What is Fieldwork Consulting?

Fieldwork Consulting is an academic exchange process between businesses & The Richard DeVos Full-time MBA teams. Acting in the role of business consultants, MBA teams work with the client to identify & assess business problems and create actionable recommendations & opportunities for clients to implement. Fieldwork is completed as part of the academic curriculum and occurs concurrently with Line of Business Strategy and Marketing classes.

A consulting team of up to six Northwood MBA students, guided by senior Northwood MBA faculty with decades of industry experience, would like to work with you on a strategy and marketing analysis of one of your company’s business units and develop action-oriented recommendations to guide your future decision making.Your business receives valuable research results through the project, and the student consultants reinforce their understanding of business fundamentals while applying cutting-edge management practices to strategic business issues.

How Can My Company Get Involved With Fieldwork Consulting?

Fieldwork Consulting is administered by the Alden B. Dow Center for Creativity & Enterprise in conjunction with the DeVos Graduate School.  Because the Fieldwork Consulting process is available on all Northwood University Campuses (Michigan, Florida, Texas and Switzerland), the Center assists DeVos Graduate School in collecting project scopes and communicating initially with clients to create engagements.  If you are interested in becoming a fieldwork consulting client, please email:  abbottg@northwood.edu 

Who benefits from participating in a fieldwork consulting project?

• Small to Medium-Sized Businesses
• Community Business Incubators
• Entrepreneurs & Inventors
• Non-Profit Organizations

What would be your commitment?

• With the assistance of DeVos MBA faculty, a “project scope” is developed to provide a brief background on the company and to direct the consulting team to particular strategic concerns and strengths. It is typical to invest between 15 and 20 hours working with the consulting team.
• A minimum of four meetings between members of management and theMBA consulting team spread over a four month period (March to July).
• Clients must be able to share information about their business in an open spirit full confidentiality is assured.
• It is recommended that businesses engage with the MBAs for both strategy & marketing.

What are the benefits of participating in a fieldwork consulting project?

• There is a consistent history of consulting teams delivering highly insightful and feasible recommendations that create real value for clients
• You will provide an invaluable contribution to developing the future leaders of a global,free-enterprise society.

Who are Northwood MBA students?

DeVos students enter an accelerated MBA program and experience a transformational journey that brings together a diverse, multinational group of high-achievers. Students engage in a team-oriented learning approach and interactive case-based learning environment.

“Our fieldwork opportunities provide a win-win experience for our MBA students and clients alike.Our students, under the guidance of senior faculty,function as business consultants and practice in the‘real world’ what they learn in class. Clients get a lot of great advice and meaningful recommendations on how to make their business more sustainable in today’s competitive marketplace. We hold our students to very high standards and ensure meaningful outcomes for our client partners.” - DR. LISA FAIRBAIRN, DEAN