FORE School of Management PGDM IMG-4 RESEARCH PROJECT- MODUS OPERANDI Research Projects are an important component of the

e PGDM IMG-4 Full Time Programme. In partial fulfillment of the requirement of Diploma each student has to individually undertake and present 2 research project reports on an international business related topic/problem. The research projects are for one credit each (in Term 5 and Term 6 ) The projects focus on learning centered management development and the approach is distinct from being taught. Through learning centered approach the guide of that student is to act as a resource and facilitate the development of knowledge, skills and attitudes among the budding managers. While selecting a topic, a student is required to examine the purpose and relevance of the Project of the course one is pursuing and to the industry. It should be noted that irrespective of the functional area the only topics acceptable for evaluation would be those, which are related to theme of IBM. The Institute will allocate the faculty member as a mentor for the research projects to each student. There will be separate mentors for research project one (Term-5) and research project two (Term-6). In case of any area specific help is required by the student, he/she may contact the concerned faculty with the consent of the mentor. RESEARCH PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND ASSESSMENT INTROUDCTION A project is a substantial piece of work, normally between 4000-5000 words that gives an account of a students research into a business or managerial issue and reports the analysis made of the research and the conclusions that are drawn from it. A project should be written primarily for an academic audience. It will be marked by academics. However it should also contain elements that address the concerns of those in organizations whose problems were the subjects of the project. Getting this balance right is one of the skills needed to write a good projects. OBJECTIVES 1. To plan, research and write up a project that improves understanding of a significant managerial, business or organizational matter which, if appropriate, provides recommendations or findings upon which action can be determined. 2. It would require. Focus on a complex and important issue. Undertake a effective and competent primary research Integrate theory and practice.

Incorporate understanding taken from a critical review of the appropriate literature Based on sound analysis and arguments and Be sensitive to the requirements of the different audiences for the project.

The focus of the project is a matter to be decided. It may be on A part of an organization, or a comparison between parts of an organization A single organization A comparison between two or more organizations A study of an industrial or commercial sector A study of a managerial function or profession.

VARIOUS STAGES FOR THE RESEARCH PROJECT Choosing a topic and designing the project Identifying a topic Drafting research objectives Planning the research and the project Writing a critical literature review Searching the literature Summarising and prcising the literature Evaluating key concepts and theories Concepts , conceptual frameworks and theories Defining concepts Drafting conceptual frameworks Theorizing the material Collecting and analyzing research material Choosing and designing research methods Conducting the research Analysing, sorting and classifying the material Interpreting research material and drawing conclusions Honesty of argument and language Interpreting research material Drawing safe conclusions Forming arguments and writing up the project Arguing a thesis as well as writing a project Structuring the project Producing documents in accordance with style guide

THE ASSESSMENT CRITERIA For the PGDM (IMG) students the 2 projects of 1 credit of each. In formal terms students have to show, in their proposals, papers and projects, that they have achieved a number of learning outcomes in order to pass the module. The learning Outcomes. At the completion of this module students will be able to: 1. Define the objectives of a research project and plan a valid and practicable project to meet the objectives. 2. Carry out a critical literature review that provides a structure and focus for the project 3. Define concepts and structure them in ways that give a useful theoretical shape to the project 4. Design and apply appropriate research methods and analyze the research material systematically. 5. Frame and argue for, a clear thesis in the documents and draw conclusions. 6. Write a clearly structured, adequately expressed and well-presented project. Not all the learning outcomes and criteria apply to all the documents. For example the proposal is only assessed against two of the learning outcomes. See the matrix for details. The matrix identifies a number of levels. Most are self-explanatory. The borderline fail level needs explanation however. A student who is marked 46% to 49% is classified as a borderline fail. This indicates that the project would only need relatively minor changes and improvement to bring it up to pass standard. In some programmes it may be possible to show this improvement at a viva voce examination. STRUCTURE YOUR PROJECT You need to plan the chapter structure of your project. A default plan is given below. It is not necessary or obligatory for you to follow this sequence slavishly. Feel free to develop a chapter plan that is relevant to the topic you are writing about. If you are writing a traditional project (i.e. not one based on action research) the following should provide a useful model to follow. Introduction and objectives Explain the focus of the study and its object or purpose

