RESOURCES:

• Research Guide – MBA
  • This research guide was custom created to help MBA learners. If you are feeling a bit lost on where to start, this would be a good starting point.
• James, N. (2007). Writing at work: How to write clearly, effectively and professionally. Crows Nest, Australia: Allen & Unwin.
  • Use this as a general writing handbook. For example, there are chapters on tone, grammar, punctuation, style, et cetera.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Include, at minimum, the following information:

• Analyze a business challenge or opportunity.

• Include an introduction about your proposal.
• Summarize the capstone project topic, scope, and components; saying that your capstone will comprise a paper and presentation is not enough.
• Establish the premise of your paper; for example, if your plan is to talk about how Dillard’s department store can come back after a huge financial loss, you should include citations that establish its dramatic financial loss.
• Provide a general action plan on how you will research, analyze, and identify recommendations or solutions to this business challenge or opportunity.
• Discuss the general type of data sources you will be using to inform your analysis. Provide at least two specific sources that you are considering. These resources should be from credible sources such as the Wall Street Journal, IBIS, et cetera. Use the excellent Research Guide – MBA for locating credible resources from the Capella library’s business databases and article collections.
• Include the process or steps on how you will access the data necessary for analysis of a business topic or challenge.
• Discuss how you will leverage your strengths, as uncovered in the leadership strengths assessment, to the various aspects of your project, such as recommendations or business solutions. Also identify how you will address your leadership gaps that could impact or weaken your recommendations and solutions.
• Discuss how you can use the leadership coaching to assist you in completing a capstone project that you feel proud of and that allows you to effectively demonstrate your leadership skills and achievement of all program outcomes.
• Address how you can use coaching as a development tool to enable you to grow and develop as a leader.
• Include a wrap-up that ensures your supervisor/client that your project will meet all requirements, be valuable to them, and be completed on time.
• Be sure to conclude by asking for permission to continue to the next step.

• Define the strategy, scope, and action plan that you will use to complete the capstone project.

• Explain how you will apply your leadership strengths and coaching experience to support the various aspects of your project.

• Write a conclusion.
• Style: Your proposal should follow professional style, as described in the corresponding MBA Academic and Professional Document Guidelines (available in the MBA Program Resources), including single-spaced paragraphs. It should use subheadings and be well organized and well written.
• Communication: Ensure written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message and quality.
• APA guidelines: Format your citations according to current APA style.
• Resources: Use at least two citations from credible sources.
• Length: Your proposal should be 2–3 pages (single-spaced, professional style).
• Font and font size: Use 12 point, Times New Roman.

Proposal should be organized using these sections:

• Introduction.
• Summary.
• Discussion of the Proposal.
• Strategy and Scope.
• Action Plan.
• Conclusion.

Submission Requirements