Students Guide to Manage CEMBA / CEMPA Project Course (ver 9.

0)

STUDENTS GUIDE TO MANAGE CEMBA / CEMPA PROJECT COURSE BBM 601/06 & BPA 601/06
(for July 2013 semester)

School of Business and Administration & Centre for Graduate Studies

Version 9.0
5-July-2013

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Students Guide to Manage CEMBA / CEMPA Project Course (ver 9.0)

CONTENTS Page Preface Introduction Goal and Objectives of the Project Course Requirements for Enrolling in the Project Course Type of Research in Your Project Project Topics Course Coordinator / Project Administrator Project Supervisors Project Supervision Time Lines Project Proposal Writing the Project Proposal Project Proposal Submission and Approval Project Report Writing the Project Report Preliminary Project Report Submission of Final Project Report Project Report Examination Indicative Marking Scheme Presentation of Written Project Report Plagiarism Declaration and Embargo Request Enquiries 4 5 5 5 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 9 10 11 11 11 12 13 13 15 15 16

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APPENDICES A: B: C: D: E: F: G: H: I: J: K: L: M: Sample Project Report Front Cover Sample Title Page Sample Acknowledgements Sample Certificate of Originality Sample Plagiarism Statement Sample Table of Contents Sample Abstract Submission of Project Proposal Form Re-submission of Project Proposal Form Submission of Final Project Report for Examination Form Re-submission of Final Project Report for Verification Form Declaration of Final Project Report Form Project Report Embargo Request Form PAGE 17 18 19 20 21 22 24 25 27 29 30 32 33

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Preface This manual, Students Guide to Manage CEMBA / CEMPA Project Course (BBM 601/06 & BPA 601/06), is written and made available to all postgraduate students of CEMBA and CEMPA programmes in the School of Business and Administration to assist them in their preparation of the report (to be called Project Report) for the Project Course. This manual includes important information relating to the requirements, conduct and supervision in the processes of preparing the Project Report. It should be thoroughly read by all CEMBA / CEMPA students since it provides important information and guidelines on the management of the Project Course and on how to complete the Project Report. Additional information and educational resources for students and supervisors will be made available on the Universitys e-learning portal via WawasanLearn (LMS). In this regard, all CEMBA / CEMPA postgraduate students who intend to enrol for the Project Course (BBM 601/06 or BPA 601/06) are requested to visit the LMS constantly for updates on this course.

Professor Chee Kim Loy Dean School of Business and Administration Wawasan Open University 1 July 2011

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1.0 Introduction The Project Course is a capstone course of the CEMBA / CEMPA programme and is essentially an independent study to be undertaken by you on an organisational or management issue or problem either in business or in government. As the Project Course carries 6 credits, a workload of 240 hours is expected to be undertaken by you for this course. Once you have enrolled for the Project Course, you are required to send a Project Proposal to the Project Coordinator at the Centre for Graduate Studies (CGS), WOU. You can only begin work on the project when you have received approval of the proposal from the University. To ensure that you receive adequate training to prepare for the Project Proposal, to conduct the study and to write the Project Report successfully, the School has allocated a major part of the Residential School cum Project Workshop (RSPW) event for this activity. All students taking the Project Course are strongly encouraged to attend the Residential School cum Project Workshop, prior to enrolling for the Project Course. Once you have enrolled in the Project Course, you will be assigned a suitable Project Supervisor to supervise your chosen topic of research and you are expected to work closely with your Project Supervisor during the period of your preparation of the Project Report.

2.0 Goal and Objectives of the Project Course The main goal of the Project Course is to provide an opportunity for you either to achieve a better understanding of an applied research problem or to solve/resolve an organisational or managerial problem(s) in your proposed research. When you have successfully written the Project Report, you would have achieved the following two objectives: (a) Have the ability to synthesize and apply various substantive knowledge from some or all the courses you have taken to address the research problem which is relevant and interesting to you; and, (b) Have developed and demonstrated soft managerial skills in the area of communication, analytical and critical thinking which you have acquired through all the courses you have taken and also from your own work experiences. You are strongly encouraged to undertake a study of your own organisation or an organisation that you have some knowledge.

