As part of the degree formation you are expected to

present a dissertation project. This booklet contains

details of expected practice with respect to the
completion of the MBA dissertation. Clearly general
guidelines such as these may not cover all
circumstances. articular emphasis and minor
adjustments may be necessary in individual cases.
!t is thus imperative that you consult your tutors for
specific advice and guidance on matters pertaining to the
design and content of your study and of course" the
reporting of it.
MBA Dissertation Guidelines
for fnal year students of
MBA-IB /MBA-IB(Integrated)
Academic year 2011-2012
CONTENTS
1 !" MBA DI##"$AI%&'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''(
2 #)"*I+I* A#)"*# %+ !" DI##"$AI%&'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''',
( %!"$ *%&#ID"$AI%&# %+ !" DI##"$AI%&'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''-
A..endi/ 10 )rototy.e of itle )age''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''10
A..endi/ 20 Assessment #c1eme''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''11
A..endi/ (0 Guidelines for #yno.sis'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''12
Page 2 of 12
1 THE MBA DISSERTATION
1.1 General Framework of the Dissertation
The following outline is indicatie of the oe!all st!uctu!e of a disse!tation" #lea!l$ it will hae to %e
ada&ted to the &a!ticula! stud$ $ou hae ca!!ied out"
SECTION PAGE
Title Page
A%st!act
Ac'nowledge(ents
Ta%le of #ontents
)ist of Ta%les
)ist of *igu!es
#HAPTER 1 Int!oduction
#HAPTER 2 )ite!atu!e Reiew
#HAPTER + Methodolog$
#HAPTER , P!esentation of Data
#HAPTER - Anal$sis of Data
#HAPTER . Discussion and Inte!&!etation of *indings
#HAPTER / #onclusions0 I(&lications and Reco((endations
Refe!ences
A&&endices
1.2 Word Length
The t$&ical length of the disse!tation is 21011122-0111 wo!ds" This length is e3clusie of title and contents
&age0 figu!es0 ta%les0 a&&endices and !efe!ences"
1.3 Plagiarism
Plagia!is(0 that is0 the willful !e&!esentation of an othe! &e!son4s wo!'0 without the ac'nowledge(ent o!
the deli%e!ate and unac'nowledged inco!&o!ation in a student4s wo!' of (ate!ial de!ied f!o( the wo!'
5&u%lished o! othe!wise6 of anothe!0 is UNACCP!A"L and will incu! the &enalt$ of out!ight failu!e"
7e hae a softwa!e aaila%le to chec' Plagia!is("
1.# Dissertation $lan
It is !eco((ended that the students should hae a s$no&sis8disse!tation &lan to guide the( !ight f!o( the
outset" Essentiall$0 the s$no&sis8disse!tation &lan is an outline of what the student intends to do0 cha&te!
wise and the!efo!e should !eflect the ai(s and o%9ecties of the disse!tation in detail along with detailed
%i%liog!a&h$ and c!itical !eiew of lite!atu!e"
)2A&&I&G !" DI##"$AI%&
This entails the following:
Selecting a to&ic fo! inestigation"
Page + of 12
Esta%lishing the &!ecise focus of the stud$ %$ deciding on the ai(s and o%9ecties of the disse!tation0 o!
fo!(ulating :uestions to %e inestigated" #onside! e!$ ca!efull$ what is wo!th inestigating and its
feasi%ilit$"
D!awing u& initial disse!tation outlines conside!ing the ai(s and o%9ecties of the disse!tation" 7o!'out
a!ious stages of disse!tation
Deising a ti(eta%le to ensu!e that all stages of disse!tation a!e co(&leted in ti(e" The ti(eta%le should
include w!iting of the disse!tation and !egula! (eetings with $ou! disse!tation guide"
!he a%ademi%s de$artment a$$oints a fa%&lt' as a dedi%ated mentor and g&ide for ea%h st&dent.
