
- Impacts on the consulting work and the value delivered to customers
• Configuring a Enterprise-based application
- Main steps and functionalities of an application platform (such as CRM)
- Key steps in configuring it and delivering value to customers
PART 1 will be based on a mix of lectures on theory and interactive sessions to discuss the emerging issues.
The reference readings are:
- Baaij, M.G., An introduction to Management Consultancy, Sage, 2014. In particular:
• Management consultancy (chapter 1 and 2)
• The management of consultancy firm (chapters 7, 8 and 9)
• The management of consultancy projects (chapters 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15)
- Cerruti, C., Tavoletti, E. and Grieco, C. (2019), "Management consulting: a review of
fifty years of scholarly research", Management Research Review
- Tavoletti E., Kazemargi, N., Cerruti, C., Grieco, C. and Appolloni. A. (2021), “Business
model innovation and digital transformation in global management consulting firms”,
European Journal of Innovation Management.
PART 2 will be based on a mix of lectures on the techniques, testimonials and
groupworks on the topics.
The reference material is made of the course slides and reports from leading-edge
consulting companies (included in the course website).
Testi Adottati
- Baaij, M.G., An introduction to Management Consultancy, Sage, 2014. In particular:
• Management consultancy (chapter 1 and 2)
• The management of consultancy firm (chapters 7, 8 and 9)
• The management of consultancy projects (chapters 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15)
- Cerruti, C., Tavoletti, E. and Grieco, C. (2019), "Management consulting: a review of
fifty years of scholarly research", Management Research Review
- Tavoletti E., Kazemargi, N., Cerruti, C., Grieco, C. and Appolloni. A. (2021), “Business
model innovation and digital transformation in global management consulting firms”,
European Journal of Innovation Management.
Course slides and reports from leading-edge consulting companies (included in the course website).
Books
- Baaij, M.G., An introduction to Management Consultancy, Sage, 2014. In particular:
• Management consultancy (chapter 1 and 2)
• The management of consultancy firm (chapters 7, 8 and 9)
• The management of consultancy projects (chapters 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15)
- Cerruti, C., Tavoletti, E. and Grieco, C. (2019), "Management consulting: a review of
fifty years of scholarly research", Management Research Review
- Tavoletti E., Kazemargi, N., Cerruti, C., Grieco, C. and Appolloni. A. (2021), “Business
model innovation and digital transformation in global management consulting firms”,
European Journal of Innovation Management.
Course slides and reports from leading-edge consulting companies (included in the course website).
Bibliografia
Additional (optional) readings from HBR and leading management consulting companies, FEACO yearly report on the Management Consulting Industry plus manuals on the main methodologies:
• R. Curedale, Design Thinking Process & Methods (5th Edition), 2019
• PMI -Project Management Institute, Agile Practice Guide, 2019
Bibliography
Additional (optional) readings from HBR and leading management consulting companies, FEACO yearly report on the Management Consulting Industry plus manuals on the main methodologies:
• R. Curedale, Design Thinking Process & Methods (5th Edition), 2019
• PMI -Project Management Institute, Agile Practice Guide, 2019
Modalità di svolgimento
Modalità di lezione convenzionale (lezione frontale) e interattiva (agli studenti sarà richiesto di partecipare attivamente alle discussioni di classe e al lavoro di gruppo).
Teaching methods
Conventional lecture mode (frontal lesson) and interactive (the students will be required participate actively in the class discussions and group work).
Regolamento Esame
La prova di esame è specifica per frequentanti e per non frequentanti e valuta la preparazione complessiva dello studente, la capacità di integrazione delle conoscenze delle diverse parti del programma, la consequenzialità del ragionamento, la capacità analitica e la autonomia di giudizio.
Inoltre, vengono valutate la proprietà di linguaggio e la chiarezza espositiva, in aderenza con i descrittori di Dublino (1. Conoscenza e capacità di comprensione (knowledge and understanding); 2. Capacità di applicare la conoscenza e comprensione (applying knowledge and understanding); 3. Autonomia di giudizio (making judgements); 4. Capacità di apprendimento (learning skills); 5: Abilità di comunicazione (communication skills).
Per gli studenti frequentanti (partecipanti alle lezioni e ai lavori di gruppo), l'esame sarà
essere basato su una prova scritta (50%) e un lavoro di gruppo (50%).