3.0 Requirements for Enrolling in the Project Course (BBM 601/06 or BPA 601/06) You are allowed to enrol for the Project Course provided you have fulfilled the following conditions at the point of registration: a) You have passed (i.e. obtained Grade A, B or C) BBM 521/03 Research Methods. b) You have passed (i.e. obtained Grade A, B or C) a minimum of 8 out of the 10 following Core Courses in your respective programme. For CEMBA students: BIS 541/03 Managing Information Systems BMG 501/03 Management in Organisations BMG 511/03 Managing Human Resources BLC 571/03 Operations Management

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BBM 501/03 Economic Environment of Business BBM 511/03 Quantitative Techniques BMK 501/03 Marketing Management BAC 501/03 Accounting and Finance BMG 521/03 Strategic Management BMG 531/03 Quality Management

For CEMPA students: BIS 541/03 Managing Information Systems BMG 501/03 Management in Organisations BMG 511/03 Managing Human Resources BBM 501/03 Economic Environment of Business BBM 511/03 Quantitative Techniques BPA 501/03 Public Systems Management BPA 502/03 Public Policy BPA 503/03 Development Planning and Administration BPA 504/03 Policy Analysis and Implementation BPA 505/03 Contemporary Administrative Systems

4.0 Type of Research for Your Project Your research project may be from any one of the following major types of study: A comprehensive case study (covering problem formulation, analysis and recommendations in a single organisation/multifunctional area). A comparative study aimed at inter-organisational comparison/ validation of theory / survey of management or developmental practices. A survey research (either a descriptive or a pilot study). You are encouraged to select the project topic in close consultation with your Project Supervisor. Your supervisor has to agree to your proposal before you can undertake the study.

5.0 Project Topics The scope and depth of the postgraduate project is not expected to be extensive given the limited time you are given to complete the research project. Acceptable project titles that will meet the course objective cover a wide range of topics. The chosen topic should be relevant to the subject matters of the Masters programme and/or preferably be based on your work experience (past or present). Furthermore, students are strongly advised to undertake a research topic that relates to the specialist interest and knowledge of the Project Supervisor but the ultimate choice is with the student. However, you should consider the following factors before you make the final choice of your topic: The extent of your interest in and familiarity with the topic Availability and accessibility of adequate information or data on the topic Limited time frame (less than 6 months) to conduct your project successfully Resource ( e.g. financial, expertise, etc.) requirements to undertake the research project

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You may need the assistance of the Project Supervisor to help you in the choice of a suitable topic, but the School will have to formally agree to the Project Proposal before you can proceed to undertake the study officially.

6.0 Course Coordinator and Project Administrator/Project Coordinator The School will appoint a Course Coordinator who will be overseeing the organisation and management of the Project Course, as well as providing support for academic related matters for the Course. He/she will be assisted by a Project Administrator/Project Coordinator from the Center for Graduate Studies (CGS) who will provide related information/announcements and administrative services to students and project supervisors. Throughout the duration of the Project Course, additional online support will be provided via WawasanLearn (LMS). It is important that you check the LMS regularly for any updates/information about the Course during the semester. You are strongly advised to use the online Forums in the LMS to communicate with your Project Supervisors, Course Coordinator and peers.

7.0 Project Supervisors The Project Supervisors are qualified academics or practicing professionals holding at least a Masters Degree in Management or allied disciplines with a minimum of 5 years of teaching/professional experience. All Project Supervisors shall be appointed and assigned by the University to respective students. At any given point of time, a Project Supervisor should not guide more than 3 students. In order to enrol for the Project Course, students are required to register online through MyEnrolment or through manual form submission by filling in the Enrolment of CEMBA / CEMPA Project Course form (to be obtained from your Regional Office). Students who enrol manually will indicate their proposed area of research for the project when filling in the enrolment form. Those who enrol online are required to contact the Project Administrator/Project Coordinator (project_coordinator@wou.edu.my) to notify about their research area. This information will be used by the School to assign an appropriate Project Supervisor to each student. Students will be informed of the Project Supervisor assigned to them and are required to prepare Project Proposal in consultation with the Project Supervisor assigned by the School. Students are responsible for maintaining continuous contact with their Project Supervisors during the period of their preparation of the Project Report.

8.0 Project Supervision Your Project Supervisor is responsible for supervising your work during the progress of your research work and for providing relevant advice and guidance. The Project Supervisor is your first point of contact in the University system. Project Supervisors may not always have extensive expert knowledge of your particular topic, but they have at least a general understanding and awareness of the substantive and methodological issues of your topic. You are advised to make the first contact through telephone with your Project Supervisor, within three days after you have been informed of the name and contact of your supervisor.

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You have to introduce yourselves and to make arrangement with the supervisor to have an initial discussion about the proposed topic. You should ensure that you are able to talk directly with your Project Supervisor in your first contact. Students should discuss with the Project Supervisor in face-to-face meetings, and also through forum discussions in WawasanLearn (LMS). Project Supervisors will be provided with a Project Logbook (downloadable from the LMS) to record the events and outcomes of meetings with their students. Students and their supervisors will have to endorse what are written in the logbook. The use of the logbook is compulsory and it will be kept by the Project Supervisors. At the completion of the Final Project Report, you will obtain the original copy of this logbook and submit it along with the Project Report. In general, you are expected to have at least 10-20 hours of face-to-face discussion time in total from your Project Supervisor. You are advised to use that time wisely and productively.

