PGD-HRM Project Handbook - iba.edu.pkiba.edu.pk/cee/News/PGD-HRM-Handbook-1.pdf · PGD-HRM Project...

Copyrights 2015, Nyla Aleem Ansari, Assistant Professor and Academic director, Post‐graduate diploma, Human resources management, IBA, Karachi, Pakistan.

PGD-HRM Project Handbook

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Copyrights 2015, Nyla Aleem Ansari, Assistant Professor and Academic director, Post-graduate diploma, Human resources management, IBA, Karachi, Pakistan.

Contents:

Section 1: Overview of the project

Section 2: roles and responsibilities of the stakeholders

Section 3: PGD-HRM Project timeline

Section 4: Grading Plan

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Purpose of the Document

The primary purpose of this document is to present guideline to the reader about the project and its requirements.

Organization of the Document

This document is divided into four main sections:

Section 1: Overview of the project

This section gives general information of the PGD-HRM Project, the relevant project areas and a brief description of the activities

involved.

Section 2: Roles and responsibilities of the stakeholders of the project.

Section 3: PGD-HRM Project timeline

This section provides a description of the PGD-HRM Project phases and its activities.

Section 4: Grading Plan

This section describes the major deliverables of the PGD-HRM Project and the grading criteria with detailed rubrics for each of the

deliverables.


Section 1:

An overview of the project


The PGD-HRM Project is an integral part of the PGD-HRM Program at the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi. A group of

3-4 students in their final semester will undertake a consulting assignment in any area of human resources management, with any

organization. The Project will not only enable the students to develop interviewing and report-writing skills, but will also provide an

opportunity for them to enhance their HR management and leadership abilities needed for problem-solving or decision making in real

life situations.

Topics for research

The list given below gives a few general HR topics that can be narrowed down to specific topics under these topics, for an in-depth

inquiry and analysis.

1. Work-force planning and job analysis

2. Recruitment and selection systems

3. Strategic human resources management

4. Training and development

5. Organizational development and change

6. Performance management

7. Life and career management

8. Compensation management

9. Employee relations – Psychological contracts and diversity

10. Occupational health and safety

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The students need to choose a Project Advisor who would be a faculty member (visiting or full-time) from IBA (either an industry-

professional or an academic). We have given you a list of advisors with an HR background on page 11. The projects can be taken up at

both local and multinational companies, preferably those based in Karachi for convenience and practical reasons.

How does the project benefit the client organization?

The assignment is cost-effective compared to an independent commercial consultancy that a client may hire for business

solutions. Every group can also utilize the extensive resources available at IBA, including the expertise of the faculty members.

The assignment team comprises trained students, experienced and qualified faculty as project advisors and program directors

who ensure quality work as representatives of IBA.

The project:

Students need to go through the following process to finally submit the assignment to the client and IBA:

A group (of 3-4 students) will prepare a project proposal (terms of reference) based on discussions with the company that the

group will identify. A work plan will be prepared listing the main activities to be undertaken and a time schedule of the same.

Students will present the proposal and work plan to the project committee. A mid-progress or interim report will be submitted to

the PGD-HRM Program Director, Project Advisor and the client.

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On completion of the project, a draft of the written report will be submitted and an oral presentation made to the client and the

project committee. The presentation will be held within the premises of IBA, Karachi.

Based on client and faculty feedback a final written report is submitted to all for final grading.

A committee comprising Director CEE, Academic Director PGD-HRM, and the Project Advisor will guide and monitor the

projects throughout the semester by reviewing the Terms of Reference, work plan, the progress report, and the final presentation

and report.


Section 2:

Roles and responsibilities of the stake-holders


The Project Committee:

The PGD-HRM Project Committee has three members who will guide and mentor the students throughout the project.

Role of the project committee:

1. Ensures that the students have all the resources available to complete projects with accuracy, relevance and adequate

subject knowledge.

