Professor Alan Robinson is a wearer of many hats; he is an innovator, but more specifically a professor, consultant, author, and orator. Robinson has been a member of the UMass community for almost thirty years, and is now the faculty advisor for the Isenberg Undergraduate Consulting Group.
After receiving his BA and MBA in mathematics from Cambridge University, Robinson’s interest in the consulting field was peaked during his studies at John’s Hopkins University, where he received both his PhD in applied mathematics and his MSE. Professor Robinson now takes on between ten and fifteen consulting projects per year, and has assisted over 200 organizations in 25 countries.
As a consultant, Robinson aims to give his clients the necessary insight and intellectual resources required to have long term success. In regards to his approach in helping clients, he remarked, “I try to teach people to fish. I don’t want to fish for them.” Professor Alan Robinson considers himself a high-level problem solver. With a focus on high performance organizations, creativity, and innovation, Professor Robinson specializes in what he calls thought leadership consulting. He thinks about a client’s problem and applies his experience and knowledge to help find the optimal solution. The projects he enjoys most, and finds most valuable, are those that scare him. For Robinson, consulting is a medium where he can combine his love of learning, his passion for business, and his interest in research.
Professor Robinson is not only an educator for the organizations he consults with, but he also holds a role as a professor at the Isenberg School of Management. After previously teaching Management 301 and holding the position of Associate Dean for the full-time MBA program, Alan is now teaching an MBA practicum and an MBA Operations Management course. Additionally, he instructs a High Performance Operations class (OIM 420 for the undergraduate program), a course he developed from his consulting experience and independent research. However, Professor Robinson does not let his teaching end in the classroom. He bridges the gap between the classroom and the workforce in many ways. The one which separates him most from his peers is the consulting trips a few lucky students are able to accompany him on. These select students gain valuable job specific field experience and participate in a once in a lifetime hands-on learning experience.
After traveling the world, earning four degrees, and writing numerous books, Professor Robinson remains humble: “There’s way more to know in life than I’ll ever know.” His advice for those interested in a career in consulting is as follows: Be constantly learning; be a life-long reader; master how you approach people and create value within yourself.
IUCG is ecstatic to have Professor Alan Robinson as our faculty advisor. He is an inspiration to us all, a source of invaluable knowledge, and a welcome new addition to our team.
