Unit information: Research Methods in Global Operations and Supply Chain Management in 2019/20

Unit name	Research Methods in Global Operations and Supply Chain Management
Unit code	EFIMM0071
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Dr. Zhang
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	Nil
Co-requisites	Nil
School/department	School of Management - Business School
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

The unit aims to enable students to gain an understanding of qualitative, quantitative and mixed research methods appropriate to address the issues encountered in academia and practice. It provides evidence to inform management decision-making and academic study within the operations, supply chain and logistics management fields. It is designed to provide students with knowledge and skills to collect, critically evaluate, interpret and present relevant research. During the delivery of the unit students will:

• Be encouraged to engage with a variety of academic perspectives that inform management research and decision-making in operations, supply chain management and logistics contexts.
• Use methods to address research problems with an emphasis on appropriate quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods approaches.
• Learn and apply knowledge and understanding in response to technological and societal changes and the consideration of the future of organisations and their external environment.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Critically analyse a range of academic perspectives with reference to their role in the creation and use of different types of knowledge;
2. Demonstrate an appreciation of the contextual relevance of such perspectives in research design and in the selection of appropriate analytical techniques;
3. Discuss how culture and the values of the researcher, and others with an interest in the outcome of research, affect the research process and how data are gathered and used;
4. Evaluate the role of research-based knowledge and evidence in complex managerial decision-making and policy formation;
5. Make informed decisions about appropriate methodologies, commonly-used methods and any particular challenges of undertaking management research in a global context;
6. Appraise the ethical and practical issues arising in carrying out research, and take account of these issues when developing a research proposal.

Teaching Information

The learning process will be based on a combination of lectures and seminars involving in-class discussion of each topic which is combined with hands-on experience of real business cases and simulation games. More emphasis will be placed on research, decision making and other problem-solving activities. Some of these sessions may be hosted by guest lecturers from industry or other academic institutions.

Teaching and learning is mostly a combination of lectures, interactive sessions, practical workshops (including the use of software for data analyses) and small group classes, including individual and group presentations. Independent study and wide reading are essential for making the most of the contact time you have with tutors and student colleagues, and for developing a sophisticated understanding of the programme content.

You will be guided by reading lists and other teaching materials, but also encouraged to pursue your own lines of enquiry.

There are 20 hours of lectures and 10 hours of seminars (total 30 class contact hours). The majority of the learning hours will be spent in independent study and in the preparation of assessments. You are expected to follow up references in the text or posted on Blackboard and read the topics. You should plan to spend about 2-4 hours per week to reading.

Assessment Information

Formative Assessment (ILO 1,2,4 and 5)

The formative assessment is a literature review of the topic for research. The review is to be 2000 words focused on one of the topics specified in the handbook and is part of the research proposal.

Summative Assessment (ILO1-6)

The summative assessment is a research proposal (weighted at 80%) and a viva (weighted at 20%). The assignment includes an individually written proposal (80%) and a student presentation (20%) which is a 10 minute viva on their proposal. The maximum word length for the proposal is 3500 words.

Reading and References

Students are encouraged to read extensively around their subject to inform their knowledge. Students should draw from a range of sources which may include academic texts and papers, practitioner books and journals, market reports and online sources.

Core Texts

Bryman, A. and Bell, E. (2015) Business Research Methods, 4th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press [ISBN: 9780199668649]

Recommended Reading:

Davies, M. B. (2007) Doing a Successful Research Project: using qualitative or quantitative methods. London: Palgrave Macmillan

Denscombe, M. (2010) The Good Research Guide: For Small-Scale Social Research Projects, 4th ed. Maidenhead: Open University Press [electronic resource]

Robson, C. (2011) Real World Research: A Resource for Social Scientists and Practitioner Researchers, 3rd ed. Oxford: Blackwell

Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2009) Research Methods for Business Students. 5th ed. Harlow: Financial Times, Prentice Hall