The Nottingham MBA The Management Project Phase Bob Berry BSc(Econ), MSc, PhD. Boots Professor of Accounting & Finance, Director, MBA Programmes, NUBS.

INTRODUCTION RHB UK 19 th March 2010 Everyone is required to complete a management project. You must achieve a minimum mark of 50% in your management project. The management project is 60 credits whereas a module is a mere 10! RHB Singapore 23 rd May 2009

GENERAL AREA RHB UK 19 th March 2010 If you are doing the General MBA you can select from a wide range of topics. If you are doing the Finance MBA you must select a topic appropriate to the variant. Think about the module titles and contents.

DEFINING A PROJECT RHB UK 19 th March 2010 Start with a fairly general topic. Move to a question. What? How? Why? Try to be specific.

ANSWERING THE QUESTION RHB UK 19 th March 2010 What would an answer look like? What information (data) is required? What resources are available? What skills do you need?

DATA RHB UK 19 th March 2010 Secondary data has already been collected by someone else. (Why? Does it really meet your needs?) Primary data is collected by you. (Can you feasibly and ethically collect it?) No waterboarding etc!

SURVEYS RHB UK 19 th March 2010 Who are you going to call? Why are they relevant? What are you asking for(information or opinions)? Can they respond? Will they respond?

TIMETABLE RHB UK 19 th March 2010 List the tasks which must be done to get an answer to your question. Don’t forget involvement of supervisor. (He/she is available but not at your beck and call.) How long will all this take? (1 week? 3 years?)

OUTPUT POSSIBILITIES RHB UK 19 th March 2010 Problem solution. (What should my/an organisation do?) Case write up. (What went on? Why? What are the implications?) Sample analysis. (Does a course of action have an effect? What may happen in the future?)

GETTING STARTED RHB UK 19 th March 2010 Submit initial project proposal to PSB Academy. (At least topic area and an idea of a question.) You will be put in touch with a potential supervisor. Revise ideas. (Revise supervisor!) Get working!

GETTING IT DONE RHB UK 19 th March 2010 The clock has started. You have six months to relevant and understandable words. Keep in touch with your supervisor and respond to suggestions.

WHAT DOES THE REPORT LOOK LIKE? RHB UK 19 th March 2010 I don’t know! Different tasks require different presentations. Your supervisor will first mark your report. Your supervisor chooses a second marker if one is necessary. Check what your supervisor is looking for.

A STANDARD FORMAT RHB UK 19 th March 2010 Introduction. (States the task.) Literature review. (Previous attempts.) Methodology. (What and why.) Data. (Describe and discuss adequacy.) Analysis. Conclusions and recommendations.

A STANDARD SUPERVISOR RHB UK 19 th March 2010 Required to further his/her subject through teaching and research and to do administrative tasks as required by HoD. You are one element of the teaching load. Get more than your fair share of time by being competent, organised and interesting.

PROBLEMS RHB UK 19 th March 2010 Approach your supervisor. Contact Amy at PSB Academy or Linda in Nottingham. Contact Bob Berry. (Last resort!!!!!!)

POSSIBLE TOPICS – TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA RHB UK 19 th March 2010 What is the market potential of a new product (e.g. A multi country MBA)? How effective is your organisation’s XXX process(e.g. Recruitment? and how can it be improved? How prevalent is XXX (e.g bullying) in the workplace and how can it be prevented?

POSSIBLE TOPICS – TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA RHB UK 19 th March 2010 How (well) do franchisees deal with demand forecasting and stock control? How will climate change affect your/an organisation? What is the value of the Nottingham MBA?

POSSIBLE TOPICS – TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA RHB UK 19 th March 2010 How have changes in tax affected corporate behaviour (e.g. Dividends)? Should my organisation invest in new capacity (e.g. A football pitch) now? Do managers recognise and evaluate real options when doing investment appraisals?

POSSIBLE TOPICS – TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA RHB UK 19 th March 2010 What are your ideas????????????