HI 6008- Business Research T2 2017 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ HOLMES INSTITUTE FACULTY OF HIGHER EDUCATION HOLMES INSTITUTE FACULTY OF HIGHER EDUCATION SUBJECT OUTLINE HI6008 Business Research TRIMESTER 2 / 2017 Holmes Institute is committed to providing the highest quality education in a dynamic, student-centred learning environment. Holmes Institute fosters in its students rational thought, intellectual integrity and social responsibility. www.holmes.edu.auHI6008- Business Research T2 2017 2 FACULTY OF HIGHER EDUCATION Holmes Institute Faculty of Higher Education offers business courses that combine discipline-based excellence with practical application. The faculty operates on campuses in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Hong Kong. The faculty offers a Bachelor of Business, Bachelor of Professional Accounting, Bachelor of Fashion Business, Bachelor of Information Systems, Graduate Diploma in Business, Master of Business Administration and a Master of Professional Accounting. Details about the members of the faculty can be found on the homepage of the Faculty of Higher Education at www.holmes.edu.au/undergraduate. HOLMES INSTITUTE DEGREE PROGRAMS At Holmes Institute, the degree programs offer domestic and international students the opportunity to study a set of contemporary subjects in the field of business. These subjects prepare students for the challenges in business environments of the 21st century. These programs emphasize the global and cross-cultural dimensions of business. Teaching utilizes a combination of delivery methods and includes critical analysis and case study methods. A combination of exams, case studies and company analysis are used in assessment. The Masters’ programs of Holmes Institute focus on:  Developing career related capabilities  Emphasis on business numeracy and literacy  Managerial proficiency  The new economy  Leadership  Entrepreneurship  Social responsibility and ethics SUBJECT OVERVIEW & RATIONALE Welcome from the Subject Coordinator, Professor Zijad Pita HI6008 Business Research seeks to engage students in exploration of the entire business research process and how to plan, organise and carry out own business research project. The entire business research process is investigated in a great detail from defining a suitable business research question, conducting thorough literature review, selecting appropriate research methodology to collect and analyse data, and to write the research paper. Ethics in business research is also addressed.HI6008- Business Research T2 2017 3 SUBJECT OBJECTIVES & LEARNING OUTCOMES On successful completion of this subject you will have the ability to: 1. Demonstrate an understanding of the research planning process ,business research methods and understanding importance of professional ethics, and of how to recognize and address ethical issues when they arise in a business research project 2. Apply concepts of business research to business scenarios. 3. Evaluate the impact of existing business research in a business environment 4. Evaluate and Compare various business research methodologies then apply them to a specific business research project 5. Develop a research proposal, research project plan, literature review to be able to solve business problem and explain research outcomes. 6. Evaluate professional practice issues in business research 7. Justify chosen research methodology (quantitative/qualitative) and explain procedures for data collection, proposed data analysis, and limitations of your proposed study. SUBJECT ADMINISTRATION Awards Duration Core/Elective Subject weight MBA, MPA 1 semester Core 3 credit points Mode of delivery On campus Recommended Prerequisites HI6007 Workload Students are expected to attend all classes Delivery Two hours of lectures and one hour of tutorial every week Independent study 6 hrs CONTACT DETAILS Subject Coordinator Dr Zijad Pita [email protected] Lecturer Melbourne Campus Dr Zijad Pita Dr Mahmoud Bakkar [email protected] [email protected] Lecturer Brisbane Campus Dr Serguei Mikhailitchenko Prof P Ryder Dr David Ponton [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Lecturer Sydney Campus Mr Ross Brennan Mr Stephen Akpa [email protected] [email protected] Lecture Gold Cost Campus Dr Mark Boulle [email protected] Students please note:HI6008- Business Research T2 2017 4 Holmes Institute provides each student with a Holmes webmail. Faculty and Administrative staff can only communicate with you using your Holmes Institute mail address. Emails from private and/or business email accounts cannot be used and may not be answered. CONSULTATION TIMES Please check with your lecturer Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Brisbane Campus Gold Coast Campus Melbourne Campus Sydney Campