The Accelerated MBA Program

The Accelerated MBA Program

The Accelerated MBA Program – Since the time of its inception, MBA degrees have held a lot of weight in the profile of a job applicant. In fact, even seasoned professionals understand the value of an MBA and the number of career prospects that the degree would open up. Many professionals contemplate the amount of time and money they would require and whether the decision to take a career break and join an MBA program is worth it.

At times, they come up short on both time and money. However, to help students who find themselves lacking in both these regards, many top universities have begun to offer Accelerated MBA programs in their curriculum.

If you are one of those who are determined to pursue an MBA but feel that an accelerated program might be a better option, this article will answer your questions regarding the program.

Accelerated MBA Program
Accelerated MBA Program

Regular MBA versus Accelerated MBA

Many professionals realize the significance of an MBA and the doors of opportunities it opens for them. There are many, who are still apprehensive, primarily about the time that they need to take off from work to both, prepare for and pursue a typical MBA degree.

Many business schools have recognized this concern and have come up with an innovative solution: the accelerated MBA programs. The criteria upon which you can decide which is better for you boils down to your career goals and undergraduate experience.

Both of these programs will require you to learn the same subjects. After your graduation is over, your workplace would treat both the accelerated MBA degree and the regular MBA degree the same. While the regular MBA degree usually is a two-years-long program, the Accelerated MBA degree would take twelve to fifteen months to complete.

The curriculum is delivered in a strict manner, the class schedule is kept tight, and you might not get any time off from your studies. The workload increases because of the restricted time and no difference in the course material. Most colleges will have a difference in the cost of both programs too.

Why choose an accelerated MBA program?

There is no shying away from the fact that a student will be more burdened with coursework in an Accelerated MBA program as opposed to the regular program. However, there are a few upsides to this program too.

Many surveys have disclosed that the one-year program piqued the interest of students mainly because they could enter the workforce faster and with the same knowledge as that dispensed by the regular MBA programs. Another great reason is this course saves the students both time and money.

I should add that the right candidate for the accelerated program should have extensive business experience. Networking at your business school is a minuscule part of your day-to-day, but it will draw herculean results. Students do not get time to foster relationships with peers and professors due to the tight schedule and they do not have time for summer internships either. This is why the accelerated program is mostly preferred by working professionals.

Schools offering accelerated MBA programs?

Recently, one-year programs were popular only in Europe. However, with time and progress the USA and other countries have also caught up with the trend. Few business schools that offer one-year courses include INSEAD, London Business School, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Johnson Graduate School of Management Cornell to name a few.

Criteria for application

An accelerated MBA requires you to have an academic background in business or economics. In case you do not have such a background, you must take courses in finance, statistics and other topics before they apply.

Several schools offer alternative programs for students from other fields. For instance, Suffolk University allows attorneys to get credit for work done in law school. Working professionals can check their prospective courses and get an accelerated business degree through alternate means.

Chicago Booth opened an accelerated course for its undergraduate students. The program is an addition to an already established Chicago Booth scholars’ program. If an undergrad student in the third or fourth year is accepted into this program, they may take up to six business courses in their undergrad studies itself, which would later count towards an MBA.

The one-year MBA program is not considered ideal for someone looking for a career change or to change their industry since students miss out on summer internships. However, it is an excellent choice for someone who wants to climb up the hierarchical ladder in their industry. However, if you are looking for a traditional MBA experience, you may prefer a regular MBA program of two years.

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MBA Thesis Topics

MBA Thesis Topics

This post intends to provide you with a list of quality MBA thesis topics and how to structure your own MBA thesis. Move universities differ when it comes to writing a thesis, this includes referencing style and word count. The MBA thesis structure below will provide useful when structuring your MBA thesis, I have used the below structure on a couple of occasions and benefited from it.

MBA Thesis Structure – Essential Components

Introduction

Writing a dissertation introduction is perceived as a relatively straightforward aspect of the dissertation writing process. The reason for this may be that we often find typical components in an introduction that we can use, regardless of the study we are writing. One of the challenges of writing a good introduction, however, is to be brief, and to stay focused – This will help you with to write the best MBA thesis topics.

An incoherent or unfocused introduction, or one that is over-lengthy, may detract from the overall grade of the dissertation and will not create a good impression on the reader(s). Be mindful that you should avoid being anecdotal in your introduction (i.e. writing as if you are telling a story) and you will also need to avoid wasting words by stating the obvious and writing a series of over-generalized statements.

