Experiential Learning

Each year a group of Tippie MBA students work as sector and industry analysts as members of the Henry Fund.  The analysts are responsible for developing an investment review, researching new companies to purchase and evaluating the ideas of other managers.  In addition, fund managers perform the administrative tasks of portfolio management, such as marketing the fund to outside donors and producing an annual report.  An independent advisory board of financial professionals oversees the Henry Fund.  At the end of each semester, fund managers present their research and investment recommendations to this board for approval.

“I enjoyed interacting with a group of like-minded peers through the Henry Fund.  The students that participate in this opportunity have a competitive spirit and pride themselves in putting forth superior effort. The fact that we were managing real money is a great selling point to employers and helped me clinch my full-time job in investments.  I learned a lot from the numerous speakers that spoke to our team (all of whom were invariably from the investment management or investment banking field) and the presentations that I and my peers delivered to the Henry Fund Advisory Board.  Being a member of The Henry Fund team opened my eyes to what the real world of investments is all about."  Sridip Mukhopadhyaya, Tippie MBA Student

Students worked directly with an entrepreneur who plans to distribute a sports drink called 100 Plus which has been produced and sold for many years in Asia and the United States, Starting from the ground floor with only an idea, the team created a marketing plan with a number of options based on results of a taste test (concept testing), The entrepreneur is using the results of the RTCP to help secure bank financing and “angels”.

“Projects like this one for 100 Plus have critical milestones for the client and few assumptions that can be made at the beginning. Although lot of work is needed, it is for a real world situation, and at the end there is immense gratification for having completed the task at hand, whether it is a marketing plan, a trade show process, or identifying a new business segment that should be pursued” – Frank Rydzewski, RTCP Faculty Director, former CEO, Americal Profol

After completely reviewing a national company’s business-to-business marketing process and conducting a competitive analysis, a team of Tippie MBA students created a new “go-to market” strategic template. To do this, they formed an effective process to provide structure and focus to marketing and sales, and recommended changes in sales materials, customer prospecting and the company’s web presence. In the final session, the students presented their report to a board of 20 company leaders, managers and employees.

 “This was a fantastic project – I learned a great deal about how a company executes its marketing plan and evaluates whether or not company goals are being met.” – Michelle Schmitt, Tippie MBA Student

Students planned and executed a trade show exhibit from start to finish for Connect-a-Dock, a floating boat dock manufacturer. To prepare for the show in Toronto, Canada, the team completed a market analysis, identifying and researching relevant competitors and customers. They also conducted a direct marketing campaign targeted at prospective and current customers. Working hand-in-hand with Connect-a-Dock owners and their distributor in Canada, students designed the trade show booth, created a targeted raffle to collect contact information for the company’s most valuable customers, managed logistics, and met with customers during the trade show. The company anticipates a 500% increase in sales from last year as a result of the project.

“Actually managing a company’s investment in a major international trade show was a tremendous experience. I learned just how complex the process is to make such an investment really pay-off. I know I will benefit greatly from my participation in this RTCP.” – Jim Bovinet, Tippie MBA Student

In fall 2007, a team of MBA students will develop a campaign to increase knowledge of the Ponseti Method in both developed and under-developed countries. The Ponseti Method is a little-known orthopedic procedure that non-surgically and inexpensively treats club foot. The team will collect information about the target market through interviews and secondary research to prepare a comprehensive plan, which will create greater awareness that this accessible treatment exists.

“This project provided an opportunity to make a small contribution towards a larger mission.  I liked the idea of making a positive difference in the lives of people with this affliction and I enjoyed the chance to create an international marketing campaign.” – Swapnil Sharma, Tippie MBA Student

A team of MBA students participated in a Kaizen (rapid continuous improvement) project at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, which improved the billing and coding process by 50 percent and saved the hospital $1.5 million. Students participated in preparing the activity flowcharts, timing the current process, suggesting improvements, calculating time and money savings of the suggested changes, and preparing a presentation to top management. In addition to gaining experience with the Kaizen process, the students built lasting relationships with key hospital personnel.
“I knew I would learn about healthcare operations through this project, but I could not imagine the additional benefits it would bring - tremendous exposure to the healthcare industry and the ability to meet many talented individuals. The best part was the stakeholder’s feedback on the project.” – Rutwa Naik, Tippie MBA Student    

Office furniture manufacturer Allsteel sought out students from the Tippie MBA program to help them find ways to minimize damage to their products during distribution. Using the Rapid Continuous Improvement (RCI) process, the team analyzed damage statistics and identified trends and patterns; determining steps needed to ensure products are delivered undamaged. The project concluded with a presentation of results and recommendations to company representatives. Students learned how RCI is implemented to improve key outcomes for a manufacturing company and learned about the methods major manufacturers use to analyze operations data.

“Actually implementing an RCI project was a tremendous learning experience. This was a good real-world counterpart to the theory we learn in class and I gained key insights about how to use the tools I learn in class to achieve real results in the bottom line..” – Rob Soule, Tippie MBA Student