Intensive sessions give MBA students hands-on experience with negotiation, teamwork and problem-solving鈥攖he skills employers look for in business school graduates.
From 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Sanjay Kumar analyzed a local company鈥檚 financial crisis, debated supply chain strategies with his team and learned to negotiate under pressure. The experience uncovered the strengths and weaknesses he needed to hone to succeed in business.
Kumar was one of the 41 students in Adelphi鈥檚 Flex MBA Program who attended the most recent Problem-Solving Day on December 6, 2025. Occurring twice per semester, these intensive sessions are required for all MBA students, and were created in response to feedback from the business community. 鈥淏usinesses are looking for students who can come in not just knowing theory but knowing how to problem-solve,鈥� says Raghida Abdallah Yassine, PhD, assistant professor of management and academic director of MBA programs in the Robert B. Willumstad School of Business, who co-led the most recent Problem-Solving Day alongside Michael O鈥橠onnell, clinical assistant professor.
Creating a Program That Solves Real-World Business Challenges
When Problem-Solving Days began in early 2025, students worked with generic case studies and were asked to brainstorm solutions. But Dr. Yassine recently began collaborating with companies that were willing to share real-world challenges. The problem she chose for December 6 came from a local business struggling to stay afloat after tariffs on imports from China made their products too expensive to sell.
That morning, Dr. Yassine and O鈥橠onnell divided the students into teams of five before presenting the issue they needed to solve. 鈥淓verybody sitting at the table is coming from a different specialization or has taken different types of courses, but they come together to solve a problem based on the knowledge they鈥檝e acquired so far,鈥� Dr. Yassine says. For Kumar, a business analytics major, this meant collaborating with classmates specializing in finance, marketing and other areas.
During the first half of the day, teams came up with a solution to the problem. For Kumar, the morning鈥檚 work revealed how interconnected his MBA courses were鈥攈e had to apply finance, supply chain management and marketing knowledge simultaneously, not in isolated courses. Kumar鈥檚 team divided the work by major and began researching which countries offered the best options for relocating the company鈥檚 supply chain. They had disagreements along the way鈥攕uch as debating the merits of potential countries鈥攂ut they didn鈥檛 outright refuse any idea. Instead, they asked teammates to justify their positions. 鈥淲e negotiated everything when trying to find a solution,鈥� Kumar says. This helped the team find weaknesses in their solutions they鈥檇 initially missed.
Dr. Yassine and O鈥橠onnell were on hand to provide feedback throughout the morning. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we have two instructors per Problem-Solving Day, because we want the students to hear feedback from two different perspectives,鈥� Dr. Yassine notes.
Teams had developed their recommendations by early afternoon. Then came the negotiation phase: Teams had to convince a consulting firm (a role played by other teams) to adopt their solution, which helped students practice the soft skills required in the workplace. 鈥淥ne of my teammates was very experienced and had been working in a firm for 20 to 25 years,鈥� Kumar says. Watching him negotiate and maintain composure during cross-questioning, even when the team didn鈥檛 have an immediate answer, taught Kumar how to answer questions without becoming reactive.
He also learned that successful negotiation requires giving the other party room to speak. 鈥淚f they鈥檙e interested in your idea, that鈥檚 why they鈥檙e asking questions,鈥� Kumar explains. He also discovered the importance of having a backup plan. 鈥淚f the consulting firm disagrees with your idea and you don鈥檛 have a backup plan, you鈥檒l be blank,鈥� he says.
What Students Gain from Immersion in Problem-Solving
Overall, the Problem-Solving Day gave Kumar a better understanding of the skills employers are looking for, such as negotiation and team building. It also gave him insights into his own strengths and weaknesses鈥攚hile strong in finance, his presentation skills needed improvement. This discovery led him to register for classes to build his presentation abilities. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just about getting your degree, it鈥檚 about getting the skills you need,鈥� Kumar says.
For students attending future Problem-Solving Days, Kumar recommends participating fully. 鈥淒on鈥檛 be the person standing to the side,鈥� he says.
Dr. Yassine agrees: 鈥淐ome with an open mind and be prepared to use previous knowledge,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to be learning a lot. That鈥檚 what Problem-Solving Days are there for, to make sure you鈥檙e workplace ready.鈥�
Starting in Fall 2026, Adelphi鈥檚 Flex MBA will be offered in our new Manhattan Center, located near Grand Central Station, in addition to our Garden City campus.