International Management Institute, Bhubaneswar

Shaping global leaders for tomorrow

Post Graduate Diploma in Management

Guidelines for Field Based Comprehensive Project

As part of PGDM course structure, apart from completing the course work, each student is
supposed to do the field based comprehensive project of 3 credits. The statutory period of this
project is six months. No Extension will be granted in any circumstances.

Objectives

The field based comprehensive project is the most important single component of work that
each student of PGDM Programme is supposed to complete. It provides the opportunity for the
students to demonstrate their independence and originality, to plan and organize a large project
and to put into practice some of the techniques they have been taught throughout the course.
Comprehensive project may include any of these themes.
1 To apply business management education skills in a meaningful and practical setting.
2 To gain real consulting experience on the frontlines of corporate and entrepreneurship
development.
3 To explore and be exposed to the challenges of starting and scaling new ventures in
some of the world’s most challenging markets.
4 Generate impact and assessment reports of business / policy decisions.

Field Based Comprehensive Project

The student has following three options available to decide and execute their filed based
comprehensive project:

Option 1: Based on Field Research

Option 2: Field based Industry Study / Industry Defined Problems
Option 3: Join IMI Incubation Center and Start Your Own Venture
Option 1: If project is based on Field Research
o Preface
o Acknowledgement
o Declaration
o Executive Summary

S. NO. PARTICULARS

PART – I GENERAL INFORMATION

1 About the Company / Industry / Sector

- Overview of World Market
- Overview of Indian Market
- Growth of the Company / industry / Sector
2 About major Companies in the Industry

3 Product Profile (Major Products)

4 Introduction of the Study

- Literature Review
- Background of the Study
- Problem Statement /Rationale / of the Study
- Objectives of the Study
- Hypothesis

PART – II PRIMARY RESEARCH

5 Research Methodology
- Research Design
- Source/s of Data
- Data Collection Method
- Population
- Sampling Method
- Sampling Frame
- Date Collection Instrument
Data Collection Work to be commenced in Term IV and continue in Term V also.

6 Data Analysis and Interpretation

7 Results and Findings

8 Limitations of the Study

9 Conclusion/Suggestions
o Annexure
o Bibliography
Option 2: If project is Field based Industry study / Industry Defined Problems
o Preface
o Acknowledgement
o Declaration
o Executive Summary

SR. NO. PARTICULARS

PART – I Industry Study

1 Growth and Evolution of Industry in India

- Profile
- Demand determination of the Industry
- Players in the Industry
- Distribution channel in the Industry
- Key Issues and Current Trends

2 PESTEL Analysis (depends on nature of study, as per the guide’s suggestions)

Industry Analysis: Michel Porter’s Five Force Model (depends on nature

3 of study, as per the guide’s suggestions)

Financial Analysis of Chosen Industry (depends on nature of study, as per the

4 guide’s suggestions)

PART – II Company Study

5 Company Information and Product Profile

6 Organizational Structure and Functional Departments

7 SWOT Analysis

Problem/s Identification, Analysis of Situation and Suggestive Measures to

8 overcome the problems (if CP is based on Industry Defined Problems)
9 Future Outlook/Conclusion/Suggestion
Draw a five year plan for the company which may include
- New Markets
- New Product Lines
- Sources of Finance - IPOs including ADR/ GDR.
- Regulatory Requirements including Listing Requirements
o Annexure
o Bibliography
Option 3 – Join IMI Incubation Foundation and Start Your Own Venture

A student who desires to start his own venture can take project based on his venture. He
will have to submit his business idea as a proposal and if proposal is accepted he will be
required to join IMI Incubation Foundation and register his startup as a LLP / company.
This should happen by mid review. He should be ready with concept note and pitch
document by end of January as part of his final assessment. Students who opt for this option
should have undergone entrepreneurship course being offered in Trimester III.

o Preface
o Acknowledgement
o Declaration
o Executive Summary

SR. NO. PARTICULARS

PART – I Industry Study

1 Growth and Evolution of Industry in India

- Profile
- Demand determination of the Industry
- Players in the Industry
- Distribution channel in the Industry
- Key Issues and Current Trends

2 Industry Analysis: PESTEL Analysis and Michel Porter’s Five Force Model

3 Financial Viability of Chosen Industry

4 Registration of company with ROC

PART – II Product Launch

5 Developing Minimum Viable Product / Service

6 Creating a Team

7 Launching Product and Generating Revenue

8 Making Investors Pitch

o Annexure
o Bibliography
Choosing an Individual Project

The idea for your project may be a proposal from the student. This could be in the following
forms:
 Identification of new opportunity in business.
 A research paper on a suitable research topic related to management aspects.
 Feasibility (economic /social) study of a special project (it could be related to a new
venture/ diversification/production process /infrastructure/social welfare program
like -school, hospital etc.)
 Case study or success stories of the corporate / government organizations/
departments, with a complete evaluation of the project /scheme. This could be
a management decision/ an approach to a management problem/ a new solution to
the existing problem /a new process, a commendable management plan executed,
etc.
 Marketing /production/ Finance /strategy: of a new /established company
/government-controlled manufacturing unit /service provider (new product
/service)
 Evaluation of a past /completed scheme/ approach /strategy / business solution. A
public interest project involving investment from the government with a specific
objective. Assessment /evaluation /monitoring would include the progress made,
achievements, problems faced and solutions for the future.

