Action Learning
WHAT IS ACTION LEARNING?
Action Learning is an important initiative of the CEU Business School launched with the intention of making it a permanent and integral part of MBA studies.
Action Learning is not a classical MBA course with classroom participation, home assignments and exams. AL is learning by doing: its goal is to develop the participants’ management skills through practical work. To complete a project successfully students must use their theoretical knowledge acquired before, must conduct some research, collect and analyze information, test their ideas in practice, draw conclusions and learn from their experience.
Action Learning covers all phases of the knowledge generation cycle: socialization, externalization, combination and internalization and was initiated with the aim of giving the students a complete knowledge development experience.
WHAT IS AN ACTION LEARNING PROJECT?
Companies informed of the Action Learning initiative initiate projects. Some companies offer only one, some others more which can be related to each other. A project is a typical consulting job for a company client: a problem is raised at the beginning, which must be solved at the end. Students work as company consultants: they get the job from the company and must do their best to prepare valuable ideas and recommendations, which can be implemented in practice. Projects must be completed within the framework of an MBA semester. Just a few examples for potential AL projects:
develop a complete business plan for a new venture
develop, analyze and compare investment options
design a new website for the company
develop specific functional policies, procedures and systems
evaluate the company’s present market position and prepare a plan for improvement
develop a turnaround plan for a company or a business unit
design a new organizational system for the company
design a new e-commerce channel for the company
improve the value creating capabilities of key company processes
analyze the company’s cost allocation system and present ideas for improvement
generate ideas for improving a company’s visibility
design a fund-raising plan for a non-profit organization
WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF ACTION LEARNING TEAMS?
AL teams assume full responsibility for their projects. Unlike “classical” MBA courses where tutors assume a high degree of control by designing content, organizing work, delivering lectures, defining and evaluating home assignments and exams etc. an AL project is mainly the participating students’ responsibility, what means they must
organize themselves as a team, allocate jobs and responsibilities as the project requires and as background knowledge, experience, skills and capacities are available;
utilize the capacities of all team members properly;
appoint a team representative who is the contact person between the team, IMC and other partners involved;
develop and operate their communication channels and systems;
develop and maintain a rich, stable and permanent working contact with the company;
fine-tune project definition (the content and the scope of the problem to be solved) if necessary;
prepare the project plan (stages, tasks, timing, resources, outputs, control points etc.) and monitor execution;
find, review and digest relevant literature, models, theoretical frameworks and concepts;
develop and use methods for problem solving;
design an conduct research, collect, analyze and present information;
develop and professionally evaluate decision options;
design and manage their reports and presentations;
present their findings, ideas and recommendations for company managers;
help implementation by special agreements outside the AL framework if the company requires it;
behave by the ethical norms relevant for consultants during and after the projects.
Company contacts are of very high importance for us. Students working on projects must behave as “ambassadors” of the school that is they are responsible for enhancing and maintaining the school’s positive image before, during and after the projects. They have to consider partner companies as customers, must be absolutely customer-focused and have to keep in mind that the school wants to keep long-term relationships with members of the business community, fruitful for all parties.
SOME OF OUR REFERENCES AND BEST COMPANY PARTNERS
Magyar Telekom
- KFKI Computer Systems
- DHL Hungary
- Vista
- SAP Hungary
- Budapest Bank
- SAB Miller
- WJ Group Trade Ltd
- Londa Hungary
- CIB Budapest
- Photel Communication Ltd
- LeasePlan
- KPMG Hungary
CONTACT PERSON
Action Learning courses are managed by Prof. György B?gel. Phone: (36) 20 240 1690, E-mail: bogelgyceubusiness.com
Adult Education Registration Number: 01-0516-04
Institutional Accreditation Registration Number: AL-0515
