ITM Business School Chennai Campus

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1.0 THE iConnect PROJECT MANUAL PURPOSE Over the last 2 decades of its meaningful evolution, ITM PGDM has matured into an intense & high value addition program that launched career of thousands of business professionals in India and the world over. The purpose of this manual is to de-brief the corporate partners & recruiters about the structure of the program and student profile. The program is designed to give students a feel of corporate life along with academic rigor. Concurrently, providing the industry an opportunity to have ITM graduates as interns, who, owing to the core five-months internship period will be well acquainted with the iConnect organizations processes and thereby, more likely to obtain preplacement offers, on satisfactory completion of their internship period. The manual also goes on to provide key insights into the strictures imposed on ITM students during the iConnect program and the discipline and work rigor that is expected of them. The layout of the program: January 12, 2013 onwards January 17, 2013 onwards March 04 , 2013 March 15, 2013 April 29, 2013 May 6, 2013 June 10, 2013 June 13, 2013 June 15, 2013 Orientation Program for iConnect on Campus Commencement of iConnect in company Initial Evaluation of Executive Training & Project Submission of marks for Initial Evaluation Interim Evaluation of Executive Training & Project Submission of marks for Interim Evaluation Final Evaluation of Executive Training & Project Submission of marks for Final Evaluation Relieving of Interns, iConnect Closure Valedictory Function,

The objectives of the program are: 1. Develop acumen for the business needs of today to contribute to organizational effectiveness. 2. Facilitate the use of systems thinking among students to evolve possibilities while addressing various organizational & personal challenges. 3. Develop a global perspective among students to respond to global challenges. 4. Impart values of intellectual honesty, justice and fairness. Responding to the changes in the external environment and in consonance with the mission of the Institute, the program goes through periodic reviews and updates to keep with long term perspectives. The program places great 2|Page

importance on both theory and practice; classroom teaching focusing on multiple learning methods emphasizing conceptual clarity, as against practical inputs provided through the rigorous iConnect core. The insights emerging out of such an experience makes students conceptually grounded and successful in the practice of the business discipline, they major in. 2.0 ABOUT THE ITM PGDM iConnect PROGRAM

The ITM PGDM iConnect Program, offered by ITM Business School, is designed to develop students to be professionally competent and socially sensitive management graduates, fully equipped to take on the challenges of the corporate world. The program presents an outstanding prospect to explore the critical areas of contemporary core courses, with comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the key functions of management and business. The iConnect program is meant to be a unique opportunity provided to students to get exposed to corporate culture and professional experience and learn to apply theoretical concepts studied in classroom to practice for developing managerial skills. The endeavor during this period is to optimize the students learning and convert the iConnect opportunity into a placement opportunity through dedication, commitment and hard work. This requires the student to be disciplined and possess a positive attitude, focused approach and a genuine inquisitiveness to learn. 2.1 Experience As the world of business and technology is converging, the complexity and volatility of the business environment demands aspiring managers to be more knowledgeable in a wide array of areas. Essentially, the sheer mass of business knowledge and technological progress has overtaken the capability of any MBA program. At ITM, we realize the implication of this and focus on how we teach and develop our students. The ITM PGDM iConnect experience commences with a start up program, induction and foundation course, which brings the students on one platform, to be able to meaningfully engage and decipher their course content, irrespective of the backgrounds that they hail from. 2.2 Academic Rigor Technology, economics and market dynamics are interlinked. Todays business manager is required to assimilate data, develop actionable insights and perform as part of a larger team, often spread across geographies and time zones. The Academic Phase follows the Experience Phase, and it is subdivided into further four Phases. The first year comprises of 6 Basic Compulsory Class-based Courses, 4 Workshop-based Compulsory Courses, 1 Field-Based NGO/CSR project and 8 Finance Electives for PGDM Finance Specialization and 8 Marketing Electives for PGDM Marketing Specialization. In other words, there are 19 Courses/Project with 71 Credits in first year of PGDM.

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The list of courses is given below: Semester - I Compulsory (Class Based) 111. Economics and Business and Legal Environment 121. Finance and Accounting for Managers 131. Marketing Management 141. Managing People and Organizations 151. Information Technology & MIS 161. Decision Sciences Semester I Compulsory (Workshop/Lab based) 171. Business Communication 181. Life Style Management 191. DRCC & NGO CSR (field based) 192. Insight Session I Semester I Electives (Finance) 122. Corporate Finance 123. Tax Planning in Financial Management 124. Financial Markets and Financial Services 125. Advanced Excel and VBA Programming With Business Applications (workshop) Electives (Marketing) 132. Consumer Behavior and CRM 133. Marketing Research 134. Corporate Finance 35 35 35 3.5 3.5 3.5 4|Page 35 35 35 3.5 3.5 3.5 30 30 30 30 3 3 3 3 50 5 Contact Hours Credit per course

50 50 50 50 50

5 5 5 5 5

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135. Sales & Action based learning Simulation (Workshop) Semester II Electives (Finance) 221. Security Analysis & Portfolio Management 222. Investment Banking 223. Advance Corporate Finance 224. Financial & Commodity Derivatives 225. Entrepreneurship for Managers (Workshop) Electives (Marketing) 231. Digital & Social Media Marketing 232. Rural & Bottom of the Pyramid Marketing 233. Service Operations & Strategy 234. Event & Entertainment Marketing 235. Entrepreneurship for Managers (Workshop) Total Class hours and credit points 191. DRCC & NGO CSR Grand Total

