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    Agile Consulting – an international Business Pressure Cooker

    Exchange programme

    The Agile Consulting programme is a unique experience that goes beyond the ordinary, in which we use cases -real business situations- as the starting point for learning. Students are in the lead and are responsible for their own learning process, supported by coaches. It’s an intense but rewarding programme that will prepare you for the real world of business!

    As part of a senior management team, you will be responsible for identifying key challenges faced by the participating companies, formulating strategy, and constructing action plans. 

    Agile principles

    We use agile consultancy principles, e.g. by helping teams pick and choose the best methods/framework for their unique situation, coaching teams to follow best practices, identifying anti-patterns and ironing these out. And last but not least, ensuring the team isn’t working to work, but is working toward developing recommendations that companies will use.

    Do you thrive under pressure?  Are you up for the challenge of making decisions, managing time, thinking on your feet, and making a difference from day one?  If so, then this is the programme for you!

    Our classes bring together international and Dutch students—many of who have had previous international experience through internships and/or exchange programmes—to provide you with a broad range of perspectives. The programme is further enhanced by site visits to multinational companies and interaction with a range of international business managers.

    Facts and figures

    The programme at a glance
    number of ECTS
    30
    period
    February - June
    tuition fee
    No tuition fee

    Part of School

    Programme information

    What to expect

    About the programme

    The integrative approach used in Agile Consulting emphasises the connections between the fields of finance, accounting, marketing, operations, human resource management, strategy, and more. By starting with challenges and concepts, rather than lectures, you will develop a holistic and realistic way of doing business.

    Over the course of the semester, you will work on a series of case challenges—some of them involving visits to companies. You start with a problem that you will examine in-depth over the course several weeks. In time the pressure to work quickly and efficiently will be increased; culminating in a business case that must be solved in just 24 - meaning you get better and faster with each round.

     

    Method

    The way we work within this programme:

    • No central lectures, but intensive team coaching and (central) interventions by the coach whenever necessary. This is NOT a traditional programme. The students are in the lead and master their own learning process.
    • We use agile consultancy principles, e.g. by helping teams pick and choose the best methods or framework for their unique situation, coaching teams to follow best practices, identifying anti-patterns and ironing these out. And last but not least, ensuring the team isn’t working to work, but is working toward developing recommendations that companies will use.
    • Performance and presence in class and during team work are essential. Together with fellow students and lecturers you work towards a possible solution of business problems. 
    • Self-study is crucial and will be facilitated by recommendations regarding literature (books, articles, websites and videos), and each team has the possibility to reserve specific time slots for question & answer sessions.
    • All activities will be executed in teams. All teams have the same problem to solve. However, only the best solutions will earn points for the prestigious Agile Consulting Team Award.
    • All activities will be executed in teams. So it is an excellent way to boost your intercultural and multidisciplinary team working skills.

    Type of assessment

    • Presentations
    • Reports
    • Portfolio
    • Individual assignments

    Conclusion: the programme is intense, but very rewarding and an excellent preparation for the “real” world of business.

    Learning outcomes

    If you have successfully completed this exchange programme then you are able to:

    • Work under time pressure and in a multidisciplinary and multicultural team;
    • Analyse the current position of the company and the key issues of the situation (The strategic position);
    • Develop possible solutions for the business problem at hand and decide on the best one (Strategic choices);
    • Construct an implementation plan, integrating operations, ICT, marketing, finance and HRM, aligned with your strategic choice (Strategy in action);
    • Experience what it is like to be a manager (dealing with time pressure, coping with different personalities and cultural differences within a team, convincing others, making decisions, impactful presenting and defendig solutions);
    • Reflect on your personal skills and your business skills;
    • Develop a learning practice to support life-long learning.

