module specification

This module enables the student to bring together insights into theory and practice from different areas of the programme, encouraging reflection on their learning and a deepening of their knowledge in a specific area that will inform a focussed consultancy project. The students will develop a proposal for a consultancy project to be completed during the final term of their course that is relevant to their chosen study path in management, project management or finance.
This module will help prepare students to become well-informed and effective managers, business owners and entrepreneurs able to lead and manage in dynamic and complex environments.  The emphasis is on the practical skills of presenting proposals, researching, analysing and making recommendation for a senior management or executive audience. 

The aims of the module are to ensure that students:

• can assess the similarities and differences between academic business research and applied business research or consultancy
• appreciate the challenges in generating relevant evidence that improves business decision making and performance
• can critically evaluate business research and consultancy findings and reports
• can assess the ethical and access issues of conducting research into business and can plan accordingly.
• can apply suitable project planning methods to research and consultancy
• can work through and plan for the practical challenges of business research, including defending choices on the research methods

The module is intended to prepare students to critically read and evaluate research and practice within their chosen field of study and then to design a research proposal for their business consultancy project.

N/A

1. Introduction
a. evidence-based management
b. the nature and purpose of business research and consultancy
c. bridging the theory-practice gap
d. the role of the researcher and consultant
2. The research and consultancy context
a. stakeholders
b. complexity, tame, critical and wicked problems
c. sense making
d. question framing
e. personal, professional and ethical issues
3. Approaches to business consultancy
a. Stakeholder engagement and the political landscape
b. Consultancy processes
c. Problem diagnosis; frameworks and models
d. Mind-mapping and soft-systems analysis
e. Management tools
4. Approaches to Research
a. The research onion
b. Literature review
c. Inductive, Deductive and Abductive reasoning
d. Qualitative, Quantitative and mixed methods
e. Content and structure of the proposal
5. Secondary Research
a. literature searching and framing a literature search; published sources
b. secondary data and historical research, including Bloomberg
c. advanced referencing
d. database research
6. Primary Research
a. quantitative and qualitative approaches and understanding the contribution and limitations of both approaches/methods
b. interviews and interviewing
c. questionnaires and survey techniques
7. Research Design
a. formulating research proposals
b. techniques for assembling data (e.g., interview preparation, questionnaire design, case study design)
c. action research and appreciative enquiry
d. market research tools and techniques
8. Project management for research and consultancy:
a. predictive and emergent projects
b. scope management
c. agile methods e.g. time boxing, MOSCOW, 80:20 rule, minimum viable product
9. Qualitative Research Analysis:
a. sampling and survey analysis
b. interview analysis
c. representation of data
10. Quantitative Research Analysis
a. selecting, interpreting and presenting statistical data
b. concept of probability
c. graphical representation of data
d. inferential statistics
e. using software for analysis
11. Writing and Presentation of Research Results and Analysis:
a. structuring research and consultancy reports
b. presenting findings
c. academic research posters
d. referencing
12. Review and reflection on the module.  Proposal discussion and guidance.

Learning outcomes cover 1-5

Independent Study and Scheduled Learning

Scheduled teach will be 36 hours for the module when delivered for full and part time students. Teaching patterns will differ, with block teaching at the weekend and evening sessions for part time students.  Synchronous webinars may also be used for part- and full-time students.

Blended Learning

WebLearn will be used to provide weekly guidance for independent study by both full and part-time students e.g. key readings, video content, research, completing Bloomberg training and exploring other databases, and also use of software for data analysis.

Guest speakers will be invited to participate in a recorded discussion of their research or consultancy experience. Video recordings will be used to provide first hand insights into research and consultancy

Reflective Learning

Students will be required to start a diary of their progress towards creating a research proposal in order to encourage reflection and also to develop the habit in support of their consultancy project in the following term.

On completion of this module students should be able to:

1. Critically evaluate approaches to business research and consultancy, and their managerial implications and limitations
2. Combine a deep understanding of business literature, theory and practice with an awareness of contemporary issues to develop their own research and consultancy ideas
3. Develop well-framed questions that lead to business insights and problem solving
4. Assess ethical and professional issues in research and consultancy.
5. Present a justified proposal to investigate a business question or issue with appropriate aims and objectives and a realistic plan of execution.

For the first assessment students will critically evaluate an example of business research or consultancy, addressing LO1. (2,000 words)

At the end of the module students will submit a proposal for their Business Consultancy Project (2,500 words) comprising:
• Introduction
• Background
• Research question
• Literature review
• Project design and methodology
• Ethics, Validity and Reliability
• Project Plan
• References
• Appendices

This second assessment addresses LO2-5.

Textbooks:

Core Text:

Bell, E., Bryman, A., Harley, B. and Bryman, A. (2019). Business research methods. 5th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Other Texts:

Checkland, P & Poulter, J (2006), Learning for Action: A Short Definitive Account of Soft Systems Methodology and its Use, for Practitioners, Teachers and Students. Chichester: John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

Gill, J. and Johnson, P (2010). Research methods for managers  London; Sage

Kuiper. S (2009). Contemporary Business Report Writing Ohio: South Western Mason

Markham. C (2007). Practical management Consultancy Surrey: CCH

McNiff, J. (2013) Action Research : Principles and Practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

McNiff, J (2016), You and Your Action Research Project, London: Routledge,.

Newton R (2010). The Management Consultant; Mastering the Art of Consultancy Harlow England; Financial Times/Prentice Hall

Richard, N (2010), Consultant ebook, The, Harlow: Pearson Education UK,

Saunders, MN, Lewis, P, & Thornhill, A (2017), Research Methods for Business Students, Harlow, United Kingdom, Pearson Education Limited.

Whitney, DD, & Trosten-Bloom, A (2010), The Power of Appreciative Inquiry : A Practical Guide to Positive Change, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Incorporated, Oakland.

Wickham, L, & Wilcock, J (2016), Management Consulting 5th edn : Delivering an Effective Project, Pearson Education Limited, Harlow, United Kingdom.

Journals:

Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods
Harvard Business Review
Journal of Business Research
Journal of Small Business Management
Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development
London Business School Review
MIT Sloan Management Review
MIT Technology Review
Small Enterprise Research

Websites:

www.grouppartners.net
www.mckinsey.com
www.mindmapping.com
www.bain.com

Electronic Databases:

Bloomberg
Fame
Mintel

Social Media Sources

Other

Grint, K. (2010, July 28). The leadership challenges of wicked problems [Video file]. In The Business & Management Collection, Henry Stewart Talks. Retrieved March 19, 2019, from https://0-hstalks-com.emu.londonmet.ac.uk/bm/1775/.

Markham, C. (2015, July 1). The consulting project cycle [Video file]. In The Business & Management Collection, Henry Stewart Talks. Retrieved March 19, 2019, from https://0-hstalks-com.emu.londonmet.ac.uk/bm/3071/.
Morrell, K. and Learmonth, M. (2015) ‘Against Evidence-Based Management, for Management Learning’, Academy of Management Learning & Education, 14(4), pp. 520–533. doi: 10.5465/amle.2014.0346.
O’Mahoney, J. (2015, September 17). Ethics in management consulting [Video file]. In The Business & Management Collection, Henry Stewart Talks. Retrieved March 19, 2019, from https://0-hstalks-com.emu.londonmet.ac.uk/bm/3100/.

Pfeffer, J. and Sutton, R. I. (2006) ‘Evidence-Based Management’, Harvard Business Review, 84(1), pp. 62–74. Available at: http://0-search.ebscohost.com.emu.londonmet.ac.uk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=19117732&site=ehost-live