BE955-7-AU-SO:
Research Methods
2023/24
Essex Business School
Southend Campus
Autumn
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Thursday 05 October 2023
Friday 15 December 2023
15
21 August 2023
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
MSC N10012 Entrepreneurship and Innovation,
MSC N100MO Entrepreneurship and Innovation,
MSC N20912 Global Project Management,
MSC N209MO Global Project Management,
MSC N12012 International Business and Entrepreneurship,
MSC N120MO International Business and Entrepreneurship,
MSC N55012 International Marketing and Entrepreneurship,
MSC N550MO International Marketing and Entrepreneurship,
MSC N11112 Business Analytics,
MBM N21012 MBM,
MSC N21612 International Logistics and Supply Chain Management,
MPHDN10348 Business Administration,
PHD N10348 Business Administration,
MPHDN10448 Entrepreneurship,
PHD N10448 Entrepreneurship,
MPHDN20448 Management Studies,
PHD N20448 Management Studies
This module will help the student to acquire key skills and competencies to carry out management research or prepare a business plan, suitable for the completion of a Masters level programme.
This module will address philosophical issues underlying management and business research and explain how to select research strategies and designs.
The aims of this module are:
- To equip students with the knowledge, skills, and competencies to carry out either a sound academic research project (dissertation) or prepare a practical and comprehensive business plan supported by critical understanding of the use value of research methods and techniques.
- To process the student will develop a sense of involvement with the research community that supports academic research and reflective practice.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Understand different methods of investigation under consideration of different research perspectives.
- Select appropriate research strategies and designs in quantitative, qualitative and mixed method research.
- Choose specific data collection methods for quantitative, qualitative and mixed method research.
- Identify appropriate secondary sources of information, and access several publicly available databases (especially for business data).
- Critique the research methodology of published papers.
- Apply a variety of statistical tests and interpret the results of those tests.
- Choose a computer package (e.g. SPSS) for the statistical analysis of data.
- Perform textual analysis such as thematic analysis in qualitative research.
- Write a research proposal to successfully complete a Masters level dissertation or a business/marketing plan.
This module will offer a comprehensive view of methods of data collection and analysis to support the quality and value of research outcomes. In addition, and especially, for those opting for the business plan route, the module will provide a platform for evaluating the quality of relevant, market-oriented research designs, methods for business planning, researching the task environment and set-up of new ventures.
Students will agree in advance the route of either dissertation, or where appropriate business plan, which they wish to follow and provide an appropriate justification for their choice.
This module will be delivered via:
- Lectures.
- Seminars (for discussion of case studies, journal articles, presentations).
- Complementary workshops for training specific skills, particularly in relation to business plan research and development.
- Signposting to additional resources.
-
Saunders, M.N.K., Lewis, P. and Thornhil, 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 Saldaña (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 |
Research Proposal |
|
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
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Rama Kummitha, email: rama.kummitha@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Rama Kummitha
rama.kummitha@essex.ac.uk
No
No
Yes
Dr Ping Zheng
Canterbury Christ Church University
Available via Moodle
Of 60 hours, 54 (90%) hours available to students:
6 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
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.