    Calendar

    Block 1

    Week 1 February 5th, 2024 Community building & detox
    Week 2 February 12th, 2024 Immersion -
    Deep Diving into Business Fundamentals
    / February 19th, 2024 Holiday
    Week 3 February 26th, 2024 Experimenting with Business Fundamentals
    Week 4 March 4th, 2024 Connecting the dots 
    Week 5 March 11th, 2024 Showtime (Assessment) & Teaming up
    Week 6 March 18th, 2024 Live case
    Week 7 March 25th, 2024 Reflecting and Goalsetting 

     

    Block 2

    Week 1 April 1st, 2024 Case 1 (72 hours)
    Week 2 April 8th, 2024 Workshops & Skills training
    Week 3 April 15th, 2024 Case 2 (48 hours)
    Week 4 April 22nd, 2024 RSM Star Case Competition
    / April 29th, 2024 Holiday
    Week 5 May 6th, 2024 Reflection / Live Case Preparation 
    Week 6 May 13th, 2024 Live Case Preparation
    Week 7 May 20th, 2024 Live Case Preparation
    Week 8 May 27th, 2024 Live Case presentations & assessments
    Week 9 June 3rd, 2024 Assessment business skills, resits & farewell

     

    Please note the following:

    • This is a preliminary calendar and subject to changes, start and end date are fixed. 
    • Your presence in Rotterdam is essential for the programme.
    • The programme will be blended, mostly offline combined with online elements.

    Awarding

    After completing your exchange programme at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, you will receive a:

    • Transcript of records;
    • Certificate attesting to your participation in the Agile Consulting programme.
      Please note: All students are required to participate in the full 30 ECTS programme. It is not possible to only pick a few courses as it is an integrated programme with integrated assessments. You only receive a certificate if you complete the entire 30 ECTS programme.

    Subjects

    An indication of the subjects you can expect

    Block 1 and 2

    • Strategic Manager (8 ECTS)
      Strategic Manager (8 ECTS)

      Topics

      • Strategic management
      • Strategic planning : strategic position, strategic choices, strategy in action
      • Managing the team
      • Risk management and mitigation

      Learning materials

      • Exploring Strategy: Text and Cases, 11th edition (2017), Johnson, Scholes & Whittington
      • Various cases and handouts

      Learning outcomes

      If you have successfully completed this course, then you are able to:

      • Distinguish the company’s key issues in a given business situation.
      • Make strategic decisions based on a structured analysis of the company’s internal and external position.
      • Formulate strategic goals that make effective use of the company’s core values and resources.
      • Formulate specific KPIs to evaluate strategic choices.
      • Integrate different departmental interests into coherent and consistent implementation plans.
      • Negotiate between different departmental interests, while taking the strategic goals into account.
      • Advise the organisation on business model optimisation, including the impact on sustainability.
      • Impactfully present and defend the advise to the managing board.

      Module code

      BSRSTM0001

    • Marketing Manager (4 ECTS)
      Marketing Manager (4 ECTS)

      Topics

      • Marketing strategy
      • Creating sustainable competitive advantage
      • Value chain and value creation
      • Sustainable business models
      • Competitor & portfolio analysis
      • Customer journey & customer experience
      • Applying AI and ChatGPT in marketing

      Learning materials

      • Exploring Strategy: Text and Cases, 11th edition (2017), Johnson, Scholes & Whittington
      • Various cases and handouts

      Learning outcomes

      If you have successfully completed this course, then you are able to:

      • Identify company’s several product market combinations and its value propositions.
      • Judge the impact of a change in strategy on the company’s marketing mix.
      • Justify the choice of (new) segmentation-targeting strategy.
      • Create a (new) value proposition, based on the customer’s needs and the competitors in the market.
      • Advise on a (more) sustainable business model.
      • Outline a detailed marketing mix plan: a marketing communication plan, a (new) product development plan etc. aligned with the company’s (new) strategic goals.

