SBM ITB

BANDUNG INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES AND INSTRUCTIONS

MBA ITB FINAL PROJECT GUIDELINES

No. ISK/SBM/MBA/01

Document Status :

:
Distribution Nb.

Prepared by: ………………………… Process Owner

Reza Ashari Nasution, Ph.D

Reviewed by: …………………………. Management Representative

Dr. Aurik Gustomo

Approved by: …….……………………. Dean of SBM ITB

Prof. Sudarso Kaderi Wiryono
MBA FINAL PROJECT GUIDELINES
(English Version)
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................... i

List of Tables ............................................................................................................................. iii
List of Appendices ..................................................................................................................... iv
Chapter 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1
1.1. Background ..................................................................................................................... 1
1.2. Purpose ............................................................................................................................ 1
1.3. Structure of the Guide Book............................................................................................ 2
Chapter 2 Report Format ............................................................................................................ 3
2.1. The Use of English and Rules of Writing ....................................................................... 3
2.2. Paper Size ........................................................................................................................ 3
2.3. Rules on Numbering........................................................................................................ 3
2.4. Rules on Writing Chapters and Sections ......................................................................... 3
2.4.1. Main Chapter Title .................................................................................................. 3
2.4.2. Secondary Titles (Sub-Chapters) ............................................................................. 4
2.4.3. Tertiary Titles (Sub-Subchapters) ........................................................................... 4
2.5. Rules on Writing Quotations ........................................................................................... 4
2.6. Rules on Citing the Source of the Quote ......................................................................... 6
2.6.1. Citing the Source of the Quote ................................................................................ 6
2.6.2. Citing the Source in the Form of Interviews or Unpublished Manuscripts ............. 7
2.6.3. Citing a Source from the Internet ............................................................................ 7
2.7. Rules on Including Figures and Tables ........................................................................... 8
2.8. Final Project Report Format ............................................................................................ 9
2.8.1. Title Page ................................................................................................................. 9
2.8.2. Abstract.................................................................................................................. 10
2.8.3. Validation Page ..................................................................................................... 10
2.8.4. Preface or Foreword .............................................................................................. 10
2.8.5. Table of Contents .................................................................................................. 11
2.8.6. List of Figures........................................................................................................ 11
2.8.7. List of Tables ......................................................................................................... 11
2.8.8. List of Appendices ................................................................................................. 11
2.9. Main Body ..................................................................................................................... 12
2.10. Closing ........................................................................................................................ 12
2.10.1. Bibliography ........................................................................................................ 12
2.10.2. Appendix ............................................................................................................. 16
2.11. MARGIN OF ERROR ................................................................................................ 16
2.12. Printing and Binding ................................................................................................... 16
Chapter 3 Report Contents ........................................................................................................ 18
3.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 18
3.2. Business Issue Exploration............................................................................................ 19
3.2.1. Conceptual Framework ......................................................................................... 19
3.2.2. Analysis of Business Situation .............................................................................. 19
3.2.3. Conclusion of the Business Analysis .................................................................... 20
3.3. Business Solution .......................................................................................................... 20
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 3.3.1. Business Solution Alternatives .............................................................................. 20
3.3.2. Analysis of Alternatives ........................................................................................ 20
3.4. Implementation Plan and Resource Requirements........................................................ 21
3.4.1. Implementation Plan .............................................................................................. 21
3.4.2. Resource Requirements ......................................................................................... 21
Bibliography ............................................................................................................................. 22
Appendix ................................................................................................................................... 23

ii
 LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1 Structure of Final Project Report ................................................................................ 9

iii
 LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix 1. Example of Figure ................................................................................................ 24

Appendix 2. Example of Table ................................................................................................. 25
Appendix 3. Example of Final Project Cover ........................................................................... 26
Appendix 4. Example of Abstract ............................................................................................. 27
Appendix 5. Example of Validation Page ................................................................................. 29
Appendix 6. Example of Foreword ........................................................................................... 30
Appendix 7. Example of Table of Contents.............................................................................. 32
Appendix 8. Example of Conceptual Framework..................................................................... 35
Appendix 9. Example of Analysis of Business Situation ......................................................... 37
Appendix 10. Example of Alternatives of Business Solution................................................... 39