  • a clear statement of your MBA thesis aims and objectives;
  • the problems to be solved to reach your objectives, and initial ideas on how to solve them;
  • you may also indicate a gap in knowledge, if applicable
  • research questions – if a research project

Literature Review

Unearthing new theories don’t materialise easily out of nowhere; they build upon the findings of previous academic research and explorations. A literature review illustrates how the academic investigation you are conducting fits with what has been written before and puts it into perspective. A literature review demonstrates to your reader that you are able to:

• Understand and critically analyse the background research
• Select and source the information that is necessary to develop a context for your research
• Shows how your investigation relates to previous research
• Reveals the contribution that your investigation makes to this field
• Provides evidence that may help explain your findings later

If you are doing a dissertation, or significant assignment it is likely that you will need to include a literature review. If you are doing a lab write-up or a shorter report, some background reading may be required to give context to your work, but this is usually included as an analysis in the introduction and discussion sections.

What is a literature review?A literature review is an analysis of existing research which is relevant to your research topic, demonstrating how it relates to your investigation. It explains and justifies how your investigation may help answer some of the questions or gaps in this area of research.

A literature review is not a straightforward summary of everything you have read on the topic and it is not a chronological description of what was discovered in your field. A longer literature review may have headings to help group the relevant research into themes or topics. This gives a focus to your analysis, as you can group similar studies together and compare and contrast their approaches, any weaknesses or strengths in their methods, and their findings.

One common way to approach a literature review is to start out broad and then become more specific. Think of it as an inverted triangle. (1) First briefly explain the broad issues related to your investigation; you don’t need to write much about this, just demonstrate that you are aware of the breadth of your subject (2) Then narrow your focus to deal with the studies that overlap with your research. (3) Finally, hone in on any research which is directly related to your specific investigation.

Proportionally you spend most time discussing those studies which have most direct relevance to your research. How do I get started? Start by identifying what you will need to know to inform your research:

  • What research has already been done on this topic?What are the sub-areas of the topic you need to explore?
  • What other research (perhaps not directly on the topic) might be relevant to your investigation?
  • How do these sub-topics and other research overlap with your investigation?
  • A discussion of the technical literature you have read, explaining why it is relevant for your project critical analysis, e.g. strength, applicability and weakness
  • Identify any knowledge/research gap and how you may address this gap, if applicable
  • Note down all your initial thoughts on the topic. You can use a list to help you identify the areas you want to investigate further. It is important to do this before you start reading so that you don’t waste time on unfocused and irrelevant reading.

    Searching for sources It’s easy to think that the best way to search for texts is to use the Internet – to ‘Google it’. There are useful online tools that you may use, like Google Scholar. However, for most literature reviews you will need to focus on academically authoritative texts like academic books, journals, research reports, government publications. Searching Google will give you thousands of hits, few of them authoritative, and you will waste time sorting through them. A better idea is to use databases. These are available through the Library in paper and electronic (usually online) forms.

    MBA Thesis Topics
    MBA Thesis Topics

    Requirements – MBA Thesis Topics

    • User requirements for the target system, if applicable; or
    • Requirements to achieve the success of your project

    Evaluation Framework

    • Evaluation of your proposed system (if building a software system); or
    • evaluation of your research project, including e.g.
      • quality of data used: e.g. reliability, coverage/completeness
      • quality of data collection method, e.g. limitations of sampling methods
      • quality of analytical methods used, e.g., any limitations? Any bias?
      • quality of conclusions drawn, e.g. are they affected by potential bias of input data due to methods used, incompleteness of data, etc.
      • quality of presentations, e.g. which visualisations used to view complex data – what diagrams have been used, are they suitable?
      • quality of tools used, e.g. are they appropriate? Have you encountered any problems, if so, how did you overcame them?

    Methodology

    • initial design of software or design of experiments, if applicable; or
    • methodology for carrying out your research project, inc. where/how you plan to source your data, how you plan to group them, what methods you plan to deploy for analysis,
    • you can draw a methodology diagram for this.
    • Questionnaire, if any.