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30 30 30 30 20

3 3 3 3 2

30 30 30 30 20 600 110 710

3 3 3 3 2 60 3 71

Explanation of 3-digit code: First digit represents Term Number, Second digit represents Discipline Number and the Third digit represents Course Number say 1, 2, 3 in a particular discipline in a particular term. Discipline numbers have been given in the following order: 1- Economics and Business Environment, 2- Finance and Accounting, 3- Marketing, 4- Human Resource, 5- Information Technology, 6Decision Sciences, 7- Communication, 8- Life Style Management, and 9Field/research projects. 2.3 Internship Details The program is completely redesigned, from day one, until convocation. The 2months summer project is defunct and replaced by a 5-months integral internship, forming part of the iConnect concept. The pre-placement training, usually a last minute exercise is now stretched into a complete professional and holistic 5|Page

developmental experience for the student. The two-year full-time program is improvised with revised schedule, curriculum, internship and training process. The students intern for five-months in an organization divided in two phases; first two and a half months spent on site, then a re-group session back on campus for fifteen days, followed by another two and a half months with the project company and subsequently a fifteen days re-group session back on campus. One organization representative becomes the Industry Guide and one faculty member a Faculty Guide. Thus, students are mentored in a two-way process. The assignments range from research, training and development, organizing events/conferences, policy reviewing, assisting in cross functional areas, etc. It is pertinent to note that during the course of iConnect program, student contribution is significant in their field of work and over a period of time, the Institute evolves a mutually beneficial relationship with number of organizations. We understand and acknowledge the significant amount of effort taken by the organizations in creating a learning opportunity for our students and at the Institute we are committed to make students contribute meaningfully to the associating organizations and becoming responsible corporate citizens. 2.4. Placement Objectives for Internship Program a. To provide learning opportunity for students to develop and practice skills of Human Resource, Marketing, Finance and other disciplines offered, by applying and integrating the classroom inputs with real life situations. b. To help students develop systems perspective while dealing with organizational situations. c. To equip students with the ability to access and experience on-job (practical) situations and create new business knowledge. d. To make students understand the influence of organizational context w.r.t. Human Resource, Operations, Marketing, Finance, etc. e. To provide Faculty Mentors and Industry Mentors the data to evaluate and develop students ability to practice learnt management techniques and methods, effectively and ethically in their respective areas of endeavor. f. To study and prepare a project report as per company requirement. g. To provide a platform to take up Executive Training and develop a network which will be useful in enhancing career prospects. h. To co-create new business knowledge, along with stakeholders in the iConnect process. 2.5. Professional Behavior

To ensure that the ITM graduate succeeds during iConnect program, following guidelines have been framed for effective implementation and attainment of objectives of iConnect. a) ITM expects that at all times, student interns conform to the rules and regulations of the workplace. b) Be regular, punctual, obedient and honest at the workplace and during course of ones general conduct. 6|Page

c) Unprofessional behavior, dishonesty, misconduct, indiscipline, irregularity at work and unsatisfactory performance, will not be entertained, leading to cancellation of the iConnect project. d) Subsequently, students will not be permitted to register for Semester-III resulting in loss of at least one academic year besides any other form of action ITM might deem fit.

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3.0 ORGANIZATION PLACEMENT: Structure, Process and Study Roles The ITM PGDM iConnect students are placed in different organizations representing different sectors during the period of their Masters program. The program is no longer on a trimester or semester format rather as a set of discrete terms of study, industry immersion and applied project work, that takes students through a developmental journey from an aspiring fresher to close to being Corporate-ready, as possible. The process details are: 3.1 The Initialization It commences with a brief pre-term startup session, where students are allotted their specialization at the beginning of the program, based on career assessment test. On completion of the preliminaries, they are assigned a cross-functional working team of students from different specializations, which remain together throughout the program duration. With this starts the first academic term, called The Initialization for 6 months. The Insight Sessions during this phase include a range of workshops, seminars, field experiences and other activities that prepare students in ways that are beyond the ambit of an ordinary academic program, enabling them to build the right attitude, a holistic view towards business, incisive analytical skills, sound communication & strength of character. Finally, students engage in co-curricular NGO/CSR live project with a NGO, NPO or Charitable Association to build their sensitivity to society and understand what it means to be socially responsible. (Complete details available in NGO Dossier) 3.2 The iConnect Core: The 5-Month Internship The iConnect Core is designed to integrate industry training and academics into a seamless experience which is a revolution in Concept Based Learning, where student teams will be placed with companies to work on specific projects. Experienced and qualified ITM faculty members will be assigned to the internship company to provide guidance and support to each student team. The faculties will be required to mentor and train the students when they are back in the classroom. To achieve this, the iConnect Core is structured to accommodate a 2-week academic intervention, called the Regroup Session for every 10 weeks spent working full-time with the project company. During each Regroup session, students will have to take up an intensive capsule course, in addition to a monthly review of their internship performance, via feedback from the Internship Manager and the in-house ITM Faculty. The entire industry immersion, including the regroup sessions will be subject to concurrent evaluation by both the faculty and the project company guide and this collective grade, will determine the students overall performance in the program.

