Module Directory

This module is designed for final year undergraduate students as they complete Business Management, Management and Marketing, or Business Management and Modern Languages degree courses. The aim of the module is to help you use your research skills and business knowledge to explore a current issue in the fields of business, management, or marketing. You will create a report on this issue, focusing on either a problem or a practical solution. The goal is to integrate and apply the knowledge you have gained throughout your degree program.

The aims of this module are:

• To develop a deeper understanding of a business, marketing, or management issue or problem of your choice.


• To build on the knowledge and skills gained in your programme of study.


• To apply your research skills to address a practical issue or problem.


• To identify, investigate and analyse a range of literature and other source materials.


• To learn to communicate complex ideas and information in an accessible manner.

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:

1. Identify, plan, organize, and complete a self-directed project related to business, management, or marketing.


2. Show the ability to use various research and transferable skills to produce a clear and concise analytical report on a business or management issue.


3. Apply relevant theories and conceptual and analytical frameworks to real-life business problems.


4. Demonstrate essential skills including independent work, time management, collecting and analysing data, and effective communication of professional work through text, visuals and speech.


5. Evaluate the process and outcome of the project and suggest potential areas for further study.

Skills for Your Professional Life (Transferable Skills)

On completion of this module, you should have enhanced the following key professional and transferable skills:

1. Self-direction – through the identification, planning, organisation, and pursuit of a self-directed project.


2. Research and Transferable Skills – through the demonstration of a range of research and transferable skills and methods in producing an analytical report addressing a business or management problem or issue.


3. Theoretical and Conceptual Understanding – through the exhibition of familiarity with and use of appropriate theories and/or conceptual/analytical frameworks in addressing real-life management, marketing, or business problems.


4. Accessing and Evaluating Evidence – through the demonstration of skills related to accessing documentary evidence, academic research evidence, and data from empirical materials and/or databases.


5. Synthesising and Utilising Knowledge – through the ability to synthesise and utilise knowledge from a variety of sources.


6. Communication – through the effective communication of findings, analysis, and recommendations.


7. Written Communication – through the preparation of a final report.


8. Critical Thinking – through the evaluation and critique of published academic, commercial, and professional literature.


9. Digital and Technical Fluency – through the use of internet and electronic database searches to obtain published academic research and commercial and professional literature, or through research into online communities.


10. Innovation and Curiosity – through the development of a research question and awareness of the academic process.


11. Data and Analytics – through the evaluation of published research.


12. Personal Brand – through the development of all these skills to enhance your curriculum vitae.


13. Commercial Awareness – through the evaluation and critique of professional and commercial literature.

In this module you will critically investigate a contemporary issue in business, management or marketing. Crucially, while you will be expected to provide evidence for your findings and recommendations, there is less emphasis on data collection and analysis than on the Independent Research Project: Management and Marketing module.

This module will rely on the knowledge and skills imparted in core and compulsory modules and reinforce the research-led environment that is a hallmark of Essex graduates.

This module is delivered via:

• Independent study.
• Lectures.
• Group meetings.

This module is designed to be an independent study project, where you have the freedom to decide when and how you do much of the work.

In the Autumn Term, however, there are eight (8) required lectures to help you plan and develop your project. That is, you will have some facilitated learning activities during the term to get your project going and to keep it on track.

From Week 9 onwards you will also have access to a tutor who will assist you with the research process and provide support for the rest of the duration of the module.

Lectures and meetings with your tutor will provide guidance on the work process, as well as the structure and format of the coursework assignments. Key information about the module and assignments will be made available on Moodle, and the module leader will also send periodic emails with further guidance and reminders.

Your tutor is your primary point of contact and support during much of the research and writing process, and it is important to seek their advice during group meetings and during their academic support hours during term time. However, you are ultimately responsible for scheduling, developing, and completing the project. This is an independent, self-directed project.

Each project is unique and will have its own specific requirements. The Autumn Term will start with lectures, but you will also start your independent work by developing your topic and an initial work plan for your project. The lectures will focus on the key skills you will need to carry out your project and you will also get guidance on how to find the data and souces you need through the library resources.

The EBS Learning Team is also available to help and support you in developing your study and research skills (see "Additional Support" for more information).