      Module code

      BSRMAM0001

    • Human Resource Manager (3 ECTS)
      Human Resource Manager (3 ECTS)

      Topics

      • Strategic workforce planning​
      • Organisational growth​
      • Internal analysis : Mc Kinsey 7 S Framework​
      • Mergers, Acquisitions & Restructuring​
      • Change management​
      • Recruitment & Employer branding
      • Employee retention, learning & development

      Learning materials

      • Exploring Strategy: Text and Cases, 11th edition (2017), Johnson, Scholes & Whittington
      • Various cases and handouts

      Learning outcomes

      If you have successfully completed this course, then you are able to:

      • Explain how employees create value for the company and its customers.
      • Judge the impact of a change in strategy on Human Resource Management.
      • Assemble an effective team for a specific business task.
      • Translate the new strategy into requirements for staff.
      • Advise on recruitment and employer branding strategies.

      Module code

      BSRHRM0001

    • Operations and IT Manager (3 ECTS)
      Operations and IT Manager (3 ECTS)

      Topics

      • Business Process Engineering
      • Supply chain
      • Value chain
      • Make or buy decisions
      • Automation, robotisation and digitalisation
      • AI Fundamentals

      Learning materials

      • Exploring Strategy: Text and Cases, 11th edition (2017), Johnson, Scholes & Whittington
      • Various cases and handouts

      Learning outcomes

      If you have successfully completed this course, then you are able to:

      • Identify and map the operations process of the company to show the value creation process of the company for its customers.
      • Judge the impact of a change in strategy on the company’s operations process.
      • Decide on the best solution for operations while taking the company’s costs and social responsibilities into account.
      • Redesign the operations process to align with a new strategy, realizing the new company’s operations objectives.
      • Include the use of automation and digitalisation in the company’s strategy.
      • Describe the role of (big) data within the company’s strategy.
      • Identify the pros and cons of the integration of AI in company’s processes and advise on an AI-strategy taking into account privacy & information security.

      Module code

      BSROPM0001

    • Finance Manager (4 ECTS)
      Finance Manager (4 ECTS)

      Topics

      • Financial ratios (calculation and interpretation)
      • Balance sheet and Income Statement
      • Forecasting
      • Investment decisions
      • Scenario planning
      • Cash flow management
      • Business plan
      • Risk management

      Learning materials/book list

      • Exploring Strategy: Text and Cases, 11th edition (2017), Johnson, Scholes & Whittington
      • Various cases and handouts

      Learning outcomes

      If you have successfully completed this course, then you are able to:

      • Explain the financial position of the company in terms of capital inflow and outflow.
      • Evaluate the impact of a change in strategy on capital inflow and outflow.
      • Capital budgeting: determining which projects the company should pursue based on their merits.
      • Evaluate the various options to finance a particular newly identified investment opportunity.
      • Develop a solid financial plan for the company or project.

      Module code

      BSRFIM0001

       

    • Business Manager Skills (8 ECTS)
      Business Manager Skills (8 ECTS)

      Topics

      • Critical thinking
      • Decision making
      • Bridging theories and praxis
      • Building arguments and convincing others
      • Managing time
      • Performing under pressure
      • Working in international and multidisciplinary teams
      • Reflecting, giving and receiving feedback
      • Presenting with impact
      • Cross-cultural communication
      • Self-directed Learning
      • (Personal) leadership
      • Personal branding

      Learning materials/book list

      • Workshops and handouts

      Learning outcomes

      If you have successfully completed this course, then you are able to develop and reflect on the following business skills:

      • Critical thinking
      • Bridging theories and praxis
      • Building arguments and convincing others
      • Decision making
      • Managing time
      • Performing under pressure
      • Working in international and multidisciplinary teams
      • Presenting with impact
      • Cross-cultural communication
      • Self-directed Learning
      • (Personal) leadership
      • Personal branding

      Module code

      BSRBMS0001

    Practical matters

    What you need to know

    Location Kralingse Zoom

    Where you can find us

    Kralingse Zoom

    Kralingse Zoom 91 3063 ND Rotterdam
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