BU5T01 - Developing the Doctoral Research Project 01 Sep 2015 - 31 Aug 2020 | Version 1

Associated Module Information

Module Code: BU5T01
Module Title: Developing the Doctoral Research Project
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Society
Faculty Group: Business
Faculty Sub Group: Management, HRM and Leadership
Module Leader: Simon Thomas
Module Team:
First Intended Intake: SEP 2015 Final Year of Intake:
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 60 Credit Level: 8
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100078 - business and management
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 1
Valid From 01 Sep 2015
Valid To 31 Aug 2020

Module Aims

To introduce students to the expectations of doctoral level research, and the overall expectations of the programme.

To equip students with a critical understanding of the fundamental bases of different approaches to research, and to enable them to establish a clear philosophical foundation upon which their research will be built.

To help students critically evaluate their proposed research project.

To equip students with an understanding of authoring skills appropriate to doctoral level study.

To introduce students to issues of reliability, validity, and research ethics.

Content Summary

• Overall DBA structure and construction.
• An induction to the course
• An overview of the structure
• Expectations
• Defining and refining your research question.
• Characteristics of a good research question.
• An introduction to research philosophies and techniques.
• An introduction to authoring skills
• Introducing criticality
• Structuring
• Documenting your research journey

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Seminar 20
Independent Study 480
Directed Study 100
Total Hours Selected 600

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 A critical awareness of the complex interaction of various approaches to doctoral research, in determining an informed philosophy to underpin their own project. 
LO2 The ability to critically reflect upon what constitutes an appropriate research project in terms of its achievability, and its potential contribution to practical, theoretical and methodological knowledge.
LO3 An awareness and understanding of the broad practical and theoretical context of their research project.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Written Assignment (CW) Essay (CW) 1 The assessment will determine the students’ ability to argue for the potential contribution to knowledge, achievability of their research project and underlying philosophy 0 10000 100 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2 LO3
Essay (CW) 1 ✔ ✔ ✔

Reading List

Latest editions of the following texts:

Preece, R., Starting Research: An Introduction to Academic Research and Dissertation Writing, London: Pinter
May, T. Social Research: Issues Methods and Process. Open University Press.
Yin, R K Case Study Research: Design and Methods. Sage publications.
Alvesson, M. & Willmott, H., Making Sense of Management: A Critical Introduction, London: Sage.
Burrell, G. & Morgan, G., Sociological Paradigms and Organisational Analysis, Aldershot: Ashgate Press.
Skinner, Q. (ed.), The Return of Grand Theory in the Human Sciences, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Waters, M., Modern Sociological Theory, London: Sage.
O’Leary, Zina, Researching Real-World Problems: A Guide to Methods of Inquiry. London: Sage
Brewer, J. and Hunter, A., Foundations of Multimethod Research: Synthesizing Styles. London: Sage
Brannen, J. ‘The use of video in research dissemination: children as experts on their own family lives’ International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 5,(2), 173-181
Campbell, J. 'A critical appraisal of participatory methods in development research’ International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 5,(1), 19-30
Handy, C. ‘What’s A Business For?’ Harvard Business Review, 80, (12), 49-56
Kelemen, M. and Bansal, P. ‘The Conventions of Management Research and their Relevance to Management Practice’, British Journal of Management, 13, (2), 97-108
May, T. ‘Commitment and Investigation in Knowing the Social World’, International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 5,(1), 3-10
Mir, R. and Mir, A. ‘The Organizational Imagination: From Paradigm Wars to Praxis’, Organizational Research Methods, 5,(1), 105-126
Pettigrew, A.M. ‘Management Research After Modernism’, British Journal of Management, 12, (4), S61-S71