Q The Independent Research Project (IRP) The purpose of the IRP is to provide an opportunity for students to integrate coursework, knowledge, skills, and experimental learning to enable students to demonstrate knowledge of their chosen topic area. The research project will focus on a key business problem/issue, to be researched and analyzed by the student with a recommended solution(s) presented. Each student will research, evaluate, analyze, draw conclusions, and make recommendations on a specific business environment/situation. Ideally, the IRP should identify a specific concept (for example: leadership, performance, process improvement, marketing) be based on a practical experience and something that contributed significantly to an organization that the student is currently working with or has worked with in the past. Typically, the IRP will run between 8 and 10 pages in length (not including the tile, table of contents, reference and Appendix pages). All work must be formatted as per APA guidelines. The IRP can be: • A traditional research project • A case history • A business plan