Project Guide Lines For Students of Master of Business Administration

KSR School of Management Summer
project work guidelines

June
-July 2007
Summer project work guidelines
Project guide Lines for Students of Master of Business

Administration
Prepared by
Prof.K.Prabhakar
1
June
-July 2007
KSR College of Technology,

KSR Kalvinagar,
Tiruchengodu-637209
Namakkal DT
Tamilnadu
India
Guidelines to do Summer Project Work for 1st year MBA

Students
Safeport
This write up provides you some of the guidelines that are
provided to be based on faculty experience. However, in the
part two you will be given some more ideas.
Introduction
The overall objective of project work is to experience the way in which
organizations function is given environment. The keyword is
experience. Experience has two dimensions.
1. i. Understand the industry in which the organizations operate.
ii. The business model of the organization
iii. Understand particular functional area such as Marketing,
Finance, HR, etc.
2. i. Apply knowledge of research methodology to analyze the
problems or issues faced by organizations
2
June
-July 2007

ii. Understand how various principles you have learned during
one year of course work is applied in the real time business world.
iii. Learn the changes that are taking place in the business world.
One question that immediately comes to your mind. Is it possible
for me?
To experience all these in 40 days. Experience with

students who have successfully completed project work indicate
that project work period will be fulfilling the experience if certain
guidelines are followed.
1. The project is divided into three phases

i. Pre-project interface
ii. Interface during the project
iii. Interface after the project
Each of the time periods is very important.

Phase I
It is requesting for a project work you will be raising certain

expectations from the organizations.
The expectations are generally based on
1. The institute you come from
2. Your competencies
3. References given by you
4. Personal interview attended by you.
At all the stages, honestly, integrity, good presentation of
self is very important. In the case of 2006 batch institute have
provided a platform for students for interface the project
confirmation are based on request of the institute, thus there is
very little interaction with you. Therefore you have to be well
prepared to graduate into II phase with uncertainty in
expectation from that of organizations.
3
June
-July 2007
Case II
You will be entering into phase II from 20th July 2007.

1. Preparation at home. Some of you are going outstation for
project work, please ensure your train & bus tickets.
2. Find out the name & contact number of the person to whom you
have to report.
3. Inform in advance if possible of your arrival. Dress code of plain
shirt with shoe, tie and clan shave has to be adhered.
Your first interface should project the following traits.
1. Show patience, organizations have to cater to all stakeholders
and yours will be last as the purpose of organization is value
addition. This does not mean that you are unimportant; your
work comes last in the important things to be done.
2. The project work is an additional responsibility undertaken by
organization; therefore don’t expect organizations or the person
in charge to respond to you immediately. Some time you may
have to wait more than 3 hours or even 1 day. This doesn’t mean
that organization is not need of you. It only indicates that they
have different priorities. However you will be observed during
entire phase of waiting.
Things to do
Sit in the reception and go through book on research

methodology, Hindu Industrial Survey and printout of website
relating to organization. If you find a newspaper you can read it. But
read them with all pages intact, while sitting posture don’t sit like
cross legs, crouching position, anxiety, intolerance for delay,
constantly going out and talk with your friends through cell phone
or talking to the other stranger in the reception or talking with your
other friends in low or high voices. All these activities indicate you
are not yet become professional. Do not disturb the receptionist by
asking questions. However, do not disappear and come after two to
4
June
-July 2007

three hours. When the manager wants to meet you, you may not be
there. You lost a chance to impress people about your character.
Phase III
In phase III you will be working towards meeting expectations of

