So now we are past the mid-point of the Global Consulting Project and it is time to start preparing for the final presentation in less than 10 days. This, of course, implies giving up some of the GCP habits we have developed since beginning the project a few weeks back. No more reading outdated issues of The Economist in every queue in China that Tarun comes upon, while Xin must let go of her DrawSomething game addiction unless it can help to finance energy efficiency and most importantly Yohan cannot take ultra-power naps in any type of Chinese transportation vehicle.
Our meetings with multiple players in the Chinese energy efficiency market really provided us with insightful and strategic information, from both a data gathering and market analysis perspective, which can be used in the final presentation to our client. We were able to use many of the frameworks and tools we learned in our Strategy class to analyse the energy efficiency industry structure and the factors that will affect it in the future. We even dusted off the CJBS library databases that we had somehow forgotten about – mostly likely due to Fred’s endless search for the ultimate foot massage instead – to collect targeted data for the final presentation. As an unexpected bonus, we will also have a chance to compare notes with another GCP team (based in England) that should be beneficial to both of our projects.
Next, it’s on to putting together the layout and structure of the presentation and building an example cash flow financing model for our client. Using the knowledge gained in all three of our Finance classes and Yohan’s penchant for excel, the cash flow financing model is a key highlight of exceeding the client’s expectations in terms of information presented. Along similar lines, we may well provide a recommendation or two that the client has not yet considered (or even was aware of) before defining the project goals for us.
In the meanwhile, we have had a chance to explore and learn about China during our project, especially for the two foreigners and even our local Shanghainese who will have learnt and seen a lot more of his home country in four and a half weeks than all his previous thirty years. From the wide diversity of food per region to Linda demonstrating Yoga techniques on the great wall, our experience has taught us much about what China has to offer, including the discovery of some brilliant idioms in Mandarin. Naturally, the next thing we need to learn is how to use those idioms more effectively, but luckily we still have 12 more days for that.
