Managing Diversity and Inclusion: Coca-Cola Business Project

This project examines the strategies and initiatives Coca-Cola employs to foster a diverse and inclusive workforce. It begins with an introduction to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, highlighting its benefits for business performance. The project includes a project management plan, outlining objectives, scope, communication, resources, and risk assessment. A work breakdown structure and Gantt chart are provided for effective project management. The research utilizes both primary and secondary methods, including a questionnaire distributed to Coca-Cola managers and a literature review. Data analysis of the survey results reveals insights into the company's current practices and challenges. The project concludes with recommendations for improving diversity and inclusion efforts, along with a reflective analysis of the project's process and outcomes.

Managing a successful
business project
(‘The types of Strategies and Initiatives companies put
in place to build a diverse and inclusive workforce’)
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Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1 Aim and Objectives................................................................................................................3
P2 Project management plan-quality, scope, communication, time, risk and resources.............5
P3 Work Breakdown structure and Gantt chart...........................................................................6
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................9
P4 Small scale research by using primary and secondary methods.............................................9
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................12
P5 Presentation, data analysis and findings...............................................................................12
P6 Recommendations................................................................................................................19
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................20
P7 Reflection.............................................................................................................................20
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................21
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................22
Appendix........................................................................................................................................23
Logbook.....................................................................................................................................23
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INTRODUCTION
Inclusion and diversity introduces to the practices, mission and strategies of company that
help them in creating diverse workplace and leveraging the effects of diversity to accomplish a
competitive business advantages (Brown, 2017). For this project, Coca-Cola is a selected
carbonated soft drink manufacture that was introduced in 1886 and produces their products in all
over the world. At Coca-Cola, diverse range of employees are work with each other, it is
beneficial for company in attainment of its mission and vision. In order to build diverse and
inclusive workplace, company use different policies, strategies and take different types of
initiatives. This will help them in retention of talented and knowledgeable workers for long time
which turn to help business in increment of its revenue and improvement of brand image. Main
purpose of this project is to determine the number of strategies and initiatives that will be
beneficial for Coca-Cola in developing of diverse and inclusive workforce in the organisation.
TASK 1
P1 Aim and Objectives
Project aim:
Main aim of this project is “To analysis types of strategies and initiatives for building
divers and inclusive workforce at workplace. A study on Coca - Cola.
Project objectives:
 To determine the importance of diverse and inclusive workforce at workplace of an
organisation.
 To determine the types of strategies and initiatives that may be require by Coca - Cola for
building an inclusive and diverse workforce within an organisation.
 To ascertain challenges that may be face by Coca - Cola while building a diverse and
inclusive workforce at workplace.
P2 Project management plan-quality, scope, communication, time, risk and resources
Project management plan refers to the process of collecting subsidiary plans and baseline
that includes cost, time, quality, communication and many other elements (Edgley Sharma and
Anderson-Gough, 2016). All these elements will be explained as below:
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Project Type: Managing a successful business Project.
Project aim and objectives:
Project aim:
Main aim of this project is “To analysis types of strategies and initiatives for building
divers and inclusive workforce at workplace. A study on Coca - Cola.
Project objectives:
 To determine the importance of diverse and inclusive workforce at workplace of an
organisation.
 To determine the types of strategies and initiatives that may be require by Coca - Cola for
building an inclusive and diverse workforce within an organisation.
 To ascertain challenges that may be face by Coca - Cola while building a diverse and
inclusive workforce at workplace.
Scope: Scope of current project is wide because for doing this project, both primary and
secondary sources of data collection has been used. This will support researcher to calculate
valid outcomes from the collected data of primary and secondary sources. Along with this,
scope of project is about determining the initiatives and strategies of building diversity and
inclusive workforce and their assessment in improving business growth of Coca-Cola.
Communication: There are various communication channels that will be required by
researcher for communicating information about the project aims and objectives to the
respondents (Kaplan and Donovan, 2016). These channels are e-mail, consent form etc.
Resources: There are number of resources required by project manager for conducting this
project effectively. These resources are time, communication, cost etc. There are other main
sources that will be used for collecting data such as books, journals, questionnaire etc.
Quality: The quality level will be maintaining within study by using primary and secondary
sources of data collection. Project quality will also maintain via consideration of organisational
size and nature in determining strategies and initiatives for creating inclusive and diverse
workforce.
Cost: The cost of doing all activities of project including the effective use of techniques and
output determination, researcher will be required around 240 pound. On the other hand, in
completion of project over inclusion and diversity, company will be required around 750 Pound
(Khan and et. al., 2019).
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Time: The time period needs for over completion of project is around 11 week at the same time
as completion of each activities of project the time period needed will be 30 days.
Risk: There are various risk faced by researcher while doing this project are lack of time,
inaccurate information etc. Along with this, there are some another risks that will be face by
company such as assessment of actual strategies or initiatives, their importance on the basis of
organisational size and nature, developing inclusive and diverse workforce etc.
P3 Work Breakdown structure and Gantt chart
Gantt chart: It is a graphical presentation took that will be used by project manager for
identifying actual data for completion of project. In this chart number of activities included apart
from their starting and ending data. These activities have been displayed as below:
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Work Breakdown Structure: It is a useful tool that is used by project manager for managing
each activity presented in Gantt chat. In this, project manager divide entire activities of project
into smaller group that turn to impact in completion of project systematically and timely
(Kruskal and et. al., 2018). WBS according to the above mentioned activities will be shown as
below:
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TASK 2
P4 Small scale research by using primary and secondary methods
In order to conduct primary and secondary research, there are some useful methods that
will be required by researcher for collecting information about the topic. Some useful methods
will be described as below:
Data collection sources: For collecting primary data, questionnaire has been applied
because it assist researcher by providing dependable and applicable data. On the other hand,
there are many numbers of secondary sources that has been used for literature review which is a
part of secondary research. These sources are books, magazines, journals etc.
Research Approach: Qualitative and quantitative are two effective approaches of data
collection (Kundu and Mor, 2017). Within a project, both types of approaches will be used for
collecting quantitative and quantitative information from questionnaire.
Sampling: 25 mangers of Coca-Cola will be recruited randomly under probability
sampling. This sampling helps not take more time as compare to non-probability sampling
(Ozturk and Tatli, 2016).
Research Instrument: Questionnaire is an effective instrument that will be used for
collecting qualitative and quantitative information. In this method, researcher will require to
make 8 quantitative (close-ended) questions and 2 qualitative (Open-ended) questions. These
are shown as below:
Quantitative research questions
Q1) Are you aware about the importance of inclusive and diverse workforce in context of an
organisation?
a) Yes
b) No
Q2) How inclusive and diverse workforce helps Coca – Cola in improvement of its business
performance and productivity?
a) Increasing innovation and creativity
b) Help in better decision making
c) Assist in improving reputation of company
Q3) What are the effective strategies that help Coca – Cola in building of inclusive and diverse
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workplace?
a) Educate company leader
b) Create cultural event
c) Collect inclusion feedback regularly
d) Language training empowerment
Q4) What are the policies used by Coca – Cola in managing and promoting diversity and inclusiveness
at workplace?
a) Application
b) Complaints
c) Sanctions
Q5) Are you agree as inclusion and diversity at workplace of Coca – Cola helps them in retention of
employees for long time?
a) Agree
b) Disagree
Q6) What types of initiatives follow by Coca – Cola for creating inclusive and diverse workplace?
a) Appropriately connect with employees
b) Crete employees resources group
c) Invest in diversity training
d) Place importance on inclusion
Q7) According to you, what types of challenges occur at workplace while developing of
inclusive and diverse workforce?
a) Interpersonal misunderstanding and conflict
b) Difficulty in defining diversity
c) Cognitive Biases and Stereotypes
Q8) What are the ways by which Coca – Cola can easily overcome challenges associated while
building of inclusive and diverse workforce?
a) Utilise diversity training
b) Ward off change resistance with inclusion
c) Development of effective communication channels
Qualitative Research Questions
Q1) What is the meaning of diversity and inclusiveness at workplace of Coca – Cola?
