Higher Colleges of Technology

Integrative Industry Project

Task One Instructions and Guidelines for Students

Task One: Project Proposal and Plan 10% Week 3

Will you choose Option A or Option B?

Option A

Identify a real company that you are able to visit and where you will be able to collect primary data for analysis.
The final Research Paper for Option A requirement is 6000 – 8000 words.

Option B

Identify a local or international company that you will be able to research on the internet where you will be able
to obtain secondary data for analysis. The final Research Paper for Option B requirement is 8000 – 10000 words.

Task Instructions

Write a detailed proposal to explain what your research project will cover together with a plan
to show how you plan to complete the project.

The proposal should include:

 Details of your chosen industry with reasons for choice.

 Full details of the chosen organisation.
 A simple SWOT analysis of your chosen industry and/or organisation to highlight the factors
that influenced the choice of your issue or challenge.
 Details of specifically what you are going to research to include a clear problem statement
and at least two research objectives.
 Details of the proposed research activities and methodology.
 A detailed plan that identifies various tasks to be completed and how you think you will
approach the tasks with deadlines.
 Identification of at least three relevant Course Learning Outcomes from any semester seven
or semester eight courses that you will integrate into this project.

The proposal should be written in HCT report format and if necessary, referenced using APA
format. You should also submit the document to Safe Assign on Black Board Learn.

This task should be 1000 words and should be submitted by the end of Week 3.

See separate marking rubric

 Higher Colleges of Technology
Integrative Industry Project
Task One Instructions and Guidelines for Students

Task One Guidelines The Project Proposal

How to select a research topic
Your first step is to select a research topic within your area of interest. Your instructor may ask
you to select up to three good ideas which will be narrowed down after discussions with your
instructor. In order to have a good research topic, it must be:

Criteria Description
Option A: you need to consider if you will be able to get your primary
research done first hand and therefore you need to keep your sample
and sources within easy access. Contact the identified company.
1. Local
Option B: you need to consider how much information and data will be
available on the internet. Are there any other sources?
Do not choose Government Departments unless you are sure you can
get information from them, i.e. Government Departments are not happy
2. Researchable about giving out information to students so unless you have a lot of
influence or connections within these departments, please be aware
that getting data will/may be difficult
Make sure that your idea is as focused as possible. For example, here is a
very general idea - "Emiratisation in the UAE". To narrow a topic like
this, ask questions like "who do I want to focus on?" The options in this
case would be either private or government sector, or any industry. To
3. Specific make it more manageable, you may want to research the Level of
Emiratisation in the Banks in UAE. If this is the case, you need to further
narrow this down to a particular company. After further narrowing the
topic, your final idea may be something like “The effect of Emiratisation
on HSBC and the Banking Industry" which makes it very specific.

After selecting your local, researchable and specific research ideas, submit your idea(s) to your
instructor for approval. All research ideas, proposals and reports must be original!
 Higher Colleges of Technology
Integrative Industry Project
Task One Instructions and Guidelines for Students

Task One Guidelines The SWOT Analysis

You need to complete a simple SWOT analysis of your chosen organisation. SWOT analysis is a tool for
auditing an organization and its environment. SWOT is the first stage of project planning and helps to
focus on key issues. This will help you to identify potential areas for your research.

SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. SWOT is a common
methodology used by many businesses for strategic and annual planning, product introductions, and
competitive analysis. A traditional SWOT compares internal factors to external factors, the revised
SWOT focuses on comparing the current situation to a potential future situation.

 Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors. Things that the company can control and
change if necessary. Key areas internal to a company’s performance would be: organizational
performance, internal processes, customers, finances, products. List all strengths that exist
now. Then in turn, list all weaknesses that exist now. Be realistic.

 Opportunities and threats are external factors. Things outside the company’s control.
External factors would include such areas as: Changes in the industry, in which the company
operates, and Economic, Political, Legal, Social, Technological, Industry, Demographic, and
Environmental.

Simple rules for successful SWOT analysis

 Be realistic about the strengths and weaknesses of your organization when
conducting SWOT analysis.
 SWOT analysis should distinguish between where your organization is today (strengths and

weaknesses), and where it could be in the future (opportunities and threats).

 SWOT should always be specific. Avoid grey areas.

 Always apply SWOT in relation to your competition i.e. better than or worse than your

competition.
 Keep your SWOT short and simple. Avoid complexity and over analysis.

