Michigan Ross MBA Students Prepare for Immersive, Real-World Experiences in 2023 MAP Course

“MAP provides a high impact capstone experience in the last term of the first year MBA experience.” said Gretchen Spreitzer, associate dean for engaged learning and professional development and professor of organizational behavior and human resource management. “This year, we are excited to have our teams back on site with more than 50% of teams traveling internationally. No other school provides this kind of action-based learning experience for every MBA student.”

This year, students will take on 71 MAP projects in 16 different countries, focusing on marketing, strategy, operations, and finance. From technology to healthcare to sustainability to government services, there is a project to fulfill each student’s career interests. Students learned which projects they would tackle during a special event last month.

Here is a sampling of this year’s projects: 

Under Armour 
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Founded in 1996 by former University of Maryland football player Kevin Plank, Under Armour is a leading inventor, marketer, and distributor of branded athletic performance apparel, footwear, and accessories. Students will conduct market research to inform the strategy for Under Armour's sustainability-related marketing and communications.

Rural Alaska Community Action Program
Location: Anchorage, AK
RurAL CAP is committed to improving opportunities for Alaskans experiencing poverty, including Alaska Native tribal communities, and is seeking to pilot a new social enterprise that can achieve sustainable and scalable impact in the most extreme conditions in the United States. Students will assist RurAL CAP in understanding how they could implement a new green energy business model with a focused pilot in the Anchorage area.

Atlantic Pictures
Location: New York, NY
The mission of Atlantic Pictures is to become the pre-eminent provider of high-quality, effective content and exceptional production services across corporate, branded, and entertainment channels in New York City and beyond. The objective of the project is to build a strategic growth plan for multiple divisions within the company, in order to help prioritize and maximize its growth. 

Consulate General of Canada
Location: Detroit
The Consulate General of Canada in Detroit is a diplomatic post of Global Affairs Canada, responsible for promoting Canadian interests abroad. Students will create public-facing materials to describe the value proposition for a binational economic development initiative.

Enterprise Ireland
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Enterprise Ireland accelerates the development of world-class Irish companies to achieve leading positions in global markets. Students will review the current portfolio of entrepreneurial offerings, benchmark against competing programs in Ireland and other countries, and devise a strategic plan that will recommend an advanced set of programs to meet the needs of a changing world.

Accion Opportunity Fund
Location: Washington, D.C.
Accion Opportunity Fund provides resources, advising, and loans to low- and moderate-income immigrants, women, and other underserved small business owners. Students will aid in analyzing the market, sizing the target population, identifying gaps in services and products, and exploring potential channels and partners in order to target new, larger businesses. 

EMRI 
Location: Uttar Pradesh, India
EMRI provides emergency ambulance services in the northern state of India covering a population of about 230 million. EMRI uses a technology-driven, real-time monitoring tool to ensure prompt response, prehospital and early return to the ambulance base. Students will assess the completeness, correctness, efficiency, effectiveness, and impact of this tool.

General Motors Co.
Location: Sacramento, CA
General Motors Co. is currently establishing a high-volume production facility in Brownstown, Michigan for hydrogen fuel cell systems for use in GM badged vehicles as well as non-automotive vehicles and systems including locomotives, heavy trucks, airplanes, and stationary power generation systems. The objective of this project is to formulate a five-year strategic market entry plan for General Motors and Wabtec (formerly General Electric Transportation) for hydrogen fuel cell-powered locomotives.