The Capstone Project

GreenPages, December 2012

Project Objective: How can GreenPages  scale its organization, manage its wealth of talent, and achieve financial objectives while maximizing operational efficiencies?

Using the slogan "People, Passion, and Practice," GreenPages Technology Solutions is a national leader and innovator in Virtualization and Cloud Computing solutions.

Client Deliverables: The Curry College MBA cohort provided recommendations including a framework and organizational model for scaling the business and achieving strategic and financial objectives.  To support strategic initiatives the MBA capstone group recommended maximizing profitability with focus on organizational structure and culture.  To improve operational efficiencies, the Capstone Group concentrated on profitability, costs of departments, and metrics to support changes in industry trends and internal business.  Using Wasmer metrics, a review of cost analysis would help GreenPages determine which departments are underperforming.

 Photo Gallery: MBA Capstone Presentation December 2012

J|P Fuji Group, August 2012

Project Objective: As J|P Fuji Group grows, how can managers achieve the desired level of service at all six restaurants while trying to sustain development for new concepts, locations, and a franchise program?

In 1988 J|P Fuji Group started their first Japanese restaurant in Quincy, Massachusetts and now manages five concepts and six restaurants in Quincy and Cambridge. 

Client Deliverables: The MBA cohort provided recommendations through a comprehensive strategic plan; financial analysis and comparative industry benchmarking; implementation of best practices for training including manuals and procedures; a franchising analysis; and a marketing plan to include website design and social media implementation.

Photo Gallery: MBA Capstone Presentation August 2012

Trio Wine Company, December 2011

Project Objective: Trio Wine Company engaged the Curry College MBA capstone group to offer recommendations for website enhancements, social media exposure, online payment systems, and warehouse integration.

Founded by three individuals with intimate knowledge of the wine business, Trio Wine Company is a small up-and-coming liquor distributor located in southeastern Massachusetts. The company's main goal is to be known for their exemplary customer satisfaction.

Client Deliverables: The MBA Capstone Group offered recommendations regarding inventory management best practices, data backup, and disaster recovery.  Other recommendations included marketing and technology integration, and a budget analysis to determine if Trio Wine Company should buy or rent a warehouse facility.

Polartec, LLC, August 2011

Project Objective: How can Polartec, LLC respond to increased demand for new marketing opportunities and improve on internal structures?

To remain competitive and continue to be a favored textile producer, Polartec, LLC must have a greater understanding of the competition and evaluate its position in the industry.

Client Deliverables: The MBA cohort offered recommendations for opportunities and implementation strategies on topics including global supply chain and material sourcing, customer analysis, and competitor analysis. The cohort team referenced best practices to conceptualize a competitive intelligence directory and library.

Climate Counts, December 2010

Project Objective: What marketing techniques would propel Climate Counts' message to the masses?

Climate Counts works to broaden public awareness of global warming and bring consumers and companies together in the fight against global climate change by scoring the world's largest companies on levels of climate action. The score card system enables consumers to make educated commerce choices based on corporations' green and sustainability efforts. The company engaged the MBA capstone group to help address changing behavior of individuals who do not support green and sustainability initiatives and to determine how to encourage those who do support these initiatives to become activists in the fight against global warming.

Client Deliverables:The Curry College MBA capstone group provided research and analysis on consumer behavior, market research, and consumer change management while higlighting key areas on which to focus: education, collaboration, and social media marketing.

EMD Millipore, August 2010

Project Objective: How can EMD Millipore focus attention to sustainable development?

EMD Millipore is the world's largest concentration of life science firms manufacturing the majority of its products from plastic materials. With particular attention to their impact on the environment, EMD Millipore is focused on sustainable development. Because of considerable waste in the amount of plastic used in the biopharmaceutical manufacturing process, a pilot take-back program is being tested by clients of the company, which could reduce products in landfills.

Client Deliverables: The Curry College MBA Capstone Group worked with EMD Millipore to research the logistics, costs, regulatory issues, and best practices involved with implementing a product take-back program throughout the company. With a company-wide take-back iniatiative, EMD Millipore can include all clients and help reduce the amount of plastic in landfills. 

Mayflower Brewing Company, December 2009

Project Objective: With a well-established high-quality product and excellent reputation, how can Mayflower Brewing Company discover its niche strengths?

Enjoying regional success, the Mayflower Brewing Company has emerged as one of the newest popular craft brewing companies in New England and is located in America's hometown of Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Client Deliverables: The MBA Capstone Group presented a comprehensive potential growth analysis of its customer base, a customer survey of Mayflower Brewing and its products, as well as a detailed marketing plan. The information allowed Mayflower to plan for operational contingencies, protect and build its product offering, and develop branding. The marketing plan offered new and novel ideas, and suggested strategic alliances and networking relationships for Mayflower Brewing Company to quickly advance in the craft brewing industry.

Polartec, LLC, August 2009

Project Objective: How can Polartec, LLC capitalize on opportunities for improved logistics and efficiencies while increasing cash flow?

Operating in the textile industry, Polartec, LLC is a worldwide leader in the manufacturing of synthetic fabrics. Global factors have caused adverse effects on labor costs and trade regulations, while shifts in consumer demand require quality products at a value price. 

Client Deliverables: The MBA cohort made recommendations to  gain effiencies and increase cash flow including improvements to the purchase order process, expanded use of technology, and freight-on-board agreement implementation. To improve logistics, the team recommended international and domestic alternative warehouse location options. The Capstone Group also made the case for implementing best practices for competitive benchmarking.

South Shore Chamber of Commerce, December 2008

Project Objective: With an emphasis on economic assessment, how can the South Shore Chamber of Commerce create and maintain economic growth?

Client Deliverables:The Curry College MBA capstone group presented a situational analysis of South Shore communities to determine strategic options in developing and maintaining economic growth. Specific analysis focused on attraction and retention of knowledgeable young workers in specific regions of the South Shore. The team recommended concentrating on key research areas such as partnerships, education, workforce development, and downtown development.

Weymouth Bank, August 2008

Project Objective: In today's advanced information age and uncertain economic climate, how can Weymouth Bank compete with national institutions and market its message of secure banking?

Client Deliverables: The MBA cohort constructed a competitive analysis to include recommendations on banking in the 21st century; trends in bank technologies, innovations for banking products and services, as well as marketing initiatives.

SGT, Inc., December 2007

Project Objective: What initiatives and product line extensions can SGT, Inc. implement for significant capital infusion?

With its headquarters in India, SGT, Inc. delivers engineering and information technology services worldwide and hopes to become a top 20 outsourcing provider by 2020. 

Client Deliverables: The MBA cohort provided research findings focused on specific industry patterns, outsourcing best practices, and the comptetitive landscape. The team made recommendations for industry expansion with a comprehensive analysis of best practices including growth into existing, related, and new sectors.

ECCO USA, August 2007

Project Objective:  How can ECCO USA use existing products to enter new market segments?

ECCO USA started over 40 years ago in the footwear industry by "choosing comfort over conformity." There are many industry-wide hurdles facing ECCO USA including slow growth, intense competition, consolidation within the industry, and declining profitability. 

Client Deliverables: The MBA Cohort Group presented ECCO USA recommendations to expand its current product line as competition intensifies. The Capstone Group identified a new market segment spanning corporate industries that make up twenty percent of the workforce in the United States. This product line expansion combines quality, comfort, and dependability to fulfill the needs of three untapped markets: ECCO Corporate, ECCO Healthcare, and ECCO Tactical.