Overview
In this unit, you will be equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to identify and analyse practical issues in the complex environment of business consulting. This unit introduces you to the core principles and functions of business consulting and the complex settings within which business consulting takes place. You will develop a critical understanding of a range of theories and concepts that underpin the practice of business consulting, and explore the challenges being faced by professionals in the contemporary business environment. You will also evaluate the implementation of business consulting practices, considering perspectives and expectations of a wide range of stakeholders. The unit will build your knowledge of business consulting theory, and give you a range of practical skills to further your career in the field of business consulting.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2026
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student comments
Workshop discussions provide a risk-free and collegial environment to bounce ideas.
Contextualising the challenges and applying relevant frameworks can generate new approaches and helpful insights.
Feedback from Student comments
The diversity of occupations and experience of students adds a rich dynamic to discussions.
Workshop facilitation is a delight each week. The insights and deep discussions benefit all and advance learning outcomes immeasurably.
- Discuss and apply foundational knowledge in the field of management consulting
- Understand and demonstrate the skills and abilities required to be a successful management consultant
- Analyse the roles and responsibilities of a professional management consultant
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the range of stakeholders involved with effective management consulting.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Research Assignment - 40% | ||||
| 2 - Presentation - 20% | ||||
| 3 - Research Assignment - 40% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | ||||
| 2 - Communication | ||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||
| 4 - Research | ||||
| 5 - Self-management | ||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||
| 7 - Leadership | ||||
| 8 - First Nations Knowledges | ||||
| 9 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Textbooks
Business and Management Consulting: Delivering an effective project
- Edition: 6 (2020)
- Authors: Wickham, L., & Wilcox, J.
- Pearson
- Harlow Harlow , England
- ISBN: 9781292259536
Professional Management Consulting: A guide for new and emerging consultants
- Edition: 1st (2024)
- Authors: Blackman, A. J.
- Taylor & Francis
- Great Britain
- ISBN: 9781032739649
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
m.n.johnson@cqu.edu.au
Week 1
Begin Date: 09 Mar 2026Module/Topic
The nature of business consulting
Chapter
Wickham, L. & Wilcock, J. (2020). Business and Management Consulting: Delivering an effective project. (6th edition). Pearson. Chapter 1
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 2
Begin Date: 16 Mar 2026Module/Topic
The consulting process
Chapter
Wickham, L. & Wilcock, J. (2020). Business and Management Consulting: Delivering an effective project. (6th edition). Pearson. Chapter 2
Blackman, A. (2024). Professional Management Consulting: A guide for new and emerging management consultants. Chapter 5
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 3
Begin Date: 23 Mar 2026Module/Topic
Working up your business model
Chapter
Osterwalder, A. & Pigneur, Y. (2010). Business Model Generation: A handbook for visionaries, game changers and challengers. John Wiley and Sons.
Blackman, A. (2024). Professional Management Consulting: A guide for new and emerging management consultants. Chapter 7
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 4
Begin Date: 30 Mar 2026Module/Topic
Establishing a prospect's needs
Chapter
Wickham, L. & Wilcock, J. (2020). Business and Management Consulting: Delivering an effective project. (6th edition). Pearson. Chapter 5
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 5
Begin Date: 06 Apr 2026Module/Topic
Evaluating a prospect's capabilities
Chapter
Wickham, L. & Wilcock, J. (2020). Business and Management Consulting: Delivering an effective project. (6th edition). Pearson. Chapter 6
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 6
Begin Date: 13 Apr 2026Module/Topic
Project proposal and pitch
Chapter
Wickham, L. & Wilcock, J. (2020). Business and Management Consulting: Delivering an effective project. (6th edition). Pearson. Chapter 4
Events and Submissions/Topic
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 20 Apr 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 7
Begin Date: 27 Apr 2026Module/Topic
Working with clients and their teams
Chapter
Wickham, L. & Wilcock, J. (2020). Business and Management Consulting: Delivering an effective project. (6th edition). Pearson. Chapter 7
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 8
Begin Date: 04 May 2026Module/Topic
'Managing' the client
Chapter
Wickham, L. & Wilcock, J. (2020). Business and Management Consulting: Delivering an effective project. (6th edition). Pearson. Chapter 8
Blackman, A. (2024). Professional Management Consulting: A guide for new and emerging management consultants. Chapter 6
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 9
Begin Date: 11 May 2026Module/Topic
Developing solutions
Chapter
Wickham, L. & Wilcock, J. (2020). Business and Management Consulting: Delivering an effective project. (6th edition). Pearson. Chapter 9
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 10
Begin Date: 18 May 2026Module/Topic
Managing project tasks
Chapter
Wickham, L. & Wilcock, J. (2020). Business and Management Consulting: Delivering an effective project. (6th edition). Pearson. Chapter 10
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 11
Begin Date: 25 May 2026Module/Topic
Post-project matters
Chapter
Wickham, L. & Wilcock, J. (2020). Business and Management Consulting: Delivering an effective project. (6th edition). Pearson. Chapter 12 (Sections 12.1 - 12.3)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 12
Begin Date: 01 Jun 2026Module/Topic
Consulting as a career
Chapter
Wickham, L. & Wilcock, J. (2020). Business and Management Consulting: Delivering an effective project. (6th edition). Pearson. Chapter 12 (Sections 12.5 - 12.12)
Blackman, A. (2024). Professional Management Consulting: A guide for new and emerging management consultants. Chapter 7 & 9
Events and Submissions/Topic
Exam Week
Begin Date: 08 Jun 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Vacation/Exam Week
Begin Date: 15 Jun 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Research Assignment
Your task is to identify and deconstruct the consulting business model of a future/potential competitor. Through critical application of the business model canvas, please identify the key aspects that you believe are core to their consulting process and how they evaluate which clients to work with. What gaps can you identify? How might you credibly compete with them?