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Approximately 10-15 students from a batch will be placed with a Faculty Mentor to facilitate effective learning during their placement period. All students will be instructed to meet and discuss the project work with their Faculty Mentors before their first visit to their respective fieldwork placement. The main agenda will be developing the Learning Agreement. Students will have to finalize their Learning Agreement on or before the 5th working day of the internship project placement. Students will have to meet their concerned Faculty Mentors on a specified time every week for 2 hrs for Individual Instruction (II) / Group Instruction (GI) to reflect on their internship project work experience. Attendance in II/GI is compulsory and it is treated at par with classroom instruction. 3.3 A typical Individual Instruction (II) / Group Instruction (GI) would involve a. Reviewing the industry exposure of students b. Developing a new agenda for learning c. Presentation of questions related to assigned project work by students for discussion d. Presentation of the students plan for the next week e. Comments on students documentation, if any f. Situational Analysis of experiences to analyze the skills used by students and reflection in terms of using additional skills or changes needed in the existing skill sets g. Making students reflect on their own attitude, sense of values and perceptual judgments pertaining to their project company and work life in general h. Critical review of the Learning Agreement and making necessary changes if necessary The formal evaluation of the student at the work place is currently scheduled at the end of the project placement. The Workplace Mentor discusses all the critical points with the students in detail to facilitate professional & personal development. Importantly, students prepare and undergo a self-evaluation prior to assessments by the Faculty Mentor and the Work Project Mentor. Efforts are made by the Faculty Mentor to capture notations describing the challenges faced by the student in consultation with the Work Project Mentor to help the student to develop an action plan to perform better. 3.4 The Consolidation Once the iConnect core is completed, students take up the next full-time academic term, called The Consolidation from July to December. Here they take 6 advanced level courses across their domain of specialization. The completion of these said courses lead to completion of students specialization focus and a second tranche of the insight sessions, designed to prepare them for final placements. Final placements begin in October, with recruiting companies coming onto campus for Pre-placement talks and short-listing of candidates.

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3.5 The Capstone The final session of the ITM PGDM iConnect is The Capstone. The Capstone is a real world multi-disciplinary project taken up by teams of students designed to challenge their understanding of various courses taught in the preceding terms and examines their proficiency in business analysis and strategy. 3.6 Reconnect The program ends with a life-long connection with the people who manage this unique learning experience. As an alumnus of the ITM Group, students get numerous opportunities to reconnect with our highly experienced and qualified faculty and help to extend the iConnect experience far beyond the boundaries of business education. Besides, through our Executive Education programs which are offered all over India, ITM alumni are always in touch with thousands of executives, across all functions in many corporations across India.

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4.0 MENTORING & ROLE DESCRIPTIONS The faculty mentors are teachers of the B-School and specialize at least in one area of management. They mentor students who are placed in the work project with a company and have expertise to relate curriculum with field issues. They directly liaison between the B-School and the Organization and ensure that the students learning objectives are met and the project internship experience benefits both the student and the organization. 4.1 Responsibilities of the Faculty Mentor a. Keeping pace with changes in practices and policies in the sector where their students are placed. b. Strengthening fieldwork segment by periodically evaluating its effectiveness, developing new agencies for fieldwork, and suggesting improvements in management of the practice. c. Guiding students to discuss and develop the Learning Agreement. d. Discussing the evaluation process, standards and instruments during the first/second meeting. e. Finalizing the Learning Agreement with project details on or before the 5th Working Day. f. Conducting Individual Instruction (II) / Group Instruction (GI) g. Encouraging learnability in groups and exploring differences and similarities in terms of practices among different organizations. h. Addressing the challenges faced by the students in assigned tasks given by the project company. i. Contacting Work Project Mentor periodically and discussing learning opportunities for the students and orienting them, if necessary, to make the placement worthwhile. j. Providing constructive feedback periodically to students for their development. Feedback may involve specific situational analysis and behavioral postulates. k. Evaluating the students on specified parameters. l. Getting mid semester feedback from Work Project Mentor to guide students in their areas of improvement and review the Learning Agreement. m. Keeping in touch with Work Project Mentor to collect their feedback by end of the semester. n. Discussing the feedback of Work Project Mentor on specified parameters with the students in context of Learning Agreement and help students to develop a progressive key learning outcome sheet from their internship experience. o. Discussing with students and making recommendations about the organization to the Work Project Coordinator.

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4.2 Work Project Mentor: Roles Effective learning of students at workplace demands significant commitment from the management of the Work Project Organization. The Work Project Mentor plays a very critical role in granting necessary permission to the student to be in the Organization to spearhead his/her learning process and make necessary evaluation of the student in the field of work. In sum, the Work Project Mentors observations are critical for students progress in the iConnect program. The indicative guidelines: a. Providing or arranging to provide orientation to the students about the organization, Human Resource Department and relevant information for effective learning. This may include the office timings, dress code, contact person in the organization, and other rules and regulations that are incumbent upon the students to follow. b. Providing administrative and educational support to students. c. Informing other employees in the organization about the student and seeking their support in the learning process of the student. d. Being familiar with experiential learning and helping the student in the learning process. e. Helping the students to finalize the Learning Agreement by discussing the project tasks assigned and finalizing it on or before the 4th working day of the fieldwork placement. f. Assessing learning needs and other abilities. g. Recognizing and responding constructively to the adjustment issues of the students, if any. h. Helping schedule interviews with other managers. i. Providing access to manuals, policy documents and other relevant information. j. Providing opportunities for students to observe managers/staff perform a variety of tasks and debriefs. k. Providing opportunities for students to participate in organizational activities. l. Providing opportunities to students to attend to these tasks independently. m. Giving regular feedback to the Field Work Students, with behavioral examples on their performance. n. Conducting a Mid - Semester review of the students performance and sharing the same with Faculty Mentor as necessary input in the learning process of the student. o. Providing an opportunity for students to make presentations of the internship work project to company managers and solicit their feedback. p. Completing the Final evaluation of the students and giving necessary feedback for personal and professional growth of the student. q. Keeping a note of the attendance of the students and certifying it at the end of the internship period. r. Informing the Faculty Mentor immediately in the event of identification of any unacceptable behavior/performance of the student during the assigned work project phase.

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4.3 Students Role in the Internship Work Project a. Inform the Work Project Mentor or the person concerned your placement in the Organization, office timings and other relevant details. This will help the Work Project Mentor to make necessary arrangements in the organization. b. Collect the detailed attendance sheet from the School Secretariat before the first day of internship / work project placement and keep it in safe custody during the internship period. Ensure that the Work Project Mentor or his/her representative takes adequate notice of your presence or absence at the workplace. Filled in Attendance sheet with signature of the Work Project Mentor and company seal stamped on your attendance record should be handed over to the School Secretariat by the end of the semester. c. Contact your Faculty Mentor before the start of your internship, to discuss and decide on the draft Learning Agreement. Make sure that you study the website of the internship Project Work Organization, read relevant articles published in business magazines and business newspapers and search database for relevant information before the meeting. Do not carry any preconceived notions about your project work situation. Your experience may be very unique and quite different from that of your counterpart. d. Behaving in a professional manner at work place is given and essential at all times. e. Strictly follow the organizations rules and procedures. Change at any point in time may happen only with the consent of the Project Work Mentor and this need to be communicated to the Faculty Mentor without fail. Changes may include visiting other organizations for data collection, additional field visits to clients or plant sites etc. f. Carry a field work diary to record (i) the time spent at the internship work organization (ii) details about the meetings with various professionals (iii) details about the manuals and documents referred to (if any). Make sure this diary is submitted to the Faculty Mentor with other documents on Wednesday, every week. g. Discuss and finalize the work project on or before the 5th working day to incorporate in the Learning Agreement. h. Finalize the Learning Agreement with the Faculty Mentor before or during the next II/GI. i. Be completely responsible to follow the learning agenda and develop the ability to get others support (buy in) in attaining these goals. j. Actively seek learning opportunities in work project and situations. k. Take initiative to consult experts in the field to refine the learning agenda and make the best out of the learning opportunities provided. l. Inform the Faculty Mentor at the earliest in the event of any problem in the internship work process and it affecting the completion of tasks. m. Be present on all the days, as may be required, at the project work place. Absence at the internship workplace due to illness or any compelling reason needs to be informed to the Work Project Mentor and Faculty Mentor at the earliest and students need to compensate the absence by attending fieldwork on other days. Note that Students will not be permitted to leave the classes and IIs / GIs to attend to internship work requirements. n. Take constructive feedback from managers and other relevant organization members who actively participate in the internship work processes. 13 | P a g e

o. Develop a learning strategy during the project internship tenure to co-ordinate your efforts with the individual development goals. p. Maintain contact with the project work organization even after the on-job internship process is concluded. 4.4 Fallacious Conduct during the program Following behavior if found in the interning students, will be considered as fallacious and detrimental to their grading and progress in the course: a) Criticizing the Company policies and the Company Executives b) Criticizing or making adverse observations about ITM and/or the Faculty Guide c) Attending the office in casual clothing d) Getting into arguments and losing ones temper at work e) Misusing the facilities offered by the company. For example, facilities such as web access, etc f) Going to meetings and presentations unprepared g) Being late h) Leaving the office without prior permission from the Company Guide i) Being impolite or rude to the Company Executives j) Exceeding the mandate given by the Company Guide and attempting to or collecting information that is confidential in nature k) Holding back any material/equipments/accessories provided by the company on a returnable basis l) Collecting cash/cheque in ones personal name for any business transactions m) Borrowing money or any other personal asset from Company Executives n) Interfering in third party assignments o) Encouraging friends to visit the workplace during office hours and causing a nuisance /disturbance to the work environment. Note: While the student intern shall endeavor to secure a pre-placement offer in the iConnect Company through dedicated work and result orientation, however, it is not incumbent upon the project organization to make such an offer, as mandatory. Interning Students must also note that non-submission of any reports or not attending the presentation should be treated as Total Absence for the entire tenure & the evaluation component will lead to Not Cleared grade. 4.5 Attendance Policy Cent percent attendance (100%) is directly co-related to dedication and commitment of a Student Intern. Unless there is a dire need for leave, the Student Intern should not take leave. Dedicated effort from the Student Intern paves way for healthy relationship with the nominated organization and enhances the placement opportunity. Analysis of the previous iConnect experiences prove that those with good attendance record are more prone to being successful and securing preplacement offers (PPO). Students whose performance is evaluated as Low or Very Low (Overall Evaluation of the student: See Evaluation Form for Details: Appendix G) in the 14 | P a g e