    Project Plan

    • PLES issues
    • Timetable and work plan for the whole year, agreed with your supervisor, and specifying activities, deliverable and deadlines. See an example timetable here: project management information:
    • Make sure that you have clearly labelled your time allocation on evaluation and how you will meet the deadlines, etc.
    • Risk analysis and remedies/management

    References

    Appendix (as needed)

    An appendix (plural is “appendices”) is a section added to the end of your dissertation. It includes material that expands and explains the subject matter you have discussed in earlier sections. Each appendix should cover a distinct aspect of your subject. Follow the steps below and you will learn how to write an appendix and its importance to your writing. This is essential for MBA thesis topics.

    • Blank consensus form (if interview/survey are to be conducted)
    • Blank questionnaire (if interview/survey are to be conducted)
    • Data tables or diagrams (if appropriate)
    • Copy of questionnaire or survey
    • Copies of personal correspondence
    • Interview questions
    • Transcripts of interviews
    • Large graphs
    • Maps
    • Illustrations or photographs
    • Explanation of technical information or formulas
    • Diagrams
    • Raw data

    And that’s it, everything you need to include. As with everything, it’s a good idea to check with your dissertation supervisor before handing in as they’re the authority on how your University wants your dissertation. Remember, it’s the starting that’s the hard part, once you’ve sat down and committed the time, it should come quite easily.

    MBA Thesis Topics Notes

    1. Always check the marking sheet/rubric and make sure that you have meet all of the required work. Also make sure that you observe the percentage allocation for each of the categories and that you have provided sufficient to meet the percentage.
    2. The above is the minimum set of requirements. If you have done more than what is suggested here, for instance a preliminary implementation or tests of existing software tools, by all means report it.
    3. Make sure you do not exceed the maximum pages allowed. If you have useful graphs and data, you can include them in appendix.
    4. Make sure you run spell checker to make sure there is no spelling errors.
    5. Make sure you have a clear format
    6. Make sure you use formal language

    Any special format? The cover sheet must include:

    • your full name
    • your supervisor’s name
    • title of your project
    • the captions “Deliverable One”

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    Management Dissertation Topics

    Outstanding Management Dissertation Topics

    Title: Outstanding Management Dissertation Topics. Many management students studying at university often ask me what constitutes towards a quality management dissertation topic. There are many factors that contribute towards an outstanding management dissertation but it is always advantageous to examine important factors that underpin a dissertation. Firstly, a management dissertation provides the opportunity to research a particular business management topic that is relevant to your studies. Therefore, it is essential to base your management dissertation topic in this field of study. Your business management dissertation involves writing a significant piece of research, and provides hands-on experience in research design, data collection and data analysis all of which will be summarized in a concise conclusion section.

    There are two common research approaches you will need to explore when starting your management dissertation. You may wish to undertake a quantitative study that may involve statistical analysis of survey data. You may opt for a qualitative study involving interviews and observation in organisations. Ultimately, you will naturally develop an enhanced understanding of management theory. When you undertake your management dissertation topic you will examine literature in order to identify potential research gaps, evaluate and reflect upon existing research. You will have the opportunity to critique management theory if deemed appropriate. Try to engage your dissertation supervisor and audience by clearly defining the vision, mission, aims and objectives of your management dissertation topic from the outset.

    Management Dissertation Ideas

    How will you kick start your management dissertation topic? I recommend that you examine previous research you have conducted in this field. Are you specialized in any business management theory? If so, look at expanding on this and incorporating it into your management dissertation topic. You will feel confident and more assured writing a dissertation in an area of research you are familiar with. I have a profound interest in entrepreneurship and submitted a handful of projects and an undergraduate dissertation in this field. When I began my MBA degree, I knew straightaway that I would expand on my knowledge of entrepreneurship and I am likely to submit my MBA management dissertation topic in this field. I must add that it was fulfilling when building upon my existing knowledge and it proved less stressful.

    Business Management Dissertation Topics
    Business Management Dissertation Topics

    Furthermore, you will need to give an explanation of why you chose this particular management dissertation topic? You will need to expand on 2 – 3 research questions within your chosen management dissertation topic. A brief synopsis of approximately 300 words describing your field of study is advisable. It is recommended to include key literature resources used in the dissertation abstract or synopsis section of your management dissertation. Discuss the sample size disposition and a brief explanation of the methodology framework for collecting the data in your management dissertation. These important factors need to be discussed at the beginning of your research and need to be highlighted in your management dissertation topic.

