MBA Capstone Project Description

MBA Capstone Project Description

Throughout your MBA program, you have worked to develop as a business professional and
prepare to meet future challenges as a business leader. Your program culminates in the
capstone project, which forms the primary focus of MBA-FPX5910, the final course you will take
in the program. The capstone project is intended to provide you the opportunity to demonstrate
your MBA program outcomes by:
• Planning and executing the strategic and tactical elements of a comprehensive project.
• Integrating and demonstrating the business leadership skills and techniques you have
learned throughout the MBA program.
• Communicating your analysis and recommendations for a real organization both in
written form and in a formal presentation.
• Completing your MBA program with an experience that reinforces and integrates what
you have learned throughout your MBA program.
The following information outlines the requirements and work associated with the capstone
project for MBA-FPX5910.

Capstone Project Examples

You have a wide variety of choice when it comes to choosing a capstone project that is
personally interesting and rewarding to you. It is your responsibility to propose a capstone topic
and scope that will allow you to demonstrate all of the MBA program outcomes.
Examples of project types that might be proposed to meet these requirements include, but are
not limited to:
• A strategic plan developed for an organization to use that helps them solve a problem or
take advantage of an opportunity.
• A strategic analysis conducted on a selected part or area of an organization.
• A case study developed on a selected part of or situation within an organization.
• An intervention developed to address an organizational issue; for example, a workshop
or training activity. The intervention should be broad-based enough to demonstrate the
program-level outcomes.
• A consulting report developed to analyze a problematic issue within an organization; the
issue and analysis should be broad-based enough to demonstrate program-level
outcomes.
You may propose other project types for the capstone project so long as you are able to identify
how the proposed project satisfies the requirement of demonstrating the program-level
outcomes. When choosing your project type and/or topic, keep in mind that it must result in
recommendations, next steps, or some other type of actionable, evidence-based takeaways for
your intended audience, user, or subject of the project.

1
Capstone Project Selection and Proposal Guidelines
The organization must be real, not fictitious. This may be an organization to which you have
direct access for data gathering or one for which you will gather data via published sources. In
either case, it must be an organization for which you can gather the data needed to complete
the project. If need be, you may be allowed to use a disguised name for the organization in the
project report, but you must disclose to faculty what actual organization is being used as the
setting for the project.
There are certain organizations that we want you to avoid using for your capstone. These
organizations have been overly covered in the various business courses and might not be
“fresh” enough for you to showcase your MBA outcomes. For that reason, we encourage you to
select more low-profile organizations, or ones you can easily access for researching and
analyzing. Do not select these organizations for your capstone project:
• Proctor & Gamble.
• Johnson & Johnson.
• Harley-Davidson Motor Company.
• PepsiCo.
• The Coca-Cola Company.
• Amazon.com.
• Apple Inc.
• Starbucks Coffee Company.
• Toyota Motor Corporation.
• Walmart.
• Google.
• Kellogg’s.
• Target Corporation.
• McDonald’s Corp.
• Burger King.
• Ford Motor Company.
When proposing a capstone project, you will be required to briefly identify how the proposed
project ensures the demonstration of all seven program outcomes.
The scope of effort required should be such that it is doable in a 15–20 page paper, which is to
be submitted in Assessment 4.

2
Capstone Project Requirements
The capstone course project must demonstrate your achievement of the MBA program
outcomes. The following table is taken from the Capstone Project Scoring Guide, at the Proficient
level. It outlines the expectations, at a minimum, for demonstrating each program outcome. (For
the best grade possible, strive to meet the grading criteria at the Distinguished level.)

MBA Program Outcome Grading Criteria (at the Proficient Level)

1. Apply foundational knowledge Applies foundational knowledge (theories, models,
and an understanding of practices) and an understanding of business systems,
business systems, processes, processes, and technology within and across core
and technology within and disciplines.
across core disciplines.
2. Integrate information across Integrates most relevant supportive and conflicting
disciplines and from differing information (data, insights, best practices) across
perspectives. disciplines from differing primary functional
perspectives individually and holistically.
3. Think critically and analytically Develops logical, well-supported, solutions based on
to provide evidence-based relevant, sound, logical, and credible evidence (data,
solutions to business insights, analyses, best practices) to solve business
challenges and opportunities. challenges and opportunities.
4. Apply innovative, strategic, and Applies innovative, strategic, and sustainable (long-
sustainable approaches to term) approaches to business practice and planning.
business practice and planning.
5. Lead and collaborate in virtual, Applies leadership and collaboration principles and
global, and culturally diverse strategies for virtual, global, and culturally diverse
environments. environments.
6. Integrate principles of ethics Integrates principles of ethics and integrity into
and integrity into business business decisions by assessing ethical implications
decisions. and resolving ethical conflicts and dilemmas.

