Capstone Project for Master of Business Administration

Introduction

A capstone project connects academic study with professional practice, bringing the skills developed in MBA to real-world company management and research. It is typically the final event of an MBA degree. Basically, in MBA, Capstone projects emphasize the practical side of the business, frequently requiring students to identify and address problems in real-world settings. In the capstone project, we apply everything we have learned through all the years in MBA because we need to apply it in practical form.

Format of MBA Capstone Project: -

1. After the completion of the MBA capstone project, it would take approximately one semester in the full academic course duration.
2. It is prepared in the final year of the course since full theoretical knowledge is gained till this period and now it is the time to apply it in the practical form to face real-world issues.
3. To complete it, approximately 15-20 hours must be spent as it involves 18-20 pages.
4. The main aim of doing a capstone project is to apply the knowledge to solve the issues of business in a practical form.
5. The format of writing a capstone project is that of a research paper or a hands-on project way.
6. It is extremely important to complete it in the right form because it adds value to the CV and has benefitted people by getting secure jobs with good salaries.

The MBA Capstone

MBA capstones, in general, require students to combine knowledge of major program principles to address current business concerns, and how they are used to assess overall knowledge and competence.

MBA CAPSTONE PROCESS

A capstone project is prepared during the final year of the course and it is completed within the duration as there are some programs that remain extended in all the semesters. In MBA’s capstone project, students are required to form groups with all the members who are working on the same project and assign responsibilities according to their specialization to specific issues that the existing companies face. The professor guides you in all the stages of the entire project completion such as: -

1. Selection of the topic
2. Conduct research
3. Project execution
4. Write paper
5. Prepare final presentation

MBA CAPSTONE FORMAT

Basically, MBA’s capstone project is written on a research paper as it is one of the detailed projects which require a lot of research to collect information and data. For individuals, they hope to enter the workforce right after graduation; the hands-on nature of a project can give essential professional training. The capstone project helps the students to use the knowledge which they have gained in the capstone project, to apply it to businesses or real-world issues. Students present the project at the end of their course to the professor and mates.

CHOOSE A TOPIC FROM MBA COURSE

Choosing the right topic for the capstone project is one of the most indispensable parts. Students should choose according to their interests. There are a variety of topics in the management field to conduct research for the presentation of the capstone project. Related topics are exemplified as below: -

1. Effective E- MBA learning process and methods
2. Writing Business Plan for Startup venture
3. Brand Communication strategies
4. Use of Digital Marketing Promotion tactics

RESEARCH FOR THE SELECTED TOPIC FOR CAPSTONE PROJECT

While researching the topic, students do a literature review which means finding the existing information on the same topic and finding the gap to cover it in your project by reviewing business issues. All the queries that come into the minds of students should be noted so that they can research them later. Observations and questionnaires should be prepared to collect the data and information required for the project. For example, if you choose the topic BRAND COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES for your MBA project, you are required to observe the people and ask them about their preferences.

OUTLINING OF CAPSTONE PROJECT

After the research, a student is required to organize the information and data to write it on a research paper.  Every organization's tactics are different from one another. But in the capstone subject, most papers start with an overview of the firm and/or business issue before moving on to a more detailed problem definition. Following that, the document outlines capstone goals and objectives, as well as methodologies and strategies, a management plan, and a system for assessing the project's effectiveness. For example, while doing BRAND COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES for your MBA project, it is required to analyze the issue related to the brand faced by the company in order to target more and more consumers.

WRITING CAPSTONE PROJECT

While writing a capstone project, the basic purpose is to present all the solutions regarding the problems which are faced by the business. For instance, while doing BRAND COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES for your MBA project, it is required to write the solution for promoting the brands through different modes, and methods for assessing the effectiveness of strategies. While writing the project, it is important to use only formal language so that the professor knows that students are adopting academic professional standards.

CHECKLIST FOR WRITING CAPSTONE PROJECT

1. Make Realistic Goal- The scope of the project should be according to the available time for the project.
2. Division of work - The work is divided according to the stages and the daily goals are set to complete the project on time.
3. Work according to specialization: - Work should be divided according to the specialization, for example- if one student is interested in a field, then he or she should fulfill the responsibility of research and this way, work should be equally distributed among all team members.
4. Seek Guidance when required: - Students can take the help of the professor when it is required rather than waste time by doing unnecessary tasks.

PRESENTING THE MBA CAPSTONE PROJECT

Finally, a presentation is prepared to be presented to the professor and mates. Basically, the aim is to show the research a student conducted and what methods they adopted to complete their MBA capstone project effectively. In the case of an MBA project, one is prepared for the course degree and one is prepared for the company. Primarily, students prepare the presentation in PowerPoint by reflecting on the research techniques, findings and recommendations.

MBA CAPSTONE PROJECT GRADED BY PROFESSOR

A capstone project is evaluated according to the grading rubrics which the professor mentioned before assigning the project. A well-made capstone project is completing the requirements of both academic as well as professional needs. For example- in an MBA project, it is required to cover all the areas like finance, marketing and human resources. In addition to it, the formatting of the project is done according to the details mentioned in an assignment. If students are unable to complete it in a proper manner, the professor would give an F grade to the student and the student will have to go through with this project again since this project is crucial for the effective completion of the MBA course degree.