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 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background
The Master of Business Administration program at ITB (MBA-ITB) places high importance
on the understanding and skills in order to face the dynamics of business issues in the real
world. To that end, MBA-ITB provides a variety of real business issues to the students, in the
classroom and outside. In the classroom, this is done through the use of case-based learning
method. Cases from various sources are utilized to build a business sense in the students.
Outside of class, the goal is reached through encouraging the students to observe the business
practices of various companies, and to discuss it in order to understand those practices.
At the end of the learning process, students are required to work on their Final Project (FP),
through which students will have the opportunity to work independently, under the
supervision of a lecturer, to solve a real business issue in Indonesia. Through the project,
which runs for one semester, the students are expected to hone their skills in understanding
and solving business issues. Additionally, the Final Project of MBA-ITB serves the following
purposes:
1. Developing the ability to solve strategic business issues
2. Developing decision-making abilities, in line with the unique mindset of MBA-ITB
3. Developing the ability to formulate the application of a business solution

1.2. Purpose
This document was formed to provide guidelines for the students working on their Final
Project in MBA-ITB. This document is a replacement for the Final Project Guidelines used in
2004-2007, and is a revision on the guidelines used in 2007-2013. The difference with regards
to the 2004-2007 guidelines is in the rules of writing, the language being used, the report
format, and the examples in the Appendix. In 2004-2007 there were three choices of formats:
Problem Solving, Business Plan, and Systems Design. After 2007, there has been online one
format, which is the Business Problem Solving.
This guidelines improves on the guidelines used in 2007-2013, especially on the rules on
referencing, language used, the change in the order of the chapters, and improving the attached

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examples so that they illustrate the contents of the document better. With these improvements,
hopefully the students can explain the contribution of their work in solving the business issue.
There are two aspects that will be explained in this guide book: the first concerns the
requirements regarding the physical copy of the report, the second concerns the structure or
arrangement of the Final Project Report.

1.3. Structure of the Guide Book

The Final Project Guide Book has four parts:
1. Introduction
This chapter will explain the background, purpose, and the structure of the guide book.
2. Report Format
This chapter will elaborate on the use of English in writing the Final Project report and
requirements regarding the physical copy ("hard copy") of the Final Project report, from
paper size to chapter numbering, and captioning figures and tables.
3. Report Contents
This chapter explains the steps in writing a business report aimed to solve a business
issue, and what should be covered in the report.
4. Appendix
The Appendix will illustrate and give examples on tables, figures, abstract, front pages,
etc.

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 CHAPTER 2 REPORT FORMAT

2.1. The Use of English and Rules of Writing

The Final Project Report in MBA-ITB must be written in English. It must use proper and
formal grammar, including correct punctuations, prepositions, tenses, etc. Sentences must be
complete and logical, and easily comprehensible.
Personal pronouns, especially first-person, is not to be used, except in quotations. The student
must form the sentence in such a way that personal pronouns are not necessary.
Additionally, the writing in the report must also adhere to the writing norms of the Business
and Management science field, especially those related to business problem solving and the
use of business and management scientific terms.

2.2. Paper Size

The Final Project report should be printed on common printing papers (also known as "HVS"
paper), A4 sized (210 mm x 297 mm), weighing 80g/m2. (HVS 80 GSM)

2.3. Rules on Numbering

The pages containing the abstract, validation page, preface/foreword, table of contents, list of
tables, list of figures, list of Appendices, list of abbreviations, and the ITB logo are numbered
separately from the Final Project; the numbers are using the i, ii, iii, ... notation. The main
body of the Final Project Report are numbered using Arabic numerals: 1, 2, 3, ... consecutively
from beginning to end. Both kinds of page numbers are placed on the bottom left or the
bottom right of the pages.

2.4. Rules on Writing Chapters and Sections

The Final Project Report is a business report. Every part of its main body is referred to as a
Chapter. The rules on writing the chapter titles will be explained in the sections below.

2.4.1. Main Chapter Title

Main chapters are the main parts of the report. The main chapter titles should be center
aligned, written in bold capital letters, size 14.

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2.4.2. Secondary Titles (Sub-Chapters)
The sub-chapter titles are numbered according to the order of the sections in the chapter, using
Arabic numerals. The first number indicates the (main) chapter number, and the second
number indicates the number/order of the sub-chapter in that chapter. For example, "1.1.
Background" indicates the first sub-chapter in the first chapter. Section titles are written using
the norm for writing titles (capitalized first letter of each word, except for articles,
prepositions, etc.), in bold. Add a period (.) after each number on the title. For example: "2.4.
Rules on Writing Chapters and Sections."

2.4.3. Tertiary Titles (Sub-Subchapters)

The rules are similar to the secondary titles, except the number becomes a three-digit number,
and the title is written in italic. For example, "2.4.3. Tertiary Titles (Sub-Subchapters)." Use a
period after each number on the title.