9.0 Timeline or Schedule of Project Work You are advised to register for the Project Course as early as possible so that adequate provision of supervisory services is ensured for all students who wish to enrol for the course; Project Supervisors can be assigned to students as early as possible. In this way, you will have sufficient time to work on your project. In particular, you can start the initial preparation of your project before the new semester begins (i.e. in January or July depending on the semester you have enrolled for the course). All students registered for the Project Course are required to complete their research work and submit their Project Report within the period of one semester period (normally 18 weeks). There will be no extension given (under normal circumstances) to complete the Project Report beyond the stipulated submission deadline. A more detailed timeline will be provided in WawasanLearn (LMS).

10.0 Project Proposal The Project Proposal is an important element of the Project Course as it acts as a framework of your study and provides an important milestone to mark your progress throughout the course. Submission of the Project Proposal is a requirement not only because it contributes to the overall assessment mark, but more importantly it enables the supervisor and academic staff from the School to comment on the quality and viability of the proposed study. In this way, you will receive a very useful formative assessment feedback at the early stage in your research work. The Project Proposal should be word-processed and should be between five (5) to ten (10) pages in length (1.5 spacing with font Times New Roman size 12). The Project Proposal contributes 10% to the total marks of the course.

10.1 Writing the Project Proposal The Project Proposal should be prepared in consultation with the Project Supervisor and a copy must be sent by email to the Project Administrator/Project Coordinator (project_coordinator@wou.edu.my) and the Course Coordinator. Kindly access the LMS for the contact details of your Course Coordinator.

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The following information should be clearly stated in the Project Proposal. (a) Title and Problem Identification The title should not be too long and should mirror closely the content of the proposal. You also need to describe the problem clearly and concisely. (b) Rationale of the Study This section should describe the context of the proposed project from the point of view of the student. This could be expressed in the form of an organisational or managerial problem or issues that needs either better understanding or to be solved/resolved. You must explain why it is of general interest to academics, managers or the community. It could be based on previous or current work experiences or based on past and current situations in organisation, community or society. You must also include a short write-up on literature review in this section. (c) Objectives of the Study The research objective(s) should identify the expected outcomes and are normally related to the main tasks to be undertaken during the study. (d) Research Methodology This section should provide an indication on how you intend to achieve the objectives, what study approach are you going to adopt and why you choose this approach. Reference to the research method literature is essential to justify the approach. Some of the questions that you should answer are as follows: Where you intend to carry out your study? Who and what will be your study population and why is it appropriate to your study? How you intend to carry out your study (survey, interviews, examination of secondary data, etc. or a combination of them)? Why you have chosen this study approach? What are the data collection instruments to be used? What are the data analysis techniques to be used and their limitations to your study, if any? (e) Expected Contribution from the Study This section should detail what will be the contribution of the study and its potential benefit(s). (f) Sample Questionnaire (If Applicable)

10.2 Project Proposal Submission and Approval Once you have finalised the topic with your Project Supervisor, you should submit the Project Proposal in the prescribed proforma together with the Submission of Project Proposal Form (refer to Appendix H) to the Online Assignment Submission (OAS) system for comments and assessment by your Project Supervisor and final approval by the School. NOTE: Project Proposal is indicated as TMA 1 in the OAS and contributes to 10% of the total marks of the course. If your proposal is approved, you can go ahead with your study; and, if minor modifications are required then you must ensure that these be done before you proceed with your research project.

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If you are required to make major modifications to your proposal, the reasons for nonapproval will be clearly communicated to you so that modification can be made accordingly and the proposal needs to be re-submitted within 2 weeks together with the Re-submission of Project Proposal Form (refer to Appendix I). On receiving the acceptance of the proposal, you may conduct the study and prepare the Project Report for submission to the University. Students are advised to retain a copy of the proposal.

11.0 Project Report Your Project Proposal will provide a focus for conducting the rest of the study. You will not be allowed to work on the Project Report without having an approval for the Project Proposal from the School. The length of the report should be around 60 typed pages, double spaced, and about 16,000 words (excluding abstract, appendices and exhibits). The following steps are normally followed in conducting a project research.

Identify the problem to be studied and choose an appropriate project title Conduct a review of existing work done on this research problem (the literature review)

Choose an appropriate methodology or study approach

Determine appropriate methods of data and information collection, and of analysis of data and interpretation of results

Write the conclusion

Write the abstract

Proposed Steps in Conducting the Research Project

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11.1 Writing the Project Report Each Project Report must adequately describe the research problem and objectives, review the relevant literature, justify the research approach and methods adopted, explain the research findings, indicate what has been learnt or propose relevant recommendations and suggest how you would improve the research in future efforts.

