Alliance Manchester Business School, pioneers of experiential learning at the heart of MBA programmes, delivered its latest game-changing not-for-profit (NFP) consultancy series to 19 organisations on Thursday, 23 November.
Founded in 1965, the Business School embeds the consultancy element of its programmes from day one and has helped over 3500 in the last 54. Delivered at no cost to the not-for-profit client, Full-time MBA students are grouped into a consultancy team of five and tasked with helping solve a live challenge within the organisation. Worth over £10,000 to the client, the consultancy project is the chance for organisations to bring new thinking from experienced consultancy teams working towards their MBA.
The MBA consultancy teams present to their client in real-time where they are questioned on their solution and provide rigorous recommendations on how it has been derived and how it can be applied. The aim is to develop the application of theory to real-life business challenges – underpinning AMBS’ motto ‘Original Thinking Applied’. The Full-time Manchester MBA runs for 18 months from September to June, and the average age of our MBAs is 29, 46% female and from 32 countries.
Professor Marie Dutordoir, Professor of Finance and Director of Full-time MBA at AMBS, comments: “The Manchester experience ensures that learners on our programmes get the very best of education and practical delivery combined. We focus on applying original thinking while ensuring our programmes align with the latest business challenges.
“Social Responsibility is at the heart of everything we do at AMBS and is echoed by the University of Manchester’s leadership in the Times Higher Education Rankings, where we are first in the UK and second in the world. Our students, employers, and organisations highly rated the consultancy element.”
Taking part in the consultancy programme is Stephen Tongue, Director of Fundraising for charity Henshaws: “I’ve been involved in the AMBS NFP consultancy for 3 years. The consultancy has provided our charity with in-depth insight into our business challenges, and long-term strategic goals, as well as providing a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of our work.
“This high-level academic review and independent analysis has helped enhance our reputation in the sector and provided us with recommendations to develop our services and improve the lives, and life chances, of the blind and visually impaired people we support.“
MBA Candidate Lucas Azzolini Cordoni comments: “The consultancy project turned out to be much more valuable than what I was expecting when I joined the MBA mostly because we had to figure out how to improve our teamwork skills, as In only eight weeks, we had to solve a business problem for a real customer and had no boss to help with group issues.
“The experience makes us reflect on our contributions and "frictions" in a group. It has also been fun; I never thought I would have the opportunity to learn about such an interesting industry as musical higher education."
Organisations involved in the project include RNIB, RNCM, two Hospices, organisations working in deprived areas supporting individuals, families, and communities in creating opportunities for achieving their full potential, Charitable Housing Associations, Residential Youth Retreats, The Bridgewater Hall, a Makers Co-operative,
