This module is discontinued in the selected year. The information shown below is for the academic year that the module was last running in, prior to the year selected.

2014/15 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

LUBS2875 Research Methods for International Business

10 creditsClass Size: 100

Module manager: Prof. Jeremy Clegg
Email: ljc@lubs.leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2014/15

Pre-requisite qualifications

LUBS2875 is a pre-requisite for the study of the following modules;
- LUBS3320

This module is mutually exclusive with

LUBS1775

Research Methods for Management

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module explains the principles underlying the discovery of new ideas, theories and empirical relationships in the field of International Business. It gives you, as an International Business student, a toolkit for recognising good quality research (the ability to criticise research) and understanding where to start in conducting your own research. It provides you with understanding of different research philosophies and the knowledge of how to apply these to designing the research that forms the basis of your undergraduate dissertations.

Objectives

This module aims to give students a sound grounding in research methods at the level sufficient to enable their undertaking of a research project to meet the requirements of the International Business dissertation (LUBS3320) module, within the Programme.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module students will be able to identify and explain:
- The concept of the scientific method
- The principles of epistemology
- The debate between different “world views” in the conduct of scientific discovery , and why these differences exist
- The logic underpinning the identification of a research question, and to design a piece of research

Skills outcomes
Transferable.
- critical thinking and critical awareness of alternative research methods
- research skills for the world of work beyond the academic environment
- design a research project and write a research proposal
- identify, locate and review relevant literature for a project
- evaluate research strategies, data collection methods and data analysis methods in the context of a particular project

Subject Specific:
- critically assess the academic literature for original ideas and findings that forms the theoretical and empirical core of the Programme
- identify the strengths and shortcomings of the scientific basis of knowledge in International Business and its supporting disciplines
- analyse international business research (e.g., journal articles) which over claim or have weak research methods

Syllabus

Indicative content:
Introduction to BSc dissertation and International Business as a research field; (2) Literature Review and conceptual framework; (3) Advanced Library Training; (4) Data Collection I - Interviews & Observations;(5) Qualitative Analysis; (6) Data Collection II – Questionnaires; (7) Data Collection III - Secondary data;( 8) Quantitative Analysis (9) BSc dissertation Rationale;(10) Revision; plus (11) Drop in practical session with the Faculty Team Librarian (FTL).

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Class tests, exams and assessment	10	1.00	10.00
Lecture	11	1.00	11.00
Seminar	5	1.00	5.00
Private study hours			74.00
Total Contact hours			26.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			100.00

Private study

- Students are required to submit a research rationale for their proposed dissertation topic, which involves 20 hours of private study time through literature reviews and evaluation of available research methods and 20 hours for assimilation of concepts and research techniques taught during lectures.
- Students will also be required to prepare for seminars.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Students' progress will be monitored through class discussion of the case studies considered in the seminars. During these sessions students will be expected to apply the theoretical knowledge gained during lectures and their private study to answering case study questions.

Students will be given feedback on their responses by the lecturer during the class and they will also be provided with suggested responses to the case studies in written-form (or on the VLE) after the class has finished.

Students will have the opportunity to discuss draft research proposals with module staff to identify areas of problematic understanding to enable them to prepare for the summative assessment at the conclusion of the module.

The marks and feedback from this in conjunction with class discussions during the module will enable student to gauge progress during the course of the module prior to the summative assessment at the conclusion of the module (30% for ACW and 70% by unseen exam).

Students can also obtain feedback on a one-to-one basis from the module manager and lecturers outside the class setting.

Methods of assessment

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)	2 hr 00 mins	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 26/02/2015

Disclaimer

Browse Other Catalogues

• Undergraduate module catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate module catalogue
• Undergraduate programme catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate programme catalogue

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team.PROD