11.2 Preliminary Project Reports Students are required to submit two Preliminary Project Reports to the Project Supervisor through the Online Assignment Submission (OAS) system. These two preliminary reports will be assessed and given marks; EACH of them will be given 15 marks. Hence, the two draft reports will contribute 30% of the total marks of the Project Course. The First Preliminary Project Report (indicated as TMA 2 in the system) will contain the following draft chapters: Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study Chapter 2: Preliminary Review of the Literature The Second Preliminary Project Report (indicated as TMA 3 in the system) will contain the following draft chapters: Chapter 1-2: (revisions of the first preliminary report) Chapter 3: Research methods and a plan for data analysis Chapter 4: Preliminary analysis of the results Your Project Supervisor is expected to provide comprehensive hints and pointers towards the clarifications of research objectives and content related matters, and on how to improve the writing style and other presentational aspects (such as acknowledgement of sources and display of summary data). He/she is also expected to provide assistance to data analysis whenever possible. The feedback that you receive from your preliminary reports is in addition to other feedbacks that you may receive from your Project Supervisor during the face-to-face meetings and forum discussions on WawasanLearn (LMS).

11.3 Submission of Final Project Report Three (3) copies of printed Project Report with soft cover binding are to be submitted to the Project Coordinator at WOU according to the schedule given by the University. An electronic version of the Project Report and a copy of the Originality Report obtained from Turnitin are also required (on a CD). You are to ensure that it is appropriately labelled with your name, student ID number, course code and title, project title and date. The softcopy will be retained as an archived copy within the University. You are required to submit the following documents together with the final Project Report as a record of your supervised work and evidence of activity in the study process. Approved Project Proposal (original) Certificate of Originality* of the work by the student and Project Supervisor Plagiarism Statement Declaration Of Final Project Report And Copyright

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Project Report Embargo Request Form Project Logbook Softcopy of the Project Report Softcopy of the Originality Report from using the software (Turnitin) Submission of Final Project Report for Examination Form (refer to Appendix J)

* The Certificate of Originality is to certify that the work is an original one and has not been submitted earlier to this University or to any other institution for fulfilment of the requirement of a course of study. The certificate should be counter-signed by the Project Supervisor. Please note that of all the above forms shown in the bullet points, the Certificate of Originality and the Plagiarism Statement are part of your Final Project Report, and therefore should be bounded together. Please see page 22 of this Guide. The rest of the aforementioned forms are not part of your Final Project Report and should be submitted separately. 11.4 Project Report Examination The examination of the Final Project Report shall be carried out by two examiners (an Internal and an External Examiner) who will be appointed by the University and these marks will be moderated by an independent assessor (External Examiner). The final Project Report is only eligible for examination when it has met the minimal level of acceptability and certified by the Project Supervisor. After having been examined, the final Project Report will be given a weightage of 60 % of total mark of the course. The final total mark is a combination of the proposal, the preliminary project reports and the final report, and it will contribute to your grade point average. Furthermore, the final grade or status of the Project course will be classified as: PASS (with no further revision) or PROVISIONAL PASS (with minor revision) or FAIL

Provisional Pass (with minor revision) Student who obtained a PROVISIONAL PASS (i.e. with minor revision required) is required to re-submit 2 copies (soft cover) of the revised Project Report and a softcopy of the Originality Report from Turnitin for verification that the necessary corrections have been done together with the Re-submission of Project Report for Verification Form (refer to Appendix K).

Fail Those who failed will have two options in the following semester. (a) The first option is to revise the Final Project Report on your own without any official Project Supervisor appointed from the University and you need to re-submit your Project Report for examination in the next semester. A partial cost will then be imposed. (b) The second option is to re-enrol for the Project Course in the next or following semester; in this case, you will have to pay the full cost of the Project course.

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11.5 Indicative Marking Scheme The mark for the Final Project Report is based on the indicative marking scheme shown below. The quality of the research work or originality of your work will play an important factor in the mark of the Final Project Report. Abstract and Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Format, References and Style of Presentation Overall Impression : Introduction to the Study (15%) : Review of the Literature (15%) : Research Methodology (15%) : Analysis of Results (20%) : Findings & Conclusions/Recommendations (15%) : (10%) : (10%)

12.0 Presentation of Written Final Project Report All final project reports need to comply with the following report writing requirements. Length About 16,000 words (excluding abstract, appendices and exhibits). Approximately 60 pages. Page set up The standard margins for the general text, tables and diagrams are as follows: Top: 2.5 cm Right: 2.5 cm Left: 4.0 cm Bottom: 2.5 cm The right margin should be unjustified (i.e. leave right margin ragged) for readability. Headers and footers (apart from page numbers) should not be used. All text, figures and tables must be within this area. The paragraphs should not be indented.