;ou should see $ou! disse!tation guide on a !egula! %asis < at least once ee!$ two wee's in the %eginning"
It is also adisa%le to sta!t w!iting as soon as &ossi%le" Do not wo!!$ if $ou feel that $ou! (ate!ial is not
good enough0 al(ost all ea!l$ (ate!ial is wea' at the %eginning" Sta!ting to w!ite at an ea!l$ stage will
ena%le $ou! su&e!iso! to see what di!ection $ou a!e ta'ing0 whe!e $ou! wea'nesses a!e and gie $ou
const!uctie adice and $ou will gain confidence f!o( this feed%ac'"
1.( !he )ole of *o&r Dissertation G&ide
1" Discuss &ossi%le di!ections fo! the stud$ and adise on ai(s and o%9ecties
2" Suggest so(e gene!al a!eas of !esea!ch fo! conside!ation and whe!e &ossi%le0 an$ e3a(&les of
cu!!ent !esea!ch !eleant to the to&ic"
+" Be aaila%le fo! !egula! (eetings"
," E3a(ine w!itten wo!' and &!oide const!uctie c!iticis(" It is not the !es&onsi%ilit$ of the
disse!tation guide to co!!ect s&elling (ista'es0 etc" othe! than to &oint out these a!e &!esent= no! is
it the dut$ of the disse!tation guide to o!gani>e the &!esentation content of the wo!'0 although
adice (a$ %e &!oided if enough wo!' has %een su%(itted"
-" Ma'e student awa!e of inade:uate &!og!ess o! an$ othe! facts which could i(&ede the co(&letion
of a successful &iece of wo!'"
Page , of 12

2 SPE#I*I# ASPE#TS O* THE DISSERTATION
7hat follows is an atte(&t to &!oide $ou with so(e !ules0 and so(e hel&ful adice on an acce&ta%le
&!actice" Howee! $ou a!e still adised to consult $ou! tuto! fo! (o!e s&ecific adice in !elation to $ou!
disse!tation"
2.1 !he +'no$sis
A s$no&sis should &!oide an oe!iew of $ou! stud$ in all its as&ects" It should %e a!ound 1-1122111 in
wo!ds and should answe! the following :uestions"
7hat does this !esea!ch set out to do and wh$?
How did it see' to do it?
7hat a!e the gene!al findings?
7hat do these suggest?
7hat conclusions a!e !eached?
7hat a!e the i(&lications of these?
+'no$sis to ,e s&,mitted will ,e stri%tl' as $er the g&idelines. G&idelines for writing s'no$sis is
atta%hed as A$$endi- 3 in this hand,ook.
2.2 A%knowledgements
In these sections $ou should e3&!ess than's to those who assisted $ou in $ou! !esea!ch" These should %e
'e&t to a (ini(u( and include acade(ic su&e!iso!s and &eo&le who &a!tici&ated in the fieldwo!'0 an$
funding %odies and &!o%a%l$ fa(il$0 f!iend o! !elatie"
2.3 .ntrod&%tion
In the int!oduction $ou should int!oduce the !eade! to the %ac'g!ound of the stud$ and the natu!e of the
&!o%le( %eing conside!ed" It should the!efo!e set the stud$ in conte3t e3&laining wh$ this stud$ is
i(&o!tant0 highlighting significant issues0 &!o%le(s and ideas" The ai( and o%9ecties should %e stated
clea!l$"
2", Literat&re )e/iew
In a disse!tation a student is e3&ected to &!oide a c!itical !eiew of the e3isting lite!atu!e 5&u%lished and
un&u%lished6 on the !esea!ch a!ea %eing inestigated" This does not (ean that $ou hae to indicate ee!$
%oo' and a!ticle that has %een w!itten on the su%9ect %ut an$thing $ou !ead should %e !efe!enced
a&&!o&!iatel$" Nee!theless $ou! !eiew should indicate that $ou hae studied e3isting and !ecent wo!' in
the field" The Ha!a!d S$ste( 5autho!8date6 of !efe!encing should %e used" The lite!atu!e !eiew should %e=
Releant= )ite!atu!e used should su&&o!t $ou! a!gu(ents !elating to $ou! !esea!ch :uestion and ai(
and o%9ecties of the stud$" It should u&hold (ethodolog$" In so(e cases $ou (a$ need to discuss
lite!atu!e !eiew and its !elationshi& to (ethodolog$ in a se&a!ate cha&te!"
@&2to2Date= Recent lite!atu!e 5not olde! than fie $ea!s6 is !eco((ended unless $ou a!e !efe!!ing to
classical wo!'s in $ou! field of stud$" Sou!ces used hae to %e in thei! (a9o!it$ &!i(a!$ sou!ces0
seconda!$ !efe!encing (a$ %e used"
#o(&!ehensie= De(onst!ate that $ou hae !ead e3tensiel$ without %eing oe! inclusie" Deelo&
$ou! a%ilit$ to e(&lo$ su((a!$ state(ents and to s$nthesi>e"
Page - of 12
2.( 0ethodolog'
The &u!&ose of this cha&te! is to indicate what $ou actuall$ did in $ou! !esea!ch so that $ou! !eade! (a$
ealuate the design &!ocedu!e and findings of $ou! stud$" The (ethodolog$ section should %e well2
st!uctu!ed0 w!itten in concise0 (atte!2of2fact (anne! and should &!oide answe!s to the following :uestions
2 7hat actuall$ ha&&ened 2 How? 2 To who(2 7ith what !esult? 2 How we!e &!o%le(s dealt with?
