for 2014-2015 academic year

MBAFinal project guidelines

Managerd’entreprise

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This document aims at providing a framework for all Cnam MBA students as well as for the the faculty and all stakehol-ders involved in our MBA program. It has been inspired by real experience of the Cnam MBA academic staff and the best practices of other accredited MBA programs. It has been based on Master degree’s dissertation writing guidelines written by Sophie Morin Delerm – Asscoiate professor in management of department MIP – School MS of the Cnam in 2012 and by all members of the project group including: Jean-Paul Aimetti, Maurice Thevenet, Anne-Françoise Bender, Martine Carbonel, Thomas Durand, Frédérique Even-Hourellou, Philip Jacob, Jean-Pierre Thépault. This document may be revised and updated periodically.

The document is divided into four parts:

1 - The essentials about Final Project

2 - Writing Project Proposal

3 - Writing the Main Report

4 - Preparing the Defence

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Table of contents

• PART 1 - THE ESSENTIAL ABOUT FINAL PROJECT- 1.1 What is Final Project?- 1.2 Key requirements

• PART 2 - TIPS FOR PREPARING A PROJECT PROPOSAL- 2.1 What can be included in a Project Proposal?- 2.2 How to submit your Proposals?

• PART 3 - WRITING THE MAIN REPORT- 3.1 Essential writing requirements- 3.2 Tips for writing main body of the Report- 3.3 Proof-reading

• PART 4 - PREPARING FOR THE DEFENCE- 4.1 The Final Project presentation- 4.2 Tips for preparing your presentation- 4.3 Development of the slides- 4.4 Questions and Answers

• APPENDIXES- No.1: Final project registration form- No.2: Report cover page- No.3 Consulting Project Evaluation

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1.1 What is Final Project?

1.2 Key requirements

Final Project is a very important final stage of your MBA “journey”. By requesting MBA students to conduct a Project instead of doing an academic research, the Cnam MBA aims at testing the skills and knowledge that students have acquired during the MBA program in order to become a professional manager. The Final Project is thus different from a normal course in seve-ral ways including in its goals, duration, form of eva-luation, supervision and especially form of implemen-ting or learning. Besides, the Final Project also has another goal, which is to train students to carry out and manage a complex project independently at an advanced professional level using available resources and a sound method. As the Final Project conducted by MBA students should have a clearly stated objective of delivering real added-value to the business world, it may either be a Consulting Project carried out in a firm on a specific issue, or a Business Creation Project or an Applied Research useful to a company (for example for an In-surance company).

This assignment should help the faculty to ensure that students have assimilated the essential concepts of management and are able to embrace a global and innovative perspective on real business issues. Thus, the topic choice by the student should be submitted and approved by the faculty team on the basis of its direct relation with business management and its level of complexity.The final project has a minimum duration of three months full time and is compulsory whatever the Major followed by the student. The work developed must translate into a report and the content of which has to be approved by an advisor. The project is defended during one hour in front of a jury comprised of a minimum of three members: the advisor, the academic coordinator of the major, one professor. Where possible, the representatives of bu-siness world, hereafter will be named “business rep” (for example: client for whom the Consulting Project is conducted or the investor, partner of Business creation project or the employer in the case of Applied Research requested by the Company), can be invited.

Due to the characteristics of MBA final project, which should treat only “real business” issues, the final pro-ject defence is not opened to the public in order to res-pect the confidentiality rules agreed among different stakeholders. The core content of the report should be about 50 to 60 pages, appendices excluded, single-sided printed and its font should not exceed 12 pitches. This report should be structured in such a way that the progression toward the conclusion appears logical if not obvious. The tools used for analysing the issue covered should refer to those that were delivered during the course. The usage of other tools in the report is nevertheless accepted and even welcomed if the student can give sufficient evidence that the tools delivered were not the most appropriate ones for the case under consideration. The final project stands for 6 credits out of a total of 60 . On scale of grades going from 0 to 20, a minimum grade of 12 is indispensable for the final project to get a pass. If a student fails he or she gets a second chance – 3 months under the control of an advisor - to present an improved version. If the student succeeds the second time, he/she will be awarded with the minimum grade of 12. If the student fails again, he or she will not get his/her MBA diploma. The student may still be given a chance to complete the MBA programme if he or she applies to present a different final project. This application is examined by the Admission Commission which may approve or reject the demand. In case of approval a new advisor is appointed. In case of rejection the student gets the credits for the courses that he or she has passed suc-cessfully. When assessing the final project, the jury uses a grid taking into consideration the structure of the report, the quality and in-depth solutions proposed – originality, creativity – but also the quality of the soft skills expressed – attitude and style -, the attractiveness of the power point presentation and finally the ability to answer questions.In order to successfully present a final project students must prove that they master management theories and tools as well as the research and consulting me-thods. The necessary skills should have been acquired throughout the course developing case studies requiring analysis, synthesis of appropriate information and re-searching for adequate solutions leading to decision making.