specified criteria in two semesters is not permitted to complete the course. In the event of receiving a written statement of a students unsatisfactory performance with regards to project work, the concerned student is asked to explain their experience with the project company. In case, the student gets a memo on his or her unsatisfactory performance and the poor performance continues even after issuing a memo, the project / company internship placement is terminated and the student is asked to repeat the semester. While in most cases this may be highly unlikely, it is a measure and stance that the Institute takes seriously, for the overall credibility of the program and ensuring that students engaging in internships are well served and their learning interests equally well looked after. Students are strictly instructed to follow the rules and regulations of the work project organization where they are placed and adhere to all attendance norms, as required by the work project organization. The following guidelines form the basis of the attendance policy: a) Attendance system existing in the company in which iConnect is being pursued should be followed. b) The Student Intern is not permitted to avail any leave during the period of iConnect. For any leave availed, there will be a penalty levied in terms of marks. Absence without prior approval of leave will be viewed seriously and may even lead to termination of the iConnect project. Leave(s) can be availed in the following situation(s): a) Leave can be applied only for unavoidable circumstances and in the prescribed format. b) Interns are not permitted to avail leave during the iConnect internship. c) Beyond 3 days leave, a penalty of 3 marks per day of leave from the aggregate iConnect marks will be levied. d) Leave beyond 14 days (Including leave with and without penalty) during the entire period of iConnect is strictly not allowed and would lead to repeating the iConnect internship. e) Absence without prior approval of leave will be viewed seriously and may lead to termination of the iConnect project. Absence beyond 9 days would lead to cancellation and thereafter repetition of the iConnect project. Ex: Suppose a student avails leave for 14 days during the iConnect; if the final marks of the student is 74 out of 100, then he/she would suffer a penalty of 33 marks (i.e. 3 marks 11 days) and thus the final marks will be 74 33 = 41. Grading for iConnect performance will be based on 41 marks (and not on 74 marks). A penalty of 5 marks is awarded per day from aggregate iConnect marks in the absence of leave application.

4.6 Transfer from one iConnect campus to another iConnect campus Once registered, an intern should continue at the same campus till the completion of iConnect. However, under exceptional circumstances, transfer from one iConnect campus to another iConnect campus is permitted with prior written approval of the Head of the Region subject to the following conditions: 15 | P a g e

a. 50 marks will be deducted from aggregate iConnect marks. b. Transfer of iConnect Campus for a second time is not permitted. This will result in cancellation of iConnect and non-registration for Semester III. Request for change of iConnect Campus shall be made in writing in a prescribed format given in Annexureand forwarded to Head of the Region through Faculty Guide/iConnect Coordinator. The application should give valid justification for seeking change of iConnect Campus. 4.7 Weightage for Evaluation The iConnect carries a weightage of 5 credit units and evaluation of the iConnect is critical for overall performance. The evaluation schedule as prescribed in these guidelines shall be strictly implemented. Any stakeholder of the program shall not extend the evaluation schedule under any circumstances. Non submission of any reports or not attending the presentation should be treated as Absence for the evaluation component, which will lead to Not Cleared grade. Evaluation of a component shall not be done unless evaluation of previous components is completed. Where the previous component of evaluation is marked as NC, student shall be issued a letter to repeat iConnect. The evaluation will be based on performance of the Student Intern during the Executive Training and the Project work. The evaluation shall be carried out at different stages viz. Initial evaluation, interim evaluation, final evaluation and weekly progress report. The weekly evaluation will be based on the report submitted by the Student Intern. iConnect is evaluated for a maximum of 400 marks. The aggregate marks awarded to each student shall subsequently be converted into grades (A, B, C, D & E).

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5.0 EVALUATION COMPONENTS 5.1 Weekly iConnect Progress Report (100 Marks) By Monday, weekly reports for the previous week should be submitted to the Faculty Guide without fail till the completion of the iConnect project. 5.2 Initial Evaluation (100 Marks) The initial evaluation is conducted based on a report containing the following: a) Overview of the iConnect Company This shall include 3 Reports covering the company, the customer and the competition and a detailed SWOT analysis of the company (75 Marks) and Project Proposal (25 Marks). During the period of iConnect, intern should understand the products of the company and the customer profile. Effort should be made on various aspects of understanding the customers, their segmentation, product positioning, buying pattern, etc. b) The Competition Need to understand the competitors for the products marketed by iConnect Company. c) The Environment It is essential to understand the macro and micro economic environment in which the iConnect Company is operating. The national and international environment which has an influence on the Companys performance also needs to be studied. d) The Technology Need to focus on the technology platforms and specific ERP packages relevant for the Company. It is important to get insights into the pre and posttechnology productivity of people, customer service, and grievance redressed, etc. e) SWOT Analysis Need to study the economic environment in which the company is operating, understand its progress in the past and based on the same, analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the company. The SWOT analysis should provide insights into the companys future prospects and the strategic directions. f) Whos Who Intern should know and prepare a report on (i) the ITM team including the company guide and supervisors (ii) Departmental Heads at the iConnect Company and (iii) the Chief Executive Officer/the Managing Director and other top management team members of the company.

