Episode 906 — History of MAP
On this episode of the Business Beyond Usual podcast, hosts Aishwarya Dhume and Vashishta Sai sit down with Megan Anda, Managing Director of the Office of Action Based Learning, Professor M.S. Krishnan, and Will Pan, MBA ’25, to discuss the Multi-disciplinary Action Project, or MAP, at Ross. Topics covered include MAP’s history, how it has changed over the past 30 years, how the 100+ projects are sourced each year, the role of MAP faculty, and the student experience. We learn how this foundational part of the Michigan Ross education serves as a window to the ever-evolving business world and how it prepares students for their internships while imparting skills that will be used for their whole careers.
The Evolution of MAP
MAP started as a pilot program in 1991, making it over 30 years old. It is a core course taken by Ross MBA students at the end of their first year, allowing students to apply the theories and frameworks they have learned at Ross to help real businesses confront real problems outside of the classroom.
Over the past three decades, MAP has continuously evolved from both a content and support standpoint.
Professor Krishnan explains, “MAP is a great window for us. We get to see right through the window in terms of what kind of problems companies are actually [grapling] with right now. There are two sides to MAP. One is an opportunity for the students to apply what they learned in the core class in a practical context, and the other is getting to know the current problems that industry managers are facing.”
As the business landscape evolves, so do the topics MAP projects cover. For example, there are considerably more generative AI projects this year. Krishnan and Anda also offer insight into the additional resources and advisor support provided to students in recent years.
Matching Students to MAP Projects
How do students get matched to 100+ projects? Anda shines light on that process. “Our primary goal is always to get students on projects they are most excited about. We are asking students, ‘What’s your primary motivation? Is it to work in a new industry? Is it to work with a specific type of organization? Is it to experience a new culture? What is driving you to be here, to select projects?’”
Anda states that by using the answer to this question in conjunction with the rankings students submit of their project choices, the Office of Action-Based Learning tries to match students to their top projects. They additionally consider project constraints, such as team size, project needs, and language requirements.
The Student Experience
As a student, Pan leaves the listeners with the following advice, “Think about your goal outside of the MAP project and the kind of industry you want to go into. At first, the over 100 companies can seem overwhelming, but if you think clearly about your goal and the industry you are passionate about, it can be much easier to rank.”
Have thoughts about topics we should cover, or just want to get in touch?
Send us an email at bbupodcast@umich.edu.
Want to hear more from Ross students, faculty, and alumni?
Check out more of our podcasts.
Working for the Weekend: A deep dive into the daily life of part-time MBAs at Michigan Ross. Weekend and online MBA students discuss their experiences and advice for prospective and current students.
Business + Society: Michigan Ross professors discuss the business world and how it impacts our society. Each episode features a panel of featured experts addressing a current issue or problem facing our world.
Down to Business: Join Dean Sharon Matusik as she interviews Michigan Ross alums in the C-Suite to learn how Ross set them on a path to organizational leadership
About the participants
- Host and Episode Producer: Aishwarya Dhume and Vashishta Sai
- Guests: Megan Anda, M.S. Krishnan, and Will Pan
- Executive Producers: Mark O'Connell, Aishwarya Dhume, Vashishta Sai, and JT Godfrey
- Audio Production: Jonah Brockman
- Editorial Production: Mads Henke
