Choosing a Topic

Brainstorming a Topic

Allow as many ideas as possible to emerge before you narrow down your topics. You should choose a topic that really interests you, is researchable, manageable in size, and relates to your Concentration. Think about how you want to use your research.  

  • Solve a problem at work
  • Improve your chances of promotion
  • Change career direction
  • Start your own business
  • Use your research to help a non-profit organization you are involved with

Topic Development

Once you have decided on a topic for your ILP, explore it in greater depth. Be aware that your original ideas may change as you proceed, be prepared to change direction if necessary. Find some books or articles about your topic, and identify some key themes and concepts. How have other writers approached this topic? Think about why you are particularly interested in this topic, and what you hope to gain from researching and writing the ILP. Think of a suitable title for your ILP. Make your title specific so that the reader immediately knows the subject of your ILP. Your title should be 12-15 words in length.

Ideas for Topics

Finding a Topic

  • Review your course materials - what interested you most?
  • Look at the headings from your course textbooks.
  • Read business and management magazines (e.g. Fortune, Workforce).
  • Think about problems in your workplace - could your ILP help find a solution?
  • Take a look at some previous ILPs – ask your advisor.
  • Talk to faculty, students, colleagues, family and friends.
  • Review  the Idea Generator in the Bookmark section.
  • Review  the list of Business Topics in the Bookmark of the MMG 800 website.

Ideas for Topics

academic preparation & job performance
access for people with disabilities
advertising "puff"
Affirmative Action
airline safety
arson
bank failures
bank mergers
bankruptcy
bias in promotions
"big box" stores
biotechnology
bombings
branding
building security
business ethics
business transformation
claims adjustment
coinage
communal experiments
competition in business
competitive intelligence
consumer risk
consumerism
controversial advertising on TV
copycat products
core competencies
corporate crime
corporate culture
crack houses
cranberry industry--hard times
credit card fraud
credit crisis
crocodile farming
customer competencies
dangerous equipment
data mining
data security
dating in the work place
deregulation
disaster preparedness
Dow--how high/low will it go?
downloading music--fair?
downsizing
downtown revitalization
dress code
e commerce
econometrics
economic depressions
economic recession
economic stimulus approaches
effect of 9/11 on airline industry
emotional intelligence
employee benefit planning
employee empowerment
employee theft
 employing people with disabilities
employment equity
empowerment
estate planning
European community
factory farms
family farms--future/viablity of
farm diversification
farm subsidies
farmers as entrepreneurs
farming in less developed countries
fashion industry
ferries
fish farming
flat tax
forecasting
foreign exchange
franchises
funding for nonprofit organizations
glass ceiling (men vs. women salary gap)
harrassment
HOV lanes
human resources
identity theft
imports from China
increased farm production--at what cost?
intellectual capital
internships
job sculpting
knowledge management
labor disputes
land development's effect on farms
landfills
the learning organization
lie detectors
light rail
low-income housing
mail-order businesses
mall trends
mandatory drug testing
marketing ethics
marketing lies
marketing on the World Wide Web
mentoring
mergers
micro-cap investing
mortgage crisis
the new economy
oil price factors
on-site day care
organigraphs
outsourcing
"own label" products
paperless society?
parks administration
petroleum price fluctuations
 philanthropy
precision farming
product shrinkage
Quality Circles
recession
recycling programs
regional planning
reinsurance
retirement planning
reverse performance appraisals
risk management
scams
service initiatives
service recovery
sex sells
sexual harassment
shared services model
shellfish industry in Virginia
short-term financing
standardizing of weights & measures
the Starbucks Effect
strategic human resource management
strategic planning
strikes
subliminal advertising
succession management
Super Bowl TV advertising
superstores
team leadership
telecommuting
telemarketing
terrorism--effects on business
tipping
tobacco industry
Total Quality Management
tourism
traffic congestion
traffic management
transportation solutions
troubled employees
underage workers
underwriting
unions
urban transit
war--effect on economy
wellness in the workplace
whistle blowing
work ethic
work week length
work/life ratio
working poor
workplace ambiance & atmosphere
workplace violence
zoning

Custom Content

Bookmarks

Handouts

Tip!

Find some books or articles about your topic and identify some key themes and concepts. How have other writers approached this topic? Think about why you are particularly interested in this topic and what you hope to gain from researching and writing the ILP.