organizations. The general question is “What is the Topic?” for project
work. Two kinds of situation you will face. Organizations give you a
Topic or they will ask you to choose the topic in both the cases please
prepare a list of topics which you will think of completing. If it is
marketing have a list of not less than 15 to 20 different topics.
Similarly in HR. For HR topics please refer to training instruments by
Udhai Pareek and T.V.Rao another question you will face is “What are
all the statistical tools you will be using to analyze the data. Please
inform them that you can use both parametric and non parametric
test. You will also be using multi dimensional scaling techniques
wherever appropriate. When a topic is given to you, it will be in
business terms for example in an organization like Pepsi they may like
to know various local brands sold in Erode District. You have converted
this into “Purposive investigation”. In order to convert the business
problems into researchable topics you have to go for further analysis.
First you should know the different local brands which are competing
with Pepsi eliminate brand that are not direct competition with Pepsi
(is Paneer Soda a competitor for Pepsi?) Once you identify various
brands through a quick survey from retailers then decide a rough title.
This title may undergo change once you decide on the objectives and
scope of objectives. You have to think for sometime and write down all
your ideas in a book that you are carrying remember you are a
professional. Write, Correct, Iterate, Incubate, Create this is how you
have to go through out the process. Once a business problem is
identified the topic reflecting your research and addressing
organizations’ need. Go to next Phase of research. What approach do
you think that you are adopting. We are adopting a funnel approach.
Start with broad ideas and then focusing on to specific and business
problems and issues.
5
June
-July 2007
The project report writing to a large extend should reflect your thinking
process. The following format is suggested for you for synopsis to be
submitted on 15th July 2006 to your guide. (Read various data,
understand and then write. Don’t reproduce given in the book or in the
text.)
Title: ______________________________________________
The first title you arrive at need not be the final title. You can change e
as you progress during the project.
Contents
1. Industry Profile
Please go through Hindu Industrial Survey 2007.Pertaining
to the Industry. In which the business organization operates. You
have to use your discussion carefully, if you are working in
automobiles spare parts organizations do touch up on automobile
Industry, However as a rule of thumb 75 to 80 of your industrial
profile should be automobile spare parts industry. Visit various
websites such as www.about.com. If you want to go through various
research reports please go through www.ssrn.com. Be
comprehensive while talking about industry and write about
industry of understanding all the dimensions about industry.
Please find at lest ten major companies in your industry and in the
international market. Write a brief write up on what happened for
the past three years and what is in store for three years for the
6
June
-July 2007

industry. Identify at least three; Indian CEOs and three international
CEO’ and find their views about industry. You can use your CMIE
Data Base in the college. You can have photographs of the CEO’s,
being copied.
2. Organizations Profile
Please go through past balance sheets, organization’s
website, press reports and all other data pertaining to the organization.
CMIE data base in the institute will help you to a large extent to
achieve better Use Mckensey 7s framework to understand the
organization and prepare the brief report. This part will help you to
understand your organization in the context of present business
situation. (Do not use this as filler. That is trying to fill up pages
before the deadline for the project work). Keep a log of what ever
you are doing everyday. It will help you where you are and what you
are likely to achieve.
3. Need for Study

You have to explain what “Value addition” you will be
doing for the organization. You are working 35 clear working days
for project work. Your effort, understanding and value addition
to the organization by answering specific questions will provide
better experience for you.
4. Literature Survey.
This part is mandatory. However it will be a good idea
includes information in the project work. However don’t exceed five
pages. If you are doing research on motivation you may
include latest research on motivation as literature survey.
5. Objectives of study
You have to be precise while writing your objectives and
should reflect the research you are going to undertake. Restrict
yourself not more than 3 objectives, however two will be ideal.
7
June
-July 2007
6. Scope of objectives
In the process of achieving you objectives you will also be
undertaking certain other tasks which are important. You
may include them under scope of objectives.
7. Research Methodology
• Research Objectives
• Types of Research Design
• Data ( primary and secondary)
• Research Instrument (if it is a questionnaire, you have to
write what type of questionnaire. However, do not assume
always that you need to have questionnaire to start the
research. One of the greatest sins you will commit is to
think designing questionnaire to start your research will
convent your research putting cart before the horse.)
Always remember that you need not have questionnaire to
do research. You have different methods and use them to
enrich your thought process.
• Research Plan
8. Sample Design
• Sample Unit
• Sample frame
• Time and Place
• Type of sampling
• Sample Size. Determine using methods thought to you in
Research Methodology.
9. Analysis of the study
10. Findings
8
June
-July 2007

11. Suggestions & Recommendations
12. Appendices
13. Bibliography
Remarks
Do not write history of statistical tools what you have to

write is what appropriate tools you have used and reason for using
the tools please cross tabulate your data in order to further
understanding. From the synopsis to your final report constantly
fine tune your project report. It will be rich experience for you to
cherish.
Some observations
• Be enthusiastic to listen, to learn, to talk
• Be curious
• Be honest
• Show your integrity
• Define your body language
• Make a statement
WHAT YOU SHOULD NOT DO