2.5. Rules on Writing Quotations

If there are sentences or parts of sentences that are direct quotations from another document or
an interview, then the quote will be written between two quotation marks. If the quotation is
considerably long (more than three lines) it is written in a separate paragraph, indented by
10mm. Additionally, the source of the quote must be given. (See 2.6. Rules on Citing the
Source of the Quote)
When quoting, ensure that the readers know who is being quoted, and what the relevance is.
Try to insert the quote in a continuous "flow", so that the quote and the main body of writing
work together.
The following example illustrates a quotation from the book of Richard Steers:
Aggressive defense mechanism was defined in the book Introduction to Organizational
Behavior chapter 18: “Aggressive defense mechanism include those reactions by which we
directly or indirectly attack the source of the threat to our self concept” (Steers, 1996: 22)

Author's Name Publication Year Page Number

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If the name of the author is already mentioned, then the quote information no longer needs to
mention the name of the author:
Arthur Goldsmith defines entrepreneurial politics as a situation where “...society, or large
part of thinks it gains from a policy that harms a small segment of society” (2002: 202).

The next example shows a long quote written as a separate paragraph (i.e. the quote is more
than three lines long), and illustrates the use of ellipsis (...). The ellipsis shows that there is
some part existing in the original source that was omitted in the quote, most likely because
that part is irrelevant.
In the case where the quotation is written separately, then the paragraph would have a 10mm
left indent, and only one line of spacing between the lines.
In recruiting new employees, the interview is done with the purpose of obtaining information,
not to evaluate the information itself, as stated by Wood & Payne:
The main objective of the interview should be to collect relevant information. You do not
evaluate the information during the interview. ....By relevant information, we mean
relevant to the competencies you are trying to assess. In practice, this means gathering
specific example of candidate has actually achieved in the past and how they did it
(1998: 108).

Year of publication Page number

The following example illustrates the instance of quoting a quote, or a double quotation. In
this example, the author quoting Steers, while Steers himself quoted Thomas:
In Chapter 18 of Introduction to Organizational Behavior, Richard Steers offers a definition
of conflict: ”’Conflict is the process which begins when one party perceives that the other has
frustated, or is about to frustate, some concern of his’ (Thomas, 1976, p.891)” (1996: 244).

The source of the quote in The source of the

Steer's book statement quoted by
the author

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In the next example, the quote is separated in the middle by the author's explanation:

“The process nonaction strategy,” Steers stated, ”is to wear down the dissatisfied employee
while at same time claiming that resolution procedures are open and available” (1996: 323).

2.6. Rules on Citing the Source of the Quote

Any quotation originating from a book, journal, unpublished manuscript, and/or the internet
needs to cite the source, in the form of the author‟s surname, year of publication, and the page
number where the quoted statement can be found. The source is written between parentheses
(Author-Date Harvard System).

2.6.1. Citing the Source of the Quote

If it is a direct quotation from another source, then the page number is needed, along with the
name of the author and the year of publication.

An example of a short quotation:

Bell (2010, p.250) warns that “You are plagiarizing if you copy someone else‟s words and
claim them as your own.”

An example of a long quotation:

You are plagiarizing if you copy someone else‟s words and claim them as your own and you
cannot use other people‟s data nor their ideas unless you provide adequate acknowledgement.
(Bell, 2010, p.250)

If there are multiple authors, the quotation is as follows:

“........strategic goals ...(Anchonam, Kochan, Van Maanen, & Westney, 1999, M-2, 10)

Another way (for quoting multiple authors) is to use the term et al.
“........strategic goals ...(Anchonam et.al. 1999, M-2, 40)

The above example informs that the quotation is taken from a book written by Anchonam et
al. from Module 2 page 40, because the modules have their pages numbered independently,
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and every module starts from page one. The usage of the term “et al.” to refer to multiple
authors is only permissible if previously there had been a quotation which mentioned all the
names of the authors.

2.6.2. Citing the Source in the Form of Interviews or Unpublished Manuscripts

If the quote was taken from an interview, then the student should mention the name of the
person being interviewed, the type of interview (e.g., personal interview, or telephone
interview), and the date of the interview. The following example should illustrate it:
(Paul Fireman, Personal Interview, 10/10/2002)

If the quote was taken from an unpublished manuscript, the citation should mention the name
of the author, the year, page number (if applies). If the author is unidentified, it can be
replaced by the name of the organization or the title of the quoted document. If the date is
unknown, it should be replaced with “n.d.”
In the following example the year of authorship is unknown:
(Hamblin and Austin, n.d.: 25)
In the following example the author is unidentified:
(Health Services Partnership Business Plan, 1992:2)

2.6.3. Citing a Source from the Internet

If the website mentions the name of the writer:
Kimber, R. (2013) Richard Kimber’s Political Science Resources. Available at:
http://www.politicsresources.net/ (Accessed: 28 May 2014).

