University of North Dakota (UND)
University of North Dakota (UND)
Log in Sign up

Business Consulting with Dr. Ruether Winter '25

BUS 399
Closed
Strayer University
Strayer University
Herndon, Virginia, United States
Dr. Jim Ruether
Dr. Jim Ruether
Professor
(11)
6
Timeline
  • January 7, 2025
    Experience start
  • March 6, 2025
    Experience end
Experience
3/3 project matches
Dates set by experience
Preferred companies
United States
Startup, Small to medium enterprise, Non profit, Social Enterprise
Any industries

Experience scope

Categories
Communications Market research Operations Project management Competitive analysis
Skills
business objectives marketing management consulting management business administration
Learner goals and capabilities

The primary goal of this client project is for a team of students to work directly with the owners of a business or non-profit organization to research and provide solutions to specific client objectives. These client objectives (project deliverables) should pertain to marketing strategies, social media platform assessments, promotional ideas, website design evaluation, mobile app design review, AI opportunities, fundraising ideas, or other related business topics. 


The student teams will meet with the business owner at the beginning of the project to learn about your business history, business objectives, and to discuss the client objectives (project deliverables).


Examples of previous client project objectives:

  • Evaluate the client website and offer solutions to enhance the user experience.
  • Review the client social media content and user activity and then provide marketing solutions to increase customer engagement.
  • Review the current performance of the client mobile apps, examine features, navigate mobile app functionality, and provide solutions to enhance user experience. 
  • Examine Non-profit fundraising strategies or marketing strategies and provide new ideas to increase fundraising revenue or target audience engagement.


Student teams will work closely with the business clients and course professor to arrive at actionable solutions to the client objectives. The Winter term will begin in January, each team will consist of 4-6 students that will work with the client for approximately 8 weeks. The purpose of the team project will be to work directly with your organization to achieve the specific key business objectives identified by the business owner.


Learners

Learners
Undergraduate
Intermediate levels
25 learners
Project
50 hours per learner
Educators assign learners to projects
Teams of 5
Expected outcomes and deliverables

The teams will consist of students working towards the completion of their Bachelor of Business Administration. This program was designed to introduce best practices related to team building skills, project management strategies, enhance presentation skills, and gain experience working with actual business clients to provide actionable solutions to current business objectives. Client can expect a:

  • Project plan and weekly status reports
  • Final project report with recommendations and an executive summary
  • Presentation of recommendations from some or all teams based on your selection (via a virtual webinar format)
Project timeline
  • January 7, 2025
    Experience start
  • March 6, 2025
    Experience end

Project Examples

Requirements

At this time, we are meeting with business owners and non-profit organizations to work with our students in the upcoming term. If this team project looks to be a good fit your organization, we encourage you to reach out to us and share your goals and objectives.


Management: 

  • Develop a project plan, business and marketing plan for a business
  • Propose a plan to improve leadership strategies or behaviors, leadership development, or create a training plan
  • Develop a solution to an ethical dilemma that a company is facing
  • Assess operational strategies and practices

Human Resources Management:

  • New job position requirements analysis and job description development, needs analysis for training and development proposals, compensation practice review
  • Potential human resources strategies if an organization is considering going global (or already has global operations): unify company culture, reduce turnover, recruitment, on-boarding, etc.

Project Management:

  • Project planning and management – charter, timeline development, success strategies for project teams, work breakdown structure development
  • Propose strategies to improve project performance, risk management plans to address a given challenge
  • Assess supply chain management challenges
  • Examine and present ways to address challenges related to evaluating, acquiring, and implementing technology

Marketing:

  • Marketing communications- sample advertisement, consumer behavior analysis for a new product (likely purchasers, strategies that align to consumers)
  • Positioning statement, motto for a brand
  • Marketing Mix – product, price, place, and promotion
  • SWOT – determine strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats by examining internal and external factors that affect the business's success.
  • Marketing strategies based on markets, segments, and customer value and an implementation plan for that strategy with measures for performance

Social Media Marketing:

  • Social media strategy and digital strategies (not print) for a marketing campaign, measuring the performance of campaign, constructing a strategy for managing top-selling products and services, and selecting a delivery platform
  • Social media marketing plan including platform selection, target market considerations, messages and hashtags, and how to assess effectiveness

Additional company criteria

Companies must answer the following questions to submit a match request to this experience:

  • Q1 - Text long
    Are you available to answer student queries via email/phone during the project?  *
  • Q2 - Text short
    Are you available to meet via Zoom for the Week 2 Client Kick off Call?  *
  • Q3 - Text short
    Are you available to meet via Zoom for the Client Midpoint Call?  *
  • Q4 - Text short
    Are you available to meet via Zoom for the Final Team Client Presentation?  *