MC6P06 - The Fashion Project (2017/18)
Module specification | Module approved to run in 2017/18 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Module title | The Fashion Project | ||||||||||||||||||||
Module level | Honours (06) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Credit rating for module | 30 | ||||||||||||||||||||
School | Guildhall School of Business and Law | ||||||||||||||||||||
Total study hours | 300 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Assessment components |
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Running in 2017/18(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) |
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Module summary
The Fashion Project is an alternate core for both BA (Hons) Fashion Retail Management and BA (Hons) Fashion Marketing & Business Management programmes. The module is predicated on individual learning – encouraging students to become independent researchers with supervision support from specialists in the field. It is therefore essential that students select feasible fashion-based topics that are of personal interest to which they are able to apply relevant academic marketing or management theories, concepts and tools.
Prior learning requirements
Prior knowledge of fashion marketing and/or retail management.
Module aims
The module aims to enable students to gain the experience, skills and abilities necessary to conduct independent research, and to support the application of student’s knowledge of the fashion management and fashion marketing disciplines during an extended academic project. The main areas are literature review, academic writing skills research methods, methodology.
The module has five main objectives:
- To guide students throughout research projects over an extended time period.
- To enable students to collect information from a range of sources, apply analytical skills, draw conclusions, make recommendations and present their research outcomes in a professional manner
- To support students in applying relevant management, marketing and/or retail theories and concepts to develop specialist knowledge of these disciplines.
- To enable students to become independent researchers and critical thinkers able to apply their skills in a professional manner in future career/educational contexts
- To enhance employability in areas of fashion management, marketing and retailing.
In specific terms the module assists thinking students in developing the following skills:
- Collecting and analysing information
- Critical thinking
- Understanding the differences between primary and secondary research
- Understanding quantitative and qualitative data
- Applying market research methods specifically to the fashion industry
- Evaluating market trends and forecasting information
- Presentational skills
- Reflective writing skills
Syllabus
- Introduction to applied research
- The role of the supervisor
- Defining the fashion marketing and retail environment
- Research design
- Literature sources: Where and how to look for data; how to select the most applicable sources
- Literature review and conceptual frameworks
- Primary data collection evaluation
- Secondary data collection evaluation
- Research strategies
Learning and teaching
The module is taught over a 30-week period and consists of: 3 hour workshops over 20 weeks, and allocated time prior to interim submissions.
The module uses blended learning and teaching strategies, which consists of: workshops, library visits, Weblearn interaction, guest lectures (where applicable) and one-to-one supervision. ¬The use of Weblearn facilities is important to the delivery of the module handbook, case studies, journal articles, external web links & student feedback.
The module relies heavily on workshop delivery due to the fact that students need to be introduced to and allowed to explore advanced e-research techniques: netnography, on-line building, questionnaire software, on-line textbooks and on-line video cases.
Students have to access analysis tools such as SPSS and/or Nvivo, in order to code, practice writing and analyse their questionnaires.
A key element of the learning process consists of additional reading, additional supervision support where required, in order to enable students the opportunity to reflect upon their experiences. In certain cases, workshop time will be allocated for independent research in a group and students will use the time to share their project experience and learn from each other under the supervision of a member of staff.
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Understand theoretical and practical aspects in relation to fashion marketing, management and retail-based research
2. Apply advanced research and analytical skills in the fashion marketing and retail management arena
3. Have enhanced confidence in their ability to conduct academic projects and to engage in reflective thinking.
4. Demonstrate presentation skills appropriate to the fashion marketing and retail environment.
Assessment strategy
The assessment strategy consist of three elements:
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Research proposal (due week 6) that sets out the proposed research topic, question or hypothesis and a preliminary plan of the aims and objectives. At this stage students should have also have a provisional bibliography in mind. Following approval by the module tutor/teaching team (no mark awarded) students will go on to prepare a
- Project presentation (due in weeks 13-15) in the form of a 10-15 minute presentation with supporting slides. This will introduce research conducted to date and should feature discussion of the existing literature, intended research methods and theoretical framework. Presentation skills will also be assessed. (15% of the final mark)
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The 7,000 – 8,000 word project (due week 27). A hard copy must be submitted the HUB/UG office and must feature introduction, literature review, methodology, analysis, conclusions, recommendations, references and appendices / evidence of primary research. Progress monitoring sheets must also be included (70% of the final mark)
- Reflective diary/essay 1,000 words (also due week 27) – an account of the student’s experiences in finding a suitable research topic and conducting the research together with discussion of appropriate reflective theories, concepts and tools. (15% of the final mark)
Bibliography
• Saunders, M., Lewis, P. & Thornhill, A. (2012) Research Methods for Business Students, 6th Edition, Harlow: FT/Prentice Hall, [Core text]
• Bryman, A. (2012), Social Research Methods 4th edition, Oxford University Press
• Posner, H. (2014), Marketing Fashion. Laurence King.
• Churchill, G.A. & Brown, T.J. (2007), Basic Marketing Research, 6th Edition, Thomson, UK.
• Ennis S (2016), Retail Marketing, McGraw Hill.
• Schmidt, M. and Hollensen, S. (2006), Marketing Research: An International Approach, Pearson Education.
• Poloian, L.R (2013), Retailing Principles. Global, Multichannel and Managerial Viewpoints, 2nd Edition, Bloomsbury Publishing.
• Burns, A. & Bush, R.F. (2010), Marketing Research: Global Edition, 6th Edition, Pearson Education
• Fisher, C. (2010), Researching and Writing a Dissertation: An essential guide for business students, 3rd edition, Pearson Education.
• Ghauri, P. & Gronhaug K. (2010), Research Methods in Business Studies, 4th Edition, London: Financial Times Press.
• Bell, E. & Bryman. A (2003) Business Research Methods. Oxford.
The University also holds Electronic Journal Databases, which are available on any PC in the network to assist students. Academic journals include:
Journal of Management and Marketing Research,
Journal of Applied Quantitative Methods,
Journal of Retailing,
Journal of Retail and Consumer Services,
International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management,
International Journal of Qualitative Methods,
Journal of Database Marketing & Customer Strategy Management,
Journal of Targeting,
Journal of Brand Management,
Journal of Brand Strategy,
International Journal of Research in Marketing,
Journal of Consumer Marketing,
Journal of Database Marketing,
European Journal of Marketing,
Journal of Marketing Communications.