A&&!oach to data?
The following is an outline of the Methodolog$ Section
Reiew of Data #ollection Methods
2 Why were the data collection methods you chose the best suited to fit your research question
Seconda!$ Data
2 What secondary data was used !ow does it feed into the current research
P!i(a!$ Data=
2 A detailed descri"tion of research conducted# desi$n of the tool# descri"tion of fieldwor%# you also
need to mention any s"ecific "rocedures used&
#!ite!ia fo! Sa(&le Selection
2 Number of total sam"le# characteristics of sam"le and method of selection
Pilot Stud$
' To whom was the study administered# what chan$es were made to the research tool
Methods of Anal$sis2
' (riefly e)"lain how you "ro"ose to analy*e the data# if com"uter software is $oin$ to be used# a
descri"tion of the ty"e of software has to be included&
)i(itations
' What were the limitations of this study and how did you o+ercome these limitations
2.1 Presentation and Anal'sis of Data
In the &!esentation of data $ou a!e to &!esent the (a9o! findings of $ou! !esea!ch in a su((a!i>ed fo!( and
the details of the anal$ses which hae %een &e!fo!(ed" The content and st$le de&end on the natu!e of the
!esea!ch (ethod chosen0 %ut in the case of %oth :uantitatie and :ualitatie studies0 the o%9ect is to &!esent
the data collected to answe! the !esea!ch :uestions"
2.1.1 Presentation and Anal'sis of 2&alitati/e )esear%h
1" P!esentation of data is (ainl$ desc!i&tie and this is usuall$ &!esented in a ch!onological o!de!"
2" Anal$sis of data is conducted th!ough the identification of the(es" The !esea!ch tools in
:ualitatie !esea!ch include o&en2ended desc!i&tions0 t!ansc!i&ts of inte!iews0 essa$s and
o%se!ations" These &!oduce a (ass of data which so(eti(es can %e difficult to sift" A useful wa$
to &!ocess this data is to 'ee& the !esea!ch :uestion5s6 in (ind0 to !ead th!ough the data a cou&le of
ti(es until &a!ticula! issues o! the(es &!esent the(seles" These can %e suggestie of a st!uctu!e
fo! &!esenting the desc!i&tie data"
+" Eidence is usuall$ in fo!( of :uotations f!o( the su%9ects %eing studied0 discussions of &eo&le
inoled0 illust!ations0 &hotog!a&hs < the a!iations a!e unli(ited"
," ;ou (a$ find that the!e is eidence of diffe!ence of o&inion" Include a!iations in o&inion and
desc!i%e &oles of %elief" These add !ichness to :ualitatie !esea!ch"
Page . of 12
2.1.2 Presentation and Anal'sis of 2&antitati/e )esear%h
1" As a &!eli(ina!$ to wo!'ing out !esults0 an$ test gien (ust %e sco!ed0 data in&utted into the
a&&!o&!iate co(&ute! &!og!a((e and additional (ate!ial gained f!o( the sa(&le (ust %e so!ted
out" This is often &u!el$ (echanical wo!'0 and it ta'es ti(e %ut (ust %e done accu!atel$"
2" The data &!esented (ust not %e in thei! !aw fo!( 5this is &laced in the A&&endices6" The onl$ ti(e
$ou would ee! desc!i%e data on indiidual su%9ects is when $ou hae done a case stud$"
+" In this section0 the tas' is to su((a!ise data (eaningfull$0 th!ough the use of desc!i&tie statistics"
These include (ean sco!es0 (edians0 !anges0 standa!d deiations0 co!!elation coefficients"
," Aisual &!esentation is e!$ i(&o!tant in :uantitatie !esea!ch" B!a&hs0 ta%les0 histog!a(s0 %a!
g!a&hs a!e si(&le wa$s in which to &!esent condensed data %ut the$ a!e also e!$ effectie"
2.3 Dis%&ssion of )es&lts and Con%l&sions
1" This cha&te! should d!aw togethe! all the issues of the !esea!ch and lin' %ac' to the ai( and o%9ecties
which we!e outlined in the Int!oduction and Methodolog$" Hae the ai(s set at the %eginning %een
(et? If not0 wh$ not?
2" Ealuate how $ou! findings %ea! on issues o! &oints !aised in the )ite!atu!e Reiew"
+" 7hat a!e the i(&lications a!ising f!o( the findings" Be ca!eful with $ou! gene!alisations and $ou!
inte!&!etations" Reco((endations should %e %ased on eidence"
," Do $ou hae suggestions fo! futu!e !esea!ch in this a!ea?
