IGNOU MBA Project Tutorial
Working on your IGNOU MBA Project from IGNOU? Great! Part of your journey is doing a project called the IGNOU MCOM Project Tutorial. This is a big part of your degree, where you get to really dive into MBA topics and put what you’ve learned into practice. This IGNOU MBA Project Tutorial guide will help you through each step of your project, from picking a topic to finishing your report. Let’s get going!
The IGNOU MBA project allows you to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world business scenarios. It consists of two parts:
- Project Synopsis: A concise summary outlining the rationale, objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes of your chosen topic.
- Project Report: A detailed document elaborating on your topic, incorporating relevant literature, presenting findings (if applicable), and offering conclusions and recommendations.
Your MBA Project Journey Before Approval
- Topic Selection by the Student The student selects a topic of interest, preferably within their area of specialization.
- Selection of Guide The student chooses a guide to provide mentorship and support throughout the project.
- Preparation of Synopsis The student prepares a comprehensive synopsis outlining the objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes of the project.
- Submission of Synopsis The student submits the synopsis for review and approval.
- Evaluation of Synopsis The synopsis is evaluated based on its relevance, originality, and feasibility.
- Feedback / Communication to the Learner Feedback on the synopsis is provided to the student, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement.
- Resubmission of Project Proposal If necessary, the student revises and resubmits the project proposal based on the feedback received.
1.Topic Selection by the Student
The learner can select any topic of her/his choice, preferably in their area of specialisation. The
title should be definitive communicating key information about the thesis. It should convey the
subject matter being covered in the project.
It could be either be an
- i) Comprehensive case study (covering single organisation/multifunctional area problem formulation, analysis and recommendations).
- ii) Inter-organisational study aimed at inter-organisational comparison/validation of theory/survey of management practices.
iii) Field study (empirical study).
2.Selection of Guide
Once the field of study is determined, the student should reach out to a potential guide who possesses relevant experience and meets the specified eligibility criteria. The eligibility criteria for guides are as follows:
(i) Management Faculty in the School of Management Studies at Headquarters.
(ii) All Approved Academic Counselors of the Management Programme (MP) with pertinent experience at the Study Centres are recognized as supervisors for guiding projects.
(iii) Management Faculty with a minimum of 5 years of postgraduate teaching experience. Alternatively, professionals holding a Master’s degree in Management or related disciplines, with at least 5 years of experience in the relevant area. For instance, if the project topic pertains to marketing, the supervisor should have 5 years of experience in marketing after obtaining their Master’s degree. If the student opts to choose their own guide, the proposed guide’s bio-data must be attached along with the synopsis for approval.
The University provides a token honorarium of Rs. 500/- to the project guide for guiding the student. Additionally, a guide is limited to guiding a maximum of five students at any given time.
It’s advised for students to select guides who are actively engaged professionals in the relevant area of the chosen topic. For example, if the topic is in Finance, the guide should specialize in Finance. Project Guides are requested to confine their guidance to projects within their core specialization area.
3.Preparation of Synopsis
After selecting the guide and finalizing the topic, the Project Proposal (Synopsis) should be prepared in consultation with the guide. The proposal should essentially include the following components:
(i) Introduction: Provide a brief background about the subject chosen for study.
(ii) Rationale: Explain why a particular topic has been chosen for the project work.
(iii) Objectives: This section is crucial as it outlines the anticipated outcomes of the study. Objectives should be clearly and precisely stated in behavioral terms, without any implicit assumptions about the findings of the research.
Sample Objectives:
- To study the financial performance…
- To explore the…
- To analyze the factors affecting…
- To investigate the influence…
(iv) Research Methodology:
- Research Design
- Nature and source of data/information to be collected.
- Sample and sampling technique, along with the rationale for the chosen organization and sample.
- Tools and Techniques for data collection, including details of the questionnaire/tools used and their relevance to the project objectives.
- Methods for data collection.
- Data handling and analysis methods, including the organization and analysis of data. Mention relevant statistical tools to be used and their alignment with the project objectives.
