SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT & BUSINESS STUDIES

MAHATMA GANDHI UNIVERSITY

Second Semester MBA (2019-21)

Special Guidelines for OS

In the context of nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic situation, II semester MBA
(2019-21) OS to be done by the students in the academic year (2019-20) in accordance with
the following guidelines

1. Students who already got permission from companies to do OS/Internship by offline or

Online may be permitted to go ahead with such OS /Online Internship in such companies as
per the pre-determined schedule.
OR

2. Students are also allowed to conduct Organizational study inside the State of Kerala by
choosing any of the business organization(preferably manufacturing concern) situated in
their nearby locality/district, if such organizations permit the students to do it within the
month of June 2020. Those students who are possible to do OS inside the State can obtain
the reference letter from the Department through Email after obtaining oral consent from the
company.
OR
3. Students who were unable to get the permission from Companies locating inside/ outside the
State, or whose permission was cancelled by the Companies due to Covid-19 pandemic
situation can do OS by using online/secondary resources. Depending on the objective and
interest of a student, a company (preferably a listed public company) can be chosen in a
given industry (preferably from manufacturing sector). Students can collect data through the
company’s web site and other publications (Detailed guidelines attached). OS Certificate
from the companies is not compulsory to be attached with the report.

4. The maximum time period available to complete the OS work is one month. In any of
the 3 cases mentioned above, the OS work to be commenced on or before 1st June;
and completed on or before 30th June 2020. Early commencement and submissions of
OS report before the due dates are always appreciated.

5. The methodology of conducting OS to be discussed with the concerned Faculty

Guide//Mentor (List attached). To ensure the quality and feasibility of the OS, each student
has to prepare a proposal of OS, and it to be submitted to be respective faculty guide/mentor
for getting approval before commencement of original study. (On or before 1st June 2020).
6. It is not allowed to do OS by two students on the same company or business organization.
No student should try to copy or use false/fabricated information in such a way that will
leads to false and baseless conclusions for the study. Therefore, all students are required to
ensure the accuracy and reliability of data/information and consent to be obtained from the
faculty guide regarding the source of data. In any such malpractice is found out, the
student’s OS report shall not be considered for evaluation.

7. Every student is required to write an Internship/OS report upon completion of their

internship/OS, and required to submit two copies (student copy + department copy) of the report
to the department. Before submitting the report, the student required to go through multiple
rounds of revision in consultation with the department internship/OS mentor/supervisor. The
internal evaluation will be done by conducting a presentation and viva-voce examination;
and external evaluation based on the final report submitted by students.

Detailed Guidelines of OS Report

The OS report has two major sections as company industry analysis and company analysis.
Usually, the company industry analysis should contain more qualitative discussions and the
company analysis should be more quantitative in nature.

Part I

Industry Analysis
Industry analysis is a market assessment tool used by businesses and analysts to understand the
competitive dynamics of an industry. It helps them get a sense of what is happening in an
industry, i.e., demand-supply statistics, degree of competition within the industry, state of
competition of the industry with other emerging industries, future prospects of the industry
taking into account technological changes, credit system within the industry, and the influence
of external factors on the industry.

Read all the available but relevant industry reports and statistics to see whether it makes sense to
dig deeper. , it is important to focus on the relevant industry. Without this, it will be impossible
to draw an accurate industry analysis report. So, take up an industry and find out the sub-
industries. Select the one which suits the company’s purpose. Moreover, it is worthwhile to look
at the different market segments in a particular industry. You have to identify the type of
industry, industry life cycle, growth of industry, nature of products, nature of competition, Govt.
policy. R&D etc.

Types of industry analysis

There are three commonly used and important methods of performing industry analysis. The
three methods are:
Competitive Forces Model (Porter’s 5 Forces)
Broad Factors Analysis (PEST Analysis)
SWOT Analysis

#1 Competitive Forces Model (Porter’s 5 Forces)