La prova scritta durerà 50 minuti e sarà composta da 4 domande aperte, ovvero:
- due domande sulla Parte 1 – Fondamenti di Management Consulting (slides+articoli)
- due domande sulla Parte 2 – Approcci e strumenti di Digital Management Consulting
Una prova di esempio sarà fornita nel materiale didattico sul sito web del corso
permettendo agli studenti di vedere in anticipo la struttura del test.
Il lavoro di gruppo simulerà un incarico di consulenza e/o un hackathon per risolvere un problema aziendale.
Per gli studenti non frequentanti (non partecipanti alle lezioni o ai lavori di gruppo), il
l'esame sarà basato su una prova scritta (100%). Durerà 1 ora e 15 minuti e sarà
composto da 6 domande aperte, ovvero:
- quattro domande sulla Parte 1 – Fondamenti di Mgmt Consulting (libro di testo+slide+articoli)
- due domande sulla Parte 2 – Approcci e strumenti di Digital Management Consulting
Una prova di esempio sarà fornita nel materiale didattico sul sito web del corso
permettendo agli studenti di vedere in anticipo la struttura del test.
La prova di esame sarà valutata secondo i seguenti criteri:
Non idoneo: importanti carenze e/o inaccuratezze nella conoscenza e comprensione degli argomenti; limitate capacità di analisi e sintesi, frequenti generalizzazioni e limitate capacità critiche e di giudizio, gli argomenti sono esposti in modo non coerente e con linguaggio inappropriato;
18-20: conoscenza e comprensione degli argomenti appena sufficiente con possibili generalizzazioni e imperfezioni; capacità di analisi sintesi e autonomia di giudizio sufficienti, gli argomenti sono esposti in modo frequentemente poco coerente e con un linguaggio poco appropriato/tecnico;
21-23: Conoscenza e comprensione degli argomenti routinaria; Capacità di analisi e sintesi corrette con argomentazione logica sufficientemente coerente e linguaggio appropriato/tecnico
24-26: Discreta conoscenza e comprensione degli argomenti; buone capacità di analisi e sintesi con argomentazioni espresse in modo rigoroso ma con un linguaggio non sempre appropriato/tecnico.
27-29: Conoscenza e comprensione degli argomenti completa; notevoli capacità di analisi e sintesi. Buona autonomia di giudizio. Argomenti esposti in modo rigoroso e con linguaggio appropriato/tecnico
30-30L: Ottimo livello di conoscenza e comprensione approfondita degli argomenti. Ottime capacità di analisi, di sintesi e di autonomia di giudizio. Argomentazioni espresse in modo originale e con linguaggio tecnico appropriato.
Exam Rules
The exam is specific for attending and non-attending students and evaluates the overall preparation of the student, the ability to integrate the knowledge of the different parts of the program, the consequentiality of the reasoning, the analytical ability and the autonomy of judgment.
Furthermore, language properties and clarity of presentation are evaluated, in compliance with the Dublin descriptors (1. Knowledge and understanding) 2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding; 3. Making judgments; 4. Learning skills; 5: Communication skills.
For attending students (participating to the classes and the groupwork), the exam will
be based on a written test (50%) and a groupwork (50%).
The written test will last 50 minutes and will be made of 4 open questions, namely:
- two questions on Part 1 – Management Consulting fundamentals (slides+articles)
- two questions on Part 2 – Digital Management Consulting approaches and tools
A sample test will be provided in the teaching materials on the course web site
allowing students to see in advance the test structure.
The groupwork will simulate a consulting assignmentand/or an hackathon for solving a business issue.
For non attending students (non participating to the classes or the groupwork), the
exam will be based on a written test (100%). It will last 1 hour and 15 minutes and will
be made of 6 open questions, namely:
- four questions on Part 1 – Mgmt Consulting fundamentals (textbook+slides+articles)
- two questions on Part 2 – Digital Management Consulting approaches and tools
A sample test will be provided in the teaching materials on the course web site
allowing students to see in advance the test structure.