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Q2 Why is a diverse and inclusive workforce important for Coca – Cola?
Evidence of secondary research
Literature review
What are the importances of diverse and inclusive workforce at workplace of an organisation?
According to the Zojceska (2020), inclusive and diverse workforce at workplace is
important for an organisation because it facilitate them in improving its brand image in
marketplace. There are some importances of having inclusive and diverse workforces in the
organisation are increased profit, improved hiring results, increased creativity, better decision
making, variety of different perspectives, higher employee’s engagement, reduced employee
turnover, faster problem solving Etc. All these are main significance of having inclusive and
diver workforce at workplace.
What types of strategies and initiatives that may be require by Coca - Cola for building an
inclusive and diverse workforce within an organisation?
As per the view presented by Morrison (2019), inclusivity and diversity are key to
unlocking creativity, innovation and growth of Coca-Cola within food and drink sector.
Company use number of strategies, policies and initiatives for building a diverse and inclusive
workforce at workplace. These strategies, policies and initiatives are educate company leader,
create cultural event, collect inclusion feedback regularly, language training empowerment , appropriately
connect with employees, create employees resources group, invest in diversity training, place importance
on inclusion, application, complaints and sanctions. These are essential for the growth and success of
Coca-Cola in food and drink industry.
What types of challenges may be face by Coca - Cola while building a diverse and inclusive
workforce at workplace?
According to the Davis, Frolova and Callahan, (2016), there are number of challenges
that would be face by Coca-Cola in developing an inclusive and diverse workforce. Some are
mentioned as below:
Cognitive Biases and Stereotypes: One of the main challenges of building diversity and
inclusiveness at workplace is the number of cognitive biases individuals. They may have about
others similar to or different from them (Challenges to achieving diversity, 2020). Therefore, this
is basically a tendency to stereotype, which extensively narrows the worldview of individual
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employees in the organization. This decrease entire potential advantages of diversity as well as
empowers groupthink.
Interpersonal Miscommunication and Conflict: This is another challenge that faced by
Coca-Cola by developing an inclusive and diverse workforce. It is a main challenge that impact
on business by increasing employee turnover rate and decreasing market reputation.
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TASK 3
P5 Presentation, data analysis and findings
Quantitative Data analysis and findings
Q1) Are you aware about the importance of inclusive and diverse workforce in
context of an organisation?
Frequency
a) Yes 20
b) No 5
Q2) How inclusive and diverse workforce helps Coca – Cola in improvement of its
business performance and productivity?
Frequency
a) Increasing innovation and creativity 7
b) Help in better decision making 8
c) Assist in improving reputation of company 10
Q3) What are the effective strategies that help Coca – Cola in building of inclusive
and diverse workplace?
Frequency
a) Educate company leader 6
b) Create cultural event 5
c) Collect inclusion feedback regularly 7
d) Language training empowerment 7
Q4) What are the policies used by Coca – Cola in managing and promoting diversity
and inclusiveness at workplace?
Frequency
a) Application 10
b) Complaints 8
c) Sanctions 7
Q5) Are you agree as inclusion and diversity at workplace of Coca – Cola helps
them in retention of employees for long time?
Frequency
a) Agree 20
b) Disagree 5
Q6) What types of initiatives follow by Coca – Cola for creating inclusive and
diverse workplace?
Frequency
a) Appropriately connect with employees 7
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b) Crete employees resources group 5
c) Invest in diversity training 6
d) Place importance on inclusion 7
Q7) According to you, what types of challenges occur at workplace while
developing of inclusive and diverse workforce?
Frequency
a) Interpersonal misunderstanding and conflict 8
b) Difficulty in defining diversity 9
c) Cognitive Biases and Stereotypes 8
Q8) What are the ways by which Coca – Cola can easily overcome challenges
associated while building of inclusive and diverse workforce?