(v) Limitations: Highlight any potential limitations of the proposed project.
Upon completion, the Synopsis must include the following components for submission:
- Proper ‘Proforma for Approval of Synopsis’, duly signed by both the student and the guide with dates.
- Bio-data of the Guide: A detailed biodata of the guide, duly signed in original, along with the date. However, in the case of approved counselors, this is not required.
Proforma for Approval of Synopsis Download
Instructions for filling up the Proforma for Approval of Synopsis:
Enrollment No: Your assigned enrollment number by the university is required. If your maximum program duration (i.e., 4 years) has elapsed, you must seek re-admission before submitting the synopsis. If your synopsis was approved under the previous enrollment number, you must seek approval again under the new enrollment number. Failure to do so may result in the non-acceptance of the Project Report.
Subject Area: Indicate the broad subject area in which you intend to carry out your project work (e.g., Finance, HRM & OB, Accounting, Marketing, etc.). This should align with the topic selected for your project.
Title of the Project: Provide a concise title that clearly indicates the focus of your study. The Final Project Report must be based on the approved title, and no changes can be made once it is submitted.
Name and Address of the Supervisor: Clearly mention the name and address of your supervisor, preferably their official contact details. If the supervisor is an Academic Counsellor, include details of the study centre and the courses for which they provide counseling.
Students being Guided for MMPP-001: Specify the number of students currently being guided by the supervisor for the MMPP-001 course.
Guide’s Biodata: The biodata of the guide must contain unambiguous information including:
- Name and Date of Birth
- Full Address and Contact Numbers (Residence and Current Workplace)
- Detailed Educational Qualifications (Degrees with specializations, University/Institution names, year of degree/qualification, and percentage of marks)
- Work Experience (in chronological order with details of designation, period, organization names, and contactable addresses)
- Any other relevant information for assessing the eligibility of the guide. A current business card of the proposed guide may also be attached.
Submission Process: For ODL Students: Submit the “Proforma for Approval of Project Proposal (MMPP – 001)” along with one copy of the proposal and the duly signed biodata of the guide to the Regional Director of your respective Regional Centre. Refer to the Student Handbook & Prospectus on the university’s website for Regional Centre addresses.
For MBA (Online) Students: Submit the documents to the Regional Director of your designated Regional Centre through the LMS Portal.
Ensure that the “Proforma for Approval” is filled correctly and completely as per the mentioned guidelines. Include the duly signed biodata of the supervisor and the synopsis. Incomplete proposals will not be accepted. Retain a copy of the proposal for your records.
5. Evaluation of Synopsis
The learner has the flexibility to submit their synopsis at any time throughout the year. However, the Project Proposal should be submitted to the Regional Centre after the registration of MMPP-001. This allows students a minimum of 8-9 months to complete their project work and submit it before the end of the 4th semester.
If Project Proposals are received at the Regional Centre after 6 months of MMPP-001 registration, the Regional Centre will not be responsible for the timely processing of these proposals. Students who fail to submit the synopsis within the stipulated period may risk missing the submission deadline for the Project Report.
Once a Project Proposal is received at the Regional Centre and found to be complete in all respects, with all necessary documents attached, it is accepted. Subsequently, a unique Project Proposal number (PP.No) is assigned to the synopsis. This number serves as a reference for all further correspondence with the Regional Centre regarding the project.
6.Feedback / Communication to the Learner
After the synopsis undergoes evaluation by the Expert, a written communication regarding the status of approval or non-approval of the project proposal will be sent to the learner within two to three months of the receipt of the proposal at the Regional Centre.
If the proposed guide is not approved by the Faculty, the student will be advised accordingly. In such cases, the student must change the guide and submit the project proposal afresh with the signature of the new guide. This resubmission will be treated as a New Proposal.
Likewise, if a student wishes to change their guide for any reason, they will be required to submit the project proposal with the signature of the new guide on a new project proposal proforma. This will also be considered as a new proposal.