If the website mentions the writer as an organization:

Met Office (2014) A global perspective on the recent storms and floods in the UK.
Available at: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/news/2014/uk-storms-and-
floods (Accessed: 10 May 2014).

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If the writer is not identified, the name/title of the website is to be used in its place:

 In-text citation: The museum shows the vast influence China has had on the rest of
the world (Cultural China, 2014)...
 Bibliography: Cultural China (2014) Available at: http://www.cultural-
china.com/(Accessed: 3 August 2014).

If no writer is identified, and the name/title of the website is not available, the URL can be
used instead:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39625809/ns/world_news-americas/

If the source is a blog:

Robinson, N. (2014) „Wanted: New president of Europe‟, Newslog, 2 June. Available

at:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27668142 (Accessed 3 June 2014).

2.7. Rules on Including Figures and Tables

The inclusion of figures, diagrams, pictures, tables, or maps, will be done in adherence to the
following points:
 The type of paper should be uniform with the rest of the document, with an exception
if technical requirements in printing photographs or pictures requires paper other than
the 80-gram HVS. In such cases, the paper should be selected such that the whole
document can still be bound well and neatly.
 The title of figures/pictures/maps should be captioned below the figure/picture/map,
while the title of tables should be captioned above the table. The capitalization of the
caption follows the capitalization rule of book titles (capitalized first letter of each
word, except for articles and pronouns, etc.). Illustrations of this rule can be found in
Appendix 1.
 Tables should not be split into two separate pages. The exception is if the length of the
table is too long for one page. In this case, the rest of the table can be placed in the
following page, with the header row included in that page. The caption for the

8
 extension should be numbered with the same number as the original, with the word
“continued” appended. Examples can be found in Appendix 2.
 The placement of tables and figures may be arranged to maintain logical flow and
aesthetic value. If landscape orientation is used, then page numbering and other matters
should also be adapted. The word processor application used should have a feature to
manage this.

Generally, the outline of the Final Project report is comprised of three parts, as listed in Table
2.1 below.
Table 2.1 Structure of Final Project Report
Bagian Subjek
Awal Cover
Abstract (English version)
Abstract (Bahasa version)
Legalization Page
Acknowledgement
Table of Content
List of Figures
List of Tables
List of Appendices
Inti Chapter 1. Introduction
Chapter 2. Business Issue Exploration
Chapter 3. Business Solution
Chapter 4. Implementation Plan
Penutup Bibliography
Appendices

2.8. Final Project Report Format

2.8.1. Title Page

The size and characteristics of the elements in the title page are as follow:
Title of Final Project : Font 14 bold, Capital
The words “FINAL PROJECT” : Font 14 bold
The word “by” : Font 12 bold
The name of the student : Font 12 bold
Student Number : Font 12 bold
Logo of ITB (outline only, no fill) : Height: 3.5cm
9
“Master of Business Administration Program” : Font 14 bold
“School of Business and Management” : Font 14 bold
“Bandung Institute of Technology” : Font 14 bold
Year of graduation : Font 14 bold
The font used should be of the serif family, e.g. Times New Roman. See Appendix 3.

2.8.2. Abstract
The abstract is written in two versions: one in Indonesian and one in English. Each abstract
begins in a new page. The abstract of the Final Project at MBA-ITB is like an executive
summary in a business report. It contains 500-800 words, and gives a short description on the
business issue, the result of the explorative study on the issue aimed to find the root cause, the
proposed solution and alternatives, and recommendations for the implementation plan. The
first four paragraphs are the summary of the four chapters in the report. Below the abstract,
three to six keywords related to the Final Project are listed.
The abstract is written in Times New Roman 11, with single spacing. It has the same margin
sizes as the main body of the report. The page containing the abstract is titled ABSTRAK (in
the Indonesian version) or ABSTRACT (in the English version). The title is 3cm away from
the top edge of the paper. The first sentence of the executive summary is two spaces below the
title. Appendix 4 contains an example.

2.8.3. Validation Page

The validation page begins in a new page. It contains the title of the Final Project, the name of
the student, the Student Number, the study program, and the name of the academic/thesis
advisor (from MBA-ITB). It should be signed by the thesis advisor, signifying their approval
of the project and report. Appendix 5 contains an example.

2.8.4. Preface or Foreword

The preface begins in a new page. In this page, the student may express their gratitude in
written form, directed towards the thesis advisor, the company, and other individuals or parties
involved with (or otherwise having contributed to) the project and report. The sentences used
must be formal. Appendix 6 contains an example.

