OCG consulting service offerings for market analysis, financial analysis, and business strategy are briefly described below. Client projects often combine several elements from these offerings. The student consultants utilize a number of methods to deliver the projects—including secondary research, primary research, financial analysis, design thinking and decision analysis.
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Consulting Services
Market Analysis
- Competitive Analysis: OCG delivers secondary and primary research on selected competitor(s). The purpose is to provide the client insights on how their product or service stacks up versus competitors and recommendations for how to alter some aspect of the product or service to compete more successfully.
- Customer Analysis: OCG delivers primary research on the client’s current customers using customer interviews, observations, and/or surveys. The purpose is to provide the client recommendations for how to improve customer experience and satisfaction. A key differentiator for OCG is the ability to survey and interview the population at the University of Oregon which is a prime demographic for many businesses.
- Market/Customer Segmentation: OCG delivers secondary analysis of the marketplace for a client product or service and determines market sizing, profitability, and growth projections per segment.
Financial Analysis
- Financial Analysis: OCG delivers financial analysis and basic models to help the client make a variety of decisions such as make-versus-buy, cost/benefit, NPV for investments, etc. The purpose is to capture key assumptions to inform the client’s decision and identify those that significantly affect the outcome.
- Financial Forecasting and Modeling: OCG delivers a financial forecast and financial model for small businesses, product lines, or nonprofits. The purpose is to help the client capture critical assumptions, perform sensitivity analysis, and do risk assessment.
Business Strategy
- Strategy Development: OCG delivers a strategic plan for small businesses, product lines, or nonprofits. The purpose is to look at alternate strategies for the organization and select the strategy that will provide the best risk adjusted value using a proof-point based plan to guide execution.
- Business Planning: OCG delivers a framework and supporting research to prepare a business model canvas and execution plan for small businesses, product lines, or nonprofits. The framework provides a concise summary of the target customers, value proposition, key activities, partners, costs, revenue streams, and sustainable business practices.
Methodologies
Secondary Research
OCG has access to the extensive research sources available at the University of Oregon to discover and synthesize information for the client project.
Primary Research
OCG utilizes three methods for primary research: surveys, interviews, and observations. Student consultants have proven to be highly effective at getting insights through interviews that would not be possible by company employees. This information is synthesized into detailed findings and/or case studies.
Financial Analysis
A variety of financial analysis and modeling approaches are used by OCG to provide clarity to the client on the attractiveness of decisions or actions they are considering.
Design Thinking
OCG uses the human-centered design methodology developed at the Stanford d.school which is the basis for industry leaders such as IDEO. This approach is highly effective for designing outstanding experiences for customers whether they be consumers, businesses or partners.
Decision Analysis
OCG uses the decision analysis methodology developed at MIT and Stanford for business strategy formation. This approach creates multiple scenarios mapped with a strategy table and distills the key decisions and proof points required for success.
Cost
Projects cost between $2,500 and $5,000 plus expense for a one term project.
Project Schedule
OCG has a project slate of six projects per term. Available terms are fall (September-December), winter (January-March), spring (April-June).
