• • Understand how to approach a complex business problem and articulate a crisp definition of it
• • Structure a problem in a logical and comprehensive manner, and identify its key issues and interdependencies
• • Perform sound quantitative and qualitative analysis and draw compelling insights from them
• • Recommend an actionable solution to the problem and reflect critically on its implementation and potential limitations
• • Develop an effective slide deck and present it persuasively

Today, companies look for employees who can analyze problems logically, derive solutions, communicate ideas clearly, manage implementation, and lead others in achieving impact. These are the core skills of problem solving, which have a disproportionate value in the marketplace.

This course teaches students how to solve complex business problems. It is a blended learning of theory, practice, and experience. Students learn a structured, inductive approach to problem solving. Besides providing students with the latest theories and concepts, this course will also grants them a unique chance to learn by doing. Students work with entrepreneurial companies in a real-life assignment. 

Students are encouraged to engage with startups defined by the teachers. However, they are free to collaborate with other startups, as long as their choice is validated by the faculty. Student groups drive the collaboration and project independently from the faculty.

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learning objectives:

 Apply the 7 steps of problem solving on a real life business case: 1) Be able to define and scope a strategy   project, 2) Learn how to identify core business issues and prioritize analysis, 3) Develop approaches to   gather and analyze data, 4) Learn how to synthesize analysis and recommend solutions to clients 

 5)Demonstrate proficiency in the methods of project and stakeholder management taught in class 

6)Deliver a recommendation that is actionable, pragmatic, fact-based, accurate and creative to a real life   business problem 

 7)Gain insights into the role of a consultant: Be familiar with the consulting industry and profession,    Grasp the lifecycle of a project incl. implementation,  Understand various ways to manage a consulting   project, Realize the different types of firms and projects

 8)  Develop the key communication skills: Articulate a compelling storyline based on analysis, Convey   findings and recommendations concisely,  Recognize the range of influencing tactics to win support from   key stakeholders, Write a basic letter of proposal for a consulting project  

The Capstone course combines skill-based workshops with hands-on implementation. Students are called upon to

deliver impact on social entrepreneurial projects.

This pioneering course is delivered in collaboration with McKinsey and Google. It equips students to achieve lasting

impact in the world.

· Capstone: as a culminating course, it crowns the academic degree with an intellectual stretch. Students

will learn the powerful approaches that McKinsey and Google deploy in problem solving and project

management.

· Project: as a real-life challenge, it prepares students to thrive in the real world. With the support of UN

women, the students will pursue a project with high social value, all the way from ideation to

implementation.

Problem Solving and readings

The students will, together with the case company, identify a problem. The lecturers, will teach the students a

structured, inductive approach that they can use to solve any problem. These are some of the problems that

students will be called upon to solve in the company or throughout their careers. The skills to do it are a key

determinant to career success.

The classes build on the latest theoretical concepts, as well as many years of practice and experience from the

faculty. Students will learn several mental models, framework, and practical “how to” guides. The curriculum will

consist of a combination of selected academic articles (concerning problem solving and the empirical setting of the

projects) and readings from a classical textbook on project management such as Jeffrey K. Pinto, The Practice and

Theory of Project Management (2015).