Masters’ Project (Dissertation)

Semester: 10
Credits: 7
1. Project Name: Dissertation Project

Valid for: All Specializations

Submission Requirements

1. A 80-100 pages report in the specified format that would be provided

2. 4 satisfactory progress reports: as assessed by faculty mentor at regular intervals
3. Documentary evidence of the improvements made to the business of the chosen business

Project Aim

Students are required to undertake their thesis work in any one of the following manner:

1. Adopt an SME: Identify and adopt a business with a yearly turnover of less than 1 crore
2. Build the project on your own start up
3. Develop the work on the company you have interned with or are working

Suggested Interventions

Students are expected to undertake research work and suggest interventions to the business in
their specialization area that can be from the following or any other area of their interest:

1. Modernize Accounting Methods

2. Digitize personnel and Business Records
3. Manage Compliances / Identify expected regulatory challenges
4. Build an appropriate online presence
5. Build an appropriate social media presence
6. Modernize Customer/ Client relationship management
7. Suggest New Products/ Markets/ revenue steams
8. Identify appropriate HR/ Marketing /Finance Interventions ( as per specialization)
9. Build a “corporate” identity
10. Improving operational efficiency

Students are required to choose the area based on their specialization and interest ad
undertake deep analysis of the same. However, the exact extent of these interventions and their
subsequent implementation can be a result of the mutual understanding between the SME
owner and the student.
Evaluation

Evaluation of the project will give due weightage to the quality of suggestions made as well as
the actual implementation.

Report Quality (competitive landscape, 50

business model, industry analysis)
Quality of Interventions suggested and 20
research undertaken
Execution of Suggested interventions and 20
recommendations given
Demonstrable Business Improvement and self 10
learning

Evaluation to be made by assigned faculty mentors

Milestones

1. Identification of an industry, and an SME for adoption or other organization

2. Gaining due consent from the SME owner, choose the area of research and taking
approval
3. Finalizing a work schedule with the said SME and the faculty mentor
4. Engaging with the said SME – finalizing areas of priority for interventions
5. Suggesting Interventions
6. Executing Interventions
7. Submitting evidence of Business Improvement
8. Submitting Final Report
9. Viva- Voce

Evaluation Schedule

Evaluation Event Semester Week Expected Outcome

th
Introduction To Project Week 1 (5 Feb- Clarifications regarding project aims, finalize
9th Feb) the topic, problem identification, area and
scope of work,
Progress 1 Week 5 (5th Research work on the business, literature
th
March-9 March) review, industry analysis, problem detailing
and plan of action
th
Progress 2 Week 7 (19 Mar- Completed Study, Identified priority
23rd Mar) Interventions, research undertaken, data
collected
Progress 3 Week 9 (2nd April- Data analysis, recommendations,
6th April)
Progress 4 Week 10 (9th April- Rough draft of thesis approved by the faculty
13th April) mentor
Submission & Viva Week 12 (23rd Report Submission, final viva voce
April- 27th April)
Notes for Evaluators

1. Students who have found placements , can suggest theoretical interventions for their
employer
2. Students should be encouraged to pick up SME in an industry , where they would like to
seek employment
3. Functional Interventions should be clarified by faculty mentor on a case to case basis
4. Alternatively, students can submit a similar report of their entrepreneurial venture
5. Faculty mentors should schedule weekly meetings with students/ keep a record of their
interactions tracking students’ progress

Appendix A: Report Format

1. Contents

2. Executive Summary

3. Consent Form ( as per Appendix B)

4. Chapter 1: Introduction- Description of chosen SME/Organization, History,

Organizational Structure, Leadership etc, title of the research, aim and objective of the

research, research objectives, research scope, background of the research, structure of

the report

5. Chapter 2: Literature review- specialization area, Business Model (Illustrate the Business

Model using Business Model Canvas), conceptual framework of the topic selected,

Industry Description, Growth rate, key Players, Regulations etc.

6. Chapter 3: Research Methodology- research methods, tools and techniques, sources of

data, research questions, questionnaire

7. Chapter 4: Findings & Analysis- research data analysis, qualitative and quantitative,

Suggested Interventions Summary & rationale, analysis of research objectives met

through literature review compatibility, practical feasibility of the interventions done

8. Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendations- summarizing the learning,

recommendations suggested, execution of the interventions and results, limitations in

the study, Comments and Reviews

9. References & Appendices

Appendix B

Consent Form

I, _____________ ( Name ) being ____________ ( designation) of _____________ (Company

name ) allow ______________ (Student Name ) of FDDI Business School to study my

enterprise ____________ located at _______________ having registered office at

____________ from _________ to ______________ for his/ her masters’ project

I understand that

1. The student will study and make recommendations for business growth and
development.
2. The data shared shall be treated confidentially , and will not be shared with any third
parties
3. Only by sharing relevant information, freely and fairly can I get useful
recommendation(s)
4. I am not obliged to implement any / all of the recommendations made during the study
5. All legal rights , obligations and liabilities arising from implementation of any or all these
recommendations shall be borne by me/ my firm and the student is not legally
responsible for any consequences arising thereof

Name
Designation
On Behalf of
Date

Student Name
Signature
Date
APPENDIX C

PROGRESS REPORT FORMAT

Date Progress No.

Student Name

Faculty- In Charge

Faculty - Evaluator

Milestones Achieved

1. 3.

2. 4.

Notes

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Suggested Tasks ByNext Progress

1.
2.

Date Of Next Progress:

Signature ( Faculty Evaluator) Signature ( Faculty In Charge) Signature (student)