Frequency
a) Utilise diversity training 9
b) Ward off change resistance with inclusion 8
c) Development of effective communication channels 8
Question 1: Awareness about the significance of inclusive and diverse workforce
Q1) Are you aware about the importance of inclusive and diverse workforce in
context of an organisation?
Frequency
a) Yes 20
b) No 5
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Interpretation: Most of the mangers are aware regarding the significance of diverse and
inclusive workforce whereas remaining 5 mangers not have proper idea about the same.
Question 2: Role of inclusive and diverse workforce
Q2) How inclusive and diverse workforce helps Coca – Cola in improvement of its
business performance and productivity?
Frequency
a) Increasing innovation and creativity 7
b) Help in better decision making 8
c) Assist in improving reputation of company 10
Interpretation: By having inclusive as well as diverse workforce company can easily get
number of benefits. For this 7 mangers said as it help them in increasing creativity and
innovation, 8 have knowledge as it support in better decision making. Remaining 10 said as it
assists Coca-Cola by improving its brand image.
Question 2: Strategies in building of inclusive and diverse workplace
Q3) What are the effective strategies that help Coca – Cola in building of inclusive
and diverse workplace?
Frequency
a) Educate company leader 6
b) Create cultural event 5
c) Collect inclusion feedback regularly 7
d) Language training empowerment 7
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Interpretation: There are different strategies used by Coca-Cola for building an inclusive
and also diverse workforce. These are language training empowerment, collection of inclusion
feedbacks regularly, development of cultural event and education among business leader. For
this most of the participants are favour in development of training and collection of feedback.
This will help company in retention of top talent at workplace.
Questions 4: Polices in managing and promoting diversity and inclusiveness at workplace
Q4) What are the policies used by Coca – Cola in managing and promoting diversity
and inclusiveness at workplace?
Frequency
a) Application 10
b) Complaints 8
c) Sanctions 7
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Interpretation: There are various policies used by coca-cola for creating an inclusive and
diverse workforce. These policies are application, complaints and sanctions. Most of the
participants are agreed as application is beast because this policy is follows for all stakeholders
that are part of an organisation.
Question 5: Satisfaction about the inclusion and diversity practices
Q5) Are you agree as inclusion and diversity at workplace of Coca – Cola helps
them in retention of employees for long time?
Frequency
a) Agree 20
b) Disagree 5
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Interpretation: 20 out of 25 mangers of Coca-Cola are satisfied about the statement of
inclusion and diverse workforce helps an organisation in retention of employees. Remaining 5
mangers not agreed about the same because they said as they create misunderstanding and
conflicts among employees.
Question 6: Initiatives for creating inclusive and diverse workplace
Q6) What types of initiatives follow by Coca – Cola for creating inclusive and
diverse workplace?
Frequency
a) Appropriately connect with employees 7
b) Crete employees resources group 5
c) Invest in diversity training 6
d) Place importance on inclusion 7
Interpretation: There are various initiatives that would be requiring to taken by Coca-
Cola for building diverse and inclusive workforce. These are investment in diversity training,
creation of employee’s resources group, strong connection with employs and development of
inclusion working environment. All these are effective but most of the respondents are said as
connection with employees and development of inclusive working environment are essential
because it will help them by reducing employee turnover.
Question 7: Challenges in developing of inclusive and diverse workforce
Q7) According to you, what types of challenges occur at workplace while
developing of inclusive and diverse workforce?
Frequency
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a) Interpersonal misunderstanding and conflict 8
b) Difficulty in defining diversity 9
c) Cognitive Biases and Stereotypes 8
c
Interpretation: 8 out of 25 mangers said as interpersonal misunderstanding and conflict is
main challenge that can happen while building of inclusive and diverse workforce. 9 respondents
have knowledge as company faced challenge while defining diversity policies. Rest of the
participants have idea as cognitive biases and stereotypes are main challenge.