One of the most famous models ever developed for industry analysis, famously known
as Porter’s 5 Forces, was introduced by Michael Porter in his 1980 book “Competitive Strategy:
Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors.”
According to Porter, analysis of the five forces gives an accurate impression of the industry and
makes analysis easier. In our Corporate & Business Strategy course, we cover these five forces
and an additional force — power of complementary good/service providers.
1. Intensity of industry rivalry
The number of participants in the industry and their respective market shares are a direct
representation of the competitiveness of the industry. These are directly affected by all the
factors mentioned above. Lack of differentiation in products tends to add to the intensity of
competition. High exit costs like high fixed assets, government restrictions, labor unions, etc.
also make the competitors fight the battle a little harder.
2. Threat of potential entrants
This indicates the ease with which new firms can enter the market of a particular industry. If it is
easy to enter an industry, companies face the constant risk of new competitors. If the entry is
difficult, whichever company enjoys little competitive advantage reaps the benefits for a longer
period. Also, under difficult entry circumstances, companies face a constant set of competitors.
3. Bargaining power of suppliers
This refers to the bargaining power of suppliers. If the industry relies on a small number of
suppliers, they enjoy a considerable amount of bargaining power. This can affect small
businesses because it directly influences the quality and the price of the final product.
4. Bargaining power of buyers
The complete opposite happens when the bargaining power lies with the customers. If
consumers/buyers enjoy market power, they are in a position to negotiate lower prices, better
quality, or additional services and discounts. This is the case in an industry with more
competitors but with a single buyer constituting a large share of the industry’s sales.
5. Threat of substitute goods/services
The industry is always competing with another industry in producing a similar substitute product.
Hence, all firms in an industry have potential competitors from other industries. This takes a toll
on their profitability because they are unable to charge exorbitant prices. Substitutes can take two
forms – products with the same function/quality but lesser price, or products of the same price
but of better quality or providing more utility.

#2 Broad Factors Analysis (PEST Analysis)

Broad Factors Analysis, also commonly called the PEST Analysis stands for Political,
Economic, Social and Technological. PEST analysis is a useful framework for analyzing the
external environment.
To use PEST as a form of industry analysis, an analyst will analyze each of the 4 components of
the model. These components include:
1. Political
Political factors that impact an industry include specific policies and regulations related to things
like taxes, environmental regulation, tariffs, trade policies, labor laws, ease of doing business,
and the overall political stability.
2. Economic
The economic forces that have an impact include inflation, exchange rates (FX), interest rates,
GDP growth rates, conditions in the capital markets (ability to access capital), etc.
3. Social
The social impact on an industry refers to trends among people and includes things such as
population growth, demographics (age, gender, etc), and trends in behavior such as health,
fashion, and social movements.
4. Technological
The technological aspect of PEST analysis incorporates factors such as advancements and
developments that change the way a business operates and the ways in which people live their
lives (i.e. advent of the internet).

#3 SWOT Analysis
SWOT Analysis stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. It can be a great
way of summarizing various industry analysis methods and determining their implications for the
business in question.
1. Internal
Internal factors that already exist and have contributed to the current position and may continue
to exist.
2. External
External factors which are contingent events. Assess their importance based on the likelihood of
them happening and their impact on the company. Also, consider whether management has the
intention and ability to take advantage of the opportunity/avoid the threat.
 Part II

Company Analysis
Company analysis include the study of Companies business, its internal and external
environment, its saga of success or failure, its growth or decline, its stakeholders, their
expectations, competitors, collaborators and their strategy, products/service quality analysis,
business environment, financial performance analysis, operational strategy, business strategy,
corporate strategy, technology adoption strategy, growth and expansion strategy, marketing
strategy, human resource management and retention strategy, business model, leadership and
decision making effectiveness, automation and information technology adoption, struggle for
sustainability, revenue growth rate, company profitability, research & development, innovation,
environmental responsibility, corporate social responsibility, future plan, etc. Depending on the
nature of the business, business model, and the size of the company, some of the above factors
applicable should be studied to collect relevant data for further analysis. The data related to the
above factors can be collected by many sources which include company website, interviews
conducted to company personnel, and a questionnaire-based survey conducted on stakeholders,
articles published in different magazines and journals, financial statements, annual reports, and
any other sources of information. The various components of above factors are listed below.
(1) Business Analysis
Study on business aspects of the company which includes:
• History of the company
• Vision, mission, and objectives and of the company
• Founder, his vision, values, and efforts
• Business in terms of products and services
• Growth related decisions
• Success saga of the company and its business
• Failures and risk taken as experience
• Turnaround performance
• Breakthroughs etc.
• List of CEO’s & their contribution
• SWOC & PEST Analysis on the Company and its environment