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2.8.5. Table of Contents
The table of contents begins in a new page, and is titled TABLE OF CONTENTS written in
capitals, without a period.
This page contains the chapter numbers, the sub-chapter numbers, the titles of chapters and
sub-chapters, and the page number containing the corresponding chapter or sub-chapter. The
three items (number, title, and page number) are written consecutively as three columns in
line.
Chapter number is written in Roman numerals without a period, while the sub-chapters are
written in Arabic numerals, separated with periods. This is similar to the explanation on
chapter and sub-chapter titles previously.
The titles of the chapter, sub-chapter, and sub-subchapter are written in lowercase, except for
the first letter of each word, which are capitalized. The titles are not followed by a period.
Students are encouraged to use the feature in the word processor application to build their
table of contents. Appendix 7 contains an example.

2.8.6. List of Figures

The List of Figures begins in a new page. The page contains the figure number, the figure title,
and the page number where the figure can be found.
The figure number is written as two numbers separated by a period. The first number is
written in Roman numerals, indicating the chapter number containing the figure. The second
number is written in Arabic numerals, indicating the order of the figure in its chapter.
The title of the figure is written in lowercase, except for the first letter of each word, which are
written in capital letters. The lines are single spaced. Other rules are similar to the rules of the
Table of Contents.

2.8.7. List of Tables

The rules for the List of Tables are similar to the rules for the List of Figures.

2.8.8. List of Appendices

The List of Appendices begins in a new page. The page contains the number of the appendix
or the sub-appendix, the title of the appendix or sub-appendix, and the corresponding page
number.
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Appendices are ordered using capital Latin alphabet, A, B, ... and so on. Sub-appendices are
ordered using Arabic numerals. The List of Appendices is written in a similar way to the Table
of Contents.
Students are encouraged to build their List of Appendices using the feature provided by the
word processor application. Examples can be seen in the appendices in the guide book.

2.9. Main Body

The body of the report will be elaborated in Chapter 4 of this guide book.

2.10. Closing

2.10.1. Bibliography
The Bibliography lists the works that are directly referenced in the Final Project. The writing
guidelines are as follow:
a. The Bibliography begins in a new page
b. The title is “BIBLIOGRAPHY” written as the main title
c. Use the paragraph formatting feature “hanging indent” such that the second and
subsequent lines are indented.
d. The entries are listed in alphabetical order based on the author‟s (or editor‟s) surname.
In the absence of the author/editor‟s name, the authoring company‟s name or the name
of the magazine (if appropriate) will be used instead.
e. Another alternative is to use a numbered list.
f. If there are more than one entry with the same surname, either with singular or
multiple authors, the name(s) of the author(s) are repeated in writing.
g. In the above (f) case, the entries will be ordered based on the publication year.
h. In the case that the works have the same publication years (and author names),
distinguish the entries by adding a lowercase letter (a, b, c..) after the year.

2.10.1.1. Books
The rules on writing Bibliography for sources in the form of books are as follows: The
surname of the author or the editor, their first and middle name initials, year, the title of the

12
book (in italics), the city of publication, the country code, and the name of the publishing
company.
Example:
Kahn, R.L. & Bouding, E (Eds.), 1964, Power and Conflict in Organization, Glencoe, IL: Free
Press.
Katz,D., & Kahn, R.L. 1978, The Social Psychology of Organizations (2nd ed.), New York:
Wiley.
Wibisono, D., 2003, Riset Bisnis Panduan Bagi Praktisi dan Akademisi, Jakarta, INA:
Gramedia Pustaka Utama.

In the absence of one or several elements, some substitutes can be used:

 n.p. (no publisher), in the absence of the name of the publishing company
 N.p. (No place of publication), in the absence of the publisher‟s location
 n.d. (no date) if the date of the publication is unknown
 n.pag. (no pages) if the page number is unavailable

2.10.1.2. Magazines/Journals/Bulletins
Magazines/Journals/Bulletins are mentioned in the following order: the author‟s surname,
initials, year of publication, the name of the magazine/journal/bulletin (in italics), volume or
edition number, page number. If the page numbering in said magazine/journal/bulletin is
unordered (i.e. each issue starts at page one), then the issue number needs to be mentioned.
Examples:
Fry,L.W., & Slocum, J.W. Jr., 1984, Technology, Structure, and Workgroup Effectiveness: A
Test of a Contingency Model. Academy of Management Journal, 21: 221-246

Goggin, W.C. 1974, How Multidimensional Structure Works at Dow Corning, Harvard
Business Review, 55(1): 54-65

If a journal article does not mention the author‟s name, then it is written as follows:
Biro Pusat Statistik, 2004, Laju Inflasi bisa Disebabkan oleh Kenaikan Populasi, September,
24:14.

