MBA 6503 GLOBAL STRATEGY & COMPETITIVENESS CAPSTONE BUSINESS PROJECT HANDBOOK Contents Part 1: General Information Part 4: Research Thesis Project Option Part 6: Course Assessment Elements Part 1: General Information Capstone Business Project The MBA program culminates with the completion of the Capstone course which is taken during the last eight-week quarter. The course is designed to provide an opportunity to apply and integrate the knowledge and skills that were gained during the entire MBA program. Therefore, the Capstone topic must be related to business and encompass material that was covered in the MBA curriculum. The project course is ten weeks in duration. During this time, students are expected to write a proposal, complete a written draft of their project plan, orally present the recommendations/results to the professor, and submit a final written version of the project. Upon successful completion of this project, students will be able to: Overarching learning outcomes · Synthesize and apply content from prior graduate courses and other learning opportunities to better understand real world situations · Understand, appreciate, and value of the relationships across business disciplines · Distinguish real world problems and demonstrate the application of solutions from a global business perspective Business Client learning outcomes · Assess and define a significant business problem · Evaluate information to better understand such a problem · Specify and design appropriate information to identify and present a high-quality solution Research Thesis learning outcomes · Determine the requirements for a distinct research project · Select a significant organizational topic that, when researched, will have practical application · Produce a complete research project that will provide appropriate information for organizational decision-making Business Plan learning outcomes · Assess/evaluate the requirements of a comprehensive business plan, which includes appropriate background information · Organize, the appropriate information required in a business plan · Construct a business plan that will satisfy the needs of entrepreneurs and potential investors FAQ About the Capstone Project Course Q: What is the Capstone project? A: The culminating experience in the MBA Program is the Capstone project course. It involves completing a business consultancy or research project. The Capstone course is taken during the final term at HCT. Q: What is the purpose of the Capstone project? A: The purpose of this course is to integrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities gained from several courses in the MBA program. Q: Can I choose any topic for my project? A: The Capstone project topic must be related to business and encompass material that was covered in the MBA curriculum. Q: Can I take the Capstone course prior to finishing the rest of my course requirements? A: The Capstone Experience can be taken only as the last course in the ...

1. MBA 6503 GLOBAL STRATEGY & COMPETITIVENESS
CAPSTONE BUSINESS PROJECT HANDBOOK
Contents
Part 1: General Information
Part 4: Research Thesis Project Option
Part 6: Course Assessment Elements
Part 1: General Information
Capstone Business Project
The MBA program culminates with the completion of the
Capstone course which is taken during the last eight-week
quarter. The course is designed to provide an opportunity to
apply and integrate the knowledge and skills that were gained
during the entire MBA program. Therefore, the Capstone topic
must be related to business and encompass material that was
covered in the MBA curriculum.
The project course is ten weeks in duration. During this time,

2. students are expected to write a proposal, complete a written
draft of their project plan, orally present the
recommendations/results to the professor, and submit a final
written version of the project.
Upon successful completion of this project, students will be
able to:
Overarching learning outcomes
· Synthesize and apply content from prior graduate courses and
other learning opportunities to better understand real world
situations
· Understand, appreciate, and value of the relationships across
business disciplines
· Distinguish real world problems and demonstrate the
application of solutions from a global business perspective
Business Client learning outcomes
· Assess and define a significant business problem
· Evaluate information to better understand such a problem
· Specify and design appropriate information to identify and
present a high-quality solution
Research Thesis learning outcomes
· Determine the requirements for a distinct research project
· Select a significant organizational topic that, when researched,
will have practical application
· Produce a complete research project that will provide
appropriate information for organizational decision-making
Business Plan learning outcomes
· Assess/evaluate the requirements of a comprehensive business
plan, which includes appropriate background information
· Organize, the appropriate information required in a business
plan
· Construct a business plan that will satisfy the needs of
entrepreneurs and potential investors
FAQ About the Capstone Project Course

3. Q: What is the Capstone project?
A: The culminating experience in the MBA Program is the
Capstone project course. It involves completing a business
consultancy or research project. The Capstone course is taken
during the final term at HCT.
Q: What is the purpose of the Capstone project?
A: The purpose of this course is to integrate the knowledge,
skills, and abilities gained from several courses in the MBA
program.
Q: Can I choose any topic for my project?
A: The Capstone project topic must be related to business and
encompass material that was covered in the MBA curriculum.
Q: Can I take the Capstone course prior to finishing the rest of
my course requirements?
A: The Capstone Experience can be taken only as the last course
in the graduate program. Although one course may be taken
concurrently with the Capstone, such scheduling is not
recommended. The Capstone course can be repeated only once.
Q: When does my Capstone project become “official?”
A: After you complete a Capstone Proposal Form with the
narrative which describes your project, secured approval from
the faculty member who will facilitate the course. You may then
begin preliminary work that involves information sources. The
project must be approved before progress begins. The Proposal
Form is not a contract, so if you wish to change your project,
you may do so with another Proposal Form and narrative.
Q: Are there assignments that will be considered in grading
besides the project?
A: Yes. These are explained in the course handbook.
Part 4: Research Thesis Project
General Guidelines
A business research project explores business questions as they
relate to industries, business climate, and business practices.

4. This option is a traditional research option requiring a clear
research question, review of the literature, methodology,
analysis, and conclusions. Research in this option will focus on
findings in related research plus the methodological
alternatives.
Another option in this genre is referred to as ‘case-based’
research. In this format, research focus on the analysis of a real
situation, investigating all relevant information and drawing
conclusions from available data. Case study research excels at
creating an understanding of a complex issue and extend
experience or add strength to what is already known through
previous research. Case studies emphasize detailed contextual
analysis of limited information or conditions and their
relationships.
Point of emphasis: This is a traditional research project that
requires the use of traditional research methods and
presentation. This is not just a longer “class paper.” This is a
rigorous academic exercise. Before selecting this option,
students are expected to examine two or three peer reviewed
journal articles to benefit from examples of this type of project.
The Business Research option provides students with the
opportunity to engage in more traditional research to answer
questions that provide guidance to business and individuals.
Examples of Business Research include exploring the
differences between and among companies or industries,
identifying and tracking economic or consumer trends, or
examining emerging management or leadership approaches.
This type of project may involve the collection of primary
and/or secondary data.
The research may be descriptive, explanatory, or predictive in
nature
Exemplary research will:
· Have a clearly defined purpose
· Have a detailed research process
· Have high ethical standards applied

5. Content and Organization of the Final Project
Title Page
Abstract
The purpose of the abstract is to provide a summary of the
information provided in the project. Clarity and conciseness are
essential. Two to four paragraphs are usually sufficient. An
abstract is usually much shorter than an Executive Summary.
Table of Contents
List of Tables
All information that is depicted in tabular/matrix form in the
body of the report should be titled and receive a table number,
beginning with Table 1. All tables are then listed with their
respective page numbers from the body of the report.
Tables that are referred to, but not contained in the body of the
report, are placed in the appendix. These receive letter
designations (Appendix A, Appendix B), and are not assigned
table numbers.
List of Illustrations
All information represented by graphs, diagrams, charts, and
schematics, which are included in the body of the report, are
titled and receive a Figure number, beginning with Figure 1. All
figures are then listed with their respective page numbers from
the text.
Any illustrations that are referred to, but not included in the
body of the report, are placed in the appendix. These do not
receive Figure numbers.
Introduction
The introduction section begins with a brief discussion of the
area of interest and then presents the following sub-sections:
· Background of the Problem
Description of the background of the problem (brief historical

6. perspective and explanation of why the problem remains
unsolved at this time)
· Statement of the Problem
The problem is presented in statement form, e.g., “The problem
is …” Conclude this section with a clear statement of the
question or questions that need to be answered to solve this
problem or the hypotheses that will be tested.
· Purpose of the Study
This section explains why the study is being conducted. It may
be (but not be limited to) one of the following:
· To predict future situations
· To compare and contrast (strategies, technologies)
· To prepare for the development of specific program
(marketing, process improvement, performance evaluation)
· To conduct an analysis of (emerging economic trends, the
impact of leadership style on corporate culture)
· Significance of the Study
This section provides information concerning the import of the
study. For example, this study is significant because it:
· Adds to the body of knowledge of business in general
· Is of import to the business under study
· Assumptions
The purpose of this section is to present some of the factors the
researcher is asking the reader to accept as conditions of the
study. Some examples are:
· The sample is representative of the population
· The appropriate variables have been selected for examination
the measurement tools are valid and reliable
· Limitations
These are those factors or conditions that may impact the data
and are out of the researcher's control. Examples are:
· Information obtained from surveys may not be valid
· Non-valid instruments
· Delimitation’s
This section identifies the boundaries of the study and ways in
which findings may lessen the ability to generalize. For

7. example:
· The nature and size of the sample
· The uniqueness of the setting
· Limitations of the methods selected
Literature Review
The Literature review is an examination of the literature
describing research into your topic or closely related to your
topic. The purpose is to explore how others have researched
your topic and what they found. The results of the Literature
Review should inform your methodology to allow you to build
on what others have discovered.
This section begins with a general description of how the
Review of Literature will be organized and presented. Then, the
review may be organized as follows:
· The general history of the topic (resented chronologically)
· The current state
· Related factors and circumstances
· Related research by others, if appropriate
It is important to note that the Literature Review is preparation
for your research, not the research itself. Integrate the areas of
Review of Literature into a logical sequence, starting with a
broad focus of the topic and narrowing down to a specific topic.
Data Collection
This section describes the design of the information gathering
used to answer the research question or address the research
problem. The data collection methodology is intended to be the
step-by-step action plan for collecting relevant information to
address the research issue/s. How would you frame your
inquiry? What data would you collect? How would you collect
it? How would you analyze it once you collect it? The content
and length of this section depends on the nature of the data
collection research. This section may include:
· Descriptions of the participants (who are they, and why were
they chosen?) or business studied