2.4 )eferen%es
*ull details of all the %oo's and 9ou!nal a!ticles cited o! !efe!enced th!oughout the disse!tation should %e
included in this cha&te!" A !eade! should %e a%le to identif$ the e3act sou!ce and !efe! to it di!ectl$" The
Ha!a!d (ethod of !efe!encing is the !eco((ended s$ste("
2.5 A$$endi%es
The A&&endices should include selectie0 su&&le(enta!$ (ate!ial which is dist!acting when &laced in the
(ain %od$ of te3t" Onl$ (ate!ial which is necessa!$ fo! a full unde!standing of $ou! stud$ should %e
included" These include i(&o!tant fo!(s0 :uestionnai!es o! inte!iew schedules0 desc!i&tion of e:ui&(ent
o! settings0 ta%les and lists of data su&&o!tie of the stud$"
Page / of 12
+ OTHER #ONSIDERATIONS O* THE DISSERTATION
3.1 Presentation La'o&t
3.1.1 General !e-t= Te3t should %e dou%le2s&aced using one side of the &age onl$
*ont selected should %e Ti(es New Ro(an
P!int si>e 12
Ma!gins at least +"1c( on the left (a!gin
+"1 c( on the !ight (a!gin
+"1 c( on the to& (a!gin
+"1 c( on the %otto( (a!gin
Page nu(%e!s= #ente!ed at the %otto( of the &age
Ro(an Nu(%e!s 5i0 iiC"6 should %e used f!o( the
fi!st &age 5e3cluding the title &age6 until the (ain
%od$ of the te3t whe!e the Int!oduction co((ences
on &age 1"
Dustified= Both left and !ight
Pa!ag!a&hs= No indentation
Sta!t new &a!ag!a&h afte! two !etu!ns
In2te3t e(&hasis= @se italics o! %old t$&eface "
3.1.2 6eadings= #ha&te! Headings P!int si>e 1. in %old t$&eface
Su%2Headings P!int si>e 1, in %old t$&eface
Main #ha&te! headings in %loc' ca&itals
#ha&te! headings left 9ustified at the to& of a new &age
All othe! headings 9ustified and followed %$ a single line s&ace
Su%2headings= @se su%2headings togethe! with a nu(%e!ing s$ste(
used in this docu(ent thus giing st!uctu!e to $ou!
wo!'"
3.1.3 2&otations= Single line2s&acing
Indented left and !ight
Dustified left and !ight
Must include autho! na(e0 date and &age nu(%e! !efe!!ing to the &a!ent te3t
Must %e &!eceded and followed %$ a line s&ace"
3.1.# !a,les7 Fig&res et%.7 Must %e nu(%e!ed acco!ding to the cha&te! 5eg" Ta%le -"1 (eans that it
is located in #ha&te! - and that it is the fi!st ta%le &!esented and
discussed in this cha&te!6
Must hae a title at the to& and 'e$ 5legend6 unde!neath
Page E of 12
3.2 !'$ing and Proof )eading
Alwa$s &!oof !ead $ou! co&ies fo! good g!a((a! and &!esentation %efo!e handing $ou! wo!' to $ou! tuto!"
S&ecial attention should % (ade to the final d!aft of $ou! disse!tation"
Be &!e&a!ed fo! the une3&ected such as ha!d dis' failu!e0 loss o! co!!u&tion of dis'ettes and &!inte! failu!e"
@se %ac'2u& dis's and alwa$s 'ee& 5u&dated6 ha!d co&ies of $ou! wo!' in case of an e(e!genc$F
3.3 "inding
One ha!d%ound 8 s&i!al %ound co&$ of the disse!tation and two #D4s well la%eled is !e:ui!ed to %e
&!esented du!ing &!esentation " It is the studentsG !es&onsi%ilit$ to o!gani>e the %inding and (a'e su!e that
the co&ies a!e !ead$ %efo!e the su%(ission date"

!he la,el on the CD8s is in the following se9&en%e
CD n&m,er:
!itle:
A&thor:
*ear of s&,mission:
;e'words <if an'=:
Page H of 12
A&&endi3 1= P!otot$&e of Title Page
!itle
<+&,title=
5Student4s na(e6
A disse!tation su%(itted in &a!tial fulfill(ent of the !e:ui!e(ents of
Maste!s in Business Ad(inist!ation < Inte!national Business 8 Inte!national
Business 5Integ!ated6
at the
A(it$ inte!national %usiness school
A(it$ @nie!sit$0 Noida
Month ;ea!
