Walden M.B.A. Program Project

Overview

This document will give you insight into the Walden MBA Program Project, which is one of your program requirements. Please note that more detailed directions will be given in the M.B.A. core courses where you will complete this work. This document is only intended to give you a preview of the project.

You will design and build aspects of the Program Project, course by course, over the entire MBA program (excluding your specialization courses[1]). Each of the M.B.A.core courses will devote one week to synthesizing and applying course information and theories into one of two M.B.A. Program Project formats. You will choose between the two options in MMBA 6510, “Leading People.”: a New Venture Business Plan or a Business Analysis (Due Diligence) Report (see “Options for the M.B.A. Program Project” section below for more information).

Project components will be developed and submittedin each M.B.A. core course. Your work will be reviewed and assessed by your instructor and you will receive feedback that you should use to revise your work. In the Capstonecourse, you will devote a portion of your time to comprehensively reviewing your entire document to ensure it is cogent and complete and add an Executive Summary of your work. You will submit your final work in your Capstone for final instructor review and grading.

Rationale

This assignment is intentionally rigorous and challenging. It can be viewed as an application exam that will validate for you and your instructors that you have mastered the content in the M.B.A. How is a “master” of business defined? One definition may be, “a person who can identify and solve problems across a wide range of disciplines or fields, accurately and consistently.” In successfully completing your project, you will demonstrate that you have achieved a level of understanding of the practice of Business Administration and you will have documented evidence of that achievement.

Grading Rubrics

Each M.B.A. Program Project component will be assessed using a specific grading rubric that includes the components and criteria your instructor will use to review your work. You should plan to review the rubric thoroughly before you commence writing your project in each course since the rubrics are specific to the requirements of the individual components you will finish in each course. If you have questions about how to interpret the components or criteria, consult with your instructor. You should also plan enough time to review your own finished work via the rubric, prior to submitting it to the drop-box. Some faculty may require you to submit your own assessment along with your work.

Rubrics for the Program Project are found in the Course Info site under Course Home. For students who would like to look ahead to the Program Project requirements for subsequent courses, perhaps to better inform the choice of either a (New Venture) Business Planor a Business Analysis(Due Diligence)Report, the link below includes information on week 7 details for the core courses in this program.

MBA Program Project Feedback Tracker

Your instructor will provide feedback to you for each component of your project submitted in your M.B.A. core courses. You will receive their input via a detailed rubric and as appropriate additional qualitative comments. You should carefully review their assessment via the rubric by examining which criteria you met and how well and by reading any additional comments provided. This will provide you with information about where your paper is strong and where you may need to focus more attention. Once you have read and digested the feedback, you will provide a summary in the M.B.A. Program Project Feedback Tracker document, found by accessing the following link:

The Program Project Feedback Tracker needs to be submitted with your project submissions in each M.B.A. core course with the summary of the feedback you have received in each of the courses you previously completed.

Waived or Transfer Credit – Requirement to Complete Project Components

Students must complete all components of the M.B.A. Program Project prior to the time they start their M.B.A. Capstone course. Students who may have courses waived or who have received transfer of credit for a course or courses should visit the following web link to find the requirements for the components that they must complete.

These components will not be graded or assessed by M.B.A. faculty prior to the Capstone, but your careful review of the corresponding rubric(s) will provide you with a good picture of the quality of your work. If you have questions as you complete missing components you should email .

M.B.A. Program Project Resources and Assistance

You will find information about the Program Project requirements in each M.B.A. core course, program-level Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), contact information for additional assistance with the project, MBA Program Project Feedback Tracker document, and rubrics on the following link:

If you have questions about the Program Project or related processes that are not specific to a particular course you are taking, you may submit your questions to . Questions specific to the course you are taking should be directed to your instructor.

M.B.A. Program Project Awards

The M.B.A. Program Project Awards for the Outstanding New Venture Plan and Outstanding Business Consultancy Plan are presented annually to M.B.A. graduates who have developed an outstanding plan supporting a new venture or business consultancy and exhibited exceptional, original graduate-level work in Walden’s M.B.A. program. Your Capstone instructors will nominate projects that are deserving of this recognition.

You can find more about the awards at the following link:

Options for the M.B.A. Program Project

You will choose one of the following options.

1. Develop a Business Plan for a new[2] venture. This would be a full business plan including a full market analysis, sales, and marketing strategies and pro-forma financial (profit and loss) statements.

