BE850-7-SU-CO:
MBA Project
2020/21
Essex Business School
Colchester Campus
Summer
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Sunday 25 April 2021
Friday 02 July 2021
60
08 November 2019
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
The outcome of the MBA Project is a written report of no more than 16,500 words in length, based upon a comprehensive understanding of the relevant literature and elements of primary as well as secondary data research that you have conducted yourself. You are to include an annex of no more than 2,500 words reflecting on how the Director’s workshops and your research for the MBA Project will affect your future approach to business and management.
The MBA Project is led by a suitable management issue, problem or business opportunity which is critically discussed or evaluated with reference to existing research and primary as well as secondary data. An understanding of the academic debate and critical application of existing research (and the student’s own research) to a case, are key to the MBA Project. To help students select and address a suitable topic, a series of Director’s Workshops are run during the Autumn and Spring Terms, addressing current business issues, academic writing and global developments.
The aim of the MBA Project is to consolidate your MBA learning and demonstrate an ability to design, plan, lead and manage a significant, self directed piece of work of relevance to an organisational setting.
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
• Show an appreciation of current business and global issues
• Design, lead and manage a project aimed at addressing a clearly identified business and/or management issue
• Scope the project and design a proposal
• Understand methodologies to help structured thinking, and the techniques for effective project management.
• Make a reasoned and critical selection of information sources, analytical tools and techniques appropriate to the specific issue being investigated
• Identify and understand ethical issues in management research
• Synthesise and apply knowledge from multiple course modules to a business problem
• Analyse, evaluate, and present a coherent extended argument
• Evaluate and recommend appropriate courses of action
• Manage relationships with a client – including managing risk, productive relationships, expectations, handling problems, barriers to implementation, evaluation. Understand the protocols, expectations and outcomes of engaging with organisations as clients.
No additional information available.
Including number and format of contact hours, e.g. lectures, seminars, classes, practicals
Specify where students can find this information
Director's Workshops (see above) will help students decide on, focus and plan their research topics. These workshops, spread over Autumn and Spring terms, have 60 hours of contact time in all.
Students will be allocated a supervisor and each student should expect about 10 hours with their supervisor.
- Biggs, David. (c2010) Management consulting: a guide for students, Andover: Cengage Learning EMEA.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course. The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students. Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
MBA Proposal |
|
30% |
| Coursework |
MBA Project |
|
70% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
100 per cent Coursework Mark
Reassessment
100 per cent Coursework Mark
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Prof Nicolas Forsans, email: n.forsans@essex.ac.uk.
Nigel Pye, Hardy Thomas, Supervisors as allocated according to project need
n.forsans@essex.ac.uk
No
No
No
Dr Bidit Dey
Brunel University London
Senior Lecturer
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.
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