UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE. Management 2700 Business Research Methods COURSE OUTLINE

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1 UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE Management 2700 Business Research Methods COURSE OUTLINE Instructor: Jeff Donnelly, M.Sc. Term: Spring, 2010 Class Time: Tuesday, 6:00 8:50 pm Phone: Classroom: TBA Office hours: 5:00 6:00 pm Tuesdays Textbook: Zikmund, W.G. et.al (2010) Business Research Methods (8th Ed.) Thomson South Western. Prerequisite: Management 2030 (3030), and Psychology 2030 or Statistics Course Description: An introduction to quantitative and qualitative designs in management research as well as to frequently used applied statistics. Special attention to ethical concerns in research, measurement issues such as reliability and validity, and the critical assessment of research tools such as questionnaires. Course Objectives: The intent of the course is to provide an introduction to, and a basic grounding in, fundamental research methods as they relate to the modern practice of management and to academic research. The topics that will be covered, as well as the practices and tools that you will acquire, will assist you in being more effective designers and consumers of applied research related to all of the domains of management practice across disciplines. Learning Objectives: To gain a better understanding of the role of applied research and research methods in management theory and practice. To develop basic skills in the design, implementation, and evaluation of applied management research. To examine and apply current and emerging tools to assist the conduct of applied management research. To conduct an actual applied research project in the field. To become more discerning consumers of management research in both the academic and the popular press. To understand the key ethical issues in the conduct of applied research. 1

2 Class Format Blended Learning This course is provided in a blended learning format and incorporates both face- to- face and online lectures. The online lectures will be very similar to those delivered in the classroom however, students will have the convenience of accessing the materials on their own time and at a location of their choosing. Students can also access the online lectures in the computer lab, however you will be required to use your own headsets. Both online and face- to- face lectures incorporate the use of PowerPoint presentations. PowerPoint presentations and the online lectures will be available on BlackBoard (WebCT ) to help students prepare for class and to study. Course Requirements Attendance and Participation 10% Midterm Exam 30% Research Project 30% Final Exam 30% Grading Scale: A+ 95 B C D A 90 B C D A B C F Midterm (30%) A midterm exam is scheduled for February. The exam will consist of a variety of questioning methods, and may require some statistical analyses. Final Examination (30%): The final examination is timetabled and administered during the University's final examination period and will be set for Wednesday, April 22. It will assess material that has been covered since the midterm. The exam will consist of a variety of questioning methods and will require some inferential statistical analyses. Research Portfolio or Applied Research Project (30%) The major assignment will be either an applied research project or a research portfolio consisting of a number of applied research exercises that relate to the text or the research process. The applied research project will focus on the design and execution of a mini-research project. Students will complete either assignment as individuals, in pairs, or in teams of no more than three, depending upon the particular assignment. Examples of potential research projects include: Design and administration of a research survey Conduct of a focus-group and transcript analysis Conducting an in-depth personal interview with transcript analysis Conducting secondary research Conducting observational research Conducting experimental research This assignment is due at the beginning of class (6:00 pm) on April 13, 2010, and by its nature, cannot be submitted electronically. 2

3 Attendance and Participation (10%) Your regular attendance and full participation in class will enhance your chances for success and contribute to a more positive and productive learning environment for all of us. Accordingly, 10% of the total course mark will be attributed to attendance (5%, objectively determined by attendance records) and participation (5%, subjectively determined by the instructor). Student Performance Expectations: As your instructor I will do what I can to enable you to succeed in this course in proportion to the degree to which you wish to invest the necessary effort. To that end, I will provide detailed outlines as to the specific expectations for the examinations and the research portfolio. Dates for examinations and key assignments are already published in the schedule on the next page. As such, students are expected to meet the deadlines as outlined. Students who miss the final examination without prior notification and compliance with the University calendar's policy will receive a grade of 0 for that examination unless they can provide written evidence to support an exceptional circumstance [i.e. medical certificate]. Late portfolio submissions will be penalized 15% per day [including weekends] and may not be accepted if more than three days late unless prior arrangements were made and/or proof of exceptional circumstances provided. Plagiarism, cheating or other forms of misconduct will result in failure of part or all of the course components and will be reported. See the University of Lethbridge Calendar (p of the Calendar) for details of the University s policies with respect to student conduct." Basically the keys to success are: come to class, do the readings, plan and begin your work early, and ask for help when you're not sure of something. 3

4 Class Schedule Date Area Investigated Readings 12-Jan Introduction to Course The Role of Business Research Chapter 1 Information Systems and Knowledge Management Chapter 2 19-Jan Theory Building Chapter 3 The Research Process Chapter 4 26-Jan Ethical Issues in Research Chapter 5 Problem Definition and the Research Proposal Chapter 6 2-Feb Survey Research: An Overview Chapter 9 Communications with Respondents Chapter 10 9-Feb Experimental Research Chapter 12 Measurement and Scaling Concepts Chapter Feb 23-Feb Reading Break Midterm Exam *2-Mar Qualitative Research Tools Chapter 7 Secondary Data Research Chapter 8 Observational Methods On line lecture Chapter 11 9-Mar Attitude Measurement Chapter 14 Questionnaire Design Chapter Mar Sample Designs and Procedures Chapter 16 Determining of Sample Chapter 17 Fieldwork Chapter 18 Communicating Results Chapter Mar Editing and Coding Chapter 19 Basic Data Analysis Chapter Mar Univariate Statistics Chapter 21 Bivariate Statistics Chapter 22 6-Apr Bivariate Statistics Chapter 23

5 13-Apr Review Research Project due 20-Apr Final Examination