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g) Business Objectives Clearly document the specific goals of Executive Training and targets for the iConnect period. The report shall further provide break-up of the targets on a weekly basis. h) Interim Evaluation: The interim evaluation will also be on the project connected to the company in consultation with the Company Guide that the student wishes to undertake. Refer to the following guidelines for writing the Executive Training Interim Report. 5.3 Presentation on the Executive Training Report (75 Marks) a) Objective: State the objectives of the Executive Training explaining clearly the specific tasks by the iConnect Company. b) Target/Tasks: The target/tasks of the training should be stated, and also be clearly measurable. The specific dates as to when these targets/tasks would be completed / achieved should be mentioned. c) Strategy: An outline of how the student is undergoing the Executive Training in terms of the various activities and plans employed (or designed) to achieve the set targets should be specified. d) Achievements: The achievements vis--vis the targets and tasks of the job assigned should be clearly mentioned. e) Mid-course Correction: It is a review of the targets/tasks assigned by the organization and any upward or downward revision thereof. The reason for the revision may be detailed. f) Limitation: The constraints in achieving the targets/tasks objectives should be highlighted in this section. The student should outline any specific problems or hurdles encountered. They should explain any one significant obstacle that they might have encountered if it calls for a change in plan. They should also outline the changed plan. g) Conclusion: The student should draw together the main issues discussed in the main sections and identify any implications of the work that he/she has described. The student should also describe how tasks and targets could have been better achieved, or the performance be improved upon. 5.4 Project Presentation (50 Marks) A presentation on the progress achieved till date should be made to an audience consisting of the Company Guide and the Faculty Guide. The objective is to provide an opportunity to get insights into the performance and consider them before finalization of the report. This would also help to involve intern actively in the operational review and make it more meaningful to the host company. Presentation at the Interim Evaluation would be of 15-30 minutes duration. It will carry 15% weightage of the interim evaluation. Normally, such presentation should take place in the company where the student is undergoing his/her iConnect. However, if for any reason, this does not take place in the company, the Faculty Guide should facilitate the presentation at the iConnect Campus. 18 | P a g e

5.4.1. Final Evaluation Successful Executive Training shall enhance placement opportunity. It is therefore essential that the student is result oriented and makes value addition to the iConnect Company. 5.4.2. In the final evaluation, intern should prepare a report on interns Executive Training covering the following aspects: a) b) c) d) e) f) g) 6 Target/Task set Strategy adopted Analysis of Performance v/s Target. Reasons for variance, if any Problems/Constraints/Limitations Learning in the Executive Training Awards/Rewards received during Executive Training including incentives etc Project report and presentation

ITM AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

Awards are given to the best performing students and faculty guides at an iConnect location in the ratio of one award for every hundred students. The minimum number of students at an iConnect campus should be 50 for being eligible for this award. Where the number of students at an iConnect campus is less than 50, two or more nearby campuses in a region shall be clubbed together for awards; and each winning student and faculty guide would receive a cash award of Rs. 5,000/-, a citation and a memento. Selection Process: At the iConnect Campus, a panel consisting of iConnect Coordinator (Corporate office) and iConnect Co-ordinator (Campus) would shortlist two best performers for every hundred students. A panel of experts from the region would then evaluate those who are shortlisted. The Panel would announce the final list of winners. 7 VALEDICTORY FUNCTION The iConnect Campus Heads organize a valedictory function before the close of the iConnect program at their respective locations. All the Company Guides are invited to this function. The interns themselves are encouraged to participate and congregate over cultural activities during the course of the function.

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8 Connect COMPLETION iConnect closes on June 15, 2013. On successful completion of the 20-weeks, the iConnect program intern must collect a Relieving Letter and a No Dues Certificate from the host organization and the iConnect Campus and both the documents should be submitted at the respective ITM Campuses. 9 COMMENCEMENT OF YEAR II: Year II of the PGDM program shall commence on July 01, 2013 at the respective ITM Campuses. All interns are required to register for the Semester on June 30, 2013. 10 BRIEF ON THE LEARNING AGREEMENT The Learning Agreement is an outline of all the activities students undertake during their Project Work/Internship Placement. Students have to discuss with the Faculty Mentor and the Project Work Mentor the learning objectives and the organization expectations and are fully responsible for drafting the Learning Agreement. It is a written understanding which guides the student, the Faculty Mentor and the Work Project Mentor in the learning process. It helps in planning the learning opportunities and stays as a reference point for the periodic evaluation of the learning experience. It can also be the base document to sort out any disagreement, which may arise between the parties in the process of a students learning. Collectively, it is an important indicator of learning for all the students in a batch and can contribute significantly to both, theory and practice. In the current context, the Learning Agreement focuses on five major areas for students learning: (a) Business (b) Human Resources (c) Marketing (d) Finance and (e) Self. While input for developing learning objectives in detail for first four come from class room instruction, students field experience, management books, articles, databases, and interaction with experts; the input for Self comes from self assessment of the evaluation sheet, assessment center ratings, psychometric tests and previous project work evaluation. It is expected that students develop the learning objective in such a manner that it fosters systemic thinking, analytical thinking and helps in reflecting ones own experience to improve the practice of the Human Resource Function.

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11 STUDENT GUIDELINES AT THE PROJECT ORGANIZATION a. Purpose Understanding of Organizations Goals, Mission, Vision, and Values is necessary for the intern. Analyzing how the values of the organization are linked with the organizational systems and processes forms a vital cog in the learning wheel. b. Organization and External Environment Understanding the organization from a historical perspective is imperative for the study and further critically examining how the organization responds to varied external environments over a period of time; studying the customers, clients, suppliers, distributors and other stakeholders; use theoretical framework to analyze strategic orientations or strategies of organizations; comparing organizations that operate within the same space and sector and analyzing them via means of a Confrontation Matrix and SWOT, to start with. c. Input/Output/ System Dynamics Understand the details about products/services, financial assets, capital assets, human resources, profits, losses, etc. d. Technology In case of manufacturing, looking at the type of production, extent of automation, nature of linkage between people and technology, understanding down time, cycle time, lead time, etc, disruptive, high end, low end and intensive technologies. e. Structure Different forms of structures in Organizations: advantages and disadvantages of each structure and how organizations are addressing their inherent and external environmental challenges; evaluating the linkages between structure and organizational culture, structure and strategy, etc. f. Human processes Engaging in policy formulation, providing inputs for decision-making, managing conflicts, communication processes, problem solving, employee relations. g. Culture Read Edgar Scheins model for Organizational Culture and develop a critique along those lines for the project organization where you are interning. This would require a sound understanding of the facts within the organization, the organizations core values and the assumed values within the organization.