Question 8: Ways for overcoming challenges associated with inclusive and diverse workforce
Q8) What are the ways by which Coca – Cola can easily overcome challenges
associated while building of inclusive and diverse workforce?
Frequency
a) Utilise diversity training 9
b) Ward off change resistance with inclusion 8
c) Development of effective communication channels 8
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Interpretation: There are various ways through which challenge of building an inclusive
and diverse workforce can be eliminate by Coca-Cola. Most of the respondents said as training is
best way for reducing the misunderstanding and conflict among diverse workforce.
Qualitative Data analysis and findings
Theme 1: Meaning of diversity and inclusiveness
Q1) What is the meaning of diversity and inclusiveness at workplace of Coca – Cola?
Interpretation: Diversity and inclusion refers to the company’s practices and mission to maintain
a diverse workforce with aim to achieving competitive benefits.
Theme 2: Importance of inclusive and diverse workforce
Q2 Why is a diverse and inclusive workforce important for Coca – Cola?
Interpretation: There are number of significance of inclusive as well as diverse workforce such as
improved brand image, improved creativity and many others.
P6 Recommendations
From the above mentioned findings it has been recommended different ways by which
Coca-Cola can promote equality and diversity at workplace and also different strategies for
retaining diverse and inclusive workforce at workplace. These are: company must watch out the
indirect discrimination, put equality policies, communicate all information about the diversity
and inclusion policies to the workers, utilise training programs etc. All these are best ways that
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will be beneficial for Coca-Cola in development of diversity and quality as well as attainment of
competitive advantages easily.
• Another recommendation for Coca-cola is to promote inclusion and diversity at
workplace as it will help them in retention of top talent at workplace for longer time
duration.
• Coca-Cola must also implement equality act 2010 as it helps them to protect their
employees from any type of discrimination.
TASK 4
P7 Reflection
1. What was the Project supposed to accomplish?
Ans: My project is based on building an inclusive and diverse workforce by using different
strategies and initiatives. This project was accomplished by me in effective manner.
2. Did the project succeed in its aims/ how do you know? Specifically, please outline any
evaluation and assessment undertaken.
Ans: Yes, I understood by using primary and secondary sources of data collection.
3. What things do you think worked well and why? Evaluate all aspects of the project (e.g
initial inception, project activities and project outcomes) from a range of perspectives.
Ans: I think to work welled in data collection activity because it is main part of the project that
helped by providing valid outcomes of the project.
4. What problems emerged during the project and how were they tackled? Was there timely
identification of issues and resolution during the project process?
Ans: I used to make close-ended questions, in this some respondents are not agree with available
options which is a biggest challenge for me. In order to tacked this challenge I used to make
some open-ended questions. In this respondents are free to provide their opinion easily.
5. What did you learn from undertaking the project?
Ans: By undertaking this project I learned about the significance of inclusive and diverse
workforce at workplace of an organisation.
6. How would you rate your performance as a management consultant leading the project?
Ans: 9 out of 10
7. What strengths and weakness of your performance did you identify?
By doing this project I identified as my time management skill is my strength because I complete
each activity of project in given time duration. I also identified my weakness which is lack of
confidence when I collected data from the respondents.
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8. How will this inform and support your continuous professional development?
This project support me in my continues professional development because I enhanced my
knowledge regarding the equality and diversity and its effectiveness at workplace.
CONCLUSION
From the above mentioned findings it has been concluded that majority of participants are
aware regarding the inclusion and diversity policies and their effectiveness in improvement of
business performance. Different strategies, initiative and policies were used by company for
developing inclusive as well as diverse workforce. Along with this, numbers of challenges were
faced by company while promoting and developing these workforces at workplace. Overall,
company analysed different strategies that helped them in building of inclusive and diverse
workforce in the workplace.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Brown, J., 2017. Inclusion: Diversity, the New Workplace & the Will to Change by Jennifer
Brown. Publish Your Purpose Press.
