Research Methods in Management (Undergraduate)

• Credit value: 15 credits at Level 5
• Convenor: Dr Aly Kelleher
• Prerequisites: Management Studies I, Management Studies II and Quantitative Methods
• Assessment: a 500-word essay (25%) and a 2000-word essay (75%)

In this module we equip you with essential skills to:

• critically evaluate the quality of published research
• craft a research proposal and project.

We will explain the role of a critical literature review and how to generate and refine research questions and objectives relevant to areas that include business, marketing, human resources and organisational psychology.

We will introduce two main approaches within the research process - quantitative and qualitative research - and discuss how these approaches affect the selection of empirical methodologies. This includes decisions about the type of information and data that is collected to answer a research question and/or test hypothesised relationships. We will also look at different data collection techniques: the collection of primary data through interviews and online surveys, and secondary (existing) data. We will examine how different types of data can be analysed and presented. Throughout the module we stress the importance of ethical consideration when using data from human participants.

Indicative syllabus

• Introduction and the nature of research
• Writing a critical literature review
• Understanding different approaches to research
• Research ethics, samples and participant recruitment
• Qualitative methods
• Qualitative analysis
• Quantitative methods
• Quantitative analysis
• Writing a research project

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

• formulate and test the feasibility of research questions
• write a critical review of the literature
• collect primary and secondary information
• apply a range of qualitative and quantitative analyses techniques
• appreciate ethical considerations in research.