Group of international students

International Consulting Projects

Market Research & Management Concepts
Supervised teamwork with international exchange students

Would you like to find out more about certain aspects of an international market? A mixed team of international exchange students and OST students majoring in International Management will conduct market research and create management concepts for European, Asian or South American markets defined in consultation with you.

The exchange students are assigned to projects which allow them to make the best use of their market knowledge. Ideally, they will even come from the target countries. The international team of students carries out its work in St.Gallen. All students receive intercultural training and are taught about market research methods by the WTT.

The biannual programme starts in September and February each year.

The project objectives for the selected international markets are defined beforehand by the WTT in consultation with each client in accordance with client’s specific requirements.

  • Market analyses
    size, development, forecasts, distribution, penetration, drivers, barriers, potential
  • Competition analysis
    key players, market shares, strengths/weaknesses, business models, profiles, USPs, strategies
  • (Target) customer analyses
    profiles, sectors, expectations, requirements, price acceptance, perception, satisfaction
  • Trend analysis
    megatrends, technology scouting, substitute products
  • Sales analyses and concepts
    distribution channels, sales services, sales and service models, marketing and sales concepts 
  • Partner or site evaluations
Student Input
  • Number of team members: 4 to 6 students (2-3 exchange students / 2-3 OST students)
  • Total commitment: approx. 1200 hours
  • Full-time students in semester: 5th or 6th semester
Lecturer input
  • Group seminars: 13 hours
  • Project coach: 70 hours
  • Statistics coach: 7 hours
  • IT coach: 4 hours
  • Intercultural coach: 10 hours

Result

  • Final report: 60 pages, plus management summary and appendices
  • PR report
  • Final presentation: on client’s premises
  • Confidentiality: all data belong to the client and are treated confidentially
  • Language: English
Fixed dates
  • Start: February and September
  • End: June and January
  • Duration: 14 weeks
WTT YOUNG LEADER AWARD
  • Nomination: possible
Cost
  • Flat rate: CHF 7,500 (excl. VAT) payable to WTT
  • Expenses: approx. CHF 1,500 (as incurred) payable to students
  • Detailed primary and secondary analyses
    in the defined market in selected European, Asian or South American countries
  • Research design
    with specific definition of research objectives, target groups, survey methods, research content, etc.
  • Market surveys
    field-based (online, telephone, face-to-face, etc.)
    desk-based with extensive research 
  • Analysis
    the collected data are first analysed with professional tools and then interpreted
  • Development of conclusions, concepts and recommendations

Businesses of all sizes and from all sectors in Switzerland and in the international Lake Constance region, public institutions and NGOs that already have branches in the target countries or are weighing up market entry.

To expand our business successfully, we need a strong focus on the right markets, geographies and differentiating offers versus our competitors. The team competently produced an updated and in-depth study, as well as drawing valuable conclusions. They not only delivered the requirements but exceeded them by method.

Sibylle Welker, Head of Business Unit Beauty DACH and Int. Mibelle Group, Buchs

Portrait Sibylle Welker