2. Peer review to evaluate each student’s contribution to the project.

3. Promote value and significance of the PGD-HRM Project initiative.

4. Define the scope of the project for its specificity and boundary.

5. Intervene to resolve conflicts (if any) among students or between the advisor and students.

6. Keep a record of projects submitted.

Project committee

Izhar Hussain, director CEE

Nyla Ansari, Academic director PGD‐HRM

Project advisor (faculty)

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7. Organizing quarterly meetings with all stakeholders of the project.

8. Ensure transparent process for consistency and fairness.

Role of the Program/Academic Director:

Guide (if needed) students define purpose, objectives and deliverables with specificity.

Keep track of each project’s progress.

Enable students maintain a healthy relationship with their client.

Train students to identify and solve logistic/operational problems.

Enhance students interpersonal or team skills through role modeling and leadership.

Facilitate students to access data/library/specialist faculty.

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Project Advisors

Dr. Shahid Mir

Mr. Shakeel Mapara

Mr. Shakeel Ahmed

Mr. Afaq Qazi

Mr. Shah Saad Hussain

Mr. Imran Batada

Ms. Nyla Aleem Ansari

Mr. Amer Naseer

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Role of the Project Advisors:

Enable students define purpose, objectives and deliverables with specificity.

Equip students with required knowledge, reads and links, based on their experience and qualifications.

Enable students decide and meet deadlines of the project.

Motivate students to take risks and responsibility of the assignment.

Listen to students’ ideas and share his/her own ideas and concerns.

Facilitate students deliver high-quality value-added results ethically and professionally.

The Client Organization

Responsibilities:

Provide IBA with all necessary details of their requirements regarding the consultancy project.

Provide contact details of the individual of the client organization to be contacted by the students for data collection.

Finance the project including travel and accommodation costs, if any.

Note: IBA does not charge for any project conducted by its students.


Section 3:

PGD-HRM Project time line


One of the most crucial milestones of the PGD-HRM Project time line is the submission of Terms of Reference (TOR) document to the

project committee.

Terms of Reference (TOR):

All information needed to plan, design, analyze and execute the project are called terms of reference.

Upon contacting the client and diagnosing a problem or issue at hand, the student/researcher/consultant may collect enough information

to be able to plan the assignment. During this initial phase of the project, students should be able to determine not only the key

objectives/problems, but also the methodology or the implementation strategy of the project. The researcher may start collecting data

and sift it continuously for its relevance by staying focused on the topic. Another concern is the method of collecting data and the

expertise or knowledge needed to organize information.

Terms of Reference set out the scope and purpose of the study or the project. In this phase, the clients specify their ideas and

requirements, which are then used to formulate a TOR. It includes the following elements:

Background of the project

The main objectives/tasks

Specific technical inputs or areas of in-depth investigation

Methodology to execute project

Geographic scope and location

Timeline of activities

Project outputs or key deliverables (in the form of a report)

Resources required, both human and financial

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TOR must also provide a brief framework of the diagnosis, design and analysis, and implementation phase of the project to the client

for clarity. Since each phase of the project requires a different data and activities; therefore presentation of the TOR is necessary for a

consensus and client feedback to kick start the project.

Project time line for 2015 batch is given below:

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September:

• Students form groups (3-4) members.

• Students' groups select projects for themselves, establish contacts with client organization and start working on the TOR.

End September:

• Submission of the TOR draft to the client, advisor and program director for feedback.

• Contract letter signed between the academic director and the client.

October:

• Presentation of TOR followed by final TOR submission.

• Meetings with project advisor, program director and student groups to resolve any problems during initial phases.

Mid-November:

• Interim report submission and presentation.

End of December:

•presentation.

Early January:

Final report submission.

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Section 4:

Grading Plan


PGD-HRM Project Assessment:

A project will be assessed on the following criteria for its formative and summative outcomes:

Problem statement.

Mentoring hours between the students and the advisor.

Well-structured PGD-HRM Project plan. Phase-wise deadlines/deliverables/needed-resources list, etc.;

Research design: data collection tools and method.

Teamwork and client-student relationship.

Results.

Report quality.

Presentation skills.


