Practical Business Project Design and Thesis Writing

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Practical Business Project Design andThesis
Writing

• Presented by WANG Huan

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Welcome to the course!

• Practical Business Project Design (PBPD) and
  Thesis Writing is a course that advanced learners
  can take at the end of their third year at BWOL.
• It follows World Class English for Business (
  Book 1,2) as part of a series.
• Learners will be expected to apply what they have
  learned to solving a practical problem related to
  their work.
• By the end of this course, the learners are
  required to produce a practical project proposal
  and a thesis paper.

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Outline

• 1.  General Introduction
• 2. Course Evaluation
• 3. Stages in Completing This Course
• 4. Questions and Answers

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1. General Introduction
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1.1 Objectives What will we learn from this
course?

• Understand the whole process of selecting and
  designing a practical business project.
• Learn to identify and explore a business issue
  using scientific research methods.
• Become actively engaged in the process of
  designing a practical business project.
• Learn to compile a practical business project
  proposal independently.
• Write a BA degree paper!

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1.2 Prerequisites What do we need to have?

• Knowledge of English related to business.
• Understanding of issues associated with business
  operation.
• Some working experience related to the issue of
  discussion.
• Analytical ability as well as an interest in
  doing research.
• Reading of two textbooks (now available online)
• Practical Business Project and Proposal
  Design (Hilton) Practical Project Design (Gu) !

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1.3 Topic Selections Do we have a free choice
of topics?

• No!
• BWOL has prescribed 6 areas of problems that
  have been covered in your Business English Course
  as the topic scope for the PBPD and Thesis
  Writing course.
• However, you have great freedom to decide on your
  topic selection within this scope!

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6 areas of problems

• a problem in customer service (BE Modules 2 8)
• a problem in finance planning and assessment (BE
  Module 3)
• a problem in product promotion (BE Module 4)
• a problem in technology utilization in business
  (BE Module 5)
• a problem in staff management (BE Module 6)
• a problem in advertising planning or market
  research (BE Module 7)

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1.4 Schedule Do we have a fixed schedule?

• Yes. Every one of us should abide by the schedule
  set by BWOL. We should submit 3 assignments to
  the e-platform.

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Course schedule

• Course orientation
• VOB Discussion sessions and feedback on Stage
  One and Stage Two Assignments (Stage Three
  Assignment will be scored.)
• Submission of Assignments
• Time table

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A Rule of Thumb

• We must check the schedule on the e-platform, and
  better, print out the schedule marking the dates
  and deadlines for the major events.

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1.5 Learning-support Resources

• The courseware provides the basic information
  about the course.
• The e-learning platform has provided some
  reference books and websites articles to help you
  with research paper writing skills.
• There is also a course-based forum on which you
  can pose questions, get answers and follow
  discussions between learners and tutors.
• VOB broadcasts allow you to listen to discussions
  and feedback on your assignments.
• At other times, you can contact your tutor by
  phone or email for personal assistance.

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2. Course Evaluation

• How will we be assessed in this course?

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2. Course Evaluation

• There are no progress reports or exams associated
  with this course.
• There are 3 stages of the PBPD and Thesis Writing
  course, and evaluation is based on the result of
  the 3rd assignment submitted.
• Assignments must be submitted on the e-platform
  in the proper order.
• Students who fail after submitting the
  assignments will be given only one additional
  chance to pass the course!

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3. Stages in Completing This Course

• What shall we do in order to accomplish it?

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Before start

• Learn the courseware to get an overall
  understanding of the project design and thesis
  writing.
• Start thinking about a problem which you or your
  business have encountered and of which you are
  interested in finding a solution.
• Think about ways of collecting data from your
• colleagues customers partners
• or whoever involved in the project!

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Stage I

• Problem Identification, Problem Analysis and
  Project Design

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Research stage

• Some basic concepts about a practical business
  project (Unit 1).
• Problem identification (Unit 1).
• Problem analysis (Unit 2).
• Project design (Unit 3)

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Basic concepts about PBPD

• A planned series of activities carried out in
  order to achieve some specific results in a
  specific period of time.
• Common features of a project (U1A1T2)
• Objectives (purpose, hypothesis, stakeholders)
• An environment (current situation, customer needs
  and wants, SWOT)
• Inputs (e.g. project team, capital)
• Strategies and activities (project design)
• A time-scale (duration)
• Risks (preventive measures)
• Outputs (results, discussion, conclusion)

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Problem Identification

• In problem identification you are going to decide
  a researchable business problem.
• l An issue on how to achieve your objectives for
  a practical business project.
• l A workable problem suitable for practical
  business research (empirical, verifiable and
  specific)!

