BUSI54060: Research Design Workshop (Level 5)

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• To ensure that students are familiar with relevant and rigorous theories of business and management research within their field of study.
• To ensure that students are aware of all the neighbouring theories that they can take advantage of in terms of borrowing insights and/or research methods.
• To develop the level of integration of students field knowledge.
• To develop students' ability to identify a suitable research topic, and generate theoretically relevant research questions that can be answered rigorously and scientifically.
• To develop students' ability to identify suitable research methods to answer their research questions.
• To develop students' ability to appreciate ethical issues in research

• Models and methods
• Logic and argumentation
• Rigor and relevance in business and management research theories, models and methods
• Suitability of different analytical methodologies
• Observation plans
• Data structures
• Data collection methods: Participant and non-participant observation; Unstructured, semi structured and structured interviews; survey data; archival data, experiments
• Ethical challenges associated with the conduct of research into organisations

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• Have an up-to-date knowledge of the relevant theories.
• Have a comprehensive understanding of neighbouring fields.
• Understand contemporary developments in subject specific research methods.
• Understand ethical challenges and the appropriate responses.
• Have an advanced understanding of research design issues.
• Have a comprehensive understanding of subject specific methodological considerations.
• Understand limitations on data availability and management of research access.
• Understand the time demand of different data collection methods.
• Understand issues concerning research and confidentiality.
• Understand ethical challenges associated with the conduct of research into organisations, and the appropriate responses.

Subject-specific Skills:

• Ability to skilfully conduct research.
• Ability to critically assess existing research.
• Ability to develop novel theory.
• Ability to test newly developed theory.
• Ability to unify or synthesise theories.

Key Skills:

• Ability to make an initial formulation and articulation of a research problem.
• Ability to transform the research problem into a set of research questions.
• The ability to design the research to answer a particular research question.
• Ability to design and execute data collection.
• Ability to design data coding.
• Ability to design and execute the data analysis.
• Effective oral communication skills.

• The module will be delivered via workshops taking the students through all the relevant phases of research design.
• By commenting on each other's suggestions students will acquire both the capability and the attitude to critically evaluate and improve research designs
• Learning will also occur through tutor-supported, as well as self-support learning groups. This may be both face to face and online support from the module leader and/or supervisors. Finally, the module enables the students to develop their own research design.
• The assessment of the module is by a combination of: an oral examination of the students on research design issues by an independent panel; a 15,000 word written assignment based on a clear research proposal and an extensive literature review and field knowledge. The assessment is designed to test students' knowledge and understanding of the subject-matter and their ability to articulate a researchable issue. The module is assessed on a pass/fail basis and students must pass both components.

Students will receive the RDW assignment brief and pre-reading at least 2-weeks prior to the module being delivered and may produce a formative piece of work in preparation for the main module assignment. The formative assessment will comprise an individual 2,500 word assignment.

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