Module BUSI41S15: RESEARCH METHODS IN BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

Department: Economics, Finance and Business (Business)

BUSI41S15: RESEARCH METHODS IN BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

Prerequisites

• None.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To give students an in-depth understanding of key principles of research design and methodology in business and management, and to develop their skills in conducting and disseminating research at an advanced level.

Content

• Introduction: Approach to social research.
• Research design.
• The nature of qualitative research.
• The nature of quantitative research.
• Data gathering methods: case studies; interviews; survey design; focus groups; experiments.
• Methods of analysis: SPSS; regression; document analysis.
• Formulating a research question.
• Accessing organisations.
• Ethics of research.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of the module, students should have developed:
• A critical appreciation of the range of philosophical approaches to research from across the social sciences;
• An advanced knowledge of the nature, scope and relationships between quantitative and qualitative research methods in Business and Management and their appropriate use and rationale for selection;
• An in-depth understanding of the possible relations between data collection, sampling and theory-generation;
• A critical understanding of a range of data-gathering methods for conducting qualitative and/or quantitative research, including questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups;
• A critical understanding of a range of methods of data analysis including the use of qualitative and quantitative data sets, descriptive statistics and the use, modelling and interpretation of multivariate statistics.

• By the end of the module, students should have developed:
• The ability to formulate research questions at an advanced level, and where appropriate devise and test hypotheses; identify and where appropriate correct for bias and error; and interpret and evaluate research results;
• High-level skills in devising, structuring and managing a research project and presenting research findings.

By the end of the module, students should have developed the following key skills: written communication; planning and organising; using initiative; adaptability; numeracy; computer literacy.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• A combination of lectures, seminars and guided reading addressing key topics in research will equip students with the relevant knowledge and understanding.
• The assessment of the module, by an individual research proposal, is designed to test students’ knowledge and critical understanding of different research methodologies, the process of designing a research project at an advanced level, the formulation of appropriate research questions, and the key skills.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Group presentation.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University