2.10.1.3. Chapter in a Book

It should be written thusly: the author‟s surname, initials, year of publication, “In” followed by
the initial(s) and surname(s) of the editor(s) ended with “(Eds)”, book title: page number, city
of publication (or the country, if necessary): publisher‟s name.
13
Example:
Berg, N.A. 1973, Corporate Role in Diversified Companies. In B. Taylor & I. MacMillan
(Eds.), Business Policy:, Teaching and research: 298-347, New York: Wiley.

Roberts, F.S., 1976, Strategy for the Energy Crisis: The Case of Computer Transportation
Policy, In R. Axelrod (Ed.) Structure of Decision: 142-147, Princeton, NJ: Princeton
University Press.

2.10.1.4. Translated Works

When the source being referenced is a translation, the format is thus: author‟s name, book title
(in italics), the name of the translator preceded by “Trans.”, place of publication, publisher‟s
name, year of publication.
Apple, James., Tataletak Pabrik dan Pemindahan Bahan, Trans. Nurhajati Ma‟mun, Bandung:
Penerbit ITB, 1990.

2.10.1.5. Other Sources

In the case where the author is unidentified, the entry is written similarly to when the author is
a company author.

Interviews
If an interview is used as a reference, the person being interviewed is used in place of an
author. „Personal interview with (interviewer‟s name)‟ is used as the title, and the place and
time of the interview are also mentioned.
Example:
Fireman, Paul, Personal interview with Joan C. Tonn, Boston, MA: 22 October 2002.

Unpublished Manuscripts
Format: author‟s name (if available), date of authorship (if known), full title of the document,
“Unpublished manuscript”.
Example:
Tonn, Joan C.,1999, syllabus of MM 6303, Unpublished manuscript.

XYZ Company Five-year Corporate Strategy, Unpublished manuscript.

14
Online Sources
If the source being referenced is an online source, e.g. an online magazine, then the following
should be mentioned:
a. The surname and initials (first & middle name) of the author
b. Year
c. The title of the article or document
d. The name of the publication (if applicable)
e. Date (or n.d. if unknown)
f. Volume number (if applicable)
g. Issue number, in parentheses (if applicable)
h. Page number (if applicable)
i. Date of viewing
j. Complete URL
The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) should be complete and points to the page being
referenced, so that the readers may visit the page directly.
Example:
Kharif,O, 2003, Cellular carriers under siege. Business Week Online, March 18. Viewed 20
March, 2003 at
http://businessweek.com/technology/content/mar2003/tc20030318_0236tc106.htm.

Zunitch, V.M. 2003, Businessess in transition, Journal of Accountancy, March, 1995 (3),
Viewed 17 March 2003 at http://www.aicpa.org./pubs/jofa/mar2003/zunitch.htm

If the author‟s name is unknown, then the title of the journal or article can be used in place of
the author.
Example:
The Economist, 2003, In search of those elusive returns., 20 March, Viewed 21 March, 2003
dari http://economist.com/finance/displayStory.cfm?story_id=1649643.

Online sources can also be in the form of an independent article, instead of a periodical, and
the author‟s name might be unknown. A couple of examples:
Austin, A.H., n.d. The Electronics Industry, 1947-1997, Quoted from
http://www.geocities.com/econhist/html.

15
Departemen Tenaga Kerja Republik Indonesia, n.d. Hukum Ketenagakerjaan di Indonesia.
Viewed 23 May, 2003 at http://www.Naker.go/UU2003/whd/fair.pdf.
Yahoo.com, 2003, Verizon Communication profile, Viewed 21 September, 2003 at
http://finance.yahoo.com/index.asp

2.10.2. Appendix
Appendix serves to store information which elaborates or explains the main body of work,
available to readers who would like additional explanation. It can also contain text from a
document or regulation which illustrates the main text, a fairly long list, questionnaire, or even
maps, graphics, and tables.
Appendices can be in the form of several items which provide additional information,
calculations, raw data, tables, pictures, etc., i.e., items who will considerably disrupt the flow
of the main body of work unless presented separately.
Appendices are numbered numerically (1, 2, 3, ...) or using capital letters (A, B, C, ...). Each
appendix is also given a title. The numberings are consecutive, without including chapter
numbers. For example, if Appendix 1 is mentioned in Chapter 1 and Appendix 2 is mentioned
in Chapter 2 then they will simply be referred to as Appendix 1 and Appendix 2, and so on.
Appendices are preceded by one page containing only the word APPENDIX at the center of
the page. This page is not numbered.

