The process is to read the case study and, based upon the opportunities afforded in the case, select for development an action research topic (feasibility study). The course deliverables are:
- Feasibility study (four chapters with title page, footnotes, etc.) (APA writing style)
- Abstract (Short version of the project i.e., Dissertations Abstract)
The paper should contain:
- Situation Analysis (if your study requires a SA). Describe the situation your project will explore. Note: Your completed situation analysis will include a description of the industry, the organization involved, its culture and the competitive environment together with the issue to be explored in your project.
- Statement of the Problem
- Premise (if your study requires a premise). Present a concise positive statement of what the student proposes to substantiate by the correlation of the primary research project. Qualitative terms must be defined, and the premise should be measurable. Example: That productivity has been improved by Human Relations training.) In the example premise, the following terms would be defined in a presentation entitled “Definitions” immediately following the premise statements: (a) Productivity. (b) Improved, and (c) Human Relation Training.
- Definitions
- Disclaimers or Study Limitation. Because the student realistically can deal only with limited variables, there should be statements of other variables not entertained in the study which could distort results or findings. Example: The impact of unexpected massive layoffs.
- Delimitations
- Work Plan – Applied Research Methodology: This section tells what primary and secondary research methodology will be used in the paper.
- Work Plan – Basic topic development
Bibliography/Footnotes/Endnotes/Appendix
Questionnaires, tables, exhibits, charts, and other inclusions must be provided as part of the project paper and may be placed in the appendix of the paper.
CASE STUDY:
Case/Project
The following case study is the super shell for the course project.
BACKGROUND:
The company is a global organization of 250,000 associates located throughout the world with plants, office, and associates in every country.
The parent has given direction that a reengineering is to happen to give a total systems approach to the organization.
The IS/IT function is being globalized with functions being centralized, co-located, decentralized, and virtualized in different divisions throughout the world. You have been challenged with the task of doing an action research-oriented feasibility study of one of the topics in one of the defined major IS/IT functional areas. The company is moving so fast that many areas are under study including the following:
- Management
- IS/IT Management
- Business Process and Integration
- Business Intelligence
- Outsourcing
- Purchasing
- Budgeting
- Auditing
- Contract Management
- Compliance
- Projects
- Project Management Office
- Project Stages
- Project Reporting
- Agile Project Management
- Client Services
- Support
- Desktops
- Workstations
- Servers
- Image Process
- Patch Management
- Training
- Curriculum
- Training (Outsourcing)
- Classroom
- Online
- Certification
- Application Training
- Testing
- Hardware
- Software
- Application
- Package
- Systems
- Network Infrastructure
- GWAN
- LAN
- MAN
- PAN
- VOIP
- Security
- Local
- Global
- Software
- Hardware
- Policies
- Procedures
- Auditing
- Internet
- Internet
- Intranet
- Extranet
- Application Software
- Systems Analysis and Design
- Internal Developed Systems
- Packages
- Web Applications
- Implementation
- Application Support
- Cloud Computing
- Public Cloud Networks
- Private Cloud Networks
- Hybrid Cloud Networks
- 12 SMART Phone Technologies
- SMART Phones
- SMART Phone Operating Systems
- SMART Phone Applications
The staff has been organized in groups and others are working individually, through the PMO direction, to quickly develop feasibility studies so management can pull together a phased approach to the conversion of one of the major subsidiaries in this global organization.
Your specific task is to take one or more of the major areas and develop three specific topical ideas you would like to develop. A decision will be made between you and the PMO Project Manager as to which of the three you develop into an action research oriented feasibility study that will be presented to management.
