MBA Degree Programs Project

Introduction
In fulfillment of their MBA degree requirements, MBA degree candidates have to complete a project. The project requires students to combine their academic experience with their life and business experience and successfully develop and implement a new effort in a real business situation.

Definition
The project, as defined by University, is the development, implementation, documentation and analysis of a new business undertaking. Examples might be the development of a business plan for a new business unit, the development and implementation of a contract analysis and negotiating position, the development of a program or project plan, or the development and implementation of a new business process. Projects are limited only by the innovation and resources of individual students.

It must be stressed that the project is a real activity, not a purely academic process; it is not a traditional master’s thesis. Students may petition for a project that is purely academic in nature, such as the development of a computer model for a specified business operation, but all such requests must pass the University’s review process.

Project Proposal
The first step in the project approval process is the project proposal. Degree candidates must petition the University for project approval using the Project Request Form found on the university website in the Forms section of the Student Center. This communication should contain a short description of the project. The registrar will open a project file for the student and assign a project file number.

The Registrar will forward the student’s request to the Vice President, Academic Affairs who will review the request and approve it or request additional information on the topic. At this time the student will be assigned a faculty advisor.

Within 21 days of being notified, candidates must submit a detailed project proposal outlining the project. Project proposals must include a detailed explanation of the project to include:

Purpose of the Project – This element is the basis for the project and outlines what the project intends to accomplish and its business purpose.

Background of the Project – This element covers why the project is important in the short or long term success of the business or government organization. What goals can be expected to be reached?

Research – What needs to be known? How will the information be obtained? What methods will be used?

Schedule – What milestones must be reached? At what milestone will the project be implemented or completed?

Results and Benefits – What specific results and benefits are anticipated? How will they be measured?

If the project is assigned as part of the student’s regular business activities, or will become part of a business, a letter from the candidate’s immediate supervisor approving the effort is mandatory.

Projects that do not directly affect a current business activity will require a defense by the student as to the importance of the project as related to the education of the student or to the body of knowledge of the project’s subject area.

Project Guidelines
Although all projects are unique, they will include some required elements. Each project will be designed in conjunction with the faculty advisor and must meet the approval of the evaluation committee.

A sample outline for the project report is furnished below. Also, the student is referred to the chapter on “Presenting Insights and Findings: Written and Oral Reports,” in the Course 653 text, Business Research Methods. An additional source is the “Research Project Guide” on the Oxford University website at:
http://global.oup.com/uk/orc/busecon/business/brymanbrm3e/01student/project_guide/

Project Report (Sample Outline)
 Title Page
 Executive Summary
 Table of Contents
 List of Figures
 List of Tables
 Introduction
 Purpose of project
 Describe the problem
 Why is this analysis appropriate?
 Importance of the problem
 The scope of the review
 How the results of the review will be applied
 Identify the research questions you hope to answer

 Methodology
 Identify the method used to identify and locate sources
 Explain the rationale used for selecting the sources to analyze
 Explain the procedures to be used for analyzing the sources
 Identify the criteria for evaluating the information found
 Analysis and Discussion (general points to consider)
 Present evidence and ideas from sources
 Concepts are organized by sub-topics
 Sources are grouped by concepts instead of individual entities
 Grouping may be related to research questions
 Validity of sources is stated to support your ultimate answers to your questions
 Cite each of your statements by placing the number(s) identifying the reference(s) which support your statement
 Conclusions and Recommendations
 Identify and synthesize findings
 Systematically answer your research questions
 Provide recommendations for:
o Future research
o Applications
o Policies and procedures
o Program revisions
o Other warranted situations
 References
 List each of your references using APA format (www.apastyle.org), or as close to it as you can get
 Number each of your references so you can cite your evidence in the Analysis and Discussion section.

This is a sample format. Students may use another similar format. However, students should use the APA style as much as possible for headings, margins, references, etc.

The body of the project report must be from 30 to 50 pages in length. This does not include the Title Page, Table of Contents, List of Figures, List of Tables, References or Appendices.

Project Schedule
Like all business endeavors, the project must have a realistic schedule that also dovetails with the 120-day project schedule. Projects needing greater time periods may be too extensive for the educational goals of the student and University.

The schedule, with major milestones, must be submitted to the faculty advisor within 21 days of the project’s approval. Each part of the project – each milestone, each project chapter, or each section – must be submitted to the faculty advisor for approval as they are completed. Students may, of course, continue project work while the advisor is reviewing the project submissions. Each project section will not be considered finished until the section has been approved by the faculty advisor.

It may be that there will be faculty changes or suggestions that will be returned to students for evaluation and revision. Where appropriate, these changes must be instituted before the section is considered complete. All project sections must be completed before the project can be considered completed and credit earned. Following successful completion of the project, the student may petition for award of degree.

The difficulty of a project often leads to students underestimating the amount of time needed to complete. In certain instances, students may petition for additional time to complete the project. Such requests are not granted automatically, and students must prove that the additional time is needed due to business situations, rather than lack of planning or underestimation of resources by the student.

The goal of the University is not to force students to conform to a specific schedule for completion, but rather to avoid projects stretching out to unmanageable lengths. That is why the University forces a realistic evaluation of projects prior to approval.

Submission Of Copies
Following completion of the project, the student is required to submit the project in a professional format. The final document will be archived in the University’s library. The University reserves the right to cite and quote from the final document, and to review the project in its publications.

Faculty Advisor
Since all projects are unique, much project design and structure will be developed with the faculty advisor. Students will be able to communicate with their advisor by e-mail, or depending on the schedule of the faculty member, by phone. Direct meetings with the faculty advisor are desired, but all expenses associated with such meetings are borne by the student.

SAMPLE SOLUTION

This study provides an analysis of how the advent of the internet changed the marketing approach that was previously used to popularize brands. A lot of brands have been riding on the popularity of social media and networking website to push products or services to consumers by using the platform to allow the users interact with the brand. Over time, social media has become a very powerful marketing tool for different operations in modern business around the world. This project report expects to show how using social media and networking websites have enabled businesses to reach their current and target customers regardless of their geographical location. The researcher…