Once key issues have been identified with your SWOT analysis, they feed into your research plan.
 Higher Colleges of Technology
Integrative Industry Project
Task One Instructions and Guidelines for Students

How to classify items found in a SWOT Analysis

POSITIVE/ HELPFUL NEGATIVE/ HARMFUL
to achieving the goal to achieving the goal
Strengths Weaknesses
INTERNAL Origin Things that are good now, maintain Things that are bad now, remedy,
facts/ factors of the them, build on them and use as change or stop them.
organization leverage

Opportunities Threats
EXTERNAL Origin Things that are good for the future, Things that are bad for the future,
facts/ factors of the prioritize them, capture them, build put in plans to manage them or
environment in on them and optimize counter them
which the
organization
operates

Strengths and Weaknesses will be in areas such as:

 People
 Resources
 Ideas/ Innovation
 Marketing
 Operations (products services etc.)
 Finance

Questions to Ask

 Strengths
 What do we do well?
 Is there anything you do better than most? Better than anyone else?
 Weaknesses
 What should be improved?
 Higher Colleges of Technology
Integrative Industry Project
Task One Instructions and Guidelines for Students

 What do we do poorly?
 What should you avoid, based on mistakes in the past?

Opportunity and Threat analysis is usually broken down into environmental factors and
competitors, including:

Environmental Factors Competitor Factors

 Demographics  Capability  Prices

 Economic  Resources  Promotion
 Political/legal  Ownership  Distribution
 Sociological  New entrants  Substitute
 Environmental  Market products
 Technology segments  Product life
 Cultural  Product cycle

Questions to Ask

 Opportunities
 Where can we find, or create, a competitive advantage?
 What are some of the major trends in your business?
 Consolidation / Diversification?
 Specialization / Generalization?
 Changes in technology such as computer software that lets you perform
services that others cannot.
 Changes in the types of businesses in your potential market, such as the
demand for healthcare or telecommunications expertise.
 Changes in social patterns, population profiles, lifestyle.
 Changes in creative trends.
 Changes in demand for certain types of services, perhaps related to
Internet.
 Higher Colleges of Technology
Integrative Industry Project
Task One Instructions and Guidelines for Students

 Threats
 What obstacles do we face?
 What are our competitors doing that may result in a loss of clients, customers,
market share?
 Are the required specifications for your job, products or services changing?
 Is changing technology threatening our position?
 Do we have cash-flow problems?

In summary:
 Strengths need to be maintained and built upon.
 Weaknesses need to be remedied, changed or stopped.
 Opportunities need to be prioritized, captured, built on and optimized.
 Threats need to be countered or minimized and managed.

(References - http://www.marketingteacher.com/starbucks-swot/,
http://rapidbi.com/swotanalysis/ and http://www.marketingteacher.com/swot-analysis-
marketing-tools-from-marketing-teacher/
 Higher Colleges of Technology
Integrative Industry Project
Task One Instructions and Guidelines for Students

Example of a SWOT analysis for Starbucks Coffee

Mission Statement: ‘To inspire and nurture the human spirit— one person, one cup, and one
neighbourhood at a time.'

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
 Very profitable organization, with  Weak new product development
earning over $600 million from over the past few years.
revenue of more than $5,000 million  Too reliant on USA for market with
in 2004. over 75% of their cafes located in the
 Global brand built upon a reputation home market.
for fine products and services. It has  The organization is too dependent
almost 9000 cafes in almost 40 on one main competitive advantage,
countries. the retail of coffee. They have been
 Market presence in bookshops and slow to diversify into other sectors.
hospitals.  Viewed as too expensive when
 Fortune Top 100 Companies to Work compared to competitors such as
For in 2005. The company is a Duncan Donuts and McDonald’s.
respected employer that values its
workforce.
 Strong ethical values and an ethical
mission statement as
follows, 'Starbucks is committed to a
role of environmental leadership in all
facets of our business.'
OPPORTUNITIES THREATS
 Developing markets, India, China and  McDonald’s and Duncan Donuts
Middle East provide an opportunity are offering ‘copycat’ products
for expanding global operations. at lower prices.
 Co-branding with other  Market for specialty coffee is
manufacturers of food and drink, and slowing.
brand franchising to manufacturers of  Financial crisis has many
other goods and services both have customers in USA
potential. unable/unwilling to buy
expensive coffee drinks.
 Starbuck coffee drinkers
associated with excess spending.
 Rising cost of coffee and dairy
products.
 Higher Colleges of Technology
Integrative Industry Project
Task One Instructions and Guidelines for Students

Task One Guidelines - The Project Plan

Research Design and Plan Guidelines

Your proposal and plan should include the following headlines and content:

Introduction

The specific aim is a formal statement of the objectives and milestones of a research project.

