International Business Consulting

The International Business Consulting (IBC) service provided by EDGE is designed to offer students the opportunity to apply the principles, concepts and skills they have learned in their academic work to actual business situations. Students are expected to use their knowledge and experience to draw conclusions and make recommendations concerning the business opportunities and problems they investigate.

Working in teams of 2-3 under the supervision of Albers School faculty, students undertake projects submitted by local firms. During the course of the 10 week academic quarter, they perform the research analysis and evaluation required to advise the company’s management of a recommended course of action for the company to expand its international activities, sales and profits or resolve issues of concern.

The results of each student team’s research are formalized in a written report to each participating company. These reports are carefully supervised and are prepared with the expectation that they will be complete and convincing enough to allow the conclusions and recommendations reached to be used with confidence by company management.

At the conclusion of each project each student team also makes a formal presentation of its findings to its client company summarizing the results of its efforts, identifying its sources of information and research methods, explaining the rationale behind its recommendations, and indicating the next steps the company should take.