Paper size and printing Use only good quality plain white paper (80 g/m) of A4 size (210 297 mm) for printing. The report should only be printed only one side of the paper using a laser printer.

Font type The body of the report should be in font size 12, Times New Roman. Line spacing Double spacing between lines.

Format for headings The chapter headings must be centered, regular type and bold ( Example: Chapter 1) The sections and sub-section in the report must follow the numbering format below: 1.0 Main heading 1.1 Secondary heading 1.1.1 Third grade heading..and etc

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Page number The page number should be at the bottom of the page, right hand corner.

Tables and figures These should be numbered in sequence by chapter, e.g. Table 3.1 is the first table in Chapter 3; Figure 4.1 is the first figure in Chapter 4. Each table and figure should be properly referenced in the text and accompanied by a descriptive title which clearly explains the contents of the table or figure. All the figures and diagrams must be properly inserted at the relevant sections of the report. The title of the Table/Figure must be on top of the Table/Figure, in italic and justified. The Table/Figure and Table/Figure number must not be in italic. Example:

Table 3.7 Employee Performance Analysis

Decimal Keep the results to 2 decimal points. Example: Mean=0.86, B=15.43

Symbols All algebraic/statistical symbols should be written in italics except Greek symbols (e.g.: and ).

References The source of information or references should be placed at the end of the report in numbered order. References should be cited using the Wawasan Open University Citation Guide (refer to the Student Handbook, the LMS, and the E-library resources). Sections of the report Every report comprises four major parts: Introduction, Text, Reference and Appendix. Every part has sections that have to be organised in a specific order.

Part 1: Introduction The Introduction is made up of a number of sections in the following order: Title Page (as shown in Appendix B) Acknowledgment (as shown in Appendix C) Certificate of Originality (as shown in Appendix D) Plagiarism Statement (as shown in Appendix E) Table of Contents (as shown in Appendix F) List of Tables (if any) List of Figures (if any) List of Symbols (if any) Abbreviations (if any) Abstract (as shown in Appendix G) o All pages in the Introduction are numbered using lower case Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, etc). o The Title Page of the report is considered as page i, but the number is not printed on the page.
o

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o

o o o

The Abstract is a summary of the entire Project Report and should provide a brief exposition of the research problems and aims, approaches taken to solve the problems and a summary of findings in the context of the whole area of study. Subsequent research proposals may be incorporated. The length of this section should not exceed 400 words. The Abstract should be placed immediately before the First Chapter of the Project Report.

Part 2: Text The Text is made up of five chapters. o Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study o Chapter 2: Review of the Literature o Chapter 3: Research Methodology o Chapter 4: Analysis of Results o Chapter 5: Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations o The length of the text (Chapters 1 ~ 5) should be about 16,000 words.
o

Part 3: Reference The Reference is the section after the Text that begins on a fresh page bearing the heading in capital letters, centralised without any punctuation marks. o The list of references are double-spaced between entries but single-spaced within each entry. o References must be presented according to the Wawasan Open University Citation Guide.
o

Part 4: Appendix The Appendix is a section that is separated from the preceding material by a cover sheet bearing the heading APPENDICES in capital letters (or, if there is only one, APPENDIX), centralised without any punctuation marks. o This sheet is not numbered and also not included in the total number of pages. o Appendices present materials that are referred to in the text. It contains supplementary illustrative material, notes on the interview/questionnaires, data or quotations too long for inclusion in the text or long explanations about a particular method/experiment. o Appendices may be divided into Appendix A, Appendix B, etc., such divisions being treated as first order subdivisions. Each appendix with its title, if it has one, should be listed separately in the Table of Contents as a first order subdivision under the heading APPENDICES. o Tables and figures in the Appendices must be numbered and have captions and also listed in the List of Tables and List of Figures in the Introduction.
o

Binding The Final Project Report should be bound (comb binding) so that pages cannot be removed.

13.0 Plagiarism Plagiarism, that is, the wilful representation of an other persons work, without the acknowledgement or the deliberate and unacknowledged incorporation in a students work of material derived from the work (published or otherwise) of another, is UNACCEPTABLE and will incur the penalty of outright failure.

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14.0 Declaration and Embargo Request The following are some guidelines provided by the WOU Library regarding project declaration and embargo request.