    Writing the Perfect Management Dissertation

    What will you gain from writing an engaging management dissertation topic? There is no doubt that you will enhance your writing and analytical skills. You will become more critical (within reason) of existing literature and research. You will not take everything you read and hear at face value, you will start to challenge existing knowledge within the business management field and you will become more commercially aware.

    It is safe to say that once you have completed your management dissertation topic you will appreciate the range of methodologies in management research. You will demonstrate the ability of identifying, analyzing and integrating an existing body of literature into your management dissertation topic. You will be able to set out the principles of designing a viable research study and apply these in formulating a research study to investigate a management issue. Ultimately, you will demonstrate the ability of writing a quality management dissertation within demanding time constraints.

    Sample Business Management Dissertations

    Choosing the best management dissertation topic from the outset is important but sometimes a student can experience a writing block or loss of enthusiasm, there are many factors that can cause this. It happens to many writers. It is inevitable and many academic writers struggle with writer’s block at some point. Below is a list of sample management dissertation topics that will inspire you to write your own management dissertation. The sample management dissertations below are supplied as a reference guide and should not be plagiarized. You should not fall into the trap of plagiarism – always refer to your university’s guide on referencing material, I cannot stress this enough. Be mindful that you will fail your degree if you plagiarize material. The management dissertation topics below have been submitted by undergraduate and postgraduate business management students.

    Management Dissertation Topics

    MBA Dissertation Investigation into Management Control Strategy

    Change Management Within The Retail Banking Sector

    Is Culture Management A Symbol Of Management Progression Or Merely Another Form Of Management Control? A Case Study Of Retail Bank ‘X’ Versus Investment Bank ‘Y’

    A Review into Project Theoretical Concepts and Models in Regards to the Management of Change and Conflict

    An Analysis into the Extent of Financial Leverage within the UK Food and Drink Industry – Identifying Potential Communication Problems between Senior Management and Investors

    What is the Impact of Innovation and Technology Usage on Business Management?

    Whether you choose to write your management dissertation on the topics above or if you developed your own management dissertation topic, you need to ensure that you write your research on something you are interested in and knowledgeable on – do not conduct research in a field you have no genuine interest in. As previously mentioned you can reduce a lot of pressure on yourself when writing research on a field of management you are comfortable and familiar with.

    Click Here To View Management Dissertation Topics

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    I hope you enjoy reading this post and that you have added confidence in wiring your own management dissertation topic. I would be grateful if you could leave a comment below.

    Leadership Strategies for Improving Performance

    Dissertation Title: Leadership Strategies for Improving Performance of SMEs in Saudi Arabia

    Despite governmental support, healthy international trade and application of varied leadership styles, small and medium businesses in Saudi Arabia continue to struggle and are unable to sustain their operations. One of the factors that contribute to the decline of such firms is poor management. The study adopted the use of both quantitative as well as qualitative approaches in exploring the leadership strategies for improving the performance of small and medium enterprises in Saudi Arabia.

    It uses surveys as well as secondary sources from various literatures to determine the leadership strategies that successful businesses in the Saudi Arabia have used to survive, especially during the tough financial times. The conceptual framework that is used in investigating the particular leadership strategies is the transformational leadership theory.

    The theory has four tenets, which comprise of idealized influenced, individualized consideration, intellectual stimulation, and inspirational motivation. This research makes use of all these to determine particular ways of enhancing the profitability hence sustenance of the small and medium enterprise in the country. The intention of the study is to recommend the best leadership practices for small and medium enterprises.

    The general objective of the study is to do a comprehensive study on Leadership Strategies for Improving the Performance of Small Businesses in Saudi Arabia. There exist various leadership strategies that when implemented have the potential of shifting fundamentally the organizational dynamics as well as the various strategic approaches to managing critical functions of small and medium businesses. The research will be guided by the following research questions:

    • How can leadership strategies be a tactical tool for enhancing success in the organization?
    • What are the leadership strategies that enhance the achievement of strategic business objectives?
    • What is the impact of strategic leadership on strategic development of SMEs in Saudi Arabia?
    • How do leaders drive organizational innovativeness as a strategy to implement change in the small businesses in Saudi Arabia?
    • How does ethical leadership influence the success of small businesses in Saudi Arabia?
    Leadership Strategies Dissertation
    Leadership Strategies Dissertation