The PGD-HRM Project Deliverables:

The students are expected to produce five deliverables. The following table summarizes the grading plan with respect to each of these

deliverables:

Deliverable Grading Status Weightage in Final

Grade

Deliverable Sub-

Component

Sub-Component

Weightage

Group Submission Not Graded - None -

TOR Submission Graded 10% None -

Interim Progress Update Graded 30% Interim Presentation 30%

Interim Report 70%

Final Progress Update Graded 60% Final Presentation 30%

Final Report 70%

Grades and Specifications and assessment:

Different grades may be awarded to individuals within the same group.

PGD-HRM project carries 6.0 credit hours (equal to two courses).

The project TOR and the assignment will be checked by both the PGD academic director and the project advisor.

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Note: Every box with a gradient means the specific deliverable/deliverable sub-component will be double checked by PGD

Academic Director and Project Advisor.

Deliverables to be Graded:TOR ( 10 %)

Interim Progress Update (30% of Final Grade)

Interim Report (70% of 30)

Interim Presentation (30% of 30)

Final Progress Update (60% of Final Grade)

Final Report (70% of 60)

Final Report (30% of 60)

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Grading Criteria for rubrics mentioned below:

Excellent/ above expectations criteria: Grade A, A- (87% and above)

Good/ Meets expectations criteria: Grades B, B+ (77% and above)

Unsatisfactory/does not meet expectations criteria: Grades 76% and below

30 points for presentation:

Points earned out of 30 / 30 x 100

Example: 25/30 x 100 = 83.3 falls into meets expectations/ good criteria. Grade B+

70 points for report:

Points earned out of 70 / 70 x 100

Example: 60/ 70 x 100 = 85.71 falls into meet expectations/ good criteria. Grade B+

For example:

For mid report and presentation: 25+60= 85/100 x 30= 25.5

For final report and submission: 24+64= 88/100 x 60= 52.8

Total 78.3 +TOR (8, for example) = 86.3 (grade B+)

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Appendix 1

PGD-HRM Project Final Grading Criteria

Criteria Rubrics

Oral Presentation skills Above expectations

87-100 %

Meets expectations

77-86%

Does not meet expectations

0-76% Clarity and organization

5 points

Speaker always presents key

concepts and main points

accurately, convincingly and

comprehensively demonstrating

in- depth knowledge of the topic

Speaker mostly presents key

concepts and main points

accurately, convincingly and

comprehensively demonstrating

in- depth knowledge of the topic

Speaker does not present key

concepts and main points accurately,

nor convincingly, demonstrating lack

of in-depth knowledge

Audience attention

5 points

Varies delivery well to suit

audience, including varying

intonation, volume and pace to

always maintain the interest of the

audience

Varies delivery to suit audience,

including varying intonation

Does not vary delivery or intonation

to suit audience

Body language

5 points

Constant eye contact and useful

gestures and walking around the

room, creating an enthusiastic

delivery

Frequent eye contact and gestures,

& walking around the room,

creating an engaging delivery

Infrequent eye contact and gestures,

mostly standing & no walking around

the room

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Interaction with audience

5 points

Concludes with clarity and

answers all questions well.

Concludes satisfactorily and

answers most of the questions

asked.

Incomplete conclusion and fails to

answer most of the questions asked.

Time management

5 points

Finishes at exact time Finishes early or late by 5 minutes Finishes early or late by 15-20

minutes

Use of technology/visual aids

5 points

Effective use of multimedia and

other resources

Appropriate use of multimedia

and other resources

Ineffective use of multimedia and

least use of other resources

Report Excellent

87-100

Good

77-86

Unsatisfactory

0-76 Problem statement

7 points

Demonstrates comprehensive

understanding of all symptoms

and connects symptoms with

underlying problems.

Identifies most of the symptoms

and makes sufficient attempt to

connect symptoms and problems.

Poorly identifies symptoms

and makes little attempt to

connect symptoms with problem

Literature review

7 points

Information is taken from a wide

range of source(s) with enough

evaluation to develop a coherent

analytical perspective. Viewpoints

of experts questioned thoroughly.

