Any topic (writer’s choice)
reate a 2-3 page proposal that analyzes your business topic, defines the scope and strategy for how you will go about your capstone project, and explains how your proposed project allows you to demonstrate the MBA program outcomes.
Introduction
Based on the feedback you received from faculty on your capstone summary in Assessment 1, you should now have a firm grasp on the scope of your project. In fact, if someone asks you what your project is about, you should have an elevator speech prepared. That is, you should have memorized 13 sentences that explain the topic, problem, and scope in a clear and concise way. With just these few sentences, explaining your project to someone while on a short elevator ride would be no trouble at all! Additionally, having such a clear vision will help you with this assessment and the project overall.
For this assessment, you will formally propose your capstone project.
Preparation
Review the MBA Capstone Project Description [PDF].
Assessment Description
Write a business proposal that formally proposes your capstone project and ends by asking for permission to continue, just as you might propose a project to a supervisor or client.
Include, at minimum, the following information:
Analyze a business challenge or opportunity.
Include an introduction about your proposal.
Summarize the capstone project topic, scope, and components; saying that your capstone will comprise a paper and presentation is not enough.
Establish the premise of your paper; for example, if your plan is to talk about how Dillard’s department store can come back after a huge financial loss, you should include citations that establish its dramatic financial loss.
Define the strategy, scope, and action plan that you will use to complete the capstone project.
Provide a general action plan on how you will research, analyze, and identify recommendations or solutions to this business challenge or opportunity.
Discuss the general type of data sources you will be using to inform your analysis. Provide at least two specific sources that you are considering. These resources should be from credible sources such as the Wall Street Journal, IBIS, et cetera. Use the excellent Research Guide MBA for locating credible resources from the Capella library’s business databases and article collections.
Include the process or steps on how you will access the data necessary for analysis of a business topic or challenge.
Write a conclusion.
Include a wrap-up that ensures your supervisor/client that your project will meet all requirements, be valuable to them, and be completed on time.
Be sure to conclude by asking for permission to continue to the next step.
Your proposal should be organized using these sections:
Introduction.
Summary.
Discussion of the Proposal.
Strategy and Scope.
Action Plan.
Conclusion.
MBA Capstone Project Description
Throughout your MBA program, you have worked to develop as a business professional and prepare to meet future challenges as a business leader. Your program culminates in the capstone project, which forms the primary focus of MBA-FPX5910, the final course you will take in the program. The capstone project is intended to provide you the opportunity to demonstrate your MBA program outcomes by:
Planning and executing the strategic and tactical elements of a comprehensive project.
Integrating and demonstrating the business leadership skills and techniques youhave
learned throughout the MBA program.
Communicating your analysis and recommendations for a real organization both in written form and in a formal presentation.
Completing your MBA program with an experience that reinforces and integrates what you have learned throughout your MBA program.
The following information outlines the requirements and work associated with the capstone project for MBA-FPX5910.
Capstone Project Examples
You have a wide variety of choice when it comes to choosing a capstone project that is personally interesting and rewarding to you. It is your responsibility to propose a capstone topic and scope that will allow you to demonstrate all of the MBA program outcomes.
Examples of project types that might be proposed to meet these requirements include, but are not limited to:
A strategic plan developed for an organization to use that helps them solve a problem or take advantage of an opportunity.
A strategic analysis conducted on a selected part or area of an organization.
A case study developed on a selected part of or situation within an organization.
An intervention developed to address an organizational issue; for example, a workshop or training activity. The intervention should be broad-based enough to demonstrate the program-level outcomes.
A consulting report developed to analyze a problematic issue within an organization; the issue and analysis should be broad-based enough to demonstrate program-level outcomes.
You may propose other project types for the capstone project so long as you are able to identify how the proposed project satisfies the requirement of demonstrating the program-level outcomes. When choosing your project type and/or topic, keep in mind that it must result in recommendations, next steps, or some other type of actionable, evidence-based takeaways for your intended audience, user, or subject of the project.
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Capstone Project Selection and Proposal Guidelines
The organization must be real, not fictitious. This may be an organization to which you have direct access for data gathering or one for which you will gather data via published sources. In either case, it must be an organization for which you can gather the data needed to complete the project. If need be, you may be allowed to use a disguised name for the organization in the project report, but you must disclose to faculty what actual organization is being used as the setting for the project.
There are certain organizations that we want you to avoid using for your capstone. These organizations have been overly covered in the various business courses and might not be fresh enough for you to showcase your MBA outcomes. For that reason, we encourage you to select more low-profile organizations, or ones you can easily access for researching and analyzing. Do not select these organizations for your capstone project:
Proctor & Gamble.
Johnson & Johnson.
Harley-Davidson Motor Company.
PepsiCo.
The Coca-Cola Company.
Amazon.com.
Apple Inc.
Starbucks Coffee Company.
T oyota Motor Corporation.
Walmart.
Google.
Kelloggs.
T arget Corporation.
McDonalds Corp.
Burger King.
Ford Motor Company.
When proposing a capstone project, you will be required to briefly identify how the proposed project ensures the demonstration of all seven program outcomes.
The scope of effort required should be such that it is doable in a 1520 page paper, which is to be submitted in Assessment 4.
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Capstone Project Requirements
The capstone course project must demonstrate your achievement of the MBA program outcomes. The following table is taken from the Capstone Project Scoring Guide, at the Proficient level. It outlines the expectations, at a minimum, for demonstrating each program outcome. (For the best grade possible, strive to meet the grading criteria at the Distinguished level.)
MBA Program Outcome Grading Criteria (at the Proficient Level)
1. Apply foundational knowledge and an understanding of business systems, processes, and technology within and across core disciplines.
Applies foundational knowledge (theories, models, practices) and an understanding of business systems, processes, and technology within and across core disciplines.
2. Integrate information across disciplines and from differing perspectives.
Integrates most relevant supportive and conflicting information (data, insights, best practices) across disciplines from differing primary functional perspectives individually and holistically.
3. Think critically and analytically to provide evidence-based solutions to business challenges and opportunities.
Develops logical, well-supported, solutions based on relevant, sound, logical, and credible evidence (data, insights, analyses, best practices) to solve business challenges and opportunities.
4. Apply innovative, strategic, and sustainable approaches to business practice and planning.
Applies innovative, strategic, and sustainable (long- term) approaches to business practice and planning.
5. Lead and collaborate in virtual, global, and culturally diverse environments.
Applies leadership and collaboration principles and strategies for virtual, global, and culturally diverse environments.
6. Integrate principles of ethics and integrity into business decisions.
Integrates principles of ethics and integrity into business decisions by assessing ethical implications and resolving ethical conflicts and dilemmas.
Capstone Deliverables
You will plan, execute, and deliver your capstone project; it should include the components and requirements listed in this table.
Assessment Brief Assessment Description Submission Requirements
Assessment 1: Capstone Project Summary
You will develop a brief summary of your capstone project so that faculty can approve your organization choice and scope and provide appropriate guidance. The project summary will also list out each program outcome and how the topic allows you to demonstrate mastery of each.
Double spaced, academic style.
Use at least one resource from the Capella library and one from the Wall Street Journal.
Length is 23 pages.
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Assessment 2: Capstone Proposal
Once your topic and scope are approved, you will submit a formal proposal that includes a concise analysis of your business topic. You will also explain how you will leverage your leadership strengths assessment results and coaching experience (provided by BetterUp), as well as your knowledge and experience as a leader, to support your capstone work.
Single spaced, professional style.
Use at least two resources from the Capella library.
Reference your BetterUp leadership strengths assessment results and coaching experience.
Length is 23 pages.