    Leadership Strategies Dissertation Contents

    1 – Introduction
    Context of SMEs
    Background of the Study
    Key SME Enablers in Saudi Arabia
    Definition of SME
    Strategic Management
    Problem Statement
    Objectives of Study
    Research Questions
    Importance of the Study
    Limitations of the Study

    2 – Literature Review
    Organizational Innovativeness as a component of Leadership
    Leadership versus Management
    Strategic Leadership
    Effective Strategy Implementation
    Ethical Leadership
    Theoretical Framework
    Great Man Theory
    Trait Theory
    Contingency Theory (Situational)
    Style and Behavior Theory
    Skills and Characteristics of Strategic Leaders
    Strategic Management Paradigm in Small Businesses in Saudi Arabia
    Proposed Research Framework

    3 – Research Methodology
    Leadership Perceptions of small businesses in Saudi Arabia
    Research Design
    Case Study Research
    Data Collection Method and Period of Study
    Sample Population
    Data Analysis

    4 – Presentation of Findings
    Gender
    Measure of Age Central Tendency
    Education Level
    Years of Experience in Business
    Area of Work
    Strategic Leadership Skills key to SMEs
    Commitment of Entrepreneurs
    The effectiveness of Monshaat Support Center
    Tactical Significance of Business Strategies
    Significance on Monshaat to Strategy Development
    Technology as an Essential Component of Growth
    Influence of Ethical Leadership
    Innovativeness
    Inferential Analysis
    ANOVA Model Summary
    Testing the Relationship between Response and the Explanatory Variables

    5 – Analysis of Findings and Discussions

    6 – Research Discussions
    Strategic Leadership Framework in SMEs
    Monshaat Support Center
    Organizational Innovativeness
    Information Technology Capability
    Presence of Monshaat Support Center
    Effective Strategy Implementation
    Ethical Leadership as a Strategic Tool for Growth

    7 – Recommendations and Conclusion
    Recommendations
    Conclusion

    References

    Appendix
    Survey Questions

    Click Here To View This Dissertation

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    Counterfeit Products Chinese Consumers

    Impact of Counterfeit Products on Consumer Purchase Intention – A Study into the Chinese Mobile Phone Industry

    This dissertation focuses on the on-going growth, nature and prevalence of counterfeit products in the global market. These products are attaining popularity at a higher rate due to several factors that form the focus of this research study. These attributes include pricing, durability and reliability. As such this dissertation aims at assessing the impact that these attributes have on the consumer purchase intentions. In the data collection phase, this research study employs survey as the research strategy and questionnaires as the preferred research instrument. The dissertation further utilizes IBM SPSS 20 in analysing the data collected. Descriptive statistics, specifically mean analysis, is the employed.

    The study concludes that the pricing of counterfeit mobile phone devices is the attribute that affects the purchasing intentions of Chinese consumers. Precisely, Chinese consumers perceive counterfeit devices as affordable and accessible compared to their genuine counterparts. The other attributes considered in the study, reliability and durability, do not affect the purchase intentions of Chinese consumers as much. This research aims at outlining the various aspects of counterfeit products and their role in influencing consumer purchase intentions. These aspects are broadly categorized as pricing, reliability and durability. Among the three, previous research reaches to a consensus that pricing plays a significant role in influencing consumer purchase intention. Genuine mobile handsets, especially in the smartphone category, are pricey making them unattainable to majority of the Chinese populace. Chinese people are more inclined into purchasing counterfeit smartphones. In terms of reliability and durability, prior research concedes that counterfeit products are subpar in both aspects. However, this conclusion is applicable for luxury fashion and clothing items. Mobile phones, on the other hand, are not subject to the wear-and-tear dynamics of the aforementioned items. On this basis, this dissertation is justifiable as it presents an aspect that was previously disregarded by previous research.

    Counterfeit Products China
    Counterfeit Products China

    This research study narrows down its focus to assess the impact that counterfeit products have on the purchasing intentions of Chinese consumers. The Chinese mobile phone industry is vast and provides conclusive insight on these impacts. Of note, this research analyzes the aspects of counterfeit products such as pricing, durability and reliability.

    Dissertation Aims and Objectives

    • To examine impacts of counterfeits pricing differences on consumer purchase intention in Chinese mobile phone industry
    • To examine impacts of counterfeits reliability differences on consumer purchase intention in Chinese mobile phone industry
    • To examine impacts of counterfeits durability differences on consumer purchase intention in Chinese mobile phone industry

    View This Dissertation Here