SCDL Assignments and Projects

General Phases in a Project: Pre-Proposal, Data Collection, Write Up. The steps and phases are not as linear as they appear here, but they must all be completed. They assume an empirical piece of work (e.g. case studies, interviews, surveys, data analysis) and will change with other project forms (e.g. literature survey, software product).

General Sections in a Project Report: Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Findings, Conclusions. Again, these are only guidelines, you should look at a few projects to find the best format for your own project.

1. Pre-Proposal

- Approach # 1 - Assumption: you do not have a job in place and you want to use the project as a way to get ready for your next career step.

- Decide what your job goal is after you graduate.

- Decide which topics might give you a comparative advantage in getting your ideal job

- proceed to research them (Library, CIO mags, with faculty, with contacts etc.)

- Approach #2 - you already have a job lined up and just need a project to graduate. You have little preference as to what the topic is.

- ask your new employer what interesting questions there are ... OR

- Decide what you are good at - e.g. statistical analysis, software creation, interviewing, etc.

- get a couple of ideas of your own in place and also visit the profs in your area and ask them if they need help on any of their own projects - something that you could turn into a project. Be clear about what you are good at so they know where you could add value.

- Create several mini-proposals (1 to 2 pages)

- the proposals should include general research problem, relevant literature, methodology (data collection plan).

- NOTE: expect that any faculty member you encounter will ask you what theoretical base you are planning to use to explore your topic. This is not a trick question - it is the difference between an academically rigorous project and one that you could have done before you enrolled in your MBA. The idea is to look for answers to your research problem in a careful, systematic way, using previous theory and studies to guide you. If you do not do this, you are wasting both your time and your supervisor’s, since your findings may be too weak to mean anything (remember your research course??). Faculty members are not trying to make your life miserable, they are trying to get you to do a piece of work that you and they will be proud of. Your project will be bound and in the library for a long time.

- Review the proposals with proposed Senior Supervisor (SS) until one is OKd.

- Use the Proposal to find 2nd Reader (2R) and confirm project and time line.

- you now have a rough topic area and a first cut at your approach. You will refine this a few times before proceeding to gather data.

2. Data Gathering

- DO the reading and then write a draft of the Literature Review section to narrow your search (data collection plan) and guide your data collection instruments

- Meet with SS to OK narrowed topic and approach

- Revise your Proposal as necessary with focused topic and approach.

- Create your data collection instrument and analysis plan.

- Meet with SS until data collection instruments are OKd

- Circulate new info to 2R for OK

- EARLY PRESENTATION - NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO DO YOUR PROJECT PRESENTATION. You get feedback, and then are on your own timetable until you finish. The "early" presentation format is so that people can critique your detailed project proposal. You need the first 3 chapters of your project done, checked by SS and 2R, and changes made before the presentation. In other words, you have to have the Intro, Literature review, and Methodology finished. If you are doing interviews or surveys, you need a good draft of the data collection forms.

Work with Angela and SS and 2R to set time, book rooms and advertise.

- Refine your project and data collection instruments as suggested in the presentation

- Execute the data collection

- if you are waiting for data to come in, write the Intro and Methodology sections.

- Analyze your data

3. Write Up

- Review library guidelines on formatting and follow them in all your work.

- Write a draft of Introduction, Methodology, Findings, Conclusions sections. Include any sections relevant to the content (appendices, diagrams, TOC)

- Review with SS until generally OK

- Circulate draft to 2R for general comments

- Add references, abstract, sign-off pages

- Review with SS

- Review with 2R

- THIS IS THE REGULAR TIME TO DO YOUR PROJECT PRESENTATION. At this point, you are defending a "finished" product. You will most likely be asked to make changes to it. Work with Angela and SS and 2R to set time, book rooms and advertise. Allow all principals at least 1 week with your document before you present. If this is a thesis, you need several weeks here.

- Make any changes required after presentation.

- Take to library for format check. Fix as necessary.

- Submit required copies to the LIBRARY

- give an unbound copy to the MBA office.

- Get an extra copy made, put in nice binder, give to SS. Say thanks.

- CELEBRATE !! You did it!! You are an MBA Now!

Project Management Tips

- Set aside time each week to work on the project. If you are planning to finish it in under 4 months, plan at least 2 days per week. No kidding.

- There is a set of deadlines, forms, steps from Grad Studies that pertain to an MBA project. Get these, understand them with Angela or Noory’s help. They are your responsibility.

- There is a set of guidelines from the Library that govern how your project writeup must look. Charles Watts is the Theses Assistant and he will help you. Follow the guidelines from day 1 and avoid re-work.

- Expect to hire an editor if your command of the English language is weak. Supervisors cannot take time to edit your work.

- Create a Overall Project Timetable based on the Phases above. Discuss with your SS. Refine as necessary.

- Set up a regular schedule for communicating with your SS - in person or by email. Hand in written material a few days before your meeting so it is more productive.

- Your supervisor may wish to use your data and analysis in his/her own research and teaching. This subject should be discussed at some time while you are partners on the project, so that you have an agreement about publishing or use of data.

- Expect to work harder than you have worked to date in your MBA program. After all, you are in charge here, this project is part of your new career, and it is supposed to create a little piece of new knowledge in the world. All of this adds up to an excellent, but sometimes stressful, learning experience. This project/thesis is what makes a graduate program different from an undergraduate program.

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