Submission The School may deposit in the Library one electronic copy and one physical copy of all final project reports submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for a Master's degree at Wawasan Open University. . Declaration of Final Project Report Form (Appendix L) Download this form from the LMS for this course. Complete the form in duplicate. Please ensure that your project supervisor and you sign in black ink. Copyright Once the student authorizes the copyright of the project report to the University, it will be published as open access material. The aim is to promote information sharing for the common good. Appropriate metadata will be added to your work, before it gets posted on the Librarys Website. Embargo You may apply for a delay in the release of your final project report for a specified period. The University permits the embargo of final project papers under the following conditions:- Your work has potential commercial value - You intend to publish your work - You need to protect intellectual property rights associated with your work - You need to protect individuals rights of privacy or sensitivities, mentioned in your work The Embargo Request Form is obtainable from the Librarys Website. The signed and completed Embargo Request Form must accompany the project paper upon submission to the Library Please note that the bibliographic information (author, title, subject, other necessary metadata) of the copy held in the Library will be made accessible to the public on the Librarys online catalogue.

15.0 Enquiries Enquiries regarding the Project Course shall be addressed to: The CEMBA /CEMPA Project Coordinator, Centre for Graduate Studies, Wawasan Open University, 54 Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, 10050 Penang, Malaysia. or Email: project_coordinator@wou.edu.my

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Appendix A: Sample Project Report Front Cover

FACTORS INFLUENCING EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION IN ORGANISATION

[Note: Project title in full, Font Arial size 18]

AHMAD BIN ABDULLAH

[Note: Students Name as stated in NRIC/Passport, Font Arial size 18]

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND ADMINISTRATION WAWASAN OPEN UNIVERSITY

[Font Arial size 12]

2010
[Note: Project Report submission year, Font Arial size 12]

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Appendix B: Sample Title Page

NAME DEGREE SUPERVISOR TITLE DATE INSTITUTION

Ahmad bin Abdullah Commonwealth Executive Master of Business Administration Dr. Albert Lim Hock Seng Factors Influencing Employee Motivation in Organisation June 2010 Wawasan Open University (WOU)

Final Project Report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Commonwealth Executive Master of Business Administration (CeMBA) of Wawasan Open University Penang, Malaysia

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Appendix C: Sample Acknowledgements

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my family and friends for all the emotional and financial support provided to me as it is their support which was instrumental in encouraging me to reach the end of this journey. During my studies, there were times when work commitments and other challenges that made me believe that I would not be able to see this journey through. It was during these times that words of encouragement from my family and friends gave me the necessary motivation to persist. No words of thanks can adequately express the depth of my appreciation and gratitude.

I would also like to personally thank my supervisor .. for providing me all the guidance required to successfully complete this research report. His encouragement, support, understanding and, above all, his prompt, constructive and greatly appreciated criticism and feedback, were invaluable to the research, writing and completion of this report.

Ahmad bin Abdullah June 2010

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Appendix D: Sample Certificate of Originality

CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY

This is to certify that the research project, Factors Influencing Employee Motivation in Organisation is an original work of the student and is being submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Commonwealth Executive Master of Business Administration (CeMBA) of Wawasan Open University (WOU). This report has not been submitted earlier either to this University or to any other University / Institution for the fulfillment of the requirement of a course of study.

Declaration made by Student:

------------------------------------------------[Signature] [Name] [Student ID Number] [Date]

Declaration confirmed by Project Supervisor:

------------------------------------------------[Signature] [Name] [Project Supervisor ID Number] [Date]

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Appendix E: Sample Plagiarism Statement

PLAGIARISM STATEMENT

I, Ahmad bin Abdullah, hereby declare that the attached report is all my own work and all references contained within it have been correctly cited, the original authors acknowledged and it contains no plagiarism.

After the completion of the project report, I have scanned the report through TURNITIN software for plagiarism. The plagiarism report received from the plagiarism detection software indicated that the work is very likely to be original and that I am satisfied that I had not plagiarised any substantive part of the report.

Declaration made by Student

------------------------------------------------[Signature] [Name] [Student ID Number] [Date]

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Appendix F: Sample Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents Title Page Acknowledgements Certificate of Originality Plagiarism Statement Table of Contents List of Tables (if any) List of Figures (if any) List of Symbols (if any) Abbreviations Abstract Page i ii iii iv v vi vii viii ix x

Chapter 1 Introduction to the Study 1.1 Introduction to the Problem 1.2 Background of the Problem . . . 1.9 Summary

1 1 2

Chapter 2 Review of the Literature 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Review of the Literature 2.3 Theoretical Framework . . . 2.6 Summary

6 6 8 11

16

Chapter 3 Research Methodology 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Research Design 3.3 Methodology . . . 3.8 Summary

17 17 19 20

25

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Appendix F: Sample Table of Contents (continued)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents Chapter 4 Analysis of Results 4.1 Profile of Respondents 4.2 Goodness of Measures 4.3 Descriptive of Analysis 4.4 Summary Page 26 26 29 30 39

