APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2016/2017

MBA 2420 Thesis

Responsible for the course
Peter Jarnebrant

Department
Department of Marketing

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
30

Language of instruction
English

Introduction
The students shall, as part of the exam’s requirement, write a thesis. Students are expected to work on the thesis in groups of two to four students. Exceptions are possible (with explicit prior approval), but experience indicates that group work creates better results and students are encouraged to create diverse working groups.

The topic should be an analysis and evaluation of a real life challenge facing a company. The students should choose the topic from their own company or a company that they have close connection to. The students should be able to observe and discuss the topic with people dealing with the challenge in the company. Issues encountered in the coursework should be discussed in the thesis, and the students should demonstrate their ability to apply the models, theories and methods that they have studied to a real situation.

Learning outcome

The objective is two-fold. The students should learn how to conduct a research investigation into a business topic, and how to write a paper reporting their process, findings and conclusions, both according to scientific, evidence-based principles. They shall also get a better knowledge of how strategic issues and problem solving is conducted in a Chinese company or a multi-national company doing business in China.

Prerequisites
Bachelor degree or equivalent, 4 years work experience, managerial experience and good written and oral knowledge of the English language. Please confirm our Student regulations.

Compulsory reading
Books:
Bryman, A. & Bell, E. Business Research Methods, 4th ed. (2015). UK: Oxford University Press.. 2015. Business Research Methods. 4th ed. UK: Oxford University Press

Recommended reading

Course outline

Teaching
There will be a one-day lecture on thesis work and methodology at an early stage of the program. The lecture will cover the following topics:

· How to write a thesis

· Phases in thesis work

· Critical evaluation of published article

· Introduction and problem formulation

· Theory, research model, and hypotheses

· Methods considerations and documentation

· Analysis

· Discussion, implications for practice and theory

Supervision
Supervision will be given to the students, by BI faculty, in person as well as electronically.

Thesis work schedule
A topic hand-in is requested at an early stage (e.g. module 5), a preliminary report will be submitted at the time of the second in-person supervision, and the thesis will be presented orally late in the program (in connection with the one of the last modules).
The deadline for handing in the thesis will be two months after the last module.

Student presentation
Students will present their theses orally to the graders and fellow students before the final hand-in.

Computer-based tools
None

Learning process and workload
The thesis work is continuous throughout the whole program

Examination
The students are evaluated through a preliminary thesis report, an oral presentation of the thesis, and the final thesis
Examination code(s)
MBA 24201 – Preliminary thesis report; accounts for 10%
MBA 24202 – Oral presentation; accounts for 35% to pass the program MBA 2420; 30 credits
MBA 24203 – Thesis; accounts for 55% to pass the program MBA 2420; 30 credits

All three evaluations must be passed in order to get credit for the course MBA2420.
The course is a part of a full MBA and examination in all courses in the MBA programme must be passed in order to obtain a certificate for the MBA degree.

Examination support materials


Re-sit examination
Re-takes are only possible at the next time a course will be held. When course evaluation consists of class participation or process elements, the whole course must me re-evaluated when a student wants to retake a exam. Retake examinations entail an extra examination fee.

Additional information
For administrative reasons the students are registered at the program code MBA 2421 in the first semester. In the second semester they are registered at the program code MBA 2422.