Format: Business Report
Length: No more than 1500-words
Week 5 Friday (10 Apr 2026) 5:00 pm AEST
Please submit your business report through Turnitin located in the assessment tab in Moodle
Week 6 Friday (17 Apr 2026)
Marks and feedback will be accessible through Feedback Studio in Moodle. Click on the blue pencil icon to access these.
Assessment criteria:
- What key aspects do you believe are core to your future competitor's business model (10%)
- Describe their consulting process and how you think they evaluate which clients to work with. (10%)
- What gaps can you identify and how might you credibly compete with them? (10%)
- Adherence to business report format, limit of 1500-words, quality of written expression, grammar, punctuation, and correct spelling using Australian English (5%)
- Insights from at least six (6) peer-reviewed papers from academic journals. Adherence to CQUniversity reference format (APA 7th edition) (5%)
- Discuss and apply foundational knowledge in the field of management consulting
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the range of stakeholders involved with effective management consulting.
2 Presentation
Communicating your capability as a consultant can take a variety of forms from writing blogs (or books), through seminar presentations, to the short- or long-form client pitch. Central to success as a consultant is ability to communicate your capability evidenced by your professional experience and how this supported by your consulting process.
This assessment task requires you to develop a capability profile and record a video presentation to engage a potential client. Specifically:
- Prepare a 500-word Capability Profile that communicates your focus of practice (niche), the business and management experience in your chosen sector(s), and the skills and tools that will enable you to develop effective consulting solutions, and
- Record a 5-minute video presentation (Pitch) to a notional prospect to communicate what you can do for their business and how your consulting process works. In short, this should provide answers to the unspoken client thoughts about why they must engage you as a consultant.
Week 8 Friday (8 May 2026) 5:00 pm AEST
Please submit your Word file and recorded presentation to Turnitin in Moodle.
Week 10 Friday (22 May 2026)
Marks and feedback will be accessible through Feedback Studio (Moodle). Click on the blue pencil icon to access these.
This assessment task has two components:
- Prepare a 500-word Capability Profile (Assessment value 10%) that communicates:
- Your focus of practice (niche) (2.5%),
- Your business and management experience in your chosen sector(s) (2.5%,)
- Key skills and tools that will enable you to develop effective consulting solutions for your clients (2.5%), and
- Your value proposition (2.5%)
- Record a 5-minute video presentation (Pitch) to a notional prospect (of your choice) to communicate what you can do for their business and how your consulting process works (Assessment value 10%). This should cover:
- Introduction is attention-getting, and demonstrates your understanding of the current challenges confronting the sector/industry (2%)
- Speaker uses a clear, audible voice and demonstrates good language skills and pronunciation (2%)
- Information is well communicated and engaging (2%)
- There is an obvious conclusion, highlighting key aspects of the presentation (2%)
- It is clear to the prospective client what the next steps in the consulting process might entail (2%)
- Discuss and apply foundational knowledge in the field of management consulting
- Understand and demonstrate the skills and abilities required to be a successful management consultant
- Analyse the roles and responsibilities of a professional management consultant
3 Research Assignment
In this final assessment task, you have the opportunity to develop a business model for your chosen style of consultancy. This will require you to use the business model canvas, defining your target client/markets(s), and then outlining how you intend to provide your consulting services. You are also required to detail how you intend to ease into consulting, collaborations you need to develop, how you intend to market your services, your service delivery process, through to setting your consulting fees. Your thinking about these will be iterative as you work through the detail. As you will likely see interdependencies across the 9 building blocks, please consider your capabilities and examine any gaps that need to be met in terms of required experience (How you might use collaborative networks would be useful here). Your submission is to be documented in a business report format, and structured in accordance with the business model canvas. Appendices should include your one-page business model canvas (refer Osterwalder & Pigneur (2010) in Week 3).
Format: Business Report
Length: No more than 2000-words (excluding appendices as relevant)
Week 12 Friday (5 June 2026) 5:00 pm AEST
Please submit your business report through the assignment 3 Turnitin link in Moodle
Your mark for this final assessment and the feedback we provide will be available through Feedback Studio in Moodle. Release date aligns with the Certification of Grades on 8 July.
Assessment Criteria;
- Critically discuss your chosen consulting model (5%)
- Critically discuss your preferred consulting client(s)/segment(s) (5%)
- Provide and discuss your consulting business model canvas (incorporating the specific aspects mentioned in the task description, such as how you intend to ease into consulting, through to setting fees) (15%)
- Identify competitive strengths (and their durability) and any capability gaps (and how these might be addressed) (5%)
- Adherence to business report format, limit of 2000-words, and quality of written expression using Australian English (5%)
- Insights from at least six (6) peer-reviewed papers from academic journals. Adherence to CQUniversity reference format (APA 7th edition) (5%)
- Understand and demonstrate the skills and abilities required to be a successful management consultant
- Analyse the roles and responsibilities of a professional management consultant
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the range of stakeholders involved with effective management consulting.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