The purpose of this section is to clearly and concisely describe what the proposed research is
intended to accomplish.

Should include specific research objectives.

Objectives should be obtainable within the proposed timeframe.

Study should be well-focused rather than broad and diffuse.

Background and Significance

The background and significance section states the research problem including the proposed
rationale, current state of knowledge and potential contributions and significance of the
research to the field.

Thorough background on the company/industry under study.

Specify existing gaps that the project is intended to fill.

Discussion should convey the importance and relevance of the research aims.

Highlight potential policy or practice impacts.

Preliminary Studies

Summary and evaluation of existing knowledge, including background literature and relevant
data you have collected already. Answer the question “what have we done so far?”
 Higher Colleges of Technology
Integrative Industry Project
Task One Instructions and Guidelines for Students

Research Design and Methods

The purpose of the research design and methods section is to describe how the research will be
carried out. This section is critical for demonstrating that you have developed a clear, organized
and thoughtful study design.

Should provide an overview of the proposed design and conceptual framework.

Study goals should relate to proposed study hypotheses.

Include details related to specific methodology; explain why the proposed methods are the best
to accomplish study goals.

Describe any concepts, approaches, tools or techniques.

Include a summary of relevant primary and secondary resources you will use for the project and
how they relate to the achieving your objectives.

Include details of how data will be collected and results analyzed.

Include proposed work plan and timeline.

Consider and discuss potential limitations and alternative approaches to achieve study aims.

Each research method has strengths and weaknesses. Refer to Task Three Guidelines for the
different types of research available. When designing a research study it is important to decide
what data is required then select the best methodology to gather that desired information.

Note: Don't feel that you are bound by your planning document. Through the course of the
project, you may come to realize that you cannot get the information in the way you expected,
or that you require different information. Your final paper and presentation will not be graded
on the basis of what you put down as your proposed plan unless you change everything in the
project plan.
 Higher Colleges of Technology
Integrative Industry Project
Task One Instructions and Guidelines for Students

Task One Guideline – Writing The Project Plan

A project plan is going to be useful in a number of ways

First and foremost, it will define and focus your objective using appropriate information and
analysis.

Your project plan can uncover omissions and/or weaknesses in your planning process.

You can use the plan to get opinions and advice from people, including those in your field of
business, who will freely give you invaluable advice.

The project plan should answer the following questions.

What do you intend to do (Objectives)?

Why is the work important? What is current situation (Background and Significance)?

What research will you do (primary and secondary)? How will you do it? (surveys, focus group,
observation)?

The only question remaining is when. This is covered by your proposed timetable.

Possible structure for your project plan:

 Preliminary Studies

We began by conducting a search on… (a summary of what you have done so far)

 Research Methodology
 Primary Sources

List all the primary sources you intend to interview including name, title, position, company,
qualifications, etc.

 Secondary Sources

List all the secondary sources you intend to investigate further

o Journal Articles
 Higher Colleges of Technology
Integrative Industry Project
Task One Instructions and Guidelines for Students

Examples:

Werner F. Ebke, Legal Implications of Germany’s Reunification, 24 Int’l Law, 1130 (1990)
(Marquette Law Library), available at http://www.lexisnexis/lawschool.com (last visited
Oct. 4, 2003).

Dorothy Ames Jeffers, Resolving Rival Claims on East German Property Upon German
Unification, 101 Yale L. J. 527 (1991)(Marquette Law Library), available at
http://www.lexisnexis/lawschool.com (last visited Oct. 4, 2003).

o News Sources

Examples:

German Business Scope, available at http://www.lawschool.westlaw.com under

“International Legal Materials,” under “Europe and UK,” under “News and Business”
(last visited Oct. 4, 2003).

o Electronic Resources

Examples:

Bundes der Justiz – The Homepage of the German Ministry of Justice:

http://www.bmj.bund.de/

Timetable of Research
Include dates, times, person(s) conducting interview, method of interview, etc. An optional
layout is included below however you are free to choose whichever design you wish.

Example:
Timetable of Research
Week Methodology Date/Time
Week 4-5 Secondary; Global Issues

Online Articles

HCT Database
 Higher Colleges of Technology
Integrative Industry Project
Task One Instructions and Guidelines for Students

Journals
Week 6 Secondary; Company Issues

Company publications

Industry Specific SHRM, CIPD

Publications
Week 6-8 Primary;

Personal Interview (1) Ex: Chairman of 1000 on 7/09

DEWA
Personal Interview (2) etc. 1100 – 4/10
CEO of FEWA
Cont….

 References

Follow APA guidelines.

 Research Design and Planning Advice

http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/esstplan.htm