TDG – Business Consulting Practicum: Enhancing Experiential Learning Experience of Business and Economics Students

Abstract

The “Business Consulting Practicum” aims to offer business and economics students the handson experience of working with business executives/owners to help solve “real-life” problems related to their studies. It is designed to create a win-win-win situation for students, The University of Hong Kong/Faculty of Business & Economics, and SMEs (practicum providers). Led by an experienced consultant and faculty members, business and economics students organized into teams to work on consulting projects offered by business companies (SMEs) and social enterprises for six weeks during the summers of 2009 and 2010. The consulting projects range from developing marketing strategy for personal computers for the China market, to exploring merger feasibility, to developing a customer service support system, and exploring opportunities of E-business of fine jewelry for international markets. Students have to define business problems faced by the companies and organizations, conduct relevant research and analysis to explore opportunities, identify potential solutions, and assess feasibility, provide recommendations on the best course of actions, and make presentations and write reports. The project helps achieve two of the six educational aims discussed in the “Transforming Student Learning” framework of HKU. The project also articulates the University’s curriculum goals of offer students “multifarious educational experiences” and “engagement with local and global communities” by providing students with opportunities of high impact experiential learning and application of learned knowledge in the business world.

Deliverables (HKU Portal Login Required)