Dear MBA I Students,

Winter Projects as a concept was actually introduced as a part of the curriculum from the 2004-2006 batch. Hence, anyone from the 2006 batch would actually be in a better position to answer how to look at ur winter internships. 

No matter how much u love delving into ur books and studying cases....its worthless if u don't have the practical exposure. By practical exposure, I do not want u to comprehend anything that is essentially corporate. No!! Its just not that. It has a lot more versions and editions.  My personal experience speaks louder in this case. I started off my MBA with a firm decision to get into Media and advertising. I was selected by STAR TV for my Winter Internship. Although my excitement knew no bounds...it was in these 4 months @ STAR (Yes...4 months..u read it right) of my internship that I actually understood a lot of wrong assumptions I had conjured up about Media organizations. My first tryst with SEC (Socio-economic Classification) segmentation of customers was here. I realized the importance that Statistics had in such projcects. From market sizing to advertising potential...every step was more than a learning experience. Bam!! my impression of approaching every other additional subject just changed. I knew I had to make connections...I had to co-relate whatever I was absorbing in the books...I had probably found an answer to "What should be my approach"... Yes precisely that is what every newcomer should be observing..U don't need a faculty member to come and tell you in ur 5th Trimester "Learn to Co-relate theory with practical" (I know he would read this and smile)...try doing it right from your 1st Trimester...by the 5th u wud ave changed a lot.

Answers to Aparna's questions-

1) wat xctly is the objective of a winter project? wat r we supposed to achieve by it?

The objective of ur winter project is to "Learn all those extra things..which make sense practically...and not so theoretically".

The main idea is ...u shud have a feeling of "BEEN THERE...DONE THAT" when u actually study these things or are told to do post MBA. 

2) wats the ideal duration?

There is no such thing as duration in LEARNING. Learning is a process and not an activity...so make sure you have learnt the cause that you have taken up...only then can u feel  "That the juice was worth the squeeze". There has to be a time-line...whch definitely would be set for evaluation purpose...that..Madam...can be the ideal duration..

3) wat shud be the scope of the project?

The scope should cover all that is relevant to the specialization that u intend to take up...that will ideally determine ur approach before u focus towards ur specialization.

Try asking the faculty...they could essentially give u a lot of leads as to what u shud ideally learn or think of learning. (SEC segmentation method, how to prepare a Questionairre, Market Research techniques, How to read a Balance SHEET..can we make it easy to understand?). You see all of this could seem basic to u now....only when u get ur  "HANDS DIRTY" doing these...is when u will realize how complicated they may be..

4) how important is the brand of the company... / the project content?

Any strong brand is always preferable...but a strong brand does not assure u great learnings..u c the objective is not filling up ur CV...but more than that. Project content is what will determine ur worth...see to it that "UR APPROACH HAS TO CHANGE" or else its worthless!!

5) how can we go about it?

Try thinking outside the BOX here...if ur a marketing aspirant...customers is where ur mind should be...try doing a project on studying customer behaviour or perceptions.

Example: Cafe Coffee Day has a new mission statement. "Coffee at affordable prices"...I recollect reading these words from the entire statement the last time I was there...Try doing a customer perception survey...Do they really feel CCD is an affordable store...maybe this would help u identify is CCD delivering what it says?

This is also an excellent oppurtunity for u guys to BRUSH up on all the basic skill sets required to attack ur specialization with confidence. Know more bout the companies from ur specializations...try generalizing on what their major business activities have been for the previous quarters...

6) who can/shud i approach?

U have a group?? If yes..ur wrk is done...u cud always approach a mall or a showroom and give them a chance to taste ur "FREE RESEARCH " skills. U r not being paid for anything (I mean...do u need to? its u who is benefiting actually)..

I know a lot of u guys would be picked up by companies...for those who are not picked up...take it as an all the more wonderful oppurtunity...coz now u have the oopurtunity to be an entrepreneur

You guys have assimilated a lot in ur 1st Trimester..try putting it to practical tests. Pune is more vibrant in terms of modern day business than ever before...ICC is up and happening....malls have come up big time (Pyramid, Kakade etc)....or more so even Aundh showrooms is where you guys could start off..

Use parental contact if possible...thats an easy way out.  

Try getting in touch with some PUMBA- Pune alumni base...they could guide u with ease 

Regards

Vinayendra Jain

PUMBA Class 2006