(2) Stakeholder Analysis

Study on the stakeholders of the company which includes:
• Suppliers/Vendors
• Customers
• Investors/shareholders
• Collaborators
• After sales support
• Customers ratings
• Employees morale & commitment
• Government Policies etc.
(3) Competitor Analysis
Study on competitors for the company including :
• List of Major Competitors
• Their Strategies
• Their product & services
• Five Competitive Force Model of Michel Porter]
(4) Product/Services Quality/Performance Analysis
The quality of the products/services of the company can be analysed using techniques like:
• ABCD Analysis Framework
• Six sigma quality analysis
• Quality circle method
• Customer satisfaction & retention survey
(5) Financial Performance Analysis
Based on financial statement analysis one can determine the following financial ratios:
(i) Profit Ratios
(ii) Liquidity Ratios
(iii) Activity Ratios
(iv) Leverage Ratios
(v) Shareholder-Return Ratios
(vi) Cash Flow Analysis: Cash flow statements are usually divided into three sections which
show operating, investing and financing cash flow. The operating cash flow is the cash received
or paid by a company in a specific time period during its regular business. Operating cash flow
items will be usually included in the company’s income statement. Investing cash flows are
determined by the cash received or cash paid out by the company associated with the investment
items. Financing cash flows show the money received or paid out by the company associated
with its capitalization and can be related to debt payments or new debt. Another parameter called
free cash flow is a figure that is used to show the operating cash generated by a company that is
available to be used in a discretionary way. Free cash flow starts from operating cash flow and
subtracts those items necessary for the business to be run as an ongoing business entity, called
capital expenditures. A detailed and standardized calculation for free cash flow would be net
income plus amortization plus depreciation plus the change in cash due to working capital
changes less capital expenditure.
(vii) Company future earnings potential: To forecast a company’s earnings in a detailed manner,
we should build a financial model which forecasts each item in its income statement. Forecasting
each line item would allow us to calculate a net profit figure for future years and this figure
would be the company’s earnings forecast. One way to do this is to not forecast every line item.
By detailed analysis it is possible to forecast revenues, operating margin and non-operating items
of a company.
(6) Strategy Analysis
The company analysis case study may include discussion on various strategies adopted and being
adopted in order to fulfill the objectives, solve the problems towards maintaining sustainable
profit. Some of such strategies to be analyzed are:
• Various Corporate Strategies
• Global Strategies
• Porters Five Competitive Strategies etc.
• Digital Strategy like usage of information communication technology
• E-Commerce Strategy to decrease the cost and increase the business share
• Research & Development Strategy to develop new products, processes, services, business
models
• Marketing Strategy to enhance the demand
• Customer Retention & New Customer Strategy to expand business
• Business Expansion Strategies
• Acquisition & Managing of Human Resource Strategies
(7) Marketing Analysis:
Marketing analysis include :
Demand for Products & Services
Advertisement Strategies
Collaboration Strategies
Product/service innovation strategies
(8) HR Development & Retention Strategy:
The analysis should focus on the ability of the company to attract and retain optimum human
resources including:
▪ Identification of Human Resources,
▪ Recruitment Strategies:
▪ Training Strategies :
▪ Productivity enhancement strategy
▪ Employee motivational strategies
▪ Employee replacement strategies
(9) New Technology adoption Strategy:
The analysis should focus on:
Inventory of existing technologies
Survey of new technology
Development of indigenous new technology or procurement of new technology
Technology adoption, automation and improving productivity
(10) Leadership Analysis
The company analysis can also include:
• Leader/Decision Makers
• Type of leader/leaders
• Vision of leader
• Qualities of Leader
• Futuristic Strategies
• Acceptance of leader by Organization etc.
(11) Analysis of Implementation of IT and Automation
Quality improvement based on implementation of advanced Information Technology includes:
Strategic planning for IT is fundamental to the ultimate effectiveness of IT implementation.
Interdepartmental coordination has proven to be a major factor in effective IT implementation.
The expertise levels of executives with regard to IT.
(12) Innovation & Future Plan Analysis :
More importantly, the company analysis also focuses on the future business strategy of the
company and ability of identification of future opportunities. This includes:
Value added products/services.
New product/service development and commercialization.
Efforts on customer satisfaction, delight, and retention.
Identifying new opportunities etc.
The above thirteen analysis tools provide a researcher to do in-depth study on any
company and its ability to carry on its business. In the process of such company analysis, the
researcher will learn the company problems, affords and strategies to solve such problems in
order to realize its objectives. During such process, the researcher may also find a specific
area/issue where expert recommendations or recommendations based on various
business/management theories or new models to be suggested. In company case analysis, the
researcher can also discuss and find the gap between the characteristics of present business and
the ideal conditions and characteristics of such system with the intension to suggest the
improvements in the business system
Suggestions/Recommendations Based on Company Analysis:
Various recommendations suggested by the researcher towards company business developments
through in-depth analysis and discussions are listed below :
(1) Recommendations based on organizational objectives: Communication of organizational
objectives to all stakeholders, revising the objectives based on internal and environmental
changes, Effective way of realizing the objectives using optimum resources, technology, and
suitable business
models.
(2) Recommendations based on improving organizational efficiency: Improvements in various
processes, automation to improve efficiency, decrease the wastage and cost, collaboration and
outsourcing of non-core activities, global operations, global marketing, etc.
(3) Recommendations based on implementation of suggested solutions: By means of optimum
utilization of resources and time.
(4) Recommendations based on business models: Suitability and optimization of business model
to fulfil the objectives and to provide customer satisfaction.
(5) Recommendations based on business strategy: Suggestion to use suitable strategies at the
operational level, tactical level, and executive level as well as at different functional levels.
Business strategy may also include countering the competitor’s strategy, the monopoly business
strategy, sustainability business strategy, or survival business strategy.
(6) Recommendations based on the accumulation of resources for sustainability: Researching
new business processes, researching new products and services, expansion of business to other
countries, techniques to create values in each and every process for sustainability.
(7) Recommendations based on company business expansion : New products, new services,
globalization of business by choosing various modes of international business like exporting,
management contract, licensing, Franchising, Contract Manufacturing or International
Subcontracting, joint venture, Wholly Owned Subsidiary Operations, Strategic Alliance, Cross -
Border Acquisitions, etc.
(8) Recommendations based on company social responsibilities: How company can spend its
profit on fulfilling its social obligation, what are present corporate social responsibility activities,
how to improve their effectiveness and reachability to the public, what are the new CSR
activities possible to take care of environmental degradation.
(9) Recommendations based on technology implementation studying company’s ethical business
model & activities etc.
(10) Recommendations based on financial performance: Suggestion on improvements in
financial performance including resource allocation, cost planning, pricing strategy, sustainable
profit, improvements in shareholders return, further investments etc.
(11) Recommendations based on collaborations and outsourcing: How to identify and improve
the core competencies, suggestion on identifying collaborators, outsourcing opportunities for
various business process, benefits of outsourcing etc.
(12) Recommendations based on automation: Suggestions based on changes in technology, in-
house technology up-gradation, areas/processes to be automated further, benefits of automation,
etc.
(13) Recommendations related to HR policies: Suggestions related to HR planning, recruitment,
training, retention, and improving performance & efficiency.
(14) Recommendations related to marketing strategy: Suggestions on improving the
competitiveness of products and services, branding, advertisements, market expansion,
monopoly products, green products/services, usage of social media etc.
(15) Recommendations related to internationalization of production and markets: Suggestions on
globalization of business, including exporting, management contract, licensing, franchising,
contract manufacturing or international subcontracting, joint venture, wholly owned subsidiary
operations, strategic alliance, cross - border acquisitions, etc.,
 OS REPORT FORMAT

