Linz Posted January 9, 2007 Report Share Posted January 9, 2007 (edited) I am just starting to my dissertation - I know I've already had 4 months, but do people honestly spend 6-8 months on these! The problem is, I do not know anyone who has been to University, and lasted to 4th year to do a dissertation. I would like to see an example of what a completed one looks like, style, headings, layouts, etc (not trying to plagiarise - honest!). My uni/supervisor are extremely unhelpful, and assume that we will just know what to do and get on with it. Does anyone have their dissertation saved that they would be willing to send me to look over? Preferably in the business field. A brief summary of my topic: -The project will aim to devise a plan for [company name] to follow in order to successfully implement lean manufacturing. It will recognize the main structural and cultural changes that will have to be undertaken in order to facilitate the new process, and recommend how these should be embarked upon. In addition, any possible stumbling blocks will be identified – areas in which there may be particular problems to be faced and overcome. The project will endeavour to discover any specific roles which will have to be carried out by key members of personnel, and how the company should go about enforcing and monitoring the work delegated. Any help would be appreciated, cheers. Edited January 9, 2007 by Linz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted January 9, 2007 Report Share Posted January 9, 2007 (edited) I started my dissertation pretty much in the first month of my final year style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":huh:" border="0" alt="huh.gif" /> Although I had to plan, build and document a complete web application.I have mine somewhere, although its more of a manual than a dissertation so may not be of use.Let me know if you want it style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> Edited January 9, 2007 by Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted January 9, 2007 Report Share Posted January 9, 2007 4th year?Haven't started the write-up or the application for mine yet (will do this month), but I've been doing research and whatnot for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe Posted January 9, 2007 Report Share Posted January 9, 2007 we had to make 3 copies one fully bound wich was put in the uni library so it might be worth going there to look at some old ones to get an idea of what to do. Time wise i had soem practical experiments and things to do for mine which took a month or two then you need at least 4 weeks to write it up and print it off. The page numbering, photo referencing and quote referencing alone takes days when you need to call out figure 1 etc. with a description and find the book author and page it came from. You shoudl be fine if you've 4 or 5 months left though need to get started soon style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linz Posted January 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2007 Yeah in my 4th year of a BA (Hons) Business Studies with Supervised Work Experience. I have been told by many that its a useless degree, but when I when it came to applying for courses I hadn't a clue of what I wanted to do and chose this as it covered a huge array of business related subjects - thought I would find something I enjoyed! My research shouldn't take too long a time scale - it is mostly interview, focus group and observation orientated - no long waits for questionnaires to be returned etc. Also, I already have a huge knowedge of the subject and have been involved in assisting another company in their implementation of LEAN techniques. I am studying the company I have worked for for 3 yers and have instant access to any employees for interviews. I just need to change my attitude - for some reason i have come back after xmas with a "don't care" attitude, and have no motivation. But the 4 years has flown in so far, so i don't anticipate this last 4 months to be any different. Forgot about that big building with all the books in it! I'll take a trip there on Friday and see what I can find. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe Posted January 9, 2007 Report Share Posted January 9, 2007 lean 6 sigma, ouch don't fancy having to write that up. It's a good one to have for your CV though, seems to be what everyone is implementing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linz Posted January 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2007 The main idea is great - 'the Toyota Way'. But we are in the oil and gas industry where everything is so strict and laboriously time consuming. We have to have ISO 9001:2000 in order to be on the vendors lists of most of our customers - but ISO QM systems are certainly not lean!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe Posted January 9, 2007 Report Share Posted January 9, 2007 lol, you don't work for the same company as me do you??? oil and gas in arbroath haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linz Posted January 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2007 I hate QM! No I don't, but it sounds like an industry wide problem, but I don't see an easy way round it. People want to be seen as evolving and taking on new ideas - i.e. lean, JIT, etc - but are not willing to lose the control and traceability of efficient QM systems. Its a lose/lose on both sides - each system will fight against the other, with neither or them doing what they really should. I am based in Rosyth/Dunfermline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe Posted January 9, 2007 Report Share Posted January 9, 2007 competitor then, feel free to screw them up style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" />yeah everyone jumping on the lean bandwaggon, there will be another best practice way of thinking along in a few years and another initiative. The way of stepping through the process and cutting improving processes can be usefull though if applied in the right context. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linz Posted January 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2007 Possibly - we're pretty specialist in what we do. But I won't be going out my way to mess them up - its my inheritance!!! Family owned company you see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe Posted January 9, 2007 Report Share Posted January 9, 2007 cool, if that's the case i'd probably take quite a small part of the process and just do a lean event on that rather than try to work on the whole thing at once and try to change too much. Can always write up your thesis with things that you would plan to do or should work on in the future which you couldn't get round to covering. Good luck style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linz Posted January 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2007 Cheers very much! I better get my finger out now and do some work for it, instead of just talking about it! style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe Posted January 9, 2007 Report Share Posted January 9, 2007 take your finger out... where was it in before.... it's good to be back lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linz Posted January 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2007 There's always 1!!! style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rolleyes:" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" /> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe Posted January 9, 2007 Report Share Posted January 9, 2007 yup, mummy says i'm special style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" /> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dxg Posted January 9, 2007 Report Share Posted January 9, 2007 (edited) You haven't started yet?!? Best advice I give all people in this situation is - keep it small and simple. It doesn't have to say much, but it has to say it well and with rigour. You must remember that a literature review is not a dissertation - you must gather data *and analyise it* in a manner appropriate to the nature of the subject. THink about whereyou could gather data from and what form it might be available in - plan your study around that. In order to determine this you need clear research questions and a well developed methodology that will convince the reader that what you have done was an appropriate thing to do. This will give them confidence in your findings. A solid methodm backed up with appropriate and thorough methods of data gathering a key. Don't just do a questionnaire because you want to (for example) - convice the reader of the role of the data gathering in your study and why a questionnaire (or interview or workshop, etc.) is the best way of doing it, and so on for the other aspects.What is the subject, though? A social inquiry of some kind or something more experimental?Anyway, read this book:http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dissertation-Resea...TF8&s=booksit's pretty generic.For the methodology stuff on the social inquiry side of things, this book is good but some of it is too advanced for undergraduate stuff:http://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Research-Guid...TF8&s=booksit is accessible though.Another quick thought is to make the research problem relevant to your company and get your line manager's support of your study - that will then make it easier for others in the compnay to give you their time. Deek. Edited January 9, 2007 by dxg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linz Posted January 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2007 Thanks for all the advice. It is described above - but it is a study on the implementation of lean manufacturing within the company I work for. It is all being done with full support and cooperation of my line managers. The guys that work for us all know I am doing it and that they may be requested to partake in interviews. I also have the full cooperation of our main customer, who is slightly further on in the process. I sit in on their meetings and see how they are doing things too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dxg Posted January 9, 2007 Report Share Posted January 9, 2007 Thanks for all the advice. It is described above - but it is a study on the implementation of lean manufacturing within the company I work for. It is all being done with full support and cooperation of my line managers. The guys that work for us all know I am doing it and that they may be requested to partake in interviews. I also have the full cooperation of our main customer, who is slightly further on in the process. I sit in on their meetings and see how they are doing things too.Just be sure to develop a methodology chapter that justifies your use of interviews by discussing their pros and cons alongside the other data collection instruments you could have used. I recommend you read the second of the two books I suggested.Did you see the news last week about the consultants that were trying to introduce lean into the NHS?You also might find the construction industry's attempts to adopt lean manufacturing methods in the mid-ninties interesting as they never went anywhere (on site anyway)Also - don't forget the analysis - I can't say this enough as this is where students tend to let themselves down - what will you be doing with the information you gather from the interviews? Content analysis? Something else?Also remember that the interviews themselves have to be designed and this will need to be discussed and your chosen approach justified in the method...Deek. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linz Posted January 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2007 Thank you very much - lots to think about! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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