Ross Bischof

The Real Struggles MBA Students Face While Completing Their Projects When I first started my MBA project I believed it would be easy. Pick a topic, perform some research, write about it and submit. Easy. I imagined the project could be completed in a couple of weeks. I could have a couple of late nights prior to the date. Reality hit fast. This project is more than simply a report. It tests your planning skills, perseverance and ability to deal with unexpected challenges. Almost everyone in my batch has had some difficulty in one way or the other. A lot of students believe they can use the project in the same way as regular assignment or case study. They find out after a while that deadlines are a bit closer than they had hoped and data is not complete, chapters don't line up and motivation drops. The MBA project can be a nightmare when you don't manage the task correctly. In this article, I will discuss the problems that students confront in dealing with these. There's no secret formula but it is helpful to learn from past experiences greatly. Choosing a Topic Is Harder Than It Looks Making a decision on a topic may seem easy, but it's far from. I made the error of selecting a topic which seemed intriguing but was nearly impossible to execute. In the course of a few weeks, I attempted to gather data from companies that never replied. Some of my colleagues chose trendy topics, without considering whether they had data. The result is exactly the same. The result is that you waste time and are unhappy. An actual topic is better than an impressive one. It should correspond to your resources and interest. For instance, you can instead choose "The Future of Marketing in India" choose "Social Media Marketing Strategies in Local Retail Stores." It's targeted, data can be gathered more quickly as well as the goals are clearly stated. Objectives Are More Important Than You Think Your objectives guide your entire project. Students often make the error of writing vague objectives like "To study the impact of leadership on productivity." That tells nothing. I had to rewrite my own many times to make them precise and lucid. A clear set of objectives helps you determine how to approach data collection, methodology and analysis. If you don't have clear objectives, your project will feel disconnected. I have learned to ask myself what I am trying to quantify and how I will be able to tell if the project is successful. These types of questions make an enormous difference in the high-quality of work. Collecting and Analysing Data Is Painful Data collection is one of the areas where students have difficulty. I have spent countless hours calling small-scale businesses to ask for surveys. Some did not respond and others promised to answer questions that never materialized. Answers to online surveys are helpful but are often incomplete. Analysis is an additional challenge. It is possible to have flawless charts and tables but if they aren't explained what they mean they are not useful. I witnessed my classmates copy graphs on the spot without understanding. Numbers do not prove anything unless you describe them. A suggestion is to take a test run of your survey with a few persons first. It allows you to identify questions that are unclear and helps avoid wasting time. Always make sure to link your analysis with objectives. If, for instance, your project is based on customer satisfaction, be sure your survey contains quantifiable information regarding product quality, service performance and speed of response. Time Management Is Tough Everyone knows that time management is vital, but in MBA it's more difficult than it seems. Between lectures, group work assignment and internships there's always a lack of time. I sat on chapters for a while thinking that I could finish them in a few days. In the weeks following, I panicked. Breaking the project into small work tasks will help. Break it down into literature review the methodology, data collection and analysis, as well as writing chapters individually. Begin to track small improvements each week. If you can even get one chapter or section done each week can be a motivator. Writing Is Harder Than You Think Even with a ready data set, writing can be a challenge. I was struggling to write about the results in plain language. Certain sections felt repetitive. The analysis chapter was rewritten many times. Keep your language simple and easily understood. You can ask your friends to review sections. Sometimes, getting too absorbed in the work you are doing makes it difficult to find mistakes. Fresh eyes help a lot. Supervisors Can Be Helpful But Also Frustrating A supervisor's job is tricky. Some supervisors are clear however, some are unclear or difficult to comprehend. It took me 2 weeks to get an answer, which slowed my progress. The key is to be proactive. Plan specific questions, make sure to follow up with respect and document feedback. Supervisors help but you have to take responsibility for the project you are working on. Formatting and References Matter I ignored formatting at first. Fonts, spacing, certificates. I believed I could make them better later. Big mistake. It almost delayed the submission. References are equally crucial. One missing citation can raise questions. Use software to manage references and do it while creating chapters instead of waiting for the conclusion. A properly formatted project is more readable and more professional. Stress Is Real Stress is unavoidable. Deadlines, corrections and unfinished data can be a burden. Sometimes I sat at the monitor and thought I'd never make it through. Short breaks help. Speak to your friends, go for a stroll, listening to music. Take small steps to celebrate your wins. Achieving a completed literature review or data collection are both milestones. They maintain motivation. Ethical Confusion Many students are worried about the type of help permitted. You may ask for help but it is not possible to ask someone else to write your proposal. Ethics-related guidance can include feedback on the structure, methodology, and clarity. The original work is yours to keep. Asking for guidance does not mean cheating. You should make the most of the resources available. Teachers expect students to seek assistance if they're stuck. Reviewing Your Work I focused on chapters in isolation at first. Afterward, I discovered that the project as a whole had repetitions with inconsistent terminology and a lack of hyperlinks. In a thorough examination of the project, you will discover many gaps. Imagine yourself as an examiner. You'll spot mistakes that you might have missed. Procrastination Destroys Quality A delay in work is a serious issue. I was hoping to finish data analysis and writing in a couple hours. This didn't happen. Each delay affected the quality. Begin early. Even a single paragraph each day adds up. The project is now easy to handle instead of overwhelming. What I Learned The MBA task isn't a difficult one because of the complexity. The reason it is difficult is because students aren't aware of planning, clarity and direction. The chances of making mistakes are common. But the key is to make mistakes to move on. The ability to organize is beneficial, but flexibility is crucial. Things aren't always as they appear. The data might not be there and supervisors may delay their actions delays, and hurdles will come up. What's important is how you respond to these problems. Divide tasks into chunks with a focus on just one step at a given time, and have reasonable expectations. Projects can teach you skills beyond the academic. Time management, discipline in research clarity in writing, problem-solving are all lessons that will prove useful in work life. The project is stressful however, it's also practical. Closing Thoughts If you're starting your IGNOU MBA project experts project, select a topic you can actually research. Be clear on your objectives. Set small steps. Get help when you need it. Pause for breaks. Write in a simple manner. Avoid chasing perfection. Start early. The MBA project is more than a report. It tests your ability to plan, perseverance and problem-solving. You'll struggle. Everyone does. However, every battle teaches us something. In the end the project doesn't just end up being submitted. It shapes you as an individual, researcher, and professional in the future.