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Problem Analysis

• 6 methods for problem analysis (Unit 2 )
• 1) the analytic method 2) Socratic
  dialogue
• 3) cause analysis 4) questionnaires
• 5) observation 6) brainstorming
• 3 aspects of current business analysis
• The financial situation
• The present stock turnover
• Customer profiles
• 2 methods of customer needs and wants analysis
• a. focus group b. customer surveys
• SWOT analysis -- Strengths, Weaknesses,
  Opportunities, Threats
• Your tutor will provide you with some help and
  guidance during the problem analysis stage.

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• You are required to write a problem analysis
  of the project. The analysis should include the
  following information
• 1) A discussion of the current situation
  concerning financial status, human resources,
  physical resources, customer or client profiles,
  social and political environment, etc. related to
  the problem
• 2) A discussion of needs and wants analysis
  related to the problem
• 3) A SWOT analysis of the situation related to
  the problem!

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Project Design (11 items)

• project objective (s) (U3A1T1)
• project rationale (U3A2, A3 i.e. why are you
  doing the project, whats the underlying
  rationale for the project )
• project hypothesis (U3A1T2 i.e. what you are
  going to prove through your project)
• activities planned to take place (U4A2T3) (in
  words and in flow chart)
• a critical path analysis of these activities
  (U4A3T1) (in words and in flow chart)
• people involved in the activities and their
  responsibilities (U4A1T2)
• time-scale of the activities (U4A3T2) (in words
  and in flow chart)
• cost consideration (U4A2T1) (in words and in
  table)
• risk analysis concerning people, time and product
  and your proposed protective measures (U4A2T2)
• plan for the monitoring and evaluation of the
  project (U4A3T3)
• a project framework (U4A2T3)

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Submission of Assignment 01

• A specific research problem
• A detailed problem analysis
• A literature review (bibliography)
• A complete project
• A professional project proposal

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Stage II

• Thesis writing (first draft)

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Writing stage

• Conclusion of the project (Unit 5)
• Collection of raw data (portfolio)
• Analysis of raw data

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Thesis Writing

• a title page
• a table of contents
• an introduction (current situation, project
  objectives hypothesis, outputs, total estimated
  cost, benefits)
• a main body (detailed activity plan and approach,
  timetable or schedule, cost breakdown)
• a conclusion (summary of the project, reemphasis
  of the benefits)
• a bibliography (a list of references)

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Reminders

• l Read the relevant units and try to understand
  properly what you will need to do.
• l  Read the specifications carefully.
• l Be sure to include all the essential
  information and to present them in the format as
  required.
• l  Go through the marking criteria following each
  assignment as a checklist.
• l   A hard copy (printed paper) may be required
  by your tutor in addition for the e-version.
•     You will need to pass the previous stage
  before you can proceed to the next stage.
• It is YOUR responsibility to keep in touch with
  your tutor!

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Submission of Assignment 02

• Finalized project design and project proposal
• Data Collection/Appendices
• Project Implementation
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• Introduction
• Abstracts

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Stage III

• BA Degree Paper (final draft)

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BA Paper

• Adjustment to the feedback
• Proof-reading
• Finalization of the whole paper

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Submission of Assignment 03

• The final draft of BA degree paper should be
• complete in structure,
• coherent in content, and
• polished in language

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4. Frequently Asked Questions
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FAQ1

• Answer
• Participation in discussion sessions is not a
  requirement, but you still need to keep in touch
  with your tutor. Remember that you must
  successfully complete each stage.

Question What if I cannot participate in
discussion sessions?
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FAQ2

• Answer
• You may find it helpful to review your
  Business English textbooks and read books on the
  BPPD recommended book list. BWOL tutors have
  also compiled lists of sources on the Internet.
  You may also go to bookstores to see if there are
  resources fit for your research.

Question Where can I find ideas and resources
for my research?
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FAQ3

• Answer
• You may try to find a business and design a
  small, simple and practical research project for
  it. However, you need to indicate clearly your
  position in the project. You may also try to sell
  some products or service by yourself, such as
  phone cards, books, gadgets, or serve as a tutor
  for kids, consultant for others, etc.

Question What can I write about if I have
always been a student and have no working
experience?
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Summary
Identify a problem
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Thank you! Wish you success!