Module BUSS2101: ANALYSIS, RESEARCH AND BUSINESS SKILLS II

Department: Business School (Business) [Queen's Campus, Stockton]

BUSS2101: ANALYSIS, RESEARCH AND BUSINESS SKILLS II

Prerequisites

• Analysis, Research and Business Skills I

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• to develop further students' abilities to communicate, to work individually and to work with others to achieve goals.
• to extend students' abilities to use tools and techniques of investigation, analysis and research in the context of business.
• to provide opportunities to acquire and develop intermediate level skills in the practice of these techniques.
• to provide relevant techniques for the exercise of critical enquiry at second year level across compulsory modules of the programme and to integrate with these modules.
• to extend the basis for the support of further development of business, analysis and research techniques and approaches in subsequent years of the programme e.g. Dissertation, Research Project.
• to reinforce students’ preparation for employment.
• to address reflective, analytical, worldly, collaborative and action mindsets, with particular focus on the analytical.

Content

• Types of knowledge and ways of knowing, cultural impacts. Types of research and investigative designs and implications for method e.g. cross-sectional, longitudinal, case study, comparison, quasi-experiment, experiment, samples and sampling Measurement and meaning Validity, reliability and authenticity
• Further study and practice of methods of data gathering e.g. questionnaire, simple scales, structured observation, texts and documentary sources, focus groups, interviewing and probing Recording, storing and analysing data – practical and ethical issues Intermediate statistical methods e.g. sampling, scaling, analysis of variance, correlation, introduction to multivariate analysis Further study and practice of analysis of qualitative sources e.g. coding, content analysis Experimental design, data and analysis. Controls, placebos, double blind Application of knowledge and skills to a Business game and analysis of performance
• Business and Communication Presenting data, information, argument, conclusions, and action in a variety of media Broader business skills
• Research and investigation Designing and carrying out an intermediate investigative study and analysis Specialised literature review Data gathering and interpretation
• Data analysis intermediate quantitative analysis – probability and sampling, further graphical and algebraic analysis and interpretation, . basic analysis of qualitative data: comparison, recognition of similarity and difference; initial content analysis

Learning Outcomes

• demonstrate an advanced level of knowledge of a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods and techniques.

• understand the implications of different approaches and designs of research and investigation for meaning and method.
• design and conduct small-scale research investigations, including gathering of appropriate primary and secondary data from business and other sources.
• select appropriate methods, conduct analyses of data and draw inferences using intermediate level statistical, mathematical and qualitative techniques.
• report on the process, outcomes and implications of a business project or investigation to different audiences.
• take an active role in a management team within a business game.

• Ability to access data and information from a range of sources.
• Ability to analyse and present quantitative and qualitative data.
• Ability to make written and verbal presentations to peers and others.
• Ability to self-manage and reflect on their own performance.
• Interpersonal skills including working in and leading groups.
• Ability to exercise effective time management.
• Ability to take account of their own and others’ abilities and preferred approaches to learning, working and engaging with other people and adapting behaviours accordingly.

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

• The central learning approach involves students taking an active role in learning, practising and developing the skills and approaches that make up the majority of the module content. The frameworks for these competences will be presented in lectures, through directed reading and by direction to other materials e.g. DUO. Preparation for and participation in workshop and seminar sessions will provide opportunities for students to analyse their current abilities, knowledge and preferences and to apply these to small-scale investigations, simulations and group and individual activities.
• The module will integrate closely with other level two compulsory modules and provide resources for elective modules. Skills and knowledge developed in this module will provide the bases for further enquiry, learning and practice in other level two modules. In turn, the knowledge base from those modules will also be called on to inform and contextualise the development of skills and competences within this module. The timing of specific areas of learning will be designed in to the module so as to enhance these learning opportunities. Regular feedback from workshops and seminars along with that from specific formative assignment(s) will provide information to students on their progress.
• A full day business game will provide opportunities for students to practise social and decision-making skills, and to review their own performance and that of their colleagues using research and investigative skills developed in the module e.g. observation, questioning, analysis. The activity contributes to a wide range of competences including data gathering, analysis, leading groups and communication. A self-reflective report on the business game will form one part of the summative assessment of the module. The other component will be an individual research assignment, which may lead on to the student's dissertation at level 3.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Group report (1500 words) and group presentation Individual report (1500 words)

■ 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