Information is taken from a range

of source(s) with enough

evaluation to develop a coherent

analysis. Viewpoints of experts

are taken mostly as facts, with

little questioning.

Information taken from source(s) is

limited and no evaluation is evident.

Viewpoints of experts, if identified,

are taken as fact, without question.

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Research design

7 points

Specific research question/s

aligned with matching data

collection tool and research

methods along with evidence

based reasoning of a choice.

Specific research questions with

matching data collection tool and

research method with little

reasoning of choice.

Incomplete and general questions

with unsatisfactory choice of data

collection tool and research methods.

Data collection and analysis

7 points

Demonstrates comprehensive

analysis of the problems and

through application of

management theories/models

Offers an overall analysis of

the problems and uses some

management theories/models

Little analysis of the problems and

use of suitable management theories

and models.

Conclusions and

recommendations

7 points

Offers comprehensive assessment

in terms of exhaustive numbers of

options backed up with

convincing

strengths and weaknesses of

outcomes to solve the problems

Demonstrates the use and

integration of broader know ledge

in generating flaw less solutions to

the problems gained through

course and research.

Offers detailed assessment in

terms of significant numbers of

options backed up most important

strengths and weaknesses of

outcomes to solve the problems

Demonstrates the use and

integration of sufficient

knowledge

gained in course in generating

effective solutions to the problems

There is insignificant evidence that

considers any strengths and

weaknesses of the outcomes to solve

the problems.

There is little evidence of

recognition of alternative

solutions to the problems

using know ledge gained

through the course

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Structure of the report

7 points

Adheres exceptionally well to all

parameters and requirements of

writing the report.

Meets most of the parameters and

requirements of writing the report.

Fails to meet most of the parameters

and requirements of writing the

report.

Originality

7 points

The presented position/perspective

is imaginative, taking into account

the complexities of the issue/

limitations of the position are

acknowledged. Others points of

view are synthesized within the

position.

Demonstrates consistently the

ability to acknowledge different

sides of an issue when presenting

a position/perspective with a

superficial discussion of issue

complexities

Demonstrates limited or no ability to

integrate different perspectives.

Identified position/perspective is

stated but is either simplistic and

obvious or not evident from the

analysis.

Analytical/Critical thinking

skills:

1. Identify and explain

relevant issues.

(5 points)

Issue/problem to be considered

critically is stated clearly and

described comprehensively,

delivers all relevant information

necessary for full understanding.

Thoroughly (systematically and

methodically) analyses own and

Issue/problem to be considered

critically is stated with terms and

boundaries defined but lacking in

clarity with some ambiguity.

Questions some assumptions.

Identifies several relevant

Issue/problem is not critically

considered or is either narrowly,

identified or inaccurately

Summarized.

Demonstrates limited or no ability to

analyze the issue/s within context nor

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2. Understand the importance

of context and assumptions

( 5 points)

others’ assumptions and carefully

evaluates the relevance of context

when presenting a position.

contexts when presenting a

Position. May be more aw are of

others' assumptions than one's

own (vice versa).

recognizes assumptions and their

subsequent implications.

Report writing skills:

Coherence and clarity

7 points

An integrated piece of writing

showing a clear flow of all the

ideas within and between

paragraphs.

Coherence among paragraphs,

Recommendations based on

evidence –based arguments.

Strong premises are given to

support a conclusion.

Clearly shows implication of an

idea.

Clear presentation of few ideas

within and between paragraphs.

Coherence within a paragraph, but

could not integrate them well

between the paragraphs. All

important points are included.

Poor flow of ideas throughout the

paragraphs. Information is presented

in pieces that with incomplete and

ambiguous sentences. Some

important points are mentioned.

Feedback from the client: Above expectations Meets expectations Does not meet expectations

Teamwork

(1 point)

Presentation is exactly and

obviously equally shared between

speakers

Presentation is equally shared

between speakers.

Presentation is not equally shared

between speakers

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Always demonstrates a smooth

transition from one speaker to the

next.

Mostly demonstrates a smooth


next.

Does not demonstrate a smooth


next.