Capstone Deliverables
You will plan, execute, and deliver your capstone project; it should include the components and
requirements listed in this table.

Assessment Brief Assessment Description Submission Requirements

Assessment 1: You will develop a brief summary of • Double spaced, academic
Capstone your capstone project so that faculty can style.
Project approve your organization choice and • Use at least one resource
Summary scope and provide appropriate from the Capella library
guidance. The project summary will also and one from the Wall
list out each program outcome and how Street Journal.
the topic allows you to demonstrate • Length is 2–3 pages.
mastery of each.

3
Assessment 2: Once your topic and scope are • Single spaced,
Capstone approved, you will submit a formal professional style.
Proposal proposal that includes a concise • Use at least two resources
analysis of your business topic. You will from the Capella library.
also explain how you will leverage your • Reference your BetterUp
leadership strengths assessment results leadership strengths
and coaching experience (provided by assessment results and
BetterUp), as well as your knowledge coaching experience.
and experience as a leader, to support • Length is 2–3 pages.
your capstone work.
Assessment 3: To help you stay on track and receive • Double spaced, academic
Annotated faculty feedback, you will create an style.
Outline annotated outline of your paper. This • Use at least four resources
document will list all of the major from the Capella library, in
sections and sub-sections of your paper addition to Internet
and include some resources. resources.
• Length is 2–5 pages.
Assessment 4: The final written project report will be a • Single spaced,
Capstone formal document prepared for the key professional style.
Project stakeholders of your project. The • Use at least six resources
structure and length of the document will from the Capella library, in
vary according to the type of project addition to Internet
being undertaken, but the report is resources.
expected to be substantial. • Length is 15–20 pages.

In Appendix A, you can view the

Capstone Project Scoring Guide. Be
sure to review these criteria often
throughout your project to ensure you
are fulfilling the expectations of the MBA
program outcomes.
Assessment 5: This paper will summarize how your • Single spaced,
Reflection and strengths—as identified in the BetterUp professional style.
Goal Setting leadership assessment and improved • Reference your
through your coaching—helped you to BetterUp strength
(Note: this create an effective capstone project. assessment
assessment is Your paper will include a reflection of results and
not part of the your growth, how you have applied your coaching
Capstone strengths, & how you would apply those
paper) • Length is 2-4
strengths further to enact the pages
recommendations you made in your
Capstone paper.

4
 Assessment 6: This formal oral presentation will be • Presentation slides with
Capstone supported by a PowerPoint presentation audio recording of you
Presentation including slides with notes. You will presenting to your
record the oral presentation and upload audience.
it to the courseroom for formal review by • Length is 10–20 slides.
faculty. Your presentation should • Not to exceed 8 minutes of
present all facets of the capstone run time.
project.

Credible Resources
The majority of your resources should be from credible sources such as peer-reviewed,
scholarly journals and articles found in the Capella library. Other resources/databases, also
available from the Capella library, are the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Lexis
Nexis, IBIS, et cetera. By now you should have solid skills in navigating the Capella library, but
just in case you need a refresher, remember that we have a custom library guide, Research
Guide – MBA, which is an excellent place to start your research.

5
You may also use additional Internet resources (such as blogs, websites, white papers, et
cetera), but evaluate and vet these sites/resources diligently to ensure you are using information
that is credible and evidence based. Use this information to determine whether or not the
resource is credible: Sources: What Can You Use for Your Research?; make sure you explore
the source types listed on the left.

