DEREE COLLEGE SYLLABUS FOR: :
US Credits 3/0/3
BU 3233 BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS – UK LEVEL 5 (Spring 2015) UK CREDITS: 15 PREREQUISITES:
MA 2021 Applied Statistics, or MA 2010 Statistics I and MA 3111 Statistics II
CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
This course provides an understanding of the role and importance of research to organizations. Research process stages including, formulating and clarifying research questions, writing a literature review, designing research, choosing appropriate methods of sampling, data collection and analysis, and reporting of findings.
RATIONALE:
The business environment is constantly changing and this has implications for decision-making. Within such an environment, organizations frequently need to turn to research in order to help find answers to the issues they face. This course provides students with the basic research knowledge and skills, necessary for understanding, framing and addressing research issues. It enables students to evaluate information and research methods, to accomplish specific research objectives and to examine socio-cultural, business and organizational issues. In addition, it provides the students with a basis for conducting research.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
As a result of taking this module, the student should be able to:
1. Analyse the different stages and tools of the research process. 2. Examine a range of different methods and techniques used in research. 3. Apply research knowledge and skills by conducting a business research project, including the collection of qualitative and quantitative data. METHOD OF TEACHING AND LEARNING:
In congruence with the teaching and learning strategy of the college, the following tools are used: Training and use on the appropriate software applications necessary for the data analysis.
Class lectures and seminar-style class discussion of key terms and concepts with appropriate examples. Use of case studies.
Office hours: students are encouraged to make full use of the office hours of their instructor, where they can ask questions, see their exam paper, and/or go over lecture material.
Use of blackboard site, where instructors post lecture notes, assignments instructions, timely announcements, as well as additional resources. ASSESSMENT:
Summative: Mid-term Exam (1-hour) Group research project (2,500 - 3,000 words)
40% 60%
Group research project: students in groups of three to four will be briefed by the professor on a business problem, develop their research proposal, write a literature review, conduct secondary and primary research, analyze and interpret data. Analyzing of data using SPSS and other appropriate techniques. Students will be given detailed instructions for the writing-up and presentation of the project.
Formative: Project Research proposal (2 stages)
0
Case studies, tests, assignment preparation The formative assessment aims to prepare students for the summative assessments. 1st Ass: Mid-term exam tests Learning Outcome: 1,2 2nd Ass: Group research project tests Learning Outcomes:1, 2 and 3 INDICATIVE READING:
REQUIRED READING: B. Blumberg, Cooper D. Schindler P. (2014) Business Research Methods. L Mac- Graw Hill. RECOMMENDED READING:
• Bell, J. (1999) Doing Your Research Project – a Guide for First Time Researchers in Education and Social Science. 3rd ed. Open University Press.
• Blaikie, N. (2000) Designing Social Research. Polity Press. • Bryman, A. & Bell, E. (2007) Business Research Methods. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Collis, J. & Hussey, R. (2009) Business Research: A practical guide for undergraduate and postgraduate students. 3rd ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
• Creswell, J.W. (2003) Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
• Crotty, M. (1998) The Foundations of Social Research. London: Sage. • Flick, U. (1998) An Introduction to Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
• Hair, J.F., Wolfinbarger, M., Ortinau, R. & Bush, D. (2010) Essentials of Marketing Research. International ed. McGraw-Hill.
• Kane, E., O’Reilly De Brun, M. (1997) Doing Your Own Research. Marion Boyars Publishing.
• Lind, D., Marchal, W.G. & Wathen, S.A. (2012) Statistical Techniques in Business and Economics. New York: McGraw-Hill.
• Miles M.B, Huberman, A.M and Saldana, J. (2014). Qualitative Data Analysis. London, Sage Publications.
• Robson, C. (2004) Doing Research in the Real World. London: Sage. • Zikmund, W.G., Babin, B.J., Carr, J.C. & Griffin, M. (2012) Business Research Methods. 9th ed. Cengage Learning. INDICATIVE MATERIAL:
N/A
(e.g. audiovisual, digital material, etc.)
COMMUNICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Research proposal and a pilot study for a given topic submitted in Word using appropriate terminology.
SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS:
Word, Excel
WWW RESOURCES:
Students are expected to use the internet at their own discretion to select information on the individual project. Useful sources include: www.statistics.gr www.eurostat.eu www.oecd.com Databases available through the ACG library
INDICATIVE CONTENT:
1. The nature of business and management research -
The research process
-
Formulating and clarifying the research topic
-
Writing the research proposal
2. Research background -
Literature review
-
Research objectives/questions
3. Choosing a research strategy and designing research -
Research approaches and strategy
-
The credibility of research findings
-
Access problems and ethical issues
4. Methods of data collection -
Secondary and primary data sources
-
Selecting samples
-
Qualitative research methods
-
Quantitative research methods
5. Methods of data analysis -
Qualitative research
-
Quantitative research
6. Presenting, evaluating, and interpreting the findings 7. Research contexts -
Social and academic research
-
Organizational studies
-
Conducting research in international markets
