The MBA program at the University of Northern Iowa's business college is seeking potential clients for its annual UNI MBA Capstone Experience.

This course is the comprehensive application of the MBA curriculum in a strategic context. Working in small teams with a faculty advisor, students are asked to frame and analyze an issue posed by an area organization in terms of a strategic business perspective. The team develops an enterprise-level understanding of the organization's industry and business model, applies an appropriate analytical framework to address the client's functional concerns, presents recommendations to the client, and reports to the MBA faculty with a summary of the situation and its strategic analysis.

Clients are drawn primarily from businesses and nonprofit organizations in northeast Iowa, and the projects are completed in the spring of each year. The MBA program has worked with a wide range of regional businesses and nonprofit organizations on projects including:

• International marketing strategy for a manufacturer seeking to expand
• National expansion strategy for a regional product distributor
• Rebranding and go-to-market strategy for community development organization
• New product line definition and market strategy to capitalize on excess capacity
• Strategic plan for nonprofit seeking a more sustainable operation
• Financial analysis of operating costs for a new product line

The projects are developed to meet the specific needs of the client, but typically address strategic planning, marketing analysis, process analysis, or feasibility questions. A general sequence of events includes:

• An agreement on the goals, scope & expected outcomes of the project by April. 
• A detailed project plan approved by the client & the MBA faculty by May.
• A draft report on a substantially completed project to the advisor by June.
• A formal presentation of project results by the end of June.

There is no fee for the consulting service, although for-profit entities are encouraged to consider UNI's College of Business Administration in future giving plans. Organizations that would like to propose a project for the upcoming UNI MBA Capstone Experience are encouraged to contact MBA Director, Dale Cyphert at 319-273-6150 or dale.cyphert@uni.edu.