MSU management class seeks businesses for consultation

Montana State University’s College of Business is seeking local and regional businesses that would be willing to offer MSU management students practical business experience during the upcoming fall and spring semesters in return for research, issue analysis or operational advice.

The students will be enrolled in "Management 475 Management Practicum," taught and managed by Gary Bishop, a College of Business faculty member. The senior-level class has been a successful MSU program for more than 15 years.

During the four-month course, students will help manage special consulting projects requested by area businesses. In the past teams have helped to develop business or marketing plans, identified business improvement opportunities, provided possible solutions to specific problem areas and worked with all or part of a business. Areas of focus may include the market, competition, organization, operations, staffing, customer service, and financials. Students have worked with a variety of businesses and service organizations.

"The students get the opportunity to make use of the tools and theory they have been absorbing in a real world practical, problem solving mode," Bishop said. "Student teams will be monitored. Their work is expected to be nothing but the highest quality. At the same time, businesses will receive valuable problem-solving assistance at no cost."

Nicholas Bourdeau, treasurer of the Montana Mediation Association, said a team of students from the class that worked with the MMA and did an admirable job of defining a problem and finding definitive solutions.

Businesses who are interested in the Management 475 teams may contact Bishop at (406) 994-4301, or e-mail him at [email protected]..

This article is available on the Web at: http://www.montana.edu/cpa/news/nwview.php?article=3883