2.Create a Business Analysis (Due Diligence) Report for an established business. This would typically include components of both Business Planning and Operational Assessment, and include detailed historical information and analyses. The reportwould typically include anassessment of the appropriateness and effectiveness of its Vision, Mission Statement, and Long-term Goals and Objectives; it’s corporate values and view towards social and corporate responsibility; a financial review with key financial ratios and a pro-forma income statement; a market review; an examination of the culture, organizational structure, and staffing models as well as operational policies and procedures of the enterprise, and recommendations for change and improvement in each area as necessary. Finally students will prepare pro-forma financial (profit and loss) statements reflecting the impact of the recommended changes. Students who plan to study an existing business will need to submit a letter of approval from an authorized representative of the company to be studied and other documentation to verify that the student will be able to access information required in the project and has permission to present their analysis in the public forum of the classroom. Students will often find that writing a Business Analysis report will present more challenges than the Business plan for new venture option. Students should visit the following link for more information about the required documentation for the Business Analysis Program Project.

Program Project Components are Completedthroughout the M.B.A. Core Courses

Students will draw on and utilize course information and theories, critical thinking and reasoning skills, and external independent research to arrive at a finished product. Each course will focus on a range of topics that can be included in the final plan, including leadership, marketing, finance, and human resources.

Both options will use a similar business planning format with sections added or deleted as necessary, driven by the type of business. See the Illustrative Business Plan Outline for each option in order to get an idea of the type of work this project will entail (located at the end of this document).

Illustrative List of Topics for M.B.A. Program Project

The following two tables will give you an overview of the typical topics included for either of the two options for Program Project. Please note that the final topic coverage and format required may differ from these illustrations, and additional information will be provided in each classroom. The purpose of these examples is to give you insight into what type of work will be involved and where in the program you will typically address such topics.

Topics for New Venture Business Plan (additional details will be included in each core course – the following tables provide an overview and are not all-inclusive)

Topic / M.B.A. Core Course / Notes
Title Page / MMBA 6510 / Use APA Style
Table of Contents / Start in MMBA 6510 / Add to Table of Contents in Each course
Executive Summary
Summary of Situational Analysis
Opportunity Summary
Key Recommendations
Key Financial Assumptions
Forecast Financial Results / MMBA 6780, Capstone
Company Background
Current state of the business/idea
Key Products (or Services or both) Product (or Service or both)
Company Ownership and Proposed Legal Structure / MMBA 6510
Proposed Location and Facilities / MMBA 6520
Situational Analysis
Vision Statement
Mission Statement
Organization’s Goals
Organizational Culture/Values / MMBA 6510 / Revisit in subsequent courses to refine or revise, especially in MMBA 6570
Strategic Objectives
Keys to Success
Product/Service Sourcing and Distribution Channels
Competitive Position and Comparison / MMBA 6520
Organization and Structure (a descriptive chart or a table of activities that comprise the undertakings and activities of your organization) / MMBA 6570
Management/Leadership Summary
Organizational Structure and Table of Organization
Management Team
Management Team gaps
the management team background
Human Resources (Staffing and Personnel) Plan / MMBA 6510 / Revise across program as part of ongoing Program Project work in core courses
Technology
Future products / MMBA 6540
Industry and Market Analysis
Target Market
Market Segmentation
Segment Strategy
Market Needs
Market Trends
Market Growth
Market Analysis
  • Industry Participants
  • Distribution Patterns
  • Competitive Factors
  • Key Competitors
  • SWOT Analysis
/ MMBA 6530
Market Plan/Marketing Strategy Implementation Summary
Marketing Mix
  • Product
  • Place
  • Promotion
  • Price
  • People
  • Packaging. Pricing
  • Promotion Strategy
  • If (Global Business), then a PEST (Political/Legal, Economic, Social and Technology Analysis
Marketing Strategy
  • Positioning Statement
  • Pricing Strategy
  • Promotion Strategy
  • Marketing programs
  • Market Penetration Estimate by Segment
Sales Strategy
  • Sales Forecast
  • Sales programs
  • Value Added Propositions
Milestones. (Gantt Chart) / MMBA 6530
Finance Plan
Projected Profit and Loss
Key Assumptions used in projections / MMBA 6550
Key Financial Indicators
Calculations of ROI, ROE and ROA and other ratios compared to an approved benchmark.
Comprehensive analysis of the ratios and a complete list of project attainment risks. / MMBA 6560
Value Chain Analysis
Value Chain Analysis
  • Chain flow chart, with accompanying analysis
  • Comparison of Value Chain content to your Organizational Structure and Table of Organization
  • Summary that compares the undertakings and activities to your Value Chain items
/ MMBA 6570
Business Level Strategy
Delineation of strategy that builds a persuasive case as to why your chosen strategy is the best one / MMBA 6570
Risk Analysis (Risk Analysis is incorporated in components Throughout M.B.A. Core)
Impact of staffing changes or availability / MMBA 6510, MMBA 6520
Impact of globalization and strategies to mitigate / MMBA 6520, MMBA 6540
Impact of changes in market or consumer preferences
Impact of the 5 P’s / MMBA 6530
Impact of new or changing technologies
Impact of innovation
Impact due to changing values or morals in the marketplace / MMBA 6540
Impact of changes to regulations / MMBA 6550
Impact to changes in reporting regulations
Risks related capital acquisition
Impact of missed forecasts / MMBA 6560
Vulnerabilities of the venture
Contingency plans to address key areas of potential concern / MMBA 6570
Appendix(ces)
Appendix(ces) / Built Throughout M.B.A. Core Course Program Project assignments / Include in this section research data, contracts, leases, price lists, or other information used in the preparation of the MBA Program Project document.

