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On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Demonstrate a capacity for self-management and independent learning in the investigative process, engagement with academic and industry literature, research project design and planning and management, as well as managing client relations (in case of organisation-based projects).
Conduct an in-depth investigation of the issue and to action selected research methodology for data collection and further analysis in an academically grounded way, as well as to handle research ethics issues associated with the project.
Critically evaluate research project’s findings in relation to existing academic and industry-based literature and other relevant sources.
Generate recommendations based on own findings in response to earlier formulated (as part of the project proposal) both business and research aims and specific objectives.
Produce a clear, logical and coherent project report based on the research undertaken, following specified requirements of the client (in case of organisation-based projects) and University.
The module is focused on the investigation of business and management issues. Throughout the module, students will critially analyse and present these findings in the form of a project proposal, including problem definition in the light of a business context and potential client’s needs/benefits and the ability to agree project scope and design, as well as research aims and specific objectives.
The project should be conducted following the University’s policies relating to codes of research conduct and ethics, while the report should abide by academic conventions and reference practice.
It is anticipated that the research project will also build students' in-depth knowledge and understanding in core subject areas (appropriate for their programme of studies) depending on the area of their interest.
This module will contribute to the MBA themes in the following ways:-
Radical Resilience – the challenging nature of research projects, fast changing external environment and client / research sponsor relations should be taken into account, analysed and mitigated as students are encouraged to enhance their own resilience capabilities in conducting their research project.
Creative Connectivity – is one of the focal aspects of this module. While conducting the project, students should proactively communicate with their research project sponsors / clients and academic supervisor and manage their expectations, as well as communicate with various groups of respondents in a professional and transparent manner, fully abiding by the University’s relevant code of practice.
Dynamic Discovery – is another key aspect of the modules, combining and balancing theoretical (academic) and practical / applied business requirements, by helping research sponsors / clients in responding to identified business problems / needs, achieving an agreed set of research aim and objectives, which should also be evaluated in the light of academic research, as well as producing recommendations for business on the basis of original own findings.
The module is designed to support self-directed learning through enquiry and research. The module encourages deep learning through the critical analysis of relevant literature and the investigative research process. It allows the application of earlier studied principles of social science research and key business, management and marketing research methodologies.
Students are provided with individual support from allocated supervisors. They need to agree with their supervisors a mutually convenient schedule of work (regular, weekly F2F or Teams (as an equivalent of F2F) meeting during June – September period) to receive further advice on their project, as well as formative feedback on the gradual development of their project reports. Online sessions are not available to students based at a UK institution.
Supervisors will be allocated based on topics selected by students and their academic areas of expertise.
Individual supervision
Hours: 15
Intended Group Size: Cohort
Guided independent study
Hours: 435
Further details relating to assessment
The summative assessment for this module is a Project Report. The structure of the report may vary depending on the potential research sponsors/client needs, but, in principle, should include the following sections: i) problem definition in the business context, client needs and potential benefits (business aim) ii) research aim and objectives iii) literature review iv) research methods v) findings vi) analyses and discussion vii) recommendations viii) references.
Full details, structure and requirements associated with the Project Report are described in the Module Handbook.
As a result of University responsibility for ensuring that research conducted by its staff and students abides by accepted standards of conduct and ethics, this aspect is integrated within the content of this course and students follow the recommendations obtained through ethical clearance process and in line within the University’s Research and Knowledge Exchange Ethics and Integrity Policy.
Module Coordinator - Satish Sharma
Level - 7
Credit Value - 45
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 7MB103