Syllabus

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Credits: 6

Schedule: 10.03.2021 - 19.05.2021

Teacher in charge (valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022): Iiris Saittakari

Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Alexei Koveshnikov, Kalle Kyläkallio, Perttu Kähäri, Linda Mattila, Gregory O'Shea, Iiris Saittakari

Contact information for the course (valid 08.02.2021-21.12.2112):Regarding any questions concerning the course, please contact Iiris Saittakari by email (iiris.saittakari@aalto.fi).

CEFR level (applies in this implementation):

Language of instruction and studies (valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022):

Teaching language: English

Languages of study attainment: English

CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD

Content

• Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:

  The course consists of an applied, real-life problem-based project/case that students identify, analyze and solve in multi-disciplinary teams. It also focuses on developing the students self-awareness of the key learnings during their studies in the Master s Program.

• Applies in this implementation:

  In the course, there are four compulsory seminars, three at the beginning and one at the end of the course, and an extensive team project in-between. Case company representatives pitch their cases at the opening seminar. After this, students select three cases that best seem to fit their particular expertise and justify their selections. Finally, the teacher-in charge and faculty facilitators form the teams of 4-5 students based on individual preferences and study backgrounds. The cases have been invited before the course starts.
  
  At the team kick-off meeting, the team will meet for the first time and choose the roles for the team members (e.g. chair, contact person for the company, contact for faculty etc.). After this, the team will have the first meeting with the client company, in which the project scope will be discussed, and tasks defined.
  
  Project planning session is held by Boston Consulting Group, in which the team learns BCG’s approach to problem solving and project planning. The second meeting with the client company takes place after that. Also the faculty facilitator participates in this meeting, in which the purpose is to go over the project plan, confirm shared understanding of the direction and expectations and discuss the progress.
   
  After that, the teams work independently on the assigned case. The third meeting with the client company is half way through the course in order to discuss progress and to get feedback. The team’s faculty facilitator will also be present to give feedback.
  
  Each team will get guidance for their draft version of the final presentation in a compulsory presentation rehearsal session a few days before the closing seminar. The course ends with a closing seminar, in which each student team presents the case, its core challenges and main solutions. The teams have to provide a well-designed and effectively communicated solution for the identified core problem for the case company.
  
  In order to complete the course, students also submit a written team report and an individual, reflective student portfolio by the given deadline (see Schedule below).
  

Assessment Methods and Criteria

• Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:

  100 % assignments (group and individual)

• Applies in this implementation:

  The course consists of class sessions, meetings and three main assignments, the first of which is divided into five parts as follows:

  1. Written team case report    50%

  1. Progress report 1 
  2. Progress report 2 
  3. Progress report 3 
  4. Progress report 4 
  5. Final report
     

  2. Oral team case presentation    30%

  3. Individual student portfolio    20%
  
  4. Student feedback survey     1%
  
  

  See a separate Capstone instructions and assignments 2021 document for specific instructions on the assignments. All assignments must be completed to pass the course. One grade is deducted from late submissions. Attendance in all class sessions and meetings is compulsory.

  All the assignments are assessed on a 0-5 scale based on the following rubrics that will be available in the course workspace in MyCourses:

  • The written team case report is assessed based on the Business writing and Capstone rubrics
  • The oral team case report is assessed based on the Business presentations rubric
  • Peer assessment is assessed by other team members based on the Teamwork rubric
  • The individual student portfolio is assessed based on the Business writing and Capstone rubrics
  Peer evaluation:
  
  Capstone project is a team effort and all team members are expected to contribute evenly. In order to make the workload transparent among the team members, the team is expected to fill in the contribution table together throughout the project. You can find the template on MyCourses. Instructions: Fill in the tasks that you identify in your project plan and the names of all team members. Mark who has the major responsibility for the specific task. Also mark who made some contribution and minor contribution to the task. Evaluate also the total contribution per each student.
  
  Submit the contribution table as a separate slide with the final presentation (one contribution table per team). If someone’s individual contribution is significantly greater or lower than that of others in the team, individual student’s final grade can be affected with one grade up or down).
  

Workload

• Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:

  Contact teaching :10-15 h (incl. closing seminar with presentations)
  Independent work in teams and individually:145 - 150 h

• Applies in this implementation:

  Project work in teams (incl. team meetings with facilitator and client company)	122 h
  Classroom hours	10 h
  Individual work	27 h
  Presentation coaching session	1 h
  Total	160 h (6 cr)

  
  

DETAILS

Study Material

• Applies in this implementation:

  With their team,
  students are expected to identify and use readings from several different
  sources such as textbooks,
  articles, newspapers, magazines, and the Internet.

  
  

Substitutes for Courses

• Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:

  Students can replace this capstone course by participating in Hackathon course: 57E00700 Capstone: Digital ISM Challenge.

  CEMS MIM students can replace this capstone with 42E05400 CEMS Business Project.
  
  Capstone 20E99904 subsitutes the old courses 21E99904 Capstone: Business Development Project (Management and International Business), 25E99904 Capstone: Business Development Project (Entrepreneurship), 32E99904 Capstone: Business Development Project (Business Law)

Prerequisites

• Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:

  Most Master s Programme studies have to be completed before one can enroll on the Capstone course.

SDG: Sustainable Development Goals

9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

FURTHER INFORMATION

Details on the schedule

• Applies in this implementation:

  Important dates in Spring 2021

  1.      
  March 10 at 15.00 – 18.00: Course starts with an introductory
  session and the presentations of the case companies.

  2.      
  March 11: Submit your three most preferred cases (including short
  justifications - limited to 300 characters) through MyCourses.

  3.      
  March 16: You will be informed of the assigned team, case and
  your Faculty Facilitator.

  4.      
  March 17at 15.15 – 17.00 or 16.15 – 18.00: Team kick-off meeting with
  facilitator. The exact time will be announced when teams are allocated.

  5.      
  March 18 – 24 (exact time to be agreed with client company):Organize the first meeting with the case company, where you discuss
  and define the scope of the project, and agree how you will proceed with your
  investigation of the research problem and research questions finalized in this
  meeting. Right after the meeting, create Progress report 1 which includes the
  problem statement and research questions.

  6.      
  March 24at 15.15 – 17.00: Project management seminar
  with Juuso Soininen, Boston Consulting Group

  7.      
  March 24, by midnight:
  Progress report 1 due; upload the report to MyCourses. The report is based on
  the first meeting with the case company.

  8.      
  March 25 – 31 (exact time to be agreed with facilitator and
  client company): Meet jointly with your case company and
  Faculty Facilitator to discuss your progress and to get feedback. In the
  meeting, confirm shared understanding of the direction
  and expectations.Contact your case company and
  facilitator well in advance to set up the meeting time; setting up the meeting
  is your responsibility.

  9.  March 31, by midnight: Progress report 2 due; upload
  the report to MyCourses. The report should include the project plan and
  description of the analysis that you are planning to conduct)

  10.  
  April 21 – 28 (exact time to be agreed with facilitator and
  client company): Meet jointly with your case company and Faculty Facilitator to discuss your
  analysis and findings. Contact your case company and facilitator well in
  advance to set up the meeting time; setting up the meeting is your
  responsibility.

  11.  April 28, by midnight: Progress report 3 due; upload
  the report to MyCourses. The report should include your analysis and findings.

  12.  
  May 5, by midnight: Progress
  report 4 due; upload the report to MyCourses. The
  report should be the first draft of the final report.

  13.  
  May 12, at 15.00-16.00 or 16:00-17.00 (exact
  time to be agreed with facilitator): Presentation coaching sessions. Each team
  has a separate one hour slot. Please agree a specific time with your faculty
  facilitator. Send the slides to your facilitator the day before.

  14.  
  May 17, by midnight: Deadline for uploading
  your team’s written case report to the assignment submission box in MyCourses
  and send it to the case company.

  15.  
  May 19, 15.00-18.00: Closing session. Cases
  and recommendations are presented orally to case companies, Faculty Facilitators
  and fellow students. Upload your presentation deck and contribution table to
  MyCourses by midnight.

  16.  
  May 26, by midnight: Deadline for uploading
  your individual student portfolio to the assignment submission box in MyCourses.

Description

Registration and further information