BE987-7-PS-SO:
Dissertation
2024/25
Essex Business School
Southend Campus
Spring & Summer
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Monday 13 January 2025
Friday 27 June 2025
45
25 June 2024
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
MBM N21012 MBM,
MBM N21024 MBM
The aim of this module is to develop students' skills for successfully conducting independent research practice using a range of research methodologies for data collection and analysis.
More specifically, the module is designed to develop an essential understanding and ability in planning, carrying out and managing independent and original research in the area of business management, and improve skills in clearly communicating a research output through a dissertation project.
The aims of this module are:
- To give students an opportunity to manage a research project from beginning to end under the guidance of an individual supervisor.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Demonstrate evidence of a thorough and comprehensive understanding of relevant literature in the field of management science and entrepreneurship.
- Locate and read relevant literature and produce summaries and critical analysis of the relevant literature.
- Demonstrate critical thinking involving the consideration of alternative approaches and research methods.
- Apply an appropriate design methodology to achieve aims and objectives of research project.
- Use Gantt charts and time management techniques to plan and manage a research project.
- Record plans, ideas, results, and reflections in a written journal.
- Work as an individual to specify and design research project under the guidance of a supervisor.
- Demonstrate written communication and analytical skills though the writing of the interim report and reflective journal, and final project report.
- Discuss ideas informally with academic supervisors.
Students will be using the framework for research skills and the boundaries of their research identified in Research Methods module. Students will be expected to draw on appropriate literature to construct a research framework and theoretical context, explain the logic of research methodology, the rationale for data collection and analysis and draw relevant empirical findings.
To develop their own dissertations/plans, students will employ the theory and practical skills learnt in Research Methods modules. They will use as appropriate for their project: quantitative research methods (i.e. linear regression analysis); qualitative research design (i.e. case study, in-depth interviews) or a mixed methods approach. They will demonstrate the ability to collect and use primary or secondary data and analyse these to address their proposed research questions.
-
Saunders, M.N.K., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2023)
Research methods for business students. Ninth edition. Harlow, England: Pearson. Available at:
https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/2329759/.
-
-
Blumberg, B., Cooper, D.R. and Schindler, P.S. (2014)
Business research methods. Fourth edition. London: McGraw-Hill Education. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?pq-origsite=primo&docID=6212393.
-
-
Charles A. Scherbaum and Kristen M. Shockley (2015)
Analysing quantitative data for business and management students. Los Angeles: SAGE. Available at:
https://methods-sagepub-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/book/analysing-quantitative-data-for-business-and-management-students.
-
-
Jean-Claude Usunier, Hester van Herk, and Julie Anne Lee (2017)
International & cross-cultural business research. Los Angeles: SAGE. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5942905.
-
-
Matthew B. Miles, A. Michael Huberman and Johnny SaldaƱa (2019)
Qualitative data analysis: a methods sourcebook. 4th edition. Los Angeles, California: Angeles. Available at:
https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/649691.
-
John Duignan (2014)
Quantitative methods for business research: using Microsoft Excel. Australia: Cengage Learning. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5132697.
-
Kawasaki, G. (2015)
The art of the start 2.0?: the time-tested, battle-hardened guide for anyone starting anything. Revised and updated edition. UK: Portfolio Penguin. Available at:
https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/617067.
-
Barrow, Colin; Barrow, Paul, 1948-; Brown, Robert, 1937- (2018)
The business plan workbook?: a step-by-step guide to creating and developing a successful business. Ninth edition. London: KoganPage. Available at:
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=1690590&site=ehost-live.
-
Joseph Covello and Brian Hazelgren (2006)
The complete book of business plans?: simple steps to writing powerful business plans. 2nd ed. Naperville, Ill.: Sourcebooks. Available at:
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=252037.
-
Brian R. Ford, Jay M. Bornstein and Patrick T. Pruitt (2007)
The Ernst & Young business plan guide. 3rd ed. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=706407.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
Coursework |
MBM Dissertation |
10/09/2025 |
100% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
100 per cent Coursework Mark
Reassessment
100 per cent Coursework Mark
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Supervisors allocated to individual students
ebshelp-sou@essex.ac.uk
No
No
No
Prof Wantao Yu
University of Roehampton
Professor of Supply Chain Management
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.
Disclaimer: The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its Module Directory is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can
be necessary to make changes, for example to programmes, modules, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements,
industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to modules may for example consist
of variations to the content and method of delivery or assessment of modules and other services, to discontinue modules and other services and to merge or combine modules.
The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications and module directory.
The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.