Writing the Executive Summary for an MBA Capstone Project

The executive summary is one of the most important sections of your MBA Capstone project, as it provides a high-level overview of your research, findings, and recommendations. It should be concise, engaging, and informative, capturing the essence of your entire project.

2.1 Structure of the Executive Summary

• Project Overview: Briefly introduce the business problem or opportunity that your capstone project addresses. Provide enough context to help the reader understand the issue.
• Research Objectives: Summarize the main goals and objectives of your research. What questions were you trying to answer?
• Methodology: Include a brief description of the research methods used (e.g., surveys, interviews, data analysis).
• Key Findings: Highlight the main findings or conclusions of your research. Focus on the most important insights that contribute to solving the business problem.
• Recommendations: Summarize the key actionable recommendations you propose based on your findings. These should be clear and feasible.

2.2 Tips for Writing the Executive Summary

• Keep it Concise: The executive summary should be no longer than 10% of the total length of the report. Aim for 1-2 pages.
• Avoid Jargon: Write in plain language, avoiding complex terminology or technical details that might confuse the reader.
• Write Last: Although it appears first in the report, write the executive summary last, after you have completed all the other sections, so it accurately reflects the content.