The main objective of the research paper is to analyze a project or a research question of your choosing using as many of the concepts of this course as possible. Ideally you will cover cost and schedule estimation and management, risks, quality, ethics, and contracts. Then, you are to provide recommendations as if you were the project manager.The goals of the paper are for students to:Select a topic relevant to this course and acquire the appropriate research and data about the topic.Apply the concepts, tools, and techniques of the course to your project or research questionAnalyze the researchMake interesting and useful recommendations.The topic or subject of the paper must be one that is covered in the course lectures. For example, if you work for an entertainment company you might want to focus your research on cost and schedule management for a film budget. If your company can provide data on their cost and schedule management all the better. Questions you might ask are: What are the major cost and schedule risks in film budgeting? How are those risks mitigated at your company? How do you monitor the risks? What are the environmental factors that impact your budget and schedule? How can these environmental factors be controlled?You may not be able to find answers to all your questions, so one or two may be sufficient. You may also do a literature review where you may find supporting research on cost and schedule management in the entertainment industry. However, it is strongly recommended that you pick a topic, organization or company you are familiar with so that you can ask for and obtain relevant data and information . Using a known organization also shortens the learning curve. Do not select a topic that is overwhelming – keep it simple and focused. We are available to assist you throughout the course in defining your topic.Your research must show how topics that this course addresses are implemented in specific projects. This is not a course on general business operations so a topic on organizational risk management, rather than project risk management, is not acceptable. Similarly, you may not merely rehash ideas that have been thoroughly covered in this course and in its materials. You must apply what you’ve learned in the course to specific project implementations using the myriad resources that are available through journals and documents from PMI, IPMA, APM and other project management journals, periodicals, etc.At the end of this document you will find a list or resources along with possible topics that may help you generate your own ideas for resources and research topics. There are thousands of topics you could choose from but you only need to select one that is relevant to the course but also your professional interests.2. Content and FormatLength:The length of the paper should be approximately 10 double-spaced pages. The title page, abstract, references, and appendices do not count in the 10 pages, so you are encouraged to add supporting graphics and data in the appendices.Use Microsoft Word for your paper, 12-point font, and number the pages.Format:This is a research paper. The paper should follow the APA Research Paper. Proper attribution is required for all sources, and citation & references must be in APA format. Sample APA format documents are available at Blackboard. On the other hand, if you want to format your paper slightly differently, e.g., numbering the sections, which is not strictly APA-aligned, that will be acceptable as well. However, ensure that you include a title page, an abstract, the body of the paper, appendices, and references in that order.We expect a detailed analysis, supported by charts and graphs. We recommend that you put the textual analysis in the paper and place as much data as possible in Appendixes, which can be referred to in the text. You are encouraged to place in the body of the paper any important charts, graphs, and tables (or relevant pieces of them) that are needed to emphasize a point or to back up the conclusions and recommendations.Avoid the temptation to write too much about the project’s description. Assume the audience knows about the project and is primarily interested in your analysis.Recommendations:There must be a final recommendations section. Recommendations should be based on your research and analysis. This is a research paper, so the recommendations should be supported by research.Research Project ScheduleA research paper proposal is due by 11:59PM 3 March. The proposal should be no more than one page and explain what it is that you intend to do in the paper itself. Write one paragraph each to describe 1) the project, 2) your research methodology, and 3) what you will do with your research.The Research Paper is due no later than 6:00 PM 5 May.The research paper proposal is not graded, but we will use it to advise you on your choice of project. Students often pick projects that are much too difficult. If you do, we will help you scale it down or select something else. The goal of the proposal is to get you on the right track.During the course, we will talk about your papers, provide constructive feedback, and answer any questions you have. We will advise you on whether you appear to be proceeding in the right direction, and ensure that your project is feasible. If in doubt, ask!3. GradingWe will evaluate your research papers in the following categories:- Writing:Communication is a key aspect of Project Management. Use the terminology of the course correctly and throughout. Concentrate on clearly communicating your recommendations, which should reference research.- Research Analysis & Tools:The goals of the final paper are for students to:Select a research topic or project(s) and acquire the appropriate and relevant data about the topic including the relevant literature, statistics and qualitative research, and lessons from practice.Apply the information provided in the course to the topic you choose to analyze including cost estimation and schedule analysis, cost and schedule control systems, risk management processes and procedures, quality management, contract and procurement practices, ethical issues in project risk management and other related topics.Learn enough from an analysis to be able to make useful recommendations about the topic or project in the context of the larger organization of which it is a part.Resources and possible Topics for Final Research PapersHighlighted below are some possible resources for your topic, as well as some sample topics for those of you who are having difficulty making a decision. For those of you who don’t have programs or projects within your professional workplace, these resources should provide assistance.To the extent that you are currently working on a project or a program, you may find a research topic within your own organization. Research can include interviewing your colleagues or fellow project and program managers, developing a survey to distribute to team members, or recommending new policies, processes and procedures for a current program. Remember it does not have to be an actual project or program. For example, if your organization is thinking about establishing a new risk management framework, you may want to conduct research on project risk management programs within organizations. Use your imagination and be innovative and creative in your thinking and in your research.During the course, we will talk about your selected topics. I will provide constructive feedback, and answer any questions you have. I will advise you on whether you appear to be proceeding in the right direction, and ensure that your proposal is feasible. If in doubt, ask!Suggested ResourcesProject Management InstituteThe Project Management JournalThe International Journal of Project Management/The Risk Management AssociationThe Risk Doctor (website)Siemens Quality Management SystemPMI Practice Standard for Project Risk ManagementThe Academy of Management JournalInternational Project Management AssociationBoston University Questrom School of BusinessHarvard Business School PublishingMIT Sloan Management ReviewThe World BankThe Asian Infrastructure Investment BankThe European Bank of Reconstruction and DevelopmentNational Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Safety and Mission AssuranceThe U.S. Department of Commerce Enhanced Cyber Risk Management StandardsThe NIST Standards for Risk ManagementMassDOT Big DigComments from CustomerThe topic I finally decided is the Beijing Daxing International Airport! Please follow the example I provide and use the estimation techniques that I provided!Thank you so much!