Topics For Business Analysis (Due Diligence) Report(additional details will be included in each core course – the following tables provide an overview and are not all-inclusive)

Topic / M.B.A. Core Course / Notes
Title Page / MMBA 6510 / Use APA Style
Table of Contents / Start in MMBA 6510 / Add to Table of Contents in Each course
Executive Summary
Summary of Due Diligence Analysis
Opportunities, and/or Obstacles
Key Recommendations
Key Financial Assumption used in Forecasted Operational and Financial Results / MMBA 6780, Capstone
Background of the Organization
This should include a brief but thorough description of the existing enterprise.
Size and scope of the business (domestic, international or global)
Description of the key executives or founders
Organization’s ownership, form of ownership, the authority of the respective principals, , and the roles and responsibilities of each of the key management team members. A Table of Organization is included in this section.
Problem statement / MMBA 6510
Due Diligence Analysis
Vision Statement analysis and improvement recommendations
Mission Statement analysis and improvement recommendations
Organization’s Goals
Analysis of Organizational Culture/Values / MMBA 6510 / Revisit in subsequent courses to refine or revise, especially in MMBA 6570
Strategic Objectives
Keys to Success
Product/Service Sourcing and Distribution Channels
Competitive Position and Comparison / MMBA 6520
Organization and Structure (a descriptive chart or a table of activities that comprise the undertakings and activities of your organization) / MMBA 6570
Management/Leadership Summary
Analysis of the Organizational Structure
Analysis of
Management Team gaps
Human Resources (Staffing and Personnel) Assessment and improvement recommendations / MMBA 6510 & MMBA6520
Market and Industry Analysis and Recommendations
Description of the project and how it fits in the overall industry.
Market segmentation
Analysis of the competitive situation
SWOT Analysis
Industry forecasts and future outlooks
Trend analysis / MMBA6530
Marketing Plan Assessment and Recommendations
This should include a succinct and comprehensive analysis of at the company’s pricing, promotion, product forecasts (as appropriate), and marketing controls. Provide recommendations to enhance the current practices
If Global, Multinational, or Transnational Business – Global business should include analysis of standardization of products; Multinational companies should include an analysis of product differentiation; a Transnational company should include an analysis of standardization of products in some markets in which it serves and differentiation in other markets in which it serves. / MMBA6530
Financial Assessment and Recommendations
3-5 years financial statements including balance sheet, income statement, statement of retained earnings, and statement of cash flows.
Pro-Forma Income Statement
Assumptions used in developing pro forma income statement. / MMBA6550
Key Financial Indicators
Calculations of ROI, ROE and ROA and other ratios compared to an approved benchmark.
Comprehensive analysis of the ratios and a complete list of project attainment risks. / MMBA 6560
Value Chain Analysis
Value Chain Analysis
  • Chain flow chart, with accompanying analysis
  • Comparison of Value Chain content to your Organizational Structure and Table of Organization
Summary that compares the undertakings and activities to your Value Chain items / MMBA 6570
Business Level Strategy
Delineation of strategy that builds a persuasive case as to why your chosen strategy is the best one / MMBA 6570
Assessment of Risk
 Impact of staffing changes or availability / MMBA 6510 & MMBA6520
Impact of globalization and related recommendations to mitigate impact / MMBA 6520
 / MMBA 6530
Impact of new or changing technologies and includes.
Impact of failure in the innovation value chain / MMBA 6540
Impact on Sarbanes-Oxley Act
Impact on SEC regulations
Impact on capital structure
Impact on financial forecast
Impact on funding / MMBA 6560
Vulnerabilities of the business
Recommendations for contingency plans to address key areas of potential concern / MMBA 6570
Appendix(ces)
Appendix (ces) / Built Throughout M.B.A. Core Course Program Project assignments / Include in this section research data, contracts, leases, price lists, or other information used in the preparation of the Project document, also included is the letter of permission and other documents required for the Business Analysis project

[1] You are encouraged to review and update your Program Project based on content from your specialization courses, but there is no formal requirement to do so within these courses.

[2] A New Venture refers to new ideas and new businesses as well as ideas or small businesses that may already exist and are now ripe to expand or diverge into new markets or opportunities. You may also elect to write a business plan if you own a business that has never developed a plan.