TOPIC: planning tools/techniques

General framework: Discuss the planning function in the context of the work of the manager. illustrate with a case study.

Individual components: Explain the techniques through the use of an example:

1. Budgets and forecast

2. Sensitivity analysis and scenerio analysis of plans

3. PERT

4. GANNT charts

Presentation:

Students form into groups and nominate their broad research topic. Research on the broad topic is a group activity and each student must contribute to that work. Each student in the group will then research, in depth, an individual component drawn from the broad research topic.

The live presentation (worth 10%) must be organised as a business presentation. Strict adherence to the ten minute limit is expected so the time should be carefully allocated to allow for a very short introduction on the broad topic followed by a few minutes allocated to each student to present their individual component.

The presentation is primarily assessed on presentation technique. Your tutor will make suggestions on how the academic content can be improved and that will only be assessed on the written report due in the final week of the semester. Students can therefore choose to present at any time in the semester and it is suggested that you make the decision to present earlier rather than later when there will be many assignments falling due.

Research Report:

The final report on your topic will be written up as a seminar report (worth 20%) and submitted to your lecturer by the end of the semester. You may incorporate ideas generated in the live presentation.

That written report should begin with the broad research topic which is followed by each individual component identified by the individual student who prepared it.

Organisation of the research report

- Key ingredient to writing a successful report involves the planning or organising stage. Organising can help you to sort out your ideas and to present your report in the order that communicates best to your readers. Your essay is to be structured and written as a business report.

- It, therefore, must begin with a Management Summary within which you state in stark form (i.e. unsupported by argument) what you are asserting in this report and you must do that in less than two pages.

-As already stated above, you begin the main body of the report with some general background on the broad research topic.

This introduction should end with a brief paragraph outlining the plan of the rest of the essay.

What follow is the specific issues of each individual component which were considered.

As for any good business report these components should be structured into sections and sub sections and the heading for these should be in the Table of Contents. In these individual components the in -depth discussion of the relevant issues is elaborated based on the existing literature and/or data. You must provide in text references to your sources.

The last section of the report contains a brief summary followed by a complete list of references that are cited in the text of the essay. Follow a standard referencing method consistently. Suggested limits are as follows:

Management - Summary: ideally one page but no more than two.

Sections 1: Introduction - 500 words,

Section 2: Main body of the essay consisting of each of the individual components limit each component to approximately - 1,000 words each,

Sections 3: Conclusions - 300 words,

Summary and Complete List of References.