2.11. MARGIN OF ERROR

The manuscript of the Final Project must not contain any mistake, nor need any correction.
There is zero tolerance for error. For this reason, the students are strongly advised to
familiarize themselves with the rules presented in this guide book, and to adhere and follow
the comments given by the examiners during the thesis defense. The student must establish
comunication with their thesis advisor(s) to clarify things that need improvement or
correction. Afterwards, the student works on improving the manuscript under the supervision
of the thesis advisor. Mistakes and errors in writing, language, etc. must be corrected.

2.12. Printing and Binding

The printing and binding of the Final Project report follow the following rules and guidelines:

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1. Utilizes a computer, printed with black ink, with serif font (such as Times New
Roman) size 12pt. for the narration, size 10 or 9 for quotations, tables, or figure
captions.
2. Pages are printed front and back (recto-verso).
3. The margin for binding is 3.5 cm. For the right page when the book is opened (recto),
the left margin is 3 cm. For the left page when the book is opened (verso), the right
margin is 3 cm. Other margins are 2 cm.
4. Narrations are 1.5 spaced, while quotations, diagram contents, tables, figures, and
bibliography are single spaced.
5. The first line of a new paragraph is 3 spaces apart from the last line of the preceding
paragraph.
6. The first letter of a new paragraph is flush with the left margin. Paragraphs should not
start at the bottom of a page; if the space is insufficient for at least two lines of text, the
paragraph would better start in the following page. Likewise, paragraphs should not
end at the beginning of a new page; it would better end at the end of the preceding
page.
7. The first letter after several punctuations: comma, semicolon, colon, and period, should
be distanced with the preceding punctuation by one space.
8. Odd-numbered pages are recto (on the right side when the book is open), and even-
numbered pages are verso (on the left side).
9. A chapter always begins in an odd-numbered page. If the preceding chapter ends in an
odd-numbered page, the even-numbered page between the end of the preceding chapter
and the beginning of the current chapter is left blank, without a page number.
10. The original manuscript of the Final Project report is printed into three copies; they are
then handed to the academic departmen of MBA ITB. After the thesis defense ends and
the student is declared as graduating, the student works on any correction and
improvement requested by the examiners. Afterwards, the student must deliver one
copy of the Final Project report in hardcopy, and one softcopy in PDF form.

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 CHAPTER 3 REPORT CONTENTS

The steps involved in a problem solving activity are as follow:

1. Understanding the developing business issue and formulating a plan to determine the
root cause of the issue
2. Discovering the root cause of the issues stated above
3. Formulating several alternatives of solution aimed to solve the root cause
4. Conducting a comprehensive analysis, including criteria selection, to determine the
optimal solution and to prove that the chosen solution can solve the problem
5. Developing an implementation plan for the chosen solution, including the feedback
and controlling mechanisms.
If the above steps are expressed in written form as a business report, then the report would
have four main parts:
1. Introduction
2. Business Issue Exploration
3. Business Solution
4. Implementation Plan

3.1. Introduction
The Introduction begins by an narration of how the student encountered the business
assignment that became the topic of their Final Project. It is followed by a sub-chapter
containing a brief profile of the company covered in the Final Project. The topics covered are
(1) the history of the company, (2) the industry, or scope of business, of the company, (3)
description of the unit or branch analyzed in the Final Project, and (4) the business issue faced
by said unit. The four parts have their own sub-subchapters in Chapter 1. So, for example, sub-
chapter 1.1.1. Company History, 1.1.2. Scope of Business, and so on. The student is expected
to explain why there is a necessity for the business issue to be solved, the urgency, and how to
find indicators to determine whether the issue has been solved.

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3.2. Business Issue Exploration
In this part, the student uncovers the factors likely to be the root cause of the business issue.
These factors form the conceptual framework with which the Final Project will be conducted
in the corresponding business unit. Through an analysis of the factors in the conceptual
framework, the student can identify one or more factors that significantly contribute to the
emergence of the business issue being faced. The conceptual framework and its analysis will
be elaborated in the next section.