The exam will be assessed according to the following criteria:
Not suitable: important deficiencies and / or inaccuracies in the knowledge and understanding of the topics; limited capacity for analysis and synthesis, frequent generalizations and limited critical and judgment skills, the arguments are presented in an inconsistent way and with inappropriate language;
18-20: just sufficient knowledge and understanding of the topics with possible generalizations and imperfections; sufficient capacity for analysis, synthesis and autonomy of judgment, the topics are frequently exposed in an inconsistent way and with inappropriate / technical language;
21-23: Routine knowledge and understanding of topics; Ability to correct analysis and synthesis with sufficiently coherent logical argument and appropriate / technical language
24-26: Fair knowledge and understanding of the topics; good analysis and synthesis skills with rigorously expressed arguments but with a language that is not always appropriate / technical.
27-29: Complete knowledge and understanding of the topics; remarkable abilities of analysis and synthesis. Good autonomy of judgment. Topics exposed rigorously and with appropriate / technical language
30-30L: Excellent level of knowledge and in-depth understanding of the topics. Excellent skills of analysis, synthesis and autonomy of judgment. Arguments expressed in an original way and with appropriate technical language.
EN
IT
Aggiornato A.A. 2021-2022
Vedi programma in inglese - See the syllabus in English
Aggiornato A.A. 2021-2022
The course is structured on two parts:
PART I: Management Consulting fundamentals
• Overview on management consultancy
• Management of a consulting project
• Problem diagnosis and solution development
• Communication and implementation
• Management consulting and the digital transformation challenge
• Digital disruptors in consulting
PART II: Digital Management Consulting tools (including group work and testimonials)
A) Design thinking methodology
• Design Thinking methodology main steps and tools
• Applications examples
• Impacts on the consulting company work and the value delivered to customers
B) Agile methodology in consulting projects
• Agile methodology: main steps and tools
• Applications examples
• Impacts on the consulting company work and the value delivered to customers
C) Digital platforms
• Digital platforms: adopt vs. adapt
• Applications examples
• Impacts on the consulting company work and the way they deliver value to customers
For PART I, the reference textbook is: Baaij, M.G., An introduction to Management Consultancy, Sage, 2014. In particular:
• The management of consultancy projects (chapters 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15)
• The management of consultancy firm (chapters 7, 8 and 9)
Plus
• Cerruti, C., Tavoletti, E. and Grieco, C. (2019), "Management consulting: a re-view of fifty years of scholarly research", Management Research Review.
For PART II the reference material is made of the course slides and reports from leading-edge consulting companies (included in the course website)
Plus:
• The first module of the MOOC on “Design-Led Strategy: Design thinking for bu-siness strategy and entrepreneurship” prepared by the University of Sydney
Freely available at: https://www.coursera.org/learn/design-strategy
• The first module of the MOOC on “Managing an Agile Team” prepared by the University of Virginia
Freely available at: https://www.coursera.org/learn/uva-darden-agile-team-management
OTHER LEARNING SOURCES
Selected readings from HBR, yearly report on the Management Consulting Industry from FEACO (European Federation of Management Consultancies Associations) and from Confindustria Assoconsult (Italian Association of Management Consulting Firms).
Manuals on the methodologies (optional but suggested to those interested in a career in consulting):
• R. Curedale, Design Thinking Process & Methods (5th Edition), 2019
• PMI -Project Management Institute, Agile Practice Guide, 2019
Plus they might refer to the full MOOCs above indicated and to a MOOC looking at Design Thinking and Agile together:
• “Managing an Agile Team” prepared by the University of Virginia
Freely available at: https://www.coursera.org/learn/uva-darden-getting-started-agile
TEACHING METHODS
Academic classes based on text book & articles, some interactive sessions and case studies discussed with management consultants.
EN
IT
Aggiornato A.A. 2020-2021
Vedi programma in inglese - See the syllabus in English
Aggiornato A.A. 2020-2021
The course is structured on three parts:
PART I: Management Consulting fundamentals
• Overview on management consultancy
• Management of a consulting project
• Problem diagnosis and solution development
• Communication and implementation
• Management consulting and the digital transformation challenge
• Digital disruptors in consulting
PART II: Design thinking methodology
Group work and testimonials, useful to allow of the “Design Thinking methodology” an initial direct and deeper contact with the management consulting tools and activi-ties, based on:
• Design Thinking methodology main steps and tools
• Applications examples
• Impacts on the consulting company work and the value delivered to customers
PART III: Agile methodology in consulting projects
• Agile methodology: main steps and tools
• Applications examples
• Impacts on the consulting company work and the value delivered to customers
For PART I, the reference textbook is: Baaij, M.G., An introduction to Management Consultancy, Sage, 2014. In particular:
• The management of consultancy projects (chapters 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15)
• The management of consultancy firm (chapters 7, 8 and 9)
Plus
• Cerruti, C., Tavoletti, E. and Grieco, C. (2019), "Management consulting: a re-view of fifty years of scholarly research", Management Research Review.