Communication frequency (# of

visits) (1 point)

Overall satisfaction with the

outcome of the report

(2 points)

Concepts and ideas are relevant

and clearly stated.

Integrated and consistent ideas

from Executive Summary to

conclusions.

Demonstrates a high level of

competence and knowledge of the

key issue(s) and solution(s).

Report ‘argument’ clearly leads to

recommendations. Each

recommendation linked to

appropriate page of report.

Concepts and ideas are competent.

Appropriate concepts, models or

theories included but not fully

integrated into the solution.

Demonstrates competence and

knowledge of the key issue(s) and

solution(s).

Report information related to

recommendations.

Most recommendations are linked

to the appropriate report page.

Concepts and ideas inadequate;

arguments are disjointed; and there

are logical inconsistencies.

Missing key concepts, models or

theory or the integration of these into

the report flow.

Fails to demonstrate knowledge of

the issues and solutions.

Report information not linked to

recommendations. Recommendations

not linked to report pages.


PGD-HRM Contract Letter

Date:

PGD-HRM PROJECT

Dear Sir/Madam,

IBA would like to invite your company to engage one of our student groups in a relevant project with your organization. Final semester

students undertake a management consulting assignment called the PGD-HRM Project. The student group will conduct primary and

field research, analyze the issue identified by you and find cost-effective implementable solutions.

The areas in which our students are interested in doing projects include:

1. Work-force planning and job analysis

2. Recruitment and selection systems

3. Strategic human resources management

4. Training and development

5. Organizational development and change

6. Performance management

7. Life and career management

8. Compensation management

9. Employee relations – psychological contracts and diversity

10. Occupational health and safety

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However, we will welcome other HR issues or problems for an in-depth analysis, specifically identified by you. These PGD-HRM

Projects will be conducted under close supervision of IBA faculty-advisory committee.

If you agree to work on a project with the students, please provide us with a brief description of your requirements and scope of the

project along with the name of the contact person in your organization. The details may be sent to the PGD-HRM Academic Director,

Ms. Nyla Aleem Ansari and Manager Centre of Executive Education (CEE), Mr. Kamran Bilgrami, by September 30, 2015.

Email addresses:

[email protected]

[email protected]

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Report format and template

Format for report writing Font size:

1. Font size 12 for main body of the report. 2. Font size 14 for headings. 3. Font size 14 in italics for sub-headings. 4. Font size 16 for title or major sections of the report.

Font Style: Times New Roman Indentation: 1 inch margins from all sides. Spacing: Use double-spacing throughout your report. Each section of the report may begin on a new page. Template for report-writing. 1. Title page - It must include the title of your project, names of all the group members along with their organization, and the date of submission. 2. Executive summary - The executive summary helps the reader quickly grasp the report’s purpose, conclusions, and key recommendations. You may think of this as something the busy executive might read to get a feel for your report and its final conclusions. The executive summary should be no longer than one page. The executive summary differs from an abstract in that it provides the key recommendations and conclusions, rather than a summary of the document. 3. Table of Contents - It will follow the executive summary on the next page. It must include headings, sub-headings, and page numbers.

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4. Introduction - It must briefly describe the context, identify the general subject matter, describe the issue or problem to be reported on, state the specific questions the report answers, outline the scope of the report (extent of investigation), preview the report structure, comment on the limitations of the report and any assumptions made.

5. The content of your report consists of the following: a. Research methodology: Research question, data collection tools and methods selected to interpret information. For example; Qualitative/ quantitative techniques like descriptive or inferential statistics. b. Analysis: Company’s data collected and how you present issues and problems. c. Results or findings. 6. Conclusions/Recommendations - Interpret, summarize, and provide recommendations based on your findings in this section. Be very careful NOT to introduce any new information

7. References: font size 11. APA style. For example; for journal articles, you can write like this: Budros, A. (2004), Causes of Early and Later Organizational Adoption: The Case of Corporate Downsizing, Sociological Inquiry, 74 (3): 355-380. For books, you can write like this; Burke, W. W. (2002). Organization change: Theory and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

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