• Trying to take breaks while doing project ( you cannot have
holidays during your project work)
• Trying to miscommunication with organizations by telling that
institute wants a review. We are sending your schedule of
project report to all the organizations. You do not have any
reviews in between.
• While taking to the organization personnel do not degrade
your institute or teachers by making statements that are
reduce your self image.
• Talking negative and trying to be certain about everything. No
organization or person likes negative talk and people who ask
too may question to be certain of everything.
9
June
-July 2007

• Let me give some examples
1) I want marketing project, I am in a finance organization. Do
not ask the manager this question. You are going to an
organization to know its business and business do not have
functional silos. However, ask questions relating to your
project, show enthusiasm. Smile, enjoy hard work.
2) If some urgent work is to be done by the organization, do it
willingly. For example the office has no power and your
manager finds that the electricity bill is not paid, volunteer to
do the task. MBA is not management by arrogance. Never
show that this is not my work. You will be surprised to know
that there is no work as not your work. The organizations are
boundary less organizations.
3) Do not take campus culture to organization. Leave letters,
excuses, concessions etc. Inculcate organizations culture and
come to institute with all ideas to change the way in which
you work in institute. Share experience with your classmates
and teachers. It is an opportunity to professionalize with you.
4) Wear your tie and go to organization. Some organizations
have informal environment. They may not insist on your
attire. That does not mean that you go with casuals.
FAQs
1. Should I do project in area of my specialization?

Though it is not mandatory, it is desirable. It provides you
focus.
2. Is it possible to go home during project work?

It is last thing you will do, it will mar you your prospect of
your good career.
3. What type of tools I have used in HR Project?

Please go through “Training Instruments in HRD and OD,
Second Edition by Udai Pareek”.
10
June
-July 2007

4. Please carry the following when you go to organization.
• Your recent Photographs
• Your CV
• A pad / notebook / pen
4. Is the format suggested for all type of projects?

Yes, to a large extend. For a finance project you may have
to modify the format.
5. What these guidelines give you?

The guidelines given above talks about the content of your
project report. It will not talk about firm. For preparing the final
draft adhere to the guidelines given above.
6. If I get another project, Can I change the project?

No, it is not right
7. Take note of your guide’s email. Do not disturb him or her on
cell phone. He may not know the context of your problem. Give
detailed account of your problem and ask for correct questions.
8) When you are staying outside Erode, keep in touch with your
other colleagues, exchange thoughts.
These guidelines are available in
www.scribd.com . You can make changes
suggest suitable ideas. You have to go the site
and search for “Project guide Lines for Students of Master
of Business Administration”.
There is created for students of MBA. You can copy modify,
share or exchange with others.
Here with I am including the questions asked by students and
provided some thoughts.
Dear Varun,
Do not get desperate. Electronic Human Resource System.
with the limited information you have given
11
June
-July 2007

1) you can do the present status analysis which can be
called as
as situation analysis
This will be relating to
1) Recruitment
2) Selection
3) Training and Development
4) Promotion
5) Separation
Please prepare how these particular processes are being done
now. Then find ways and means of doing it by E-HRM. Such as
how you are recruitment can be made electronically. Similarly
the evaluation process also can be done electronically.
Please send me further details if the suggestions are helpful.
You can find better ways of deploying E-HRM and cost savings
and effectiveness due to deployment of e-hrm.
Yours sincerely,
KPrabhakar
Posted by varun
Dear Sir,
i am Varun.I'm doing summer internship in Bharti Airtel Ltd
ltd.my summer training duration is 2 months.right now i'm
having only 10 days to submmit the final project report on
electronic human resource system.Sir, i am not able to find the
best method of preparing the report whether i gone through
the hr policies of the company but m not getting that what i
shud put up in my project report.please guide me for this asap
Thanking you
With Regards
Varun
Dear Nitin Sharma,
12
June
-July 2007