Part 1 - The essential about final project

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2.1 What can be included in a Project Proposal?Before undertaking any project, students should prepare a concrete proposal for submission to Program Office and for the academic coordinator of the major for ap-proval prior to beginning work. Besides, the proposal is also a kind of formal offer students are tendering to the business rep. Thus it would detail:• what are you planning to do?• what are your objectives?• what benefits the business rep will receive from your

doing it?• how do you plan to do it?

There are five important elements for a proposal:

1- Background information: Brief summary of the organization, its business, and the current situation. This is simply a statement that you understand the situation. Knowledge of the sec-tor is an important part of the "situation" of the bu-siness, and often the most important part.

2- Business issue (or opportunity) statement: This is a statement of the business rep’s requirement or "understanding of the issue/opportunity" (there are many relatively neutral titles that can be applied here). For this part, you are advised to pay attention to the following questions:• what is the situation that is currently preventing

the business rep from achieving greater success or seizing the opportunity? What is the current obstacle facing the business rep that requires re-solution?

• what specific metrics are used; what is the basis for measuring the performance?

3- Project objective: This section states the project objective in terms of its outcomes expected to be achieved. Important questions are:• What benefits will accrue to business rep when the

current issue is resolved or corrected or the op-portunity is seized?

• How will the performance measure be enhanced or how many targets can be achieved?

Part 2 - Tips for preparing a project proposal

4- Description of the project, including the deliverables: This section specifies the concrete, tangible results presented to the business rep when the project is completed. For most, a final report and a presen-tation are the typical outcomes. Questions to address:• what, specifically, will you place in your business

rep possession when the project is completed? • do you plan to further your work after the defence

of your MBA Final Project?

5- Project plan: This section articulates the plan and schedule from the initiation to the completion of the project. The project plan shows a concrete set of tasks, times for the completion of each, milestones, and schedule for the final deliverables. An important role of this plan is to show how the work will be done. Questions to address often include:• how do you plan to get to your objective?• what resources will you require?• what role must your business rep play in your plan?• what contingency plans may be developed if major

obstacles arise?

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2.2 How to submit your proposal?

3.1 Essential writing requirements

1- For business rep: you are expected to submit a co-ver letter and your full proposal.

Note: The effectiveness of your proposal depends a lot on the impression that it may bring to your business rep through its format, style, appearance and, of course, content. Write for the reader's convenience. Try to be balanced between paragraphs and bulleted texts. Keep details out of the body of the proposal; they belong in the appendix. Include only what is needed to meet the objective of the proposal: understanding, agreement, and acceptance.Proofreading: if possible, have the proposal proofread. Be careful with spelling and grammar. You could have the proof-reader sign a confidentiality agreement.

Cnam MBA accepts different writing styles for format of Final Project Report. However, here are the two main principles, which govern your choice among different styles: (a) your usage must be “consistent and clear” and (b) you may accept the default settings in Microsoft® Word®. There are only a few rules that must be followed:1- Final project report or dissertation will have a cover

page following the format of the attached example (Appendix No.2).

2- All text has 1.5 line spacing, except footnotes and References (Bibliography).

3- Every page, excluding the cover page(s) should be numbered.

2- For Program Office, you are required to submit:• Final Project registration form (Appendix No.1)• 1 page summary of your proposal including business

issue, objective, plan and 3 key words• Tentative table of contents of your FP report Note: FP report is not the same with the deliverable which you intend to produce for your business rep. See Part 3 for more details.

4- Appendixes and references pages are numbered in continuation of the chapters.

5- The table of contents may be automatically generated by your word processor, and every entry may have a page number.

6- A page should never end with a heading or subhea-ding.

7- References follow the natural order of authors’ names. 8- Web site references are given in full and enclosed

in pointed brackets, and followed by the date the cited material was accessed.

Part 3 - Writing the main report

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3.2 Tips for writing main body of the Report

3.3 Proof-reading

It is important to understand what needs to be included in the Final Project report and how it should be struc-tured. This will form an important part of the discussion between you and your advisor and each project will be approached in its own unique way. However, it helps if you have clear idea on the purpose of each report sec-tion. The main body of the report will be sub-divided into sections. Each will have an introduction, a main body and a conclusion that leads the reader easily on to the next section.The sections might typically be found in a Final Project report are, as followed:• Acknowledgements• Introduction• Background• Project implementation• Results• Discussions• Recommendations• Conclusions• References• Glossary• Appendixes

1) Introduction The introduction to your report is very important. A good introduction sets the tone and direction of the report. It informs the reader what the report is about, presents the overall project objective and specific issues – and why these have been selected and pur-sued. In particular, you need to make it clear what specific business related issue is being addressed. What does your project contribute to address this particular issue? What contribution do you hope to make to help business rep with the issue you have identified and addressed? The introduction may also present and summarise the contents of the remaining sections to the reader.