Davis, P. J., Frolova, Y. and Callahan, W., 2016. Workplace diversity management in
Australia. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal.
Edgley, C., Sharma, N. and Anderson-Gough, F., 2016. Diversity and professionalism in the Big
Four firms: Expectation, celebration and weapon in the battle for talent. Critical
Perspectives on Accounting. 35. pp.13-34.
Kaplan, M. and Donovan, M., 2016. Inclusion dividend: Why investing in diversity & inclusion
pays off. Routledge.
Khan, N., Korac‐Kakabadse, N., Skouloudis, A. and Dimopoulos, A., 2019. Diversity in the
workplace: An overview of disability employment disclosures among UK
firms. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management. 26(1).
pp.170-185.
Kruskal, J. B. and et. al., 2018. Fostering diversity and inclusion: a summary of the 2017
intersociety summer conference. Journal of the American College of
Radiology. 15(5). pp.794-802.
Kundu, S. C. and Mor, A., 2017. Workforce diversity and organizational performance: a study of
IT industry in India. Employee Relations.
Ozturk, M. B. and Tatli, A., 2016. Gender identity inclusion in the workplace: broadening
diversity management research and practice through the case of transgender
employees in the UK. The International Journal of Human Resource Management.
27(8). pp.781-802.
Online
Zojceska. A, 2018., Benefits of diversity and inclusive workforce at workplace. [Online].
Available through: < https://www.talentlyft.com/en/blog/article/244/top-10-benefits-of-
diversity-in-the-workplace-infographic-included>
Challenges to achieving diversity. 2020., [Online]. Available through: <
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-management/chapter/challenges-to-
achieving-diversity/>
Morrison, O., 2019. Inclusion and diversity at workplace of Coca-Cola., [Online]. Available
through: <
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-management/chapter/challenges-to-
achieving-diversity/>
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Appendix
Template for evidence collection to be attached with the report by the learner:
Logbook
Project Logbook for the chosen organisation: Coca-Cola
Name of the learner: Name of the Supervisor:
Project Title: “To analysis types of
strategies and initiatives for building divers
and inclusive workforce at workplace
Date:
Update of weekly research/ tasks achieved
(Account for a minimum of six weeks with
dates)
 What have you completed?
 Did you fulfil Task requirements?
 Are you on track and within
deadlines set?
 Did you need to make any changes
to your project management plan?
Comments
“I complete project over topic i.e. To analysis
types of strategies and initiatives for building
divers and inclusive workforce at workplace
Yes, I fulfil all requirement of task in systematic
manner.
Yes, I completed all activities within a given time
period.
No
Any risks and / or issues identified?
 Did you identify risks/issues with a
lack of skills required for
undertaking research tasks?
Yes, My communication skill is weak that impact
on mine while collection of primary data from the
respondents.
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 Did you identify any additional
risks/issues that have an impact on
the project management plan?
No
Problems encountered
 What barriers did you face?
 How did you overcome them?
Lack of Time is main barrier.
By using Gantt chart I easily Overcome issue of
time.
New Ideas and change of project direction
What Have I learnt about myself this
week?
 How did I feel when I had to deal
with tasks/problems?
 Did I find it useful to complete the
tasks?
 How well have I performed? What
did I contribute?
 What can I improve on next week?
 How might this learning apply in
the future?
I sometimes felt tensed as well as confused while
progressing with the project.
I put a lot of efforts for attaining better outcomes
while performing the tasks.
For enhancing the skills or knowledge of next
week I can read more books as well as take
various sessions.
In future when I had to take on project on such
topics the knowing that I created from will going
to help me.
Tasks planned for next week
 Which tasks are priority?
The main tasks for completion of project are data
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 Have you set aside sufficient time
for completion?
analyses and findings in organized manner.
Yes, with the use of Gantt chart I allocated time
among different activities.
Project plan status to date (on, ahead,
behind)
Supervisor comments to address
Signature of the Supervisor and date:
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