Explain why the study is important and to whom Explain what you want to find out and why Set the scene and describe the context, but not in too much detail. Critical literature review Identify the appropriate academic and /or professional fields Describe the main themes in the literature that are important and useful to your study Identify the connections or discontinuities between the themes in the literature Evaluate and critique the literature. Check whether the ideas you wish to use are robust enough Challenge the assumptions Question whether the literature might mean something other that it say it means. The conceptual framework Using material from the previous chapter produce working definitions of the main concepts you will use in your study. If possible from them into a conceptual framework, theory or hypothesis to be tested. Research methodology and methods Discuss the nature of the questions you are asking and choose an appropriate methodological stance for answering them. Describe, explain and justify the research methods you are using Describe the practical and technical aspects of conducting the research Presentation and analysis of findings. Describe what you found out and what it means. Refer back to the literature review and your conceptual framework Use the literature to interrogate and evaluate your research material and vice versa Presentation and analysis may require several chapters; e.g. One chapter for presentation and one for analysis Several chapters, each presenting a different case study and so on. Conclusions and recommendations

Summarize the main argument, otherwise known as the thesis, of the project Either discuss the validity and reliability of the findings and arguments or reflectively critique the account provided in the project Frame the conclusions, and recommendations if appropriate. Discuss any issues concerning the implementation of the conclusions or any recommendations. REPORT WRITING Your Project Report should be neatly typed/printed on A4 Size white paper leaving an equal margin on all four sides. Avoid using colored sheets to make it look fancy or jazzy. You may use colored sheets only to separate the sections of your Report or also for clear presentation of Pie Charts etc. But in case you have the choice of getting the same on a color printer, then avoid using colored sheets. TITEL PAGE: This page will carry the :Name of the Project (at the top of the page or in the Centre of the page), Your Name, Roll No. Batch No, (at the bottom of the page) along with the name of FSM, New Delhi. CERTIFICATE: A Declaration from your Research Guide approving of the work you have done.

CONTENT PAGE: This page will be giving the details of the Topics and appropriate page number in your Project Report. Acknowledgements Executive Summary Introduction Conceptual Framework Research Methodology Data Collection Analysis and Interpretation Conclusions Recommendations Appendix And before we go further lets have a look at all the above mentioned points in detail: Acknowledgements Executive Summary One/two pages giving an overview of the entire project giving the description of the project, data collected, analysis carried out its outcome, conclusion, recommendations, etc (only give highlights) Introduction Project objectives, description of problems/organization/situation etc. and approach

Conceptual Framework The relevant theoretical matter which is the basis of the Project Work to highlight the concepts. Their relevance to the topic and their implications. Methodology Data Collected: How the Project was Executed, Planning and Testing of the Hypothesis, Developing Questionnaire, Validation of Data Collected with the objective of the Project. Analysis of the Findings/Data and Techniques Used: Validation of Results

Conclusions: It should primarily talk about what decision you have made on the basis of the data you have collected etc. Recommendation This is the part where you have to be very cautious and before making any recommendations please make sure that they are feasible and are realistic. Appendix Tables, Statistical, Analysis of Data, Questionnaire.

FORE School of Management PGDM-IMG-4 Final Research Project Term 5/6 PRELIMINARY FORM Name of the Student : _________________________

Roll Number

_________________________

Academic Area of the project IB, Marketing/Finance/HR/IT Operations/Economics Title of the Project

_________________________

_________________________

_________________________

Date:

(Signature of the Student)

Research Guide

_______________________

Date:

(Signature of Research Guide)

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the Project Report entitled ________________________________________________________________ submitted by ____________________________________Roll No.__________________________PGDM IMG in part fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the PGDM(IBM). This Report is the result of his/her own work and to the best of my knowledge no part of it has earlier comprised any other Report, monograph , dissertation or book. This Project was carried out under my overall guidance.

Date:____________