BUIES CREEK – Earlier this year, the Campbell MBA program partnered with the North Carolina Small Business & Technology Development Center (SBTDC) to successfully launch its capstone MBA 790 – Strategic Management “live case” seminar course. The first cohort of students, which comprised six teams and were assigned to a client-company registered with the (SBTDC), recently celebrated the successful conclusion of the course and returned to present their written case reports to a panel of judges and peers.
Having initially completed an intense two week training program on business consulting, the cohort of 25 BBA+MBA (4+1 Program) students spent the remainder of the term getting to know their client companies and understanding the business side of their projects. Assisted by a team of Campbell MBA faculty, SBTDC advisors, and Campbell Business Librarian Dan Maynard, the student teams were able to identify opportunities for improvement in the businesses, and make recommendations to the business owners with the ultimate goal of improving competitiveness and profitability.
The MBA students conducted primary research including owner interviews, gathering employee feedback, database searches, financial analysis, and industry analysis. In all cases, the students worked to analyze and understand the market potential. The projects culminated with presentations made by each MBA team to their peers, faculty and SBTDC advisors.
Course evaluations utilized a combination of pre- and post-testing, client satisfaction surveys, and learning transfer assessments. The overwhelming results of the course evaluation demonstrated a mutually satisfactory and rewarding experience for both the MBA students and their client-companies.
“We could not be more pleased with this pilot ‘live case’ course experience,” said Campbell Business Dean Dr. Kevin O’Mara. “Working with actual companies enables our students to apply their MBA knowledge and demonstrate their abilities to positively impact a client’s organization. Being engaged with real issues facing real managers in real time adds a layer of reality to our program. We cannot thank the SBTDC enough for their participation and expertise in this course. They are an invaluable resource for North Carolina businesses and a wonderful partner for the Campbell MBA.”