BU5U01 - The Theoretical and Practical Context for Doctoral Research 01 Sep 2015 - 31 Aug 2021 | Version 1

Associated Module Information

Module Code: BU5U01
Module Title: The Theoretical and Practical Context for Doctoral Research
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Society
Faculty Group: Business
Faculty Sub Group: Management, HRM and Leadership
Module Leader:
Module Team:
First Intended Intake: SEP 2015 Final Year of Intake:
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 120 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 2021

Module Aims

This module is designed to follow module one on the DBA programme and will enable students to critically evaluate and set out the context for their research project.

This module will explore current research knowledge understanding and skills relevant to reflective practitioners in any field, industry or sector, as appropriate to the students attempting the module.

This module will address the importance of establishing theoretical frames of reference with which to makes sense of primary data collected during the research project.

This module will address the importance of establishing a practice based context for the research project.

This module will equip students with the authoring skills appropriate to constructing theoretical and practice-based frames of reference for their research project.

Content Summary

• The importance of the review of literature to your research.
• Literature search techniques.
• Criticality.
• The importance of the ‘practice’ context of the research, including organisational and sector-based considerations.
• Hierarchies of thought: background theories, fields and disciplines.
• Authoring and constructing literature reviews.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Seminar 40
Independent Study 760
Directed Study 400
Total Hours Selected 1200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 An in depth knowledge of the practice based and theoretical context of their research project.
LO2 A critical understanding of the central discourses of management and business, including the complex issues and debates embedded within and surrounding contemporary developments.
LO3 A comprehensive and critical understanding of the changing organisational contexts which influence management research.

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 Critically evaluate a range of theoretical resource and argue for which theoretical frames of reference are most appropriate to their research project. Engage with management discourse and contribution 0 25000 100 No 40

Assessment Matrix

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

Reading List

Latest editions of the following texts:

Stewart D.W. and Kamins, M.A. Secondary Research: Information Sources and Methods. Sage.
Cooper, H.M. Integrating Research: A guide for literature reviews. Sgae.
M. Kane and W.M.K. Trochim. Concept Mapping for Planning and Evaluation.
C. Hart. Doing a literature review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination. Sage.
A. Fink. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From the Internet to Paper. Sage.
Maner, Martin, The Research Process: A Complete Guide and Reference for Writers London: Mc Graw Hill

Professor Mike Wallace and Professor Alison Wray (latest edition) Critical Reading and Writing for Postgraduates (Sage Study Skills Series), Sage