INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT KOZHIKODE

EXECUTIVE POST GRADUATE PROGRAMME

1. Course Outline
Program Name EPGP
Course Code & Course Title ESM-10, Consulting
Course type Elective
Pre-requisites (if any)
Course Credit 2 Credits
Total no. of sessions 16
Session Duration 1 Hour 15 Minutes
Term Quarter VII
Year and Batch 2023-24 EPGP15
Sections (if any) 01
Instructor Prof Rajesh Upadhyayula
Contact Details 0495-2809432, [email protected]
Office IIM Kozhikode
Consultation Hours Appointment by E-mail

2. Introduction
The design of this course is to provide an overview of consulting and skills required to practice and shape
consulting careers. The goal is to provide you with an understanding of the processes and practices used by
consultants. The course primarily focusses on
a. What business consultants do, who do they work for and how they add value
b. Understanding the life cycle of a consulting project.
c. Developing critical thinking using appropriate frameworks / tools.
d. How are consulting firms organized and careers shaped.
3. Learning Objective / Course Outcome
Course CLO Key Verb Linked Key word Degree of
Learning from Programme linking emphasis given
Objective Bloom’s Level CLO with to the PLO in the
(CLO) No. Taxonomy Objective PLO course
verb list (PLO) No. Introduced /
Emphasized /
Reinforced

CLO-1 Understanding Understand

nature of
Consulting,
Consultants and
how they add value
 CLO-2 Help develop Define PLO 4.1 Critical Emphasized
students to define a
sharp problem
definition, build
hypothesis,
generate critical
synthesis and
insights
CLO-3 Generate critical Gather
insights into Insights
leading and
managing
consulting
organizations

4. Textbooks and Learning Materials (if any)

Text Book(s)
Rasiel (1999), The McKinsey Way, McGraw-Hill Publishers
Reference Book(s)
Barney, Jay & Trish Gorman Clifford (2010) What they didn’t teach you at a business school, how strategy
works in a real world, Harvard Business Press Review
6. Technology & Software (if any)
None
7. Other Resources (Journals, Internet Websites) (if any)
None
8. Pedagogy/Learning Process
The course would be primarily a mix of readings, case discussions, group learning and lectures
9. Evaluation Components/Assessment of Student Learning
Assessment Weight Remarks PLO Tested
Tool
Class 25% This component would evaluate understanding of -
Presentation the topic prior to the class room. It would also
evaluate how different perspectives are brought
by group members to develop insights into
effective problem solving and decision making

Quiz 25% Test the concepts and perspectives of consulting

learnt in this course

End Term 50% Comprehensive evaluation of consulting skill sets. PLO 4.1
Examination Integrates application of concepts learnt from
other courses
10. Session Plan
Session Topic covered Reading Material
No.

1-2 Genesis of  Case: McKinsey: An Institution at a Cross Roads

Consulting  Reading; Christensen, Wanv and van Bever (2013) Consulting
on the Cusp of Disruption, Harvard Business Review
 Reading: Washburn, Stewart A Challenge and Renewal: A
Historic View of the profession Journal of Management
Consulting 9(2) November 1996
 Reading: Who is a Professional, Industry Note on HBSP
2-3 Consulting Firms -  Case: ABC Search for the Pied Piper of Consultants
Selection  Reading: Charlton R Price (2005), Collaboration The name of
our game. Consulting to Management 16(4), December 2005
p.38
 Reading: Gabile, Julia, Eight tips for working with a consultant,
The Information Management Journal, July/Aug 2007, pp.42-46
 Reading: Shapior, Eileen C; Robert, G; and Soske, Trina L.
Consulting: Has the solution become the part of the problem?
Sloan Management Review, Summer 1993, pp89-95
4-5 Positioning and  Case: Deloitte and Touche Consulting Group
Strategy for  Reading: J G Miller and M Miller, “The Rise of the
Consulting Firms supertemp”, Harvard Business Review May 2022
 Reading: Strategy and Positioning in Professional Service
Firms
6-7 Marketing and  Case: Marketing at BAIN
Building Image of a  Reading: Mike Cuca, To Brand the consultancy or Brand the
consulting firm consultants Vol 15 (2), June 2003
 Reading: John Bliss and Meg Wildrick, How to build a
personal brand, Consulting to Management, Vol 16(3), Sept
2005
 Reading: Industry Note Corporate Positioning: How to Assess-
-and Build--A Company's Reputation, Thomas J Kosnik
589087-PDF-ENG
7-8 Engagement Model  Case: I Kesner and S Fowler, When Consultants and Clients
Clash”, HBR Nov 1997
 Reading: Ashish Nanda, Managing Client Conflicts HBR
Industry Note
 Reading: Green Chales H, Create Trust, gain a client,
Consulting to Management 17(2), June 2006 pp 27-29
9-10 Problem Definition,  Case: Deutche Bain AG: The heartless Train Conductor
Hypothesis driven  Reading: Spradlin Dwayne, Are you solving the right problem?
problem solving and Harvard Business Review, September 2012
framework  Reading: Markham, Calvert, Developing Consulting skills,
Consulting to management 16(4), December 2005 pp.33-37
 Reading: Using Hypothesis Driven Thinking in Strategy
Consulting – An Industry Note
 Reading: Hagerty Micheal R, A Powerful tool for diagnosis
and Strategy, Journal of Management Consulting 9(4),
November 1997, pp.16-25
  Reading: Courtney, Huge, Lovallo, Dan and Clarke, Carmina,
Deciding how to Decide, Harvard Business Review, September
2013

11-12 Problem Definition,  Case: Advising the Family Firm – Opening the Pandora’s Box
Communicating the (A). Advising the Family Firm – Opening the Pandora’s Box
synthesis (to be given during the class).
 Reading: Schaffer, Robert H. Consulting for Results. Journal
of Management consulting 8(4), Fall 1995, pp.28-29
 Reading: Manfred F. R Kets de Vries (2017), Saving a Family
Business from emotional dysfunction”, Harvard Business
Review
13-14 Professional  Case: Martha McCaskey
ecosystem –  Reading: MacDonald, Elizaeth and Pathrow, Scot J. Ernest &
Individual Integrity Young advised the client but not about some big conflicts, The
Wall Street Journal, August 10,1999.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB934239482971051285
 Reading: James Copeland Jr, Whence Ethics? , Consulting to
Management, Vol 15(3), Sept 2004
 Reading: The Essence of Professionalism, Managing conflict
of Interest, HBSP Industry Note
15-16 Managing Careers in  Case: Developing Professionals The BCG Way (A)
Consulting  Reading: Teaching Smart People How to Learn, Chris
Arygyris, Harvard Business Review, May 1991
 Reading: Making Partner: A mentor’s guide to the
psychological journey, Herminia Ibarra, Harvard Business
Review, March 2001
 Guest Lecture
Additional Instructions (If any)