303LON and 308LON

Business research methods: an introduction

Unit: 2

Welcome

LECTURER NAME

Qualifications

Academic Experience

Professional Experience

Research Consultancy

On completion of this module you will be able to:

• Work independently within an organisation, demonstrating initiative and commitment

• Review the literature relating to a business issue• Analyse valid and reliable evidence to draw sound business

conclusions• Write a coherent project report communicating a solution or

response to the business issue• Reflect on your working practices in relation to your Personal

Development Plan

Module Learning Outcomes

Module Overview: 303LON and 308LON

Week 6Unit 1 An Introduction to Workplace and Workbased Projects

Unit 2 Business research methods: an introductionUnit 3 Business research methods: data sources

Unit 4 Business research methods: questions and active listening

Week 7

Unit 5 Business research methods: project management skills

Unit 6 Business research methods: using reflection in research

Unit 7 Business research methods: writing professional reports

Unit 8 Making a successful impact on your Workplace and Workbased project

Week 8 Workplace or Independent ResearchWeek 9 Workplace or Independent Research

Week 10

Unit 9 Project Updates – Individual Presentations

Unit 10 Individual Progress Review

Unit 11 Individual Progress Review

Unit 12 Module Review

On completion of this unit you will be able to:

• Share the key themes from your Skills Audit• Revisit the key stages in the production of business and

management research• Appraise and use a range of methods to identify an area of interest

to research for your Project Report

Unit Learning Outcomes

Skills Audit Presentations

Why is project work important in organisations?

• Growing working practice in organisations• Specific and non-routine work• Complex and discrete nature of work • Clearly defined goals within a specified timescale• Require a range of self-management skills including control

Source:Cameron (2009: 375)

Business Skills: Project Work

Why do business research? …because there is an aspect of our understanding of what goes on in organisations that is to some

extent unresolved (Bryman & Bell, 2007)

The purpose of Business and Management Research is:

1. To improve organisational performance though increased effectiveness and efficiency

2. To increase our understanding of how organisations work, and their impact on individuals and society

Purpose of Business and Management Research

Regular Assignment 1 (40%): Produce a Reflective Diary that demonstrates evidence of learning, as a result of carrying out your project, about:• The subject of your research• Your research skills• Your professional and business skills

Word Count: 1000End of Module Assessment (60%): Produce a Project Report that investigates a current issue facing your selected organisation and presents a clear set of recommendations.

Word Count: 4000

Assessment: 303LON Workplace Project

End of Module Assessment (100%): Produce a Project Report that investigates a current issue facing your selected organisation or industry and presents a clear set of recommendations.

Word Count: 4000

Assessment: 308LON Workbased Project

Source:Cameron (2009: 378)

Business Skills: Project Stages

Stages of Research – Up to Unit 8

What makes good business and management research?• The topic is clearly defined• Meets the requirements of the marking criteria• Uses a variety of techniques to generate research questions• Has clear research questions based on relevant literature• Incorporates relevant theory

Starts with a proposal that:• Presents well organised ideas• Describes clearly what will be done and why• Justifies how the research questions will be answered

Selecting a Research Topic

Based on:Saunders et al (2009)

Based on:Saunders et al (2009)

Research Topic Standards

Source:Saunders et al (2009)

Generating Research Topic Ideas

Based on:Bryman & Bell (2007)

Identifying Your Research Topic

Topics from previous modules

Puzzles & contradictions

Reasons for

differences

Disagree with

theories

Gap between

theory and reality

Linked to career goals Personal

experience

EmployersMy

Burning Question

Gap in the literature

Source:Saunders et al (2009)

Theories and Model in Research

Source:Mullins (2010: 91)

Research Topics – PESTEL

Source:Mullins (2010: 545-46)

Research Topics – SWOT

• Books • Journals• Government reports• Organisation websites or intranet• Professional Body websites• Staff surveys• Newspapers and weekly publications

Research Topics – Secondary Sources

Unit 2 Priority Actions:

1. Decide on a Research Topic2. What are you investigating and why?3. What are your reasons for choosing this area to investigate?

– How will this research benefit the organisation?– How will this research benefit you?

Be ready to present back in Unit 3

Business Skills: Project Work

• Share the key themes from your Skills Audit• Revisit the key stages in the production of business and

management research• Use a range of methods to identify an area of interest to research

for your Project Report

Knowledgecast Summary

In your work groups:

• Share your initial ideas for a Research Topic• Select one idea and brainstorm a range of perspectives• Consider whether this example research topic is:

– Feasible? Worthwhile? Relevant?– Linked to your career goals– Linked to theory or models from your studies– Supported by existing knowledge– Contributes to existing knowledge

Seminar: Brainstorming your Topic

Unit 2 Priority Actions:

1. Decide on a Research Topic2. What are you investigating and why?3. What are your reasons for choosing this area to investigate?

– How will this research benefit the organisation?– How will this research benefit you?

Be ready to present back in Unit 3

Business Skills: Project Work

In our next Unit, we will:

• Formulate research questions from our research topics• Investigate the types of information and data to be used in your

project • Assess the benefits and limitations of types of data in relation to

your research

What are we going to cover next?