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12 TOOL KIT FOR LEARNING a. What is the value proposition for the client/customer? b. What is the business model of this organization? c. If the organization doesnt have a business model, could you develop one for them? d. What is the industry growth rate? e. What are the Government policies supporting this industry? f. What are the effects of the current financial meltdown on companys performance? g. Does the culture of the organization impact HR policies and processes? h. Is there a relationship between corporate governance and strategy in the organization? i. What makes organization the employer of choice, if such is the case? j. What are all new research findings in the area of employee performance? k. Am I using systems perspective in my analysis? l. Do I know how to make a business case for HR / Marketing / Financial / Operational initiatives within the organization? m. Am I demonstrating strong analytical skills while diagnosing organizational issues? n. Can I identify departmental priorities within the context of a business plan? o. What is the marketing plan and roadmap for the organization? p. Am I aware of the operational issues within my department? Can I make remedial recommendations (if sought), based on my observations, which are backed by sound logic and evidence? Focus Areas: 12.1 Sector: Manufacturing. a. Manufacturing / Supply Chain Overall operations/ production process: TPS (Toyota Production System), Lean Manufacturing, Lean Six Sigma etc. Logistics and distribution of goods Third Party Manufacturing V/s In house Manufacturing Is part of the process outsourced? Manufacturing Team Structure/Roles Products, packaging, process and technology Critical parameters/ quality parameters in products Other progressive activities like TPM, 5S b. Commercial Operations Planning and transport systems Sourcing of raw materials Costing methods HR budgeting Allotment of production requirements in different factories from HO Financial ratios like technical efficiency, conversion cost, overheads etc 22 | P a g e

Dispatch of goods from the factory Cost effectiveness programs initiated in the factory Does factory supply to any other country? If yes, then why? Does the company import from other places? If yes, then why?

c. Human Resources Human Resource Planning Recruitment channels at the factory Disciplinary procedures Grievance handling Long Term Settlement- processes in detail Legal audits conducted in the factory Wage calculation Time office operations and the way it is linked to payroll Incentive schemes- Design its effect on productivity Linkage between productivity and payroll Registers maintained - Contract Labor, Leave Registers, ESIC, PF, etc Absenteeism and how it is addressed? Canteen Management - Canteen committee, costing of food items External Environment Interaction with Chief Inspector, Labor Commissioner Interaction with union Understand the unit HR strategy- role of the unit in the manufacturing Strategy of the business, future outlook of the unit, issues of viability etc. Understand the factory with its dynamics, its history, Current IR scenario i. Corporate HR Understand the company management Performance Appraisal/Management System Development plans Recruitment processes at different levels Tools to link HR to business

and

Employee

ii. Recruitment/Selection Process HR requirement: Forecast in the context changes/employee turnover The entire process of application screening Psychometric/Psychological Testing Process of interviewing Participating as an observer in panels of business

iii. Remuneration Principles and practices 23 | P a g e

Pay and performance Variable pay, Employee Stock Option Principles of work levels and job evaluation

iv. Training Design and delivery of a training program Competencies required for training effectively Learning portals Various Learning methodologies Principles of design of a session / program Working with outside agencies to develop training module and delivery Principles of facilitation Program evaluation and feedback Learning as a part of capability building/Leadership Development

12.2 Sector: Service Students may use the above mentioned pointers as applicable in service sector also. Additional pointers include: a. Understanding the Business/ Understanding its Operations Service Delivery Model Distribution network in Retail Sector On-site and off-site employees and Human Resources Technology platforms used in business Sourcing Technology / Logistics /Equipments Progressive practices like Six Sigma, 5S, Process Improvement Initiatives etc Costing model Revenue model Business feasibility - Location, Proximity to other businesses and industries Customer Orientation Performance metrics / Service Level Agreements Customer Service Quality measurements

b. HR in Service Sector HR Budgeting HR Planning Legal aspects Use of contract labor for housekeeping, canteen etc Identification and Assessment of Critical Skills Retention of critical talent 24 | P a g e

HR challenges for the industry Challenges in attracting and retaining talent in some new sectors. Eg. Counseling HR Practices to address key challenges like Talent Acquisition, Absenteeism, and Employee Turnover, etc. Band / Grade Structure Compensation Structure - Fixed v/s variable, PF, Gratuity, Superannuation, Stocks, Bonus etc Recognition Schemes Career Advancement process and methods Succession Planning Process Learning and Development Initiatives in detail Recruitment and Selection process Performance Management System Assessment and Development Centers, if any Line Mangers as HR Managers HR effectiveness

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13

.REPORTING & MIS (MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM)

The student intern as per the target date shall submit the following reports:

Target Date Every Monday

Activity Weekly Report Initial Evaluation (Executive Training Report & Project Proposal) Interim Presentation (Executive Training Report & Project)

Evaluator Faculty Guide Faculty Guide and Company Guide

Weightage (%) 100 100

Faculty Guide, Company Guide, and iConnect Campus Head (optional)

125

Final Evaluation (Executive Training Report & Project Proposal)

Faculty Guide, Company Guide, and iConnect Campus Head

175

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APPENDIX A STUDENTS LEARNING AGREEMENT

