In E&I Business Project, participants take on the "role" of new junior consultants with the "E&I Management Consulting Company" and will be provided with the opportunity to conduct a real life consulting project with a well known, internationally operating company.

Innovation-related business projects are ill-structured and complex. They are new by definition, which means that past experience does not necessarily hold and established standard tools need to be adapted. Taken together, innovation-related business projects are challenging. Moreover, the capability to successfully handle innovative projects is of paramount importance for organizations in today’s business world, be it start-ups, SME, or established multinationals.

In this course, students will take the role of consultants and practice how to organize and manage an innovation-related business project. They will deepen their theoretical knowledge by working on a real-life project.Students will advise and support a company along the process of identifying new market opportunities, developing new products, or, for example, introducing new ideas, products or internal organizational structures. After an introductory session with theoretical input and an introduction to project management, students will work as a consulting team throughout the semester. They will be supported by professional consultants.

After completing this course students will...

• be able to efficiently evaluate new business opportunities
• cope with ambiguity
• structure complex and ill-defined problems
• demonstrate a critical awareness of key tools and techniques for managing innovation
• evaluate, select and systematically apply these in a real business situation
• be able to design reasonable business models and commercialization strategies.

In addition, students will...

• have learned how to manage innovation projects
• know how to handle external stakeholders (e.g., the project partner)
• be able to structure and present complex matters
  
• be able to manage difficult decision processes and discussion within project teams
• improve their oral and written communication and presentation skills.

The final grade of the course will depend on

• participation at the internal kick-off meeting and during coaching sessions (15%)
  
• the mid-term and the final presentation (20%)
  
• quality of the 4 written reports (status updates) (40%)
• final report (20%)
  
• executive summary, touchdown presentation (5%)
• peer-ratings can influence the final grade
  

 In order to pass the class, all of these performance indicators have to be positive!br />

 Furthermore the full-time presence at the kick-off day(s) is obligatory!

Ines Reith:

• Email: ines.reith@wu.ac.at
• Phone: +43-1-31336-5586

Martin Finkenzeller:

• Email: martin.finkenzeller@wu.ac.at
• Phone: +43-1-31336-5227

Last-minute changes to appointments should be expected, due to the fact that students will work on a real-life project with an external partner. Reliability, flexibility, and tolerance for ambiguity are of utmost importance!