This is not an exhaustive list but only a suggested list.

Project Proposal

Project proposals covering the following points should be submitted to the PGDM
Programme office on or before August 15, 2019. Project proposal needs to be
submitted with the approval of your Guide.

 Statement of problem/question that you wish to study.

 Brief survey of literature and / or background information.
 Purpose / focus of the study including justification / significance.
 Statement of objectives.
 Methodology (how you plan to go about the study)
 Sources of information and contact points in companies
 Expected output
 Name of faculty guide. It is important that you get the consent of the concerned
guide (Get the faculty Signature).
 Reference / bibliography
 Time Line
Assessment

While choosing a particular topic for a project it is important to fully understand the
components of evaluation. A good project involves a combination of (wherever applicable)
a sound background research, an appropriate methodology, accurate data collection,
implementation, or piece of theoretical work, and a thorough evaluation of the project's
output in both absolute and relative terms.

A ‘good’ project normally covers some new ground either in idea generation, policy
formulation, or evaluation, e.g. by developing a complex application or making a
contribution to the existing pool of knowledge , which does not already exist, or by
enhancing some existing application or method to improve its functionality, performance
etc.

The Project Report

The project report is an extremely important aspect of the project. It is the final
demonstration of the work undertaken. It should sufficiently show the original contribution
and should demonstrate the following:

 The project is an original form of ideas/ thoughts/ analysis/evaluation and makes a

new contribution to the pool of knowledge.
 The choice of the project title itself suggests some thing which has been attempted
for the first time or presents a new perspective.
 The methodology adopted amply demonstrates the application of theoretical and
practical techniques taught in the PGDM Programme.

The panel members who will evaluate this three-credit project have not followed the
project and will only have access to your project report and/ or attend the presentation. For
this reason, they will rely heavily on the project report to judge the project and award you
the grade.

The physical layout and formatting of the report is also important, and yet is very often
neglected. A tidy, well laid out and consistently formatted document makes for easier
reading and is suggestive of a careful and professional attitude towards its preparation.

Some students ask questions like what the ideal length of the report. Remember the basic
principle that quantity does not automatically guarantee quality. A 150 page report is not
twice as good as a 75-page one, nor a 10,000 line implementation twice as good as a 5,000
line one. Conciseness, clarity and elegance are invaluable qualities in report writing, and
deserve to be rewarded appropriately.

Project Assessment

The interim assessment of the project will be undertaken by the assigned project guide at
IMI. However, the final assessment will be completed by the assessment team which is
made up by the faculty project guide and second panelist, who could also be a faculty from
IMI or an external expert who is interested in the subject area. The panel members will
evaluate your report and presentation and agree on a grade.

Grading

The field project will be graded as per the following break up:

1. Project Proposal 20%

2. Interim Report 20%
3. Final Report to be evaluated by Faculty Guide 20%
4. Final Report and Presentation to be evaluated
by Panel Member 40%

All written submission of proposals should be made, typed on quarto bond sheets (1.5
line space) in duplicate.

The stage-wise evaluation criteria would be:

1. Project proposal (20%) – To be done by the faculty Guide

 Adherence to the guidelines for the written proposal
 Logical and systematic presentation and sequencing for ideas
 Specificity of objectives and appropriateness of methodology
 Literature survey, background information/reference
 Relevance and feasibility
 Plan of action with time frame

2. Interim Progress (20%) – To be done by faculty guide. Part I of CP should be

complete and report submitted.

3. Final Report (20% + 40%) – To be done by Faculty Panel

 Overall treatment of the research topic.

 Clarity/consistency in presentation
 Literature survey/background information/bibliography
 Consistency among objectives, hypothesis, if any
 Methodology.
 Data analysis and inferences/conclusions derived.
 Qualitative / quantitative analysis and interpretation.
 Relevance and significance of the research findings.

MOST IMPORTANT:
Each written report (interim / final) will be subjected to rigorous checks including the
use of software to check plagiarism. If it is found that the material has been used from
a source without quoting/ citing the source, the report may be given an ‘F’ grade.
There is standard research norm followed globally and each report should follow
them strictly.
Project Submission Schedule:

1. Project Proposal August 15, 2019

2. Interim Review October 31, 2019
3. Project Presentation January 2020
4. Final Project Report Feb. 15, 2020