1. The draft Learning Agreement is worked out with the concerned Faculty Mentor before the start of the Work Project Placement. 2. Learning Agreement is finalized in consultation with the Faculty Mentor before the 5th working day of the work project, after incorporating the project details. 3. In the absence of assessment details (work project assessment, assessment center ratings etc.), students may use an evaluation sheet to make self assessment and use this as an input for the Learning Agreement. 4. A detailed guideline is provided below to help you to decide on the learning goals. 5. A copy of the finalized Learning Agreement should be handed over to the Faculty Mentor (on or before 5th working day of the work project placement) for periodic evaluation to provide you constructive feedback and for smooth conduct of II/GI. Another copy of the Learning Agreement, duly signed by the Faculty Mentor should be given to the School Secretariat just after the last working day with your comments. This copy will go to your office file to provide inputs for deciding the best work project/internship student of the ITM PGDM iConnect program. 6. Learning Agreement is a working document. It should be reviewed and revised during the work project placement to optimize learning opportunities.

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LEARNING AGREEMENT

Student Name:

Semester: Details of Previous Work Projects / Internships (if any) / Placements:

Faculty Mentor:

Fieldwork Organization:

Field Work Mentor:

Address:

Tel No:

E-Mail:

Comments of Faculty Mentor:

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Learning Area

Goals

Time Frame & Tasks for attaining the goals

How the student knows that he/ she has attained the goal

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APPENDIX B HUMAN RESOURCE EXPERTISE

Learning Area

Goals

Time Frame & Tasks for attaining the goals

How the student knows that he/ she has attained the goal

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APPENDIX C BUSINESS EXPERTISE

Learning Area

Goals

Time Frame & Tasks for attaining the goals

How the student knows that he/ she has attained the goal

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APPENDIX D MARKETING EXPERTISE

Learning Area

Goals

Time Frame & Tasks for attaining the goals

How the student knows that he/ she has attained the goal

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APPENDIX E FINANCIAL EXPERTISE Learning Area Goals Time Frame & Tasks for attaining the goals How the student knows that he/ she has attained the goal

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APPENDIX F SELF/NGO (UNFOLDMENT)

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Learning Area

Goals

Time Frame & Tasks for attaining the goals

How the student knows that he/ she has attained the goal

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APPENDIX G WORK PROJECT /INTERNSHIP PLACEMENT EVALUATION

A. PLACEMENT DETAILS

Name of the student Name of the Organization B. EVALUATION OF THE STUDENT

Please use a five-point scale (1 = Very low, 2 = low, 3 = average, 4 = high and 5 = very high) to indicate () the strength of the student on the following dimensions. In case, you / your colleagues did not get a chance to assess a particular dimension, skip and move to next). a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Ability to gain others support to achieve goals Initiative to attain the goals Ability to work in unstructured situations Shows tendency to improve continuously Has an eye for detail Originality and creativity Shows awareness of overview of work place problems Shows commitment and discipline at work place Ability to get quickly to the core of any problem Ability to apply theory to analyze work situations Ability to communicate orally Ability to communicate in writing Knowledge of overall business Customer Orientation Ability to use systems perspective Managing Conflicts effectively Assess problem situations / resolve problems Establish and maintain relationship with working partners Demonstrates analytical skills Overall Evaluation of the Student 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

Any other comments (Please use separate sheet, if necessary):

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APPENDIX H PROJECT DETAILS

A. Title of the Project/s:_______________________________________________ B. Your comments about the usefulness of the project/s to the organization.

C. EVALUATION OF THE PROJECT REPORT Please assess the project report using a five-point scale (1 = very good, 2 = poor, 3 = average, 4 = good, 5 = very good). a b Coverage and the Content Oral/Written presentation (preciseness, clarity, analytical) Overall Evaluation of the Student 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5

Any other comments (Please indicate suggestions for further improvement also)

Date

Signature

Place

Name

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APPENDIX I EVALUATION CRITERION: II/GI & FIELD NOTES II/GI will be evaluated on the following parameters. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Use theoretical frame work to analyze and explain organizational situations Analyze, compare and critically view organizational realities Develop own perspectives for reasoning Contribute to the body of Business knowledge Conceptualize and articulate organizational situations Execute with minimum error, proposed work keeping deadlines in mind Pays attention to details Is perceptive and shows empathy in dealings Develop concrete learning plans and refines existing ones to meet emerging needs, if necessary 10. Adapt the Systems Perspective while dealing with situations 11. Has referenced maximum possible sources during course of project study 12. Is clear about ones own idea and others work 13. Is able to communicate orally with a minimum degree of precision and articulation, as is expected from a post-graduate student 14. Is able to communicate in writing with a minimum degree of precision and articulation, as is expected from a post-graduate student 15. Shows tendency to improve continuously 16. Has knowledge of Overall Business 17. Has sound working knowledge and understanding about overall Business linkages

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APPENDIX K STUDENT PROFILE FORM

Profile of the student intern Name of the Student Enrollment No Program Contact No. Permanent Address Mobile

ITM Campus:

Residence

Parents' Name Local Address

Contact No.

Email Height (in cm) Recent Illness (if any):

Blood Group Weight (in kg)

Chronic Illness or Allergies (if any):

Physical Imparity (if any):

Other Relevant Information (if any):

Self Declaration: I declare that the above information provided by me is true to the best of my knowledge.

Signature of the Student / Date: 39 | P a g e

Details of IP Company and Guides

Name of the Faculty Guide Name of the Internship Coordinator Name of the Organization Address of the Organization

Contact No. Contact No.

Name of the Company Guide

Contact No.

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