This module aims to:

Provide students with a foundational understanding of qualitative and quantitative research methods, and their role in DBA research;

Enable students to evaluate qualitative and quantitative research methods;

Enable students to design and implement qualitative and quantitative data collection methods;

Enable students to select appropriate analytical methods and conduct rigorous analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data.

(LE1) A team player.
This skill will be developed through students working together to effectively meet the requirements of the group presentation. Students will also receive and give peer feedback as part of their teamwork and group presentation.

(LO1) Students will develop an understanding of research methods and their use in business and management research.

(LO2) Students will develop a comprehensive understanding of the principles of qualitative and quantitative research methods, the distinctions between these and how to select appropriate methods for their research.

(LO3) Students will be able to design and effectively implement qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques and instruments.

(LO4) Students will be able to rigorously analyse qualitative and quantitative data by using a range of analytical approaches and/or techniques, as well as to how use software packages to aid data analysis.

(LO5) Students will develop an understanding of the quality criteria needed to evaluate and conduct high quality qualitative and quantitative research.

(LO6) Students will develop an understanding of how to report and write up findings derived from qualitative and quantitative data analysis.

(LRE1) An excellent verbal and written communicator.
Students will have opportunities to develop written and oral communication skills through group discussions, presentations and written assessments. In addition, students will develop the skills to synthesise and disseminate research findings derived from data analysis.

(LRE2) IT literate.
The nature of the module in terms of online delivery will enable students to develop skills in using a virtual learning/communications environment. This skill will also be developed as students learn to use software packages (SPSS & NVivo) to aid data analysis.

(LRE3) Numerate.
The quantitative learning content will develop students’ numeracy skills, such as how to identify, analyse and interpret quantitative datasets.

(LRE4) Organised and able to work under pressure.
This will be evident in the students’ independent management of their assignments and by meeting coursework deadlines.

(LRE5) Flexible and adaptable.
In working as a group, students will consider different perspectives and hence demonstrate flexibility and adaptability in the approach to making design decisions.

(LRE6) Ethically aware.
Students will be able to assess the ethical implications of different qualitative and quantitative data collection tools, and analysis methods.

(LRE7) Internationally aware.
Students from diverse international backgrounds will have the opportunity to engage and collaborate with each other, enabling a rich understanding of global management practice and developing skills in cross cultural working.

This module will be delivered over 15 weeks. Initial content will be introduced to students in the online classroom where peer discussion and structured activities will guide their learning. A compulsory 3-day face-to-face workshop held 2-3 weeks into the module will deepen this learning. This will be followed by further online learning over subsequent weeks. Throughout the module students will be expected to read all resources in the classroom as well as to engage in questioning and discussion with peers.

Method 1 - The module will primarily be delivered online through a series of e-lectures delivered through a variety of methods, covering key concepts and theories. These will be supported by a variety of online tasks, such as collaborative tasks and discussion boards, which will be used to develop and apply learning. Students will also be directed to key academic and practitioner readings to further develop their learning.

Unscheduled Directed Student Hours: 180 hou rs

Description: The online workshops will equate to 12 hours/week over 15 weeks undertaken asynchronously.
Attendance Recorded: Yes – tracked via the learning platform.

Method 2 – Additionally, students will attend a compulsory 3-day workshop in Liverpool, held 2-3 weeks into the module. This will consist of tutor-led workshops, including lectures, discussions, and student presentations. The dates of the workshop will be confirmed at the start of the programme.

Scheduled Directed Student Hours: 30 hours

Description: The workshop in Liverpool will equate to 10 hours/day over 3 days undertaken synchronously.
Attendance Recorded: Yes.

Method 3 – In advance of the 3-day workshop in Liverpool, students will be expected to undertake pre-work. The will also conduct post-work after the workshop.

Unscheduled Directed Student Hours: 10 hours

Description: The workshop pre- and post- work will equate to 5 hours/day over 2 day s undertaken asynchronously.
Attendance Recorded: No.

Method 4 – One scheduled synchronous seminar will be delivered, in which students will make their group presentations submitted for assessment 1 (if there are issues with time zones another seminar will be provided). Peer discussion and questions will be encouraged. This session will be recorded and moderated by the module instructor.

Scheduled Directed Student Hours: 2 hours

Description: The scheduled seminar will equate to 2 hours undertaken synchronously. The date and time of the seminar will be confirmed at the start of the module.
Attendance Recorded: Yes – tracked via the learning platform.

Method 5 - Self-directed learning hours: 228
Description: This will involve directed and independent reading and independent research.

Introduction to research methods - This topic introduces students to research methods in business and management, as well as contextualising research methods for the scholar-practitioner and their DBA research.

Evaluating and executing research methods - This topic provides students with the conceptual means to both execute and evaluate rigorous research methods. To this end, this topic covers selecting appropriate research methods, e.g. the role of the research question in selecting suitable and commensurable research methods and combining and mixing methods. In addition, students will develop understanding of the quality criteria in data collection and analysis, and develop understanding of how to rigorously report and write up qualitative and quantitative findings.

Qualitative research methods - This topic introduces students to the nature of qualitative research, providing comprehensive learning covering qualitative data collection and analysis. This will involve sa mpling, types and sources of data (primary and secondary), designing qualitative data collection tools (interviews, focus groups, ethnography and participant observation, diary and creative methods) as well as the principles of qualitative data analysis, inclusive of analytical approaches and routines (thematic, discursive and content based strategies), using software for data analysis (NVivo).

Quantitative research methods - This topic introduces students to the nature of quantitative research, providing comprehensive learning covering quantitative data collection and analysis. This will involve sampling, types and sources of data (primary and secondary), designing quantitative data collection tools (Survey and questionnaires, longitudinal/repeated measures) as well as the principles of quantitative data analysis, inclusive of inferential and statistical analysis and using software for data analysis (SPSS).