Page 11 of 12
A&&endi3 2= Assess(ent Sche(e
A" S$no&sis .1
B" Mid Te!( Reiew0 Aia and P!esentation /-
#" Re&o!t -1
1" #once&tual *!a(ewo!'
2" O%9ecties I Methodolog$
+" I(&lications I #onclusions
D" *inal Aia and P!esentation .-
!otal 2(>
/al&ation of A 7 "7 ? D mentioned a,o/e will ,e thro&gh a formal $resentation in front of
a $anel whi%h ma' %onsists of e-ternal e-$erts from the ind&str' and C will ,e e/al&ated
,' the fa%&lt' g&ide.
G&idelines for the assessment of the dissertation
7hile ealuating the disse!tation0 facult$ guide will conside! the following as&ects=
1" #lea! state(ent of the o%9ectie o! o%9ectie5s6
2" P!actical !eleance of the o%9ecties and (ethodolog$ to the %usiness wo!ld8econo($
+" Sufficient %ac'g!ound !eading and !eiew of the aaila%le lite!atu!e c!iticall$ %$ the student"
," Deelo&(ent of an a&&!o&!iate anal$tical f!a(ewo!' fo! add!essing the &!o%le( at hand"
-" #ollection of suita%le info!(ation 8 data"
." A&&!o&!iateness I !eleanc$ of the techni:ues e(&lo$ed %$ the student to anal$>e the data 8
info!(ation
/" Regula!it$ of student in his8he! wo!'"
E" Aalid conclusion d!awn o! not"
H" )a$out of the w!itten !e&o!t"
11" #onfidence and 'nowledge of the student while answe!ing :uestions and giing the &!esentation"
Page 11 of 12
A&&endi3 += Buidelines fo! S$no&sis
The s$no&sis is a %!ief out line 5a%out fie A2, si>e &ages o! 1-11 wo!ds is the (a3i(u( li(it6 of $ou!
futu!e wo!'"
A s$no&sis (ust hae the following headings=
!.!L= Should !eflect the o%9ecties of the stud$" It (ust %e w!itten afte! the whole s$no&sis has %een
w!itten so that it is a t!ue !e&!esentatie of the &lan 5i"e" the s$no&sis6"
.N!)@DUC!.@N= Should contain %!ief %ac'g!ound of the selected to&ic" It (ust identif$ the i(&o!tance
of stud$0 its !eleance and a&&lica%ilit$ of !esults" It (ust clea!l$ state the &u!&ose of the stud$"
@"AC!.B+= O%9ecties a!e state(ents of (entions" The$ info!( the !eade! clea!l$ what the student
&lans to do in his8he! wo!'" The (ust identif$ the a!ia%les inoled in !esea!ch" O%9ectie should %e
sufficientl$ s&ecific0 (easu!a%le0 achiea%le0 !eleant and ti(e %ound <+0A)!6"
0A!).AL AND 0!6@D+=
ST@D; DESIBN= Mention the na(e of the a&&!o&!iate stud$ design"
SETTINB= Na(e and &lace whe!e the !esea!ch wo!' is to %e conducted"
D@RATION O* ST@D;= How long will the stud$ ta'e with dates"
SAMP)E SIJE= How (an$ &e!sons will %e included" If the!e a!e g!ou&s how (an$ &e! g!ou&?
SAMP)INB TE#HNIK@E= T$&e of sa(&ling techni:ue e(&lo$ed"
SAMP)E SE)E#TION=
Inclusion c!ite!ia= on what %ases will &e!sons %e inducted in the stud$"
E3clusion c!ite!ia= On what %ases will &e!sons %e e3cluded f!o( the stud$"
DATA #O))E#TION PRO#ED@RE= A detailed account of how the student will &e!fo!( !esea!chL how
s8he will (easu!e the a!ia%le" It includes=
Identification of the stud$ a!ia%les
Methods fo! collection of data
Data collection tools 5&!ofo!(a8:uestionnai!e6
DATA ANA);SIS PRO#ED@RE= Releant details na(ing softwa!e to %e used0 which desc!i&tie
statistics and which test of significance if and when !e:ui!ed0 s&ecif$ing a!ia%les whe!e it will %e a&&lied"
RE*EREN#ES=
DATA #O))E#TION INSTR@MENT=
The student (ust attach0 as an anne30 the &!ofo!(a o! :uestionnai!e with the hel& of which he8she intends
to collect data" The &!ofo!(a 8 :uestionnai!e (ust (atch the o%9ecties and (ust not contain i!!eleant
sections li'e inclusion and e3clusion c!ite!ia etc"
Page 12 of 12