Chapter 5 Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations 5.1 Recapitulation of the Study Findings 5.2 Discussion 5.3 Implications 5.8 Summary

40 41 43 44 48

References Appendices Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C

Studies on Employee Motivation Interview Structure Interview Transcript

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Appendix G: Sample Abstract

NAME DEGREE SUPERVISOR TITLE DATE

Ahmad bin Abdullah Commonwealth Executive Master of Business Administration Dr. Albert Lim Hock Seng Factors Influencing Employee Motivation in Organisation June 2010

ABSTRACT (Write your abstract here and the length should not exceed 400 words)

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Appendix H: Submission of Project Proposal Form SUBMISSION OF PROJECT PROPOSAL FORM BBM 601/06 / BPA 601/06*
Note: This form is only a SAMPLE. Please use the original form provided in the WawasanLearn for Project Course.

To:

Dean School of Business and Administration Wawasan Open University 10050 Penang

Date: __________________

Section A (to be filled by the student) Name of Student : Student ID Number : Programme : CeMBA / CeMPA* Mailing Address : Telephone Number : E-mail Address : Project Title : Name of Project Supervisor : Project Supervisor ID Number : Section B (to be filled by the student) Brief description of the study:

Thank you.

_________________ (Students Signature)

* Please delete whichever is not applicable.

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Appendix H: Submission of Project Proposal Form (continued)

SUBMISSION OF PROJECT PROPOSAL FORM BBM 601/06 / BPA 601/06*

Note: This form is only a SAMPLE. Please use the original form provided in the WawasanLearn for Project Course.

Section C (to be filled by the Project Supervisor) Name of Project Supervisor Project Supervisor ID Number : :

I have assisted the student in the development of this Project Proposal and I am now supporting this students submission for approval by the School of Business and Administration. I support this students submission of the Project Proposal.

_________________________ (Project Supervisors Signature)

_________________ (Date)

Section D (to be filled by the Dean, School of Business and Administration) Date received Project Proposal: _______________________ The Project Proposal is: Approved Remarks: Not approved**

__________________________ (Deans Signature)

_________________ (Date)

* Please delete whichever is not applicable. ** Please revise the Project Proposal and re-submit it within 2 weeks together with the Re-submission of Project Proposal Form.

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Students Guide to Manage CEMBA / CEMPA Project Course (ver 9.0)

Appendix I: Re-submission of Project Proposal Form RE-SUBMISSION OF PROJECT PROPOSAL FORM BBM 601/06 / BPA 601/06*
Note: This form is only a SAMPLE. Please use the original form provided in the WawasanLearn for Project Course.

To:

Dean School of Business and Administration Wawasan Open University 10050 Penang

Date: __________________

Section A (to be filled by the student) Name of Student : Student ID Number : Programme : CeMBA / CeMPA* Mailing Address : Telephone Number : E-mail Address : Project Title : Name of Project Supervisor : Project Supervisor ID Number : Section B (to be filled by the student) Brief description of the study:

Thank you.

_________________ (Students Signature)

* Please delete whichever is not applicable.

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Students Guide to Manage CEMBA / CEMPA Project Course (ver 9.0)

Appendix I: Re-submission of Project Proposal Form (continued)

RE-SUBMISSION OF PROJECT PROPOSAL FORM BBM 601/06 / BPA 601/06*

Note: This form is only a SAMPLE. Please use the original form provided in the WawasanLearn for Project Course.

Section C (to be filled by the Project Supervisor) Name of Project Supervisor Project Supervisor ID Number : :

I support this students re-submission of the Project Proposal for approval.

_________________________ (Project Supervisors Signature)

_________________ (Date)

Section D (to be filled by the Dean, School of Business and Administration) Date received Project Proposal: _______________________ The Project Proposal is: Approved Remarks: Not approved**

__________________________ (Deans Signature)

_________________ (Date)

* Please delete whichever is not applicable. ** Please revise the Project Proposal and re-submit it within 2 weeks together with the Re-submission of Project Proposal Form.

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Appendix J: Submission of Final Project Report for Examination Form SUBMISSION OF FINAL PROJECT REPORT FOR EXAMINATION FORM BBM 601/06 / BPA 601/06* To: Dean School of Business and Administration Wawasan Open University 10050 Penang
Note: This form is only a SAMPLE. Please use the original form provided in the WawasanLearn for Project Course.

