Finding better solutions for strategic business challenges
Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) has announced a new two-day course set to teach managers to think like strategy consultants. ‘Strategic Problem-Solving’ will teach participants how to apply rigorous problem-solving methods in order to make and execute strategy.
RSM is the international business school of the Erasmus University Rotterdam. The institution offers a variety of business undergraduate and postgraduate programmes taught mostly in English.
The two-day programma 'Strategic Problem-Solving' is mainly aimed at professionals outside of the consulting industry, the class is intended to boost participants’ problem-solving skills and their effectiveness in finding solutions to strategic business problems.
According to RSM, those in attendance will learn a variety of best practice methods and techniques as developed by top consulting firms such as McKinsey & Company and Boston Consulting Group.
While the course is designed to help businesses think more like strategy consultants, however, that is not to say it would not also benefit consultants themselves. The event is also very relevant for internal consultants and external consultants seeking to gain more strategic skills for new or more senior roles at their respective firms.
Running again in December 2019 and April 2020, the programme will enable participants to gain more confidence as their ‘toolbox’ of available solutions for business problems grows. It will also teach them how to use these methods and techniques, their limitations and common pitfalls, and allow them to practice their newly gained skills via case discussions, small group exercises, and presentations.
Strategy experts
The event is overseen by Marc Baaij and James Parker. Marc Baaij is an associate professor of strategic management at RSM, and specialises in methods and techniques for strategy development and execution, having previously worked for Boston Consulting Group as a manager of research and strategy consultant, and at IBM in sales and marketing positions. James Parker meanwhile is a Partner at Parma Consulting Group, and has more than 30 years of experience in consulting and managing professional organisations, having also worked for McKinsey & Company in North America, the UK and the Netherlands.
Experiences
Speaking on an earlier run of the course, Anne-Marie Hendriks, Senior Sales and Business Development Manager at Philips, said, “The course exceeded my expectations, and will change something in the way I do my work. The teacher was knowledgeable with heaps of experience, and I also liked that he used a lot of real examples to explain concepts. I walked away from the programme with several practical tools on how to approach problems, and with a good dose of energy.”
Yolanda Barreros Gutiérrez, Partner, Barreros & Gutierrez Consulting, added, “The senior level of all of the participants allowed us to move quickly from the theory to the practical application of key strategic tools. During the problem-solving workshops in small groups, we used both theoretical and real-world case studies that provided an excellent means of practicing the new approach to identifying and framing problems correctly for different strategic challenges.”
Other programmes
RSM offers a variety of programmes relevant for professionals in the professional services industry. The programme Foundations of Strategy aims to help organisations understand the main strategic tools and skills needed to maintain a competitive advantage.
The Make Strategy Work programme for senior managers focuses on strategy execution, helping attendees understand their role in making strategy work for an organisation, and to know when to amend strategy in light of changing circumstances.