6
 Appendix A – Capstone Project Scoring Guide
Criteria Non-performance Basic Proficient Distinguished
Apply foundational References but does not Applies fundamental, Applies foundational Applies a balance of
knowledge and an apply fundamental, practical foundational knowledge (theories, theoretical and practical
understanding of practical foundational knowledge (theories, models, practices) and foundational knowledge
business systems, knowledge (theories, models, practices) and a an understanding of (theories, models,
processes, and models, practices) and a functional understanding business systems, practices) and an in-
technology within and functional understanding of a limited set of processes, and depth understanding of a
across core disciplines. of business systems, business systems, technology within and full range of business
processes, and processes, and across core disciplines. systems, processes, and
technology. technology within but not technology within and
across core disciplines. across core disciplines.
Justifies approach to
integrating foundational
knowledge, business
systems, processes, and
technology within and
across core disciplines.
Integrate most relevant Analyzes information Analyzes but does not Integrates most relevant Evaluates supportive
supportive and from a singular discipline integrate limited supportive and and conflicting
conflicting information or perspective or poorly information (data, conflicting information information (data,
(data, insights, best analyzes information insights, best practices) (data, insights, best insights, best practices),
practices) across across disciplines from across disciplines from practices) across integrating insights
disciplines from differing few differing primary few differing primary disciplines from differing across disciplines from
primary functional functional perspectives. functional perspectives primary functional multiple diverse
perspectives individually individually but not perspectives individually functional and strategic
and holistically. holistically. and holistically. perspectives individually
and holistically.
Develop logical, well- Develops unsupported Develops unsupported Develops logical, well- Develops logical, well-
supported solutions (that is, emotional (that is, emotional supported solutions supported solutions
based on relevant, testimonials, anecdotes, testimonials, anecdotes, based on relevant, based on relevant,
sound, logical, and or lack of evidence) or lack of evidence) sound, logical, and sound, logical, and
credible evidence (data, solutions and solutions solutions or solutions credible evidence (that credible evidence (that
insights, analyses, best that are not logically that are not logically is, data, insights, is, data, insights,
practices) to solve connected to business connected to business analyses, or best analyses, or best
business challenges and challenges and challenges and practices) to solve practices) to
opportunities. opportunities. opportunities. business challenges and systematically solve
opportunities. business challenges and
opportunities relevant to
all applicable
stakeholders and cross-
functional departments.
Apply innovative, Does not apply or poorly Applies some elements Applies innovative, Integrates and justifies
strategic, and applies elements of of innovative, strategic, strategic, and innovative, strategic, and
sustainable (long-term) innovative, strategic, and and sustainable sustainable approaches sustainable approaches
approaches to business sustainable approaches approaches to business to business practice and to business practice and
practice and planning. to business practice and practice and planning. planning. planning that
planning. appropriately challenge
the status quo while
recognizing change
management
implications.
Apply leadership and Does not describe or Describes leadership Applies leadership and Assesses leadership and
collaboration principles poorly describes and collaboration collaboration principles collaboration principles,
and strategies for virtual, leadership or principles and strategies and strategies for virtual, strategies, and
global, and culturally collaboration strategies. that may or may not be global, and culturally opportunities in virtual,
diverse environments. appropriate to virtual, diverse environments. global, and culturally

7
 global, and culturally diverse environments
diverse environments. and integrates flexible
perspectives and
collaborative approaches
in business.
Integrate principles of Does not assess or Assesses principles of Integrates principles of Integrates principles of
ethics and integrity into poorly assesses ethics and integrity by ethics and integrity into ethics and integrity into
business decisions by principles of ethics and analyzing ethical business decisions by business decisions by
assessing ethical integrity. implications but may assessing ethical assessing ethical
implications and overlook important implications and implications, resolving
resolving ethical conflicts ethical considerations. resolving ethical conflicts ethical conflicts and
and dilemmas. and dilemmas. dilemmas, and making
right and just decisions
for the organization and
the larger business
community.
Write coherently to Does not write Writes somewhat Writes coherently with Writes coherently to
support a central idea coherently nor use coherently to support minimal or minor errors support a central idea
with correct grammar, grammar and mechanics ideas, but writing has to support a central idea with correct grammar,
usage, and mechanics as expected of a some grammar, with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics
as expected of a business professional; mechanics, or other usage, and mechanics as expected of a
business professional. writing has major errors. errors that detract from as expected of a business professional;
credibility as a business business professional. writing is free from errors
professional. and formatted
appropriately for the
purpose or audience.