Enable students to consolidate their knowledge of research in management;

Enable students to consider the nature of research for academic and more applied managerial contexts;

Enable students to develop skills in the acquisition, analysis and management of qualitative and quantitative data sets;

To provide students with training in general research and study skills;

To enable students to critically analyse, evaluate and review current research and scholarship;

To enable students to evaluate, select, and justify appropriate research methods in a chosen area of study to ensure that the evidence generated, its analysis and conclusion are valid, reliable and ethical;

To enable student to refine understanding of the nature of academic writing and how to use bibliographies, referencing, citations and quotations;

To enable students to appreciate the importance of an ethical conduct in research.

(LO1) Understand the nature of different research methods in applied management contexts

(LO2) Understand the methodological steps involved in the research process

(LO3) Understand the distinction between primary and secondary information and develop a critical awareness of research methods and techniques relating to the collection and analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data

(LO4) Develop an initial idea into a feasible research proposal

(LO5) Critically analyse, evaluate and review current research and scholarship

(LO6) Evaluate, select, and justify appropriate research methods in a chosen area of study to ensure that the evidence generated, its analysis and conclusion are valid, reliable and ethical

(LO7) Refine understanding of the nature of academic writing and how to use bibliographies, referencing, citations and quotations

(LO8) Appreciate the importance of an ethical conduct in research

(S1) Communication Skills: Students will have opportunities to develop written communication skills through group discussions and coursework. This will be assessed by written assignments, individual work and the dissertation.

(S2) Problem Solving and Decision Making: Students will be challenged to think critically about organisational issues and dilemmas. They will do this by gathering and synthesising information, analysing alternative perspectives and options and presenting a considered opinion or programme of action in their course assessment.

(S3) Numeracy Skills: Students will learn financial and statistical techniques as part of the Managing Financial Resources and Research Methods modules.

(S4) Information and Communication Technology Skills: Students will have opportunities to improve their ICT skills. Students will demonstrate skills in the use of software applications including word processing, visual presentations, databases, spreadsheets and using the internet for information searches in the course of researching and presenting coursework.

(S5) Time management: This applies to all modules of the programme and is relevant for planning scheduled work and meeting assessment deadlines. This will be evident in the students’ independent management of their assignments and coursework and by meeting coursework deadlines.

Teaching Method 1 - Virtual classroom hours (for online modules)
Teaching Method 2 - Non-classroom hours (for online modules)

Indicative topics:

Research in management: constraints, benefits and limitations;

Types of data and collection strategies;

Qualitative research: design, data collection, analysis and presentation;

Quantitative research: statistical techniques and data presentation;

Developing a research proposal: selecting an area, framing a question and planning a research schedule;

Academic writing skills;

Ethics in research: between theory and practice.