MGMT620-11S1 (C) Semester One 2011

Research Methods

30 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 21 February 2011
End Date: Sunday, 26 June 2011
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 6 March 2011
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 22 May 2011

Description

This course focuses on the conceptualisation of research issues in the field of management, the various management research paradigms in use, and the methodological approaches employed in management research. It discusses the nature and use of quantitative and qualitative methods in academic management research. This includes the development of research questions within a theoretical system informed by management and organization theories, and with a view to the appropriate methods of data collection and analysis, as well as the reporting and communication of research results.

This course is taught in a modular format, with several faculty members covering the various topic areas. Classes follow an interactive design and provide ample opportunity for discussion. This means that students are expected to participate actively in discussions.

This course is a core course in the honour's programme for students concentrating in Human Resource Management or Strategy and International Business. It is a companion course to MGMT680.

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the various research paradigms.
2. Be able to develop a literature driven research question.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of quantitative (using SPSS for data analysis) and qualitative techniques (using NVivo for data analysis).
5. Be able to interpret the results of data analysis.
6. Be able to critically assess research reports that use quantitative and qualitative methods.

Prerequisites

Subject to approval HOD Management

Restrictions

MGMT402; MGMT414; MKTG620

Timetable Note

Class sessions: Tuesday 9:00-11:00 and Wednesday 14:00-16:00
Location: Christchurch Chinese Church, 286 Greers Road

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Udo Staber

Lecturer

Marjo Lips-Wiersma

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
Literature Review 06 May 2011 20% Literature Review
Data Analysis Project 03 Jun 2011 40% Data Analysis Project
Research Proposal 27 May 2011 30% Research Proposal
Research Proposal Presentation 31 May 2011 10% Research Proposal Presentation


Assignments:
Final grades are based on three types of information:

• Literature review
• Data analysis
• Research proposal and presentation

1. Literature review:  

Objective: The purpose of the literature review is to develop promising ideas suggested by the extant literature regarding some research issue. Students will select from a list of journal articles (to be presented and discussed in class) an article that serves as the backdrop for the literature review. Each of the articles on this list addresses a specific research issue in one of the management areas (human resource management, strategy, organizational behavior, organizational theory/design, entrepreneurship, international management). The reading list includes studies done with quantitative and/or qualitative methods. These studies also cover the range of scientific paradigms used in the various fields of management. The topic of the literature review may be related to the topic covered in the research proposal (and, therefore, also the MGMT680 thesis project).

Format of review: To be discussed in class. Length 2500 words, 12 point font, double-spaced, no footnotes or endnotes. Please submit both a hard and electronic copy.

Evaluation criteria: Evaluation criteria are based on originality and clear exposition. Original and analytical thinking requires asking questions such as these: What are the interesting ideas in this research area? What are the key debates in this literature? How did the debates develop over time, and how did they drive this literature? If you disagree with an argument, what would it require to persuade you? How could these differences be adjudicated through an empirical study? What would you focus on if you wanted to test theoretical arguments in an empirical study?

2. Data analysis project:

Objective: The aim of this project is to gain hands-on experience with some of the challenges researchers face when analyzing empirical data. This project will involve both quantitative (using SPSS) and qualitative (using NVivo) analytic methods.

Format of research report: To be discussed in class. Length 3000 words, 12 point font, double-spaced, no footnotes or endnotes. Please submit both a hard and electronic copy.

Evaluation criteria: The evaluation criteria are based on the empirical adequacy of the project. Depending on the nature of the project, they include expectations with respect to variable measurement, statistical analysis, and interpretation of estimated relationships.

3. Research proposal and presentation:

Objective: The objective of a proposal is to describe the aims, scope, procedures, and expected outcomes of a study. This research proposal is the basis for the honour’s thesis project MGMT680.

Format of report: To be discussed in class. Length 3000 words, 12 point font, double-spaced, no footnotes or endnotes. Please submit both a hard and electronic copy. A copy of the full report needs to be submitted to the lecturer at least two days before the presentation.

Presentation: Students will present their research proposal and will lead a discussion of their presentations. The presentations will take place during the last two weeks of the course. The structural format of presentations must be in line with the format of the proposals. The presenter must provide all class participants with a hard copy of a two-page summary of their proposal.

Evaluation criteria: The evaluation criteria are based on the clarity and adequacy of all components of the proposal (research problem, sampling, data collection, data analysis, and evaluation of results).

Textbooks / Resources

Recommended Reading

Charmaz, Kathy; Constructing grounded theory : a practical guide through qualitative analysis ; Sage Publications, 2006.

Burns, R. and Burns, R. (2008) Business Research Methods and Statistics Using SPSS. London: Sage

Selected readings from academic journals.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,505.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Management, Marketing and Tourism .

All MGMT620 Occurrences

  • MGMT620-11S1 (C) Semester One 2011