Date: __________________ Section A (to be filled by the student) Name : ID Number : Programme : CeMBA / CeMPA* Course Code : BBM 601/06 / BPA 601/06 * Project Title :

I submit the following documents to be examined as required in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the CeMBA / CeMPA* programme: Please tick () whichever applicable 3 copies of final Project Report (soft cover with comb binding) 1 softcopy* of the Project Report saved as MSWord document (CD must be labelled with student name, student ID number, course code and title, project title and date) 1 softcopy* of the Originality Report from Turnitin (CD must be labelled with student Name, student ID number, course code and title, project title and date) Project Log Book Approved Project Proposal Project Embargo Request Form (if applicable)
* Please delete whichever is not applicable.

Thank you. _________________ (Students Signature) ________________ (Date)

Section B (to be filled by the Project Supervisor) Name of Project Supervisor Project Supervisor ID Number : :

I certify that the students final Project Report is of sufficient standards to be ready for examination, and I support the students submission of the final Project Report.

_________________________ (Project Supervisors Signature)

_________________ (Date)

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Appendix K: Re-submission of Project Report for Verification Form

RE-SUBMISSION OF FINAL PROJECT REPORT FOR VERIFICATION FORM BBM 601/06 / BPA 601/06*
Note: This form is only a SAMPLE. Please use the original form provided in the WawasanLearn for Project Course.

To:

Dean School of Business and Administration Wawasan Open University 10050 Penang

Date: __________________

Section A (to be filled by student) Name of Student : Student ID Number : Programme : CeMBA / CeMPA* Mailing Address : Telephone Number : E-mail Address : Project Title : Name of Project Supervisor : Project Supervisor ID Number : I re-submit the following documents to for verifications that necessary errors have been corrected: Please tick () whichever applicable 3 copies of final Project Report (soft cover binding) 1 softcopy (CD) I confirm that all amendments / corrections have been made. My Project Supervisor has examined the Project Report and his/her comments are included in Section B of this form. Thank you.

. (Students Signature)

* Please delete whichever is not applicable.

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Appendix K: Re-submission of Project Report for Verification Form (continued)

RE-SUBMISSION OF FINAL PROJECT REPORT FOR VERIFICATION FORM BBM 601/06 / BPA 601/06*
Note: This form is only a SAMPLE. Please use the original form provided in the WawasanLearn for Project Course.

Section B (to be filled by the Project Supervisor) Name of Project Supervisor Project Supervisor ID Number : :

I have examined all the corrections/amendments made by Mr. / Mrs. Miss __________________________________ in his / her Project Report re-submitted for reexamination. I confirm that I am satisfied with the corrections / amendments made by the student.

_________________________ (Project Supervisors Signature)

_________________ (Date)

Section C (to be filled by the Dean, School of Business and Administration) I confirm the recommendation made by the students Project Supervisor as stated in Section B above.

__________________________ (Deans Signature)

_________________ (Date)

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Appendix L: Declaration of Final Project Report Form
Note: This form is only a SAMPLE. Please use the original form provided in the WawasanLearn for Project Course.

BBM 601/06 / BPA 601/06*

Instruction: Please complete and submit in duplicate

Student I.D Number: _____________________________________________________ Full Name: ________________________________________________________________ Title of Project Report: _______________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ Academic Session: ______________________________________________________ I hereby declare that the work in this final project report is my own except for quotations and summaries which have been duly acknowledged. I acknowledged that Wawasan Open University reserves the right as follows: 1. The project report is the property of Wawasan Open University. 2. Wawasan Open Library has the right to publish my project report as online access (fulltext) and furnish upon request copies in whole or part for the purpose of research or teaching and learning only.

___________________________ Signature of Student ___________________________ MyKad No / Passport No. Date: ______________________

_____________________________ Signature of Project Supervisor _____________________________ Name of Project Supervisor Date: ________________________

Please submit completed form to the Centre for Graduate Studies, WOU.

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Students Guide to Manage CEMBA / CEMPA Project Course (ver 9.0)

Appendix M: Project Paper Embargo Request Form
Note: This form is only a SAMPLE. Please use the original form provided in the WawasanLearn for Project Course.

BBM 601/06 / BPA 601/06*

Student I.D Number: _____________________________________________________ Full Name: ________________________________________________________________ Title of Project Paper: ______________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Academic Session: ______________________________________________________ An approved embargo period shall be for two years and non-renewable. The University permits the embargo of project reports under the following conditions:i. Your work have potential commercial value ii. You intend to publish your work iii. You need to protect intellectual property rights associated with your work iv. You need to protect individuals rights of privacy or sensitivities, mentioned in your work. Justification:

___________________________ Signature of Student Date: ______________________

_____________________________ Signature of Project Supervisor Date: ________________________

___________________________ Signature of Dean of School/ Designee Date: ______________________ Date Embargo will be lifted: _______________ (dd/mm/year)

_____________________________ Director of Center for Graduate Studies Date: ________________________

Please submit completed form to the Centre for Graduate Studies, WOU.

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