2) Background Information The background information puts your work into a particular social, commercial, or economical context and helps to explain the project. For example, if your project is centred on a particular company, you would describe the nature of the company and its organi-sation and then outline the background to the issue, situation or opportunity you were working on.

3) Project implementation The Project implementation section informs the rea-der what actions you have done – and why - and what management tools (or methods) you have adopted

to implement the project, to gain and to analyse your result. It also describes the organisation, the structure, the procedures and the participants involved (how many people, their characteristics etc). It is also an opportunity for you to present an objective reflection on the limitations of the organization, structure, me-thods, procedures and tools used. This is important, as all projects have its limitations and there is no shame in admitting this; indeed, it will be expected of you.

4) Results The results section presents a summary of your ac-tions or other information you gathered.

5) Discussions This section presents analysis and discussions of the result of your actions, including implications, consequences and issues raised. It will also compare and contrast results with other projects in the same domain. It may also include recommendations, al-though these could go into a separate ‘Recommen-dations’ section.

6) Conclusion The conclusion of the report reminds the reader of the main objective of your project, your tools and methods used, your actions and what this means for business rep as well as for yourself. You are also likely to point out the limitations of your project and how future works might take your project a stage further.

If you are concerned about your spelling and grammar, have your report proof read before you hand it in to your advisor. A good proof reader will point out any spelling or grammatical errors - but leave you to decide whether to make the corrections or not; so that you remain in control of the content. This is not a task you should expect your advisor or any member of staff to do, as it is not their responsibility.You could ask a friend, relative or another student to help, or ask a self-employed proof-reader to do it.

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3.3 Proof-reading

After getting the approval of your report by your advisor, the Program office will suggest a date for your defence. The Final Project defence jury includes at least three members including your advisor, your major academic coordinator, another professor plus business rep, when possible.The defence provides you with the opportunity to demonstrate your skills and competences to the jury and to your business rep. It allows you to showcase your efforts and present your works in a supportive environment. There are two parts to a Final Project defence: 1) The presentation of the project by the student 2) Questions by the jury that follows the presentation

Part 4 - Preparing for the defence

4.1 The Final Project presentation 4.3 Development of the slides

4.4 Questions and Answers

4.2 Tips for preparing your presentation

The development of your Final Project presentation is an opportunity to showcase your work. Your presen-tation should be about twenty minutes long and should concentrate on your actions, results and recommen-dations. A sample outline of your presentation might look like this:• Business issue and project objective (5 min) • Project implementation (5 min) • Results (5 min)• Conclusion including recommendations (5 min)

The information you include in your slides helps to for-mulate the flow of the presentation. Your slides are intended to provide an outline of what you would like to say and should not include, word for word, all your oral presentation (or your report). Short, concise, sum-mary statements will make the most impact with your audience.Include only key words or phrases on the slides for your presentation. This will help your audience concentrate on you, not on your slides. Besides, diagrams, picture, graphs, charts etc. are always helpful. They can help you share key information in a visually stimulating man-ner. For example, the inclusion of graphs rather than tables or the use of flow charts will help make your results more user-friendly.

After the completion of your presentation, the jury members have the chance to ask any questions and engage in discussion with you about your project. This part can be a bit stressful, but it gives you the chance to expand on information you have already presented and demonstrate you’re mastering your topic. It may help to record the questions that your advisor asks you during meetings, particularly as you get close to the defence day. These questions or similar questions may be asked at your Final Project defence. Consider the strengths, expertise, and areas of interest of your jury members. These may help you anticipate possible questions that may be asked during your de-fence. If possible, before your defence, take some time to brainstorm about the questions the jury may ask at your defence. Then, think of the answers.During the question period, write down the questions you are asked (have a paper and pen ready). Having this information in front of you will help you answer the question more comprehensively.

Practice your presentation at home. This will help in-crease your confidence level with the slides and spea-kers notes, the timing of each piece of your presentation and allow you to remain within the recommended time for the presentation. Practice will provide you with the means to speak about your work without relying on your notes. The application of management tools and methods in a smart and innovative way and your original initiatives are very important for your presentation. The data and figures illustrate well your statements. Keep in mind that not all members of your audience are familiar with your topic. When developing your presentation, try to ensure that there are no inherent assumptions in your statements; spell out your rationale for your analysis and recommendations. Not only will this help your audience better understand your work, it might reduce the number of questions at the end of your presentation!

