BS4S14 - Research Methods 01 Sep 2020 - 31 Aug 2026 | Version 2

Associated Module Information

Module Code: BS4S14
Module Title: Research Methods
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Creative Industries
Faculty Group: Business Management
Faculty Sub Group: Business Management
Module Leader: Simon Thomas
Module Team: Antara Arif, Darar Apiri, Gail Evans, Catherine Mccluskey, Gwyn Mapp, Bharati Rathore, Natalie Shawley, Linda Jones, Najma Khatun, Fahmida Khandokar, Tiansheng Yang, Omoboyede Alalabiaye, Sharmin Julie, Naveen Madhavan, Kevin Ellis-Brush, Navriti Gupta, Davina Evans, Andrew Thompson
First Intended Intake: SEP 2015 Final Year of Intake:
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 7
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 2
Valid From 01 Sep 2020
Valid To 31 Aug 2026

Module Aims

Develop the students understanding and skills of research in a management subject discipline.

Critically review a range of research methodologies and select one most appropriate to address a research need.

Critically review a range of research methods and select the one(s) most appropriate to address the research design.

Equip students with the skills required for the practical aspects of planning, conducting and producing a Masters level work.

Content Summary

Conceptualisation and Operationalisation: theories, models and perspectives, constructs, concepts and variables, aim and objectives setting.

Literature Review: conducting literature review, identifying relevant theories, models and perspectives.

Data Collection: observation, questionnaires, interviews, content analysis.

Research Quality: Various reliability and validity types.

Quantitative Research Methods: surveys, experiments, quasi-experiments.

Qualitative Research Methods: case studies, focus groups, in-depth interviews.

Research Philosophy: Constituents (Epistemology, Ontology, axiology, logic, causality), schools (positivism, post-positivism, realism, pragmatism and constructivism.)

Practical issues: Ethics in business research, access to data, time management, writing, relationship with supervisor.

Data Analysis and Interpretation: principles, reporting and presenting results, use of DA software (Analytics and QDAS.)

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 10
Tutorial 30
Independent Study 115
Directed Study 40
Formative Assessment - Scheduled 5
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Demonstrate a critical appreciation of research methodologies
LO2 Selectively adopt appropriate analytical techniques to address management research questions.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Written Assignment (CW) Report (CW) 1 Collect qualitative data, analyse the collected data and present the findings. 0 3000 50 No 40
Written Assignment (CW) Bibliography (CW) Select 3 quantitative papers from your research area and critically appraise the research methods adopted in an annotated bibliography. 0 2500 50 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Report (CW) 1
Bibliography (CW)

Reading List

Creswell, J. (latest edition). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Sekaran, U. & Bougie, R. (latest edition). Research Methods for Business, Chichester: Wiley.

Eisenhardt, K.M., 1989. Building theories from case study research. Academy of management review, 14(4), pp.532-550.

Corley, K.G. and Gioia, D.A., 2004. Identity ambiguity and change in the wake of a corporate spin-off. Administrative science quarterly, 49(2), pp.173-208.

Burrell, G. and Morgan, G., 2019. Sociological paradigms and organisational analysis: Elements of the sociology of corporate life. Routledge.

Denzin, N.K. and Lincoln, Y.S. eds., 2011. The Sage handbook of qualitative research. Sage.

Online resources