3.2.1. Conceptual Framework

In this section, the student develops a conceptual framework which will help in finding the
root cause of the business issue. The criteria of a good conceptual framework is a good
balance of rigor and relevance, i.e.:
- Having sufficient theoretical basis, and
- Relevant to the actual existing business context
The evaluation of the rigor and relevance of the conceptual framework is discussed in the
appropriate skills group. As a rough guide, usually a conceptual framework contains the
internal aspect of the company, the industrial situation, the competition landscape, profile and
behavior of the consumer, the supplier, the availability of substitutes, communication system
and marketing channels, and several macro-level factors such as infrastructure, (macro-
)economy, regulations, and politics. The student is expected to have a good argument and
explanation regarding the conceptual framework. The student is also expected to be able to
explain the theories and concepts involved in the conceptual framework. Appendix 8 contains
an example of a conceptual framework.

3.2.2. Analysis of Business Situation

After developing the conceptual framework, the student is then asked to analyze every factor
involved. The detailed coverage on all the factors will help the readers to understand the
business situation of the company/industry involved. To increase the reliability of the
exposition, the student must cite the source of data and the methods used. The student can
elaborate on the research methodology and business analysis as separate sections in the
subchapter on Analysis of Business Situation. Therefore, there would be two sections in the

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sub-chapter. If the student chooses to not create separate sections then the explanation can be
given before presenting the data and the analysis, in the sub-chapter of Analysis of Business
Situation. Appendix 9 contains an example.

3.2.3. Conclusion of the Business Analysis

At the end of this section, there will be a part that will analyze the results of the exploration
holistically; as a result, there will be a conclusion on which factor(s) act as the root cause of
the business issue. If there are multiple main factors, then the student may focus their Final
Project on a subset (one or more) of those factors. This choice must be stated explicitly in this
section. One of the tools often used to find the root cause is the fishbone diagram.

3.3. Business Solution

Formulating the business solution begins by listing several alternatives which then will be
analyzed; the result is an optimal solution appropriate for the situation and circumstances
faced by the company. The student may also, as an alternative, directly focus on one business
solution and analyze the likelihood and feasibility to be the solution to the business issue,
instead of analyzing each proposed alternative.

3.3.1. Business Solution Alternatives

After uncovering the factor causing the business issue to emerge, the student is then asked to
develop several solution alternatives that may help solve the issue. To show creativity in
problem solving, the student is asked to state all alternatives coming to mind, not only the
most potential ones. There are several benefits:
- Developing creativity in thinking
- Nurturing confidence and an open attitude
- Cultivating the ability to think in a realistic way
Appendix 10 contains an example.

3.3.2. Analysis of Alternatives

From the several alternatives proposed, a few will be considered most feasible and having
most potential for application. The student is asked to provide several reasons why other
alternatives are considered inferior. From the few alternatives considered to have potential,
20
one will be chosen; the chosen alternative is the one considered to be the most optimum
solution with regards to the condition and circumstances of the company / industry. This is
done by analyzing each of the potential alternatives. The selection process must be well
documented and presented. All data, assumptions, criteria, calculations, arguments and other
analysis (e.g., stakeholder value analysis) must be elaborated. The reason why a particular
analysis technique is used must also be elaborated (e.g., why the Net Present Value analysis is
used instead of the Payback Period). The implications in the managerial sense that this
alternative might have must also be covered.

3.4. Implementation Plan and Resource Requirements

3.4.1. Implementation Plan

A solution must be elaborated in the form of an implemenation plan, so that it can have a
practical and real value to the company. The implementation plan contains the following
things:
- Necessary activities, and how they are related to each other
- The people or unit(s) responsible for those activities
- Timing of the activities
- The flow of information, goods, and money happening alongside the activities
The use of a flowchart diagram, and the standards of conducting project management is highly
recommended to illustrate the above items.

3.4.2. Resource Requirements

Implementing the business solution most likely will have requirements in the form of human
resources, technology, monetary, and other resources and support; they are listed in this
section.

21
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

University of Leicester. (n.d.). Harvard (Author/Date) System. Retrieved December 5, 2014,

from http://www2.le.ac.uk/library/help/citing/harvard-author-date-system

22
APPENDIX
Appendix 1. Example of Figure

24
Appendix 2. Example of Table

25
Appendix 3. Example of Final Project Cover

Bold, capital, size 14

Bold, capital, size 14

Font:
Times New Roman

Bold, capital, size 12

Height: 3.5 cm
Outline only,
No fill

Bold,
size 14

26
 3 cm
Appendix 4. Example of Abstract

2 spaces

Single
spaced

2.5 cm

2,5 cm

- 500-800 words
- Times New Roman size 11
27
28
Appendix 5. Example of Validation Page

29
Appendix 6. Example of Foreword

30
31
Appendix 7. Example of Table of Contents

32
33
34
Appendix 8. Example of Conceptual Framework

35
36
Appendix 9. Example of Analysis of Business Situation

37
38
Appendix 10. Example of Alternatives of Business Solution

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