For PARTS II and III the reference material is made of the course slides and reports from leading-edge consulting companies (included in the course website)
Plus:
• The first module of the MOOC on “Design-Led Strategy: Design thinking for bu-siness strategy and entrepreneurship” prepared by the University of Sydney
Freely available at: https://www.coursera.org/learn/design-strategy
• The first module of the MOOC on “Managing an Agile Team” prepared by the University of Virginia
Freely available at: https://www.coursera.org/learn/uva-darden-agile-team-management
OTHER LEARNING SOURCES
Selected readings from HBR, yearly report on the Management Consulting Industry from FEACO (European Federation of Management Consultancies Associations) and from Confindustria Assoconsult (Italian Association of Management Consulting Firms).
Manuals on the methodologies (optional but suggested to those interested in a career in consulting):
• R. Curedale, Design Thinking Process & Methods (5th Edition), 2019
• PMI -Project Management Institute, Agile Practice Guide, 2019
Plus they might refer to the full MOOCs above indicated and to a MOOC looking at Design Thinking and Agile together:
• “Managing an Agile Team” prepared by the University of Virginia
Freely available at: https://www.coursera.org/learn/uva-darden-getting-started-agile
TEACHING METHODS
Academic classes based on text book & articles, some interactive sessions and case studies discussed with management consultants.
EN
IT
Aggiornato A.A. 2019-2020
Vedi programma in inglese - See the syllabus in English
Aggiornato A.A. 2019-2020
The course is structured on three parts:
PART I: Management Consulting fundamentals
• Overview on management consultancy
• Management of a consulting project
• Problem diagnosis and solution development
• Communication and implementation
• Management consulting and the digital transformation challenge
• Digital disruptors in consulting
PART II: Design thinking methodology
Group work and testimonials, useful to allow of the “Design Thinking methodology” an initial direct and deeper contact with the management consulting tools and activi-ties, based on:
• Design Thinking methodology main steps and tools
• Applications examples
• Impacts on the consulting company work and the value delivered to customers
PART III: Agile methodology in consulting projects
• Agile methodology: main steps and tools
• Applications examples
• Impacts on the consulting company work and the value delivered to customers
For PART I, the reference textbook is: Baaij, M.G., An introduction to Management Consultancy, Sage, 2014. In particular:
• The management of consultancy projects (chapters 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15)
• The management of consultancy firm (chapters 7, 8 and 9)
Plus
• Cerruti, C., Tavoletti, E. and Grieco, C. (2019), "Management consulting: a re-view of fifty years of scholarly research", Management Research Review.
For PARTS II and III the reference material is made of the course slides and reports from leading-edge consulting companies (included in the course website)
Plus:
• The first module of the MOOC on “Design-Led Strategy: Design thinking for bu-siness strategy and entrepreneurship” prepared by the University of Sydney
Freely available at: https://www.coursera.org/learn/design-strategy
• The first module of the MOOC on “Managing an Agile Team” prepared by the University of Virginia
Freely available at: https://www.coursera.org/learn/uva-darden-agile-team-management
OTHER LEARNING SOURCES
Selected readings from HBR, yearly report on the Management Consulting Industry from FEACO (European Federation of Management Consultancies Associations) and from Confindustria Assoconsult (Italian Association of Management Consulting Firms).
Manuals on the methodologies (optional but suggested to those interested in a career in consulting):
• R. Curedale, Design Thinking Process & Methods (5th Edition), 2019
• PMI -Project Management Institute, Agile Practice Guide, 2019
Plus they might refer to the full MOOCs above indicated and to a MOOC looking at Design Thinking and Agile together:
• “Managing an Agile Team” prepared by the University of Virginia
Freely available at: https://www.coursera.org/learn/uva-darden-getting-started-agile
TEACHING METHODS
Academic classes based on text book & articles, some interactive sessions and case studies discussed with management consultants.
Prof.ssa Lucia Leonelli