Please accept my apology for not replying with in 48 hours,
which i generally do for my students. One of the most
important area that you can do is the ROI on R and D. R and D
expenditure comparison with that of the advanced countries
and you can provide cost benefit analysis of doing research in
India. These are the few thoughts that i got now. If you still
feel that i have to elaborate please do inform me.
Yours sincerely,
Prof.K.Prabhakar
Dear Nidhi Kochar,
Greetings. Please accept my apology for not replying within 48
hours as i generally do for my students.
Organizational climate; Motivational Analysis of Organizations-
Atmosphere was developed by Dr.Udai Pareek. MAO-
Atmosphere was developed to study organizational
atmosphere, which is defined as the perceived effectiveness of
organizational climate. It is proposed in terms of six motives
and ten organizational processes. The instrument has 120
items and validated for our Indian organizations. You can use
Prareek ,Udai Training Instruments in HR and OD Published by
Tata Macgrahill Second Edition. The instrument is given in the
chapter 97 page 774. However, you can use the instrument
and obtain results. The key value that you add for the study is
how you interpret the data. Use cross tabulation, based on
age, gender, number of years of service and various other
related phenomenon. Indicate in which are the functional areas
in which you are going to do the project. In an organization we
can have different cultures depending on different factors.
Please share you thoughts.
Yours sincerely,
Prof.K.Prabhakar
kprksr@gmail.com
Dear Mohit Mehta,
Greetings. It really nice to know that you have got a really
exiting project. Since you have time and numbers you can use
time series to predict the likely sale for the month of June.
13
June
-July 2007

However, if you you have if you send me the data i will try to
suggest few methods.
Yours sincerely,
Prof.K.Prabhakar
kprksr@gmail.com
Posted by kprabhakar975 1 day ago Delete
Dear Amit Himanshi Tiwari,
Greetings. The general format is times new roman of font size
12. Since i do not know the your research objectives my
suggestions is a general format.Since time availble is short for
you please leave the areas that you have not done and may
include in your final project work. However, I will attempt to
provide some answers.
You can go through Retailers Association of India Web site and
get good grasp of the subject.
The format i can suggest for you is
1) Industry Profile ( you can provide the trends in Indian Retail

Industry. Please go through the website of www.ibef.org one
of the most authentic sources on Industry data)
2) Organization Profile ( you can write about Reliance
Industries)
3)Need for study. In this you can explain why out of all the
topics yo have chosen Profiling of Reliance Fresh. You should
be able the question what you want to achieve and what you
mean by profiling.
4) Objectives of study State your objectives in clear term not
more than two to three statements.
5) Scope of objectives: In the process of your study, if you
have identified some areas that need to be studied please
include here.
5) Limitations of study: Here you can state the limitations of
your study
6) If you have developed a set of hypotheses you can provide
them here.
7) Research Methodology
14
June
-July 2007

Clearly state your research objectives. They are derived from
your objectives of study.
In order to solve the problem in hand you should first find
various secondary data.
The secondary data has to be complemented with your primary
data. Therefore write what all the data sources that you have
collected and source of primary data.
the next area is what type of research, is it exploratory,
descriptive or conclusive. Please remember, in conclusive
research you may have to test your hypotheses and should
facilitate decision.
Next is what are the research tools you use to reach you
objectives have to be given.
Generally in most of the research we use questionnaire
method.( you should be knowing the four different types of
questionnaires) However, there are other methods such as
focus group interviews, word association tests generally not
being used in summer project. I suggest usage of such tools
that provide better insights in to the data.
Sampling Methodology
1) Sample Unit (please indicate Geographic dimension such as

Mumbai north or Maharashtra)
2) Sample Framework
3) Sample Size ( please go through research methodology book
to have an idea on how to reach as sample size)
4) Sampling method.
(If your research is based on random sampling please indicate
what type of random sampling you have used).
Research Plan
Here you can give the plan you have done for the research in a
flow diagram.
Analysis and Interpretation
Please give a table for each of the questions. The table
heading is very important.
15
June
-July 2007

For each of the item provide a interpretation. Use the word
such as from the table we can discern a better word used in
research.
Cross tabulations
Here you do the cross tabulation of data and test all
hypotheses you have developed.
Insights
This is a new heading I am suggesting. Most of the
organizations, feel that Research is not providing the needed
insights. You have to drill through your data in order to
develop insights. Soon I will be writing some examples of
developing insights.
Findings
In the findings section, write all your inferences and test of
hypotheses.
First write all the inferences. Find their connectivity. Then
provide an overall picture of your findings.
Suggestions and Recommendations
Here provide suggestions and recommendations based on your
research, insights you have developed. Never do the mistakes
of providing generic suggestions such as you have to improve
advertisement. It carries no meaning unless you answer the
question how, when, where, what, out come expected.
You can be innovative
Here use your knowledge, the research you have done and the
insights you gained.
Conclusion
You can conclude in one single page what is the problem and
what is your suggestion
Implementation by Organizations
You can give here all the information on suggestions given by
you and implemented by organization. If possible provide the
benefit received by organization.
16
June
-July 2007

Annexure
Bibliography
Websites
Posted by Amit Himanshi Tiwari 2 days ago
Dear Sir, i am Amit.I'm doing summer internship in Reliance
industries ltd.my summer training duration is 2 months.right
now I’m having only 12 days to submit the final project report
on area profiling of relince fresh outlets.in area profiling I have
done analysis on close competitors, market analysis,
demographic analysis (income, ethinicity etc).so plz tell me
how can i formalize my project work to MS word
formate.please give me exact idea about the format.
Thanking you
With Regards
Amit
Posted by Amit Himanshi Tiwari 2 days ago Delete
Dear Sir,
i am Amit.I'm doing summer internship in Reliance industries
ltd.my summer training duration is 2 months.right now i'm
having only 12 days to submit the final project report on area
profiling of relince fresh outlets.in area profiling I have done
analysis on close competitors, market analysis, demographic
analysis (income, ethinicity etc).so plz tell me how can i
formalize my project work to MS word formate.please give me
exact idea about the format.
Posted by Mohit Mehta,
Dear Sir,
Thank u very much for starting something innovative like this.
I think this can help the students a lot.
I'm student of MBA, doing project in Reliance Communications.

I need a help from your side, the topic is competitive analysis.
I have the sales record for all the franchisee of reliance for last
six months and want to forecast which one will do best in this
month June. How can i track that please help?
17
June
-July 2007
Best Regards
MohitDear Sir ,
I m Nidhi Kochar nd doing my MBA frm Manav Rachna College
Of Eng Faridabad.I m doing my summer training frm Escorts nd
my project is HRD Climate Survey of companies plz help me
give me some guidelines .thanking you
Yours Sincerely
Nidhi Kochar
Posted by nitin sharma, (not registered) 5 days ago Delete
Dear Sir,
I m Nitin Sharma doing MBA from Noida Institute Of eng. And
Tech. Greater Noida. I m doing my summer training in Ranbaxy
R&D, Gurgaon I want to Make My Project in finance But I m Not
decide my topic on which i make my project pls help me for
select a topic in finance on R&D i want ur suggetion for Topic
Thanking you
your sincerely,
Nitin Sharma.
Posted by kprabhakar975 6 days ago Delete
I will be too glad to hlep you Rutuja. However, to prepare the
HR manual you have to do an audit on present practices and
policies. You have to have a good idea about vision,
mission,goals of the organization. Generally you may find them
in writing. You may have to infer. Please give details of your
organization(tell the organization that it will be confidential
and will be sent only to a Professor for academic purpose) to
my email kprksr@gmail.com. Similarly, iwill also send you
details on how to prepare a HR Manual for you.
You got an excellent opportunity
to work on an area that is challenging and will help you in
future.
Wishing you all the best
Yours sincerely,
Prof.K.Prabhakar
18
June
-July 2007

Posted by Rutuja , (not registered) 6 days ago Delete
Dear Sir,
I am Ms.Rutuja Deshmukh Studying PGDM+MPM at
Vishwakarma Institute of Management,Pune. Currently I am
doing my Summer project at Newtech Engi. Co., Pune.The
company has no HR dept. so they have given us a chance to
prepare a HR manual for them. Could you pls give us any
guidelines for that.
Thanking You.Hoping your favour.
Yours sincerely,
Rutuja Deshmukh.
19

Project Guide Lines For Students of Master of Business Administration

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Project Guide Lines For Students of Master of Business Administration

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

KSR School of Management Summer

project work guidelines

Summer project work guidelines