Georgia Tech Offering Consulting to Firms Expanding Overseas

The Georgia Institute of Technology’s International Business Club is offering free or donation-based consulting services for Atlanta companies looking to expand their overseas operations.

Starting with a week-long trip to Singapore March 17, the program is a new IBC initiative designed to give MBA students practical international business experience while benefiting Atlanta-based companies. A group of 10 MBA students under the direction of faculty adviser Mark Ferguson will participate in four different consulting projects with organizations and businesses in Singapore that have Atlanta affiliations.

“My grand idea is for the club to pick different locations around the world each year and find Atlanta companies that are doing business there,” James Hoadley, out-going president of the IBC, told GlobalAtlanta. “Our group can offer overseas consulting services for a very low cost or free in exchange for our MBAs getting real world experience,” he said.

Mr. Hoadley hopes that Atlanta’s international chambers of commerce and other local sources will assist the group in identifying companies that could use the Tech students’ help in designing overseas expansion projects.

The program is different from summer internships, Mr. Hoadley added, because these consulting trips would take place during school semesters and involve a team of MBA students working together on a project.

The upcoming Singapore projects include a study of Atlanta-based Monarch Beverage Co.’s expansion options in Asia and a growth plan for Gravograph Inc.’s laser engraving machines business. Other projects are an analysis of Singapore Hotel Administration members’ service operations techniques and an analysis of Singapore’s logistical hub conducted in cooperation with the Logistics Institute at Georgia Tech and the National University of Singapore’s Logistics Institute Asia-Pacific.

While in Singapore, the group of students plans to meet with Singapore President Sellapan Rama Nathan, who was introduced to the IBC by John Endicott, co-director of Tech’s Center for International Strategy, Technology and Policy.

John McIntyre, director of Tech’s Center for International Business Education and Research, was influential in coordinating the trip.

For more information on utilizing the IBC’s student consulting team for future overseas projects, contact newly elected IBC president Adam Crowe at ibclub@gatech.edu. Contact Mr. Hoadley at the same email address for details about the Singapore trip.