- Identify the different roles research can play in an organization.
- Provide an introduction to research philosophy and its importance when adopting a research approach
and designing a methodology,
- Undertake a systematic, rigorous literature review as the basis for a research study.
- Enable students to effectively establish appropriate objectives for a research project.
- Practically implement and critically analyse the use of questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and
focus groups.
- Accurately analyse and present quantitative and qualitative data.
- To manage a research project from start to end.
- To gain experience working with real organizations and to understand the nature of client-supplier
relations.
- To provide support for the design and implementation of students' Final Projects
The main topics & chapters to be covered are listed below (whether all or portions of it)
Introduction to the course, plagiarism and AI.
What is research? Philosophy and guiding principles.
Choosing a project topic.
Writing the literature review.
Methodology / data collection strategy.
Interviews and surveys.
Data Analysis.
Conclusions, communicating data.
Preparation for exam.
The class sessions will involve a dynamic combination of theory and practice. Students will be required to read before coming to class and be prepared to discuss relevant issues in the group, as well as being able to apply their knowledge to practical examples. Throughout the course students will work in groups on an ongoing research project that they will design, execute and evaluate. Every theoretical step taken will be tested in practical terms through these projects. Students will be expected to develop these projects outside of class.
The practical research project management dimension of the course is designed and executed by the students as managers of the project under the supervision of the professor. The 'classes' are redefined as 'meetings' and the students must learn to plan and organize these meetings effectively in order to achieve the objectives they establish. Students are guided by the professor in terms of theoretical contents, which is expected to be done in preparation for meetings and should influence the actions and its deliverables. The ultimate aim is to simulate as realistically as possible how a research team would work on a consultancy project.
Your final grade for this course will be made up of the following percentages:
25% Project proposal in pairs (Mindmap) due November 6th via eStudy upload
40% Literature review in pairs (2.000 words) due December 18th via eStudy upload
20% Final Exam
15% Participation
Participation and Attitude: Participating in the class discussions, active on Q&A, provide examples, active & engaged team member. Appropriate behaviour, avoiding unnecessary disruption and side conversations. Points will also be taken out for miss-use of phone, being disruptive, student been expelled from class, etc.
Attendance - Pending assignments will only be accepted if your absence is justified by your tutor.
AI: Students who opt to use an AI in their work (if authorized by the professor) are required to include a paragraph at the end of the task or activity in which the student has used said tool and explain why you have decided to use it and the result obtained from it. Failure to include this information will be considered as an attempt at fraud or cheating as it deceived the evaluation system. In such case the penalties set out in Salle Campus Barcelona - Copies Regulation will be applied. https://www.salleurl.edu/en/copies-regulation
Retake policy: Retake will be a final exam and the maximum retake grade for a student would be a 6.
Required Textbook
Saunders, M et al. (2006) Research Methods for Business Students, 4th edition, FT Prentice Hall.
Other readings will depend on the theme of the project.