8. · Instrumentation used to obtain data
· Procedures or steps in conducting the study and obtaining data
· Data analysis methods
Conclusions
· Briefly review the general topic and the need to explore the
aspect addressed in this research
· Briefly recap some of the issues/problems that were
investigated
· Briefly recap the possible solutions identified or the results of
your hypotheses testing.
· Describe your final recommendation and why it is the best
solution/prediction
· Describe what the implications are for management/businesses
with respect to these findings
References
Only sources of information that have actually been cited in the
project are included here.
Appendices
This section includes information that is too detailed to be
included in its entirety in the body of the project. This would
include sample questionnaires and information that is referred
to but is not essential to the project, such as relevant policies,
laws, forms, pamphlets, sample letters to organizations and
subjects.
General Guidelines Formatting a Written Report
Headings
· Major sections (sometimes called “chapters”) should be
started on a new page (like the chapter of a book) and the title
should be centered, bold, and typed with capital letters.

9. · Headings for sub-sections (second level headings) are left
justified, bold, and the initial letter is capitalized.
· Headings for the next level of sub-section (third level
headings) are left justified, capitalization of initial letter, and
underlined. No letters are typed in bold.
Page Numbering
· All pages except the Title Page and Abstract or Executive
Summary are numbered. These numbers are centered at the
bottom of each page.
Spacing and Font Size
· The written project is double-spaced in 12 point, Times New
Roman. Margins are one inch on all four sides.
Grammar “Don’ts”
· Do not use contractions, such as “don’t” instead of “do not” or
“it’s” for it is.
· Do not use personal pronouns such as I, me, they, we, and
you.
· Avoid clichés such as “hopefully”, “obviously”, “as you
know”, and “in other words.”
Referencing Sources
· As a general rule, every statement of fact in the project ends
with a citation that includes the author(s)’ last name and
publication year. This citation must then appear in the
Reference Section. For example: The extensive development in
computer technology over the past decade is slowly being
integrated into the classroom (Swan, 1997). Do not use
footnotes.
Specific Style Issues
· Proper grammar, spelling, word usage, and sentence
construction are required. Final Projects are expected to be
submitted without errors. Projects with errors may be returned
for correction.
Part 6: Course Assessment Elements

10. In total, four elements are required for completion of the
course:due date timeline
1) Project plan proposal – proposal form:10%Week 3
2) Draft outline submission – approximately 5-10
pages:15%Week 5
3) Oral presentation – 10 minutes plus Q&A:25%Week 8
4) Final project written report – approximately 30 – 50
pages:50%Week 10
Written report evaluation criteria
(approximately 10,000 words or 30 – 50 pages):
Content – 50%
· Completeness
· Relevancy
· Appropriate analysis
· Appropriate conclusions drawn
· Logical rational and/or justification
· Original thought
Research – 20%
· Evidence of appropriate information
· Evidence of multiple sources
· Evidence of relevant data collection
Structural – 20%
· Grammar
· Spelling
· Appropriate business format
· Citations
· Clear expression
· Tables, graphics, etc. appropriate and clear
Overall – 10%
· Appropriate context in logic
· Persuasive recommendations
Oral presentation evaluation criteria

11. (approximately 10 minutes presentation and 10 minutes Q&A
discussion):
Content – 60%
· Completeness
· Relevancy
· Appropriate analysis
· Appropriate conclusions drawn
· Logical rational and/or justification
· Original thought
Structural – 30%
· Correct grammar, vocabulary
· Speaking skills
· Use of appropriate technology
· Use of visual aids
· Appropriate use of tables, graphs, figures
· Ability to engage listener
· Ability to respond to questions, comments
Overall – 10%
· Appropriate context in logic
· Persuasive recommendations
ELEC201 Lab Format
1. Title Page
1.1 University Name
1.2 Course Name
1.3 Semester
1.4 Experiment Number
1.5 Experiment Title
1.6 Your Name
1.7 Instructor’s Name
1.8 Date Submitted

12. 2. Problem Statement Page(s)
2.1 Title
2.2 Objective
2.3 Problem Statement
2.4 System Diagram(s) if any
3. Theoretical
Solution
Page(s)
3.1 Problem Analysis
3.2