Through the wide array of projects and clients, along with the diverse range of students who have benefited from the school’s consultancy project experience, we have consistently observed the following common challenges over the past 20 years. • Client management in unfamiliar settings: executive MBA students must grasp their client’s expectations, organisational culture and strategic priorities quickly. Although they will have practised client interactions in the classroom, the stakes are far higher in this setting. Many students report that managing expectations is one of their biggest challenges, as blue-chip clients often have high standards and anticipate practical, actionable results. To meet this challenge, EMBA students learn that their approach needs to be based around clear and open lines of communication to understand the client’s vision and feedback; professionalism and respect for the client’s time and
resources; and adaptability through a willingness to adjust a project’s scope and strategy based on real-time client feedback and emerging findings. For many students, this aspect of the project offers a crash course in managing client relationships and balancing diplomacy with assertiveness to ensure they meet the client’s objectives. For others, it is a lesson in transferring the professional skills and competencies developed in their current and past roles into this new situation. • Navigating cultural differences: operating overseas brings additional complexities and not all EMBA students will have had this opportunity in their careers to date. Cultural sensitivity is crucial here and students must adapt to differences that influence business practices and interpersonal communication. For instance, Czech business culture is often more reserved and structured than contexts to which students from the UK may be accustomed. Communication can also be more formal and decision-making processes may be less collaborative and more hierarchical. The cultural experience in Prague provides students with a more global perspective, an appreciation for the nuances of international business and is often cited as one of the project’s highlights. • Team collaboration under pressure: working effectively in a team of peers is a critical skill in consultancy, but it can be particularly challenging when each team member brings different strengths, experiences and styles of working to the table. Collaboration is essential, as the final presentation depends on each member’s contributions. However, the intensity of the Project Week can sometimes lead to tension, as teams work late into the night to meet deadlines and perfect their presentation. Students learn that effective teamwork rests on defined roles and responsibilities that leverage each member’s strengths while streamlining work and minimising overlap, as well as open communication and time management skills in adhering to a project schedule that has no possibility for an extension. Through this experience, students learn the value of collaboration, resilience and mutual respect first-hand. For many, managing team dynamics under pressure proves to be an invaluable learning opportunity and often the most difficult challenge. • Applying MBA-level knowledge in a practical context: arguably the most challenging aspect of the consultancy projects is putting MBA theories and frameworks into practice. During the analysis phase, students are encouraged to go beyond the usual models, such as Porter’s and SWOT, by developing their own toolkit tailored to the client’s unique situation. Additionally, students must consider the financial, marketing, operational and strategic implications of their solutions. This process demands a balance between academic
A STRUCTURED APPROACH
Solution development: brainstorming potential solutions based on data-driven insights. Late nights and whiteboards are an essential part of the experience and process. Recommendation formulation: crafting actionable recommendations to address the client’s needs. These recommendations not only have to be practical – students must also give due consideration to resourcing and change management. Presentation & feedback : delivering findings to the client and responding to their feedback. Presentations offer a substantive discussion – often with an audience invited by the client – where the students explain to the client how they should change their business.
For their consultancy project with companies in Czechia, UEA EMBA students follow a well-established process that typically includes: Problem definition: understanding and defining the problem they are asked to solve and agreeing on a “problem statement”. Research & analysis : gathering data, conducting market research and analysing insights. Students will typically conduct a range of qualitative interviews when in Prague and carry out extensive desk research.
22 Ambition • ISSUE 6 • 2025
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