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4.5 “Logistic” preparationsYou are required to submit 3 well-bound booklet of your Final Report and one CD containing its electronic ver-sion to your Program Office one month prior to the Defence. Don’t forget to be ready with audio-visual equipment. While a video projector is provided by the Cnam, you should be ready with your laptop and other necessary accessories.Technology doesn’t always work; try to have a back-up plan, just in case. Leave your self enough time the day of the defence to review your presentation on the computer equipment you will be using. In many cases, different computers will change your slide transitions or delete them alto-gether. Have handouts ready for your jury members and your business rep. Although in a majority of the cases, the defence is the last step to graduation, don’t be upset if the jury decides to require the revisions to your Report. As the revisions also take time, remember to take this time into account. The Final Project defence is your opportunity to de-monstrate your knowledge and professionalism. Throughout your Project defence, be true to your com-mitment and to your calling.

Good luck!Good luck!Good luck!

Finally, consider the fact that there are usually three perspectives for evaluating and appreciating a final project:

1. Academic criteria: students are expected to apply the knowledge, skills learned during the MBA for better implementing their business. Bonus points are usually given to those, who can successfully apply one or more management tools learned and demonstrate the added-value of its using.

2. Professional criteria: students are expected to be professional at all stages of conducting their project. Their business idea must be proved innovative, practical and feasible. It is highly appreciated that the business rep gives his/her opinion or appreciation about the added values of students' work (Appendix No.3)

3. Personal and career development criteria: students are expected to conduct and use the Final Report as an important step in their personal and career development path. By conducting success-fully this project, students aim at "promoting" them-selves to their potential employer/sponsor/client.

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Part 4 - Appendixes

No.1: Final project registration form

Cnam, Ecole M&S, Département MIP Programme MBA – Manager d’entreprise

2 rue Conté 75003 Paris (Case 1D3P40) Tel : +33 1 58 80 87 39; Fax: +33 1 40 27 26 24

E-mail: mba@cnam.fr; http://iim.cnam.fr

Note: This form must be filled individually, & submitted to Program Manager on time.

MBA – Manager d’entreprise program Département Management, Innovation, Prospective

FINAL PROJECT REGISTRATION FORM

Title Mr/ Miss/ Mrs

Surname (family name) ........................................................

First name ........................................................

Tel: ..................................... Email: ..............................................

Student ID .......................................................

Starting year ........................................................

Topic:

Client’s name (company/organization’s name, sector)

Address: ...................... .........................................

Client’s Representative: (name, position, phone, e-mail)

..................................... .........................................

FP preparing duration: from.................................. to

Please attach FP proposal (an abstract, 3 key words, draft table of contents of the FP report)

Those students, who carry FP outside France, have to fill in more information below:

- Day of leaving France (or your planned day) ............................

- Address in the other country:....................................................................................

..................................... ...............................................................................................

- Telephone in the other country:.........................................

- Target defense day (add the year and select one of the sessions below):

Year: 20……… Feb Apr Jun Oct Dec

Date: ...................... Student' Signature .....................

Date: ...................... Approved by ................................

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No.2: Report cover page

FINAL PROJECT

TITLE

Under the direction of :<Advisor’s name>

By<Student’s SURNAME, First Name><Cohort : FT or PT, start-end years>

Département Management, innovation, prospective

école management & société

MB

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Mas

ter

of B

usin

ess

Adm

inis

trat

ion

Paris<Month, year>

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No.3 Consulting Project Evaluation

MBA – Manager d’entreprise program Département Management, Innovation, Prospective

Cnam, Ecole M&S, Département MIP Programme MBA – Manager d’entreprise

2 rue Conté 75003 paris (case 1D3P40) Tel : +33 1 58 80 87 39; fax: +33 1 40 27 26 24

E-mail: mba@cnam.fr; http://iim.cnam.fr

Instructions: Circle the number to the right of each statement that best corresponds to your opinion. If the question is irrelevant, circle "Not Applicable." Please provide comments: even brief statements are helpful.

Stro

ngly

Dis

agre

e

Dis

agre

e

Neu

tral

Agre

e

Stro

ngly

Agre

e

Not

App

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1 Is well orchestrated. 1 2 3 4 5 Ø

2 Is appropriately formatted (professional form). 1 2 3 4 5 Ø

3 Transmits well the content developed during the project. 1 2 3 4 5 Ø

4 Responded well to questions. 1 2 3 4 5 Ø

5 Respected time. 1 2 3 4 5 Ø

Comments on the deliverable presentation:

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Notes

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Notes

KEY CONTACTS

Manager of the MBA programMrs. Kim VU01 58 80 87 39kim.vu@cnam.fr

Mrs. Shanshan Xu01 58 80 22 59shanshan.xu@cnam.fr

Mr. Ba-Hien NGUYENMr.01 40 27 20 84Mr.ba-hien.nguyen@cnam.fr

Student Affairs’ Counsellor (Mrs.)studentlife.mim@gmail.com