1) Title Page
2) Certificate Page…….Declaration, certificate of Guide and HOD
3) Certificate provided by the Company (optional)
4) Acknowledgement
5) Executive summary/Abstract (2 pages)
A paragraph each on:
a) The company
b) The problem or opportunity
c) Methodology
d) Key parts of the report & your findings and solutions provided in the report.
e) Benefits to the company/institution through your report.
6) Index: List of the contents of the report including list of tables and figures
7) Chapter 1: Introduction
The introduction should include a description of the OS, objectives of the study, scope of
the study and methodology of the study, limitations of the study and scheme of reporting. It may
include background information necessary to understand the study.
8) Analysis and Discussion (minimum of 30 pages)
This section contains analysis and discussion of the OS and should address the following
chapters:
➢ Chapter 2: Industry Analysis
➢ Chapter 3: Company Analysis
11) Chapter 4: Findings, Suggestions and Conclusions
➢ Results/observations of the study.
➢ Suggestions based on the analysis
➢ Conclusion (1 page)
10) Bibliography (1 page)
Include references to books, articles, reports referred to in the report (APA style).
 INTERNSHIP REPORT FORMAT

1) Title Page
2) Certificate Page…….Declaration, certificate of Guide and HOD
3) Internship certificate provided by the internship institution (optional)
4) Acknowledgement
5) Executive summary/Abstract (2 pages)
A paragraph each on:
a) The company
b) The problem or opportunity
c) Methodology
d) Key parts of the report & your findings and solutions provided in the report.
e) Benefits to the company/institution through your report.
6) Index: List of the contents of the internship report including list of tables and figures.
7) Learning Objectives/Internship Objectives (1 page)
➢ lists the original objectives of the internship
8) Weekly overview of internship activities (1 page for one week)
9) Introduction (2 or 3 pages)
The introduction should include a description of the internship site and the scope of the
work completed during the internship. It may include background information necessary to
understand the work completed during the internship.
10) Internship Discussion (minimum of 10 pages)
This section contains a discussion of the internship and should address the following points:
➢ How the objectives achieved?
➢ What skills (scientific and professional) were learned during the internship?
➢ Results/observations/work experiences get in the internship company.
➢ What challenges did you experience during the internship?
11) Conclusion (1 page)
12) Bibliography (1 page)
Include references to books, articles, reports referred to in the report (APA style).

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