FORE School of Management

PGDM – IMG-III

RESEARCH PROJECT- MODUS OPERANDI

Research Project is an important component of the PGDM IMG-III Full Time Programme. In partial
fulfillment of the requirement of Diploma each student has to individually undertake and present a
research project report on an international business related topic/problem.

The project focuses 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 of
one’s the only topics acceptable for evaluation would be those, which are related to theme of IBM.

In case student is able to get online research project through contacts or through the institute they
would be promoted to take up such projects. Once the student has decided the topic he would like to
work on he hast o fill in the Preliminary Form. On the basis of the Core Area of the Project the Area
Chairperson in consultation with their faculty would assign the Internal Guide.

RESEARCH PROJECT – OBJECTIVES AND ASSESSMENT

INTROUDCTION

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A project is a substantial piece of work, normally between 7000-8000 words that gives an account of a
student’s 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 project’s.

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

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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 précising 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

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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 credit of the project is 2 credits. 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.

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 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

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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

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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.

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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 let’s have a look at all the above mentioned points in detail:

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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:

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 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-III

Final Research Project

PRELIMINARY FORM

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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)

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 FORE School of Management

PGDM-IMG-III

Final Research Project

GUIDELINES OF SYNOPSIS

1. Name of the Student_________________________________Roll No._______

2. Particulars of the Guides:
Internal__________________________________________________________

External (if any)___________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

3. Academic Area of the Project________________________________

4. Title of the Project_________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

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 Primary Objectives:
(a) ________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

(b) _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

(c ) _________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Secondary Objectives:

(d ) _________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

(e) _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

Hypothesis (if any)____________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Significance of the Project

__________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

DATA – Nature of data:

Qualitative__________________________________________________

Quantitative__________________________________________________

Sources of Data:

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 Primary_____________________________________________________

Secondary___________________________________________________

Methodology : * Sample
Sampling Techniques _________________

Sample Size ____________________

* Tools & Techniques for primary collection and

their reliability and validity & secondary data

Collection methods.

Primary Data Collection Secondary Data Collection

i __________________ i _____________________

ii ___________________ ii ______________________

iii ___________________ iii ______________________

iv ____________________ iv _____________________

v _____________________ v _____________________

4.6 Frame work for Analysis:

Unit of analysis ____________________________________________

Statistical techniques to be used _____________________________

_________________________________________________________

Any other analysis (describe) ________________________________

5. Limitations of the Project ___________________________________

____________________________________

_____________________________________

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 6. Suggestions for further ____________________________________

____________________________________

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:____________

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