module specification

This module introduces the student to the theoretical and practical foundations of empirical research design and how these may be applied to practice-based contexts. It includes core interdisciplinary principles of research design that span methodological traditions and explore contemporary methodologies relevant for the practice-based nature of a DBA research project. You will learn how the research designs that you use ultimately depend upon the nature of the research questions you are asking and the type and kinds of evidence that are available. You will learn about the strengths and weaknesses of a range of research designs and the inevitable trade-offs that occur in the research design decisions that must be made in undertaking practice-related research and learn how to evaluate research in terms of rigour and robustness. This will include reflections on the role as practitioner researcher, the complexities of practical problem-solving and inquiry and how research may inform evidence-based decision-making in practice.

Activities undertaken on this module and feedback provided will feedforward into development of the doctoral study

Available for Study Abroad? NO

• Introduction to Practice-based Research: Quantitative, Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research, the Research Paradigms, Evaluation of Research Rigour, Research ethics and the role of the Practitioner Researcher
• Defining Your Research: Applying Literature Reviews, Writing Research Questions, Conceptual & Theoretical Frameworks
• Quantitative Research Designs 1: Description vs. Inference, Experimental Designs, Observational Designs
• Quantitative Research Designs 2: Natural Experiments, Adjustment Designs, Exploratory Designs
• Qualitative Research Designs: Case Studies, Ethnography, Action Research
• Sampling: Population Inference, Sample Size, Probability Sampling, Non-probability Sampling
• Quantitative Data Collection: Measurement, Threats to Measurement, Questionnaire Design
• Qualitative Data Collection: In-depth Interviews, Focus Groups, Observations and Informal Interviews, Documents
• Statistics 1: Descriptive vs. Inferential Statistics, Statistical Significance
• Statistics 2: Comparison of Two Means, Comparison of Multiple Means, Regression
• Qualitative Data Analysis 1: Thematic Analysis, Introduction to NVivo
• Qualitative Data Analysis 2: Ethnographic Analysis, Discourse Analysis

All students are required to take account of university policy on the use of Generative AI
https://student.londonmet.ac.uk/your-studies/student-administration/rules-and-regulations/academic-misconduct/

Students will participate in synchronous and asynchronous online learning activities including:

Synchronous bite-size lectures interspersed with discussions and workshop activities. Students will be expected to have undertaken readings of relevant chapters from their core textbook or from relevant research papers in preparation.

For every hour of scheduled learning and teaching (72 hours), students are expected to undertake two hours of preparation, including assigned readings and preparation for discussions (144 hours).

Remaining learning hours to be dedicated to asynchronous online discussion board participation about the assigned topic-relevant research articles and assessment preparation (184 hours).

1. To discuss and critically evaluate the relative strengths and weaknesses of empirical research designs for practice-related, applied research.
2. To be able to critically evaluate the rigour, robustness and suitability of research designs.
3. To be able to write feasible and practically important research questions.
4. To undertake research design decisions, considering the trade-offs involved.

https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/9DA1C557-CAED-284B-B51E-59CA27D9D7E4.html?lang=en-GB&login=1

Core Text:
Robson, C., & McCartan, K. (2016), Real world research. 4th ed. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons. 

Additional Texts:
Bell, E., Bryman, A. and Harley, B. (2019), Business Research Methods, 5th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Bradbury, H. ed. (2015), The Sage Handbook of Action Research, 3rd ed. London: Sage.
Coghlan, D. (2019), Doing Action Research in Your Own Organisation, 5th ed. California: Sage.
Costley, C. Elliot, G. and Gibbs, P. (2010), Doing Work Based Research: Approaches to Enquiry for Insider-Researchers. London: Sage.
Easterby-Smith, M., Thorpe, R., Jackson, P. and Valizade, D. (2021).  Management & Business Research. 7th ed.  London: Sage.
Field, A. (2017), Discovering Statistics using IBM SPSS Statistics, 5th edition, London: Sage Publications.
Hallebone, E.  and Priest, J. (2009), Business and Management Research: paradigms and practices. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Mannay, D. (2016), Visual, Narrative and Creative Research Methods.  Abingdon: Routledge Publications.
Saunders, M., Lewis, P., Thornhill, A. (2019), Research methods for business students. 8th ed.  Harlow: Pearson.

Weekly articles:
Topic-relevant research articles, e.g. Hills, S. and Eraso, Y., 2021. Factors associated with non-adherence to social distancing rules during the COVID-19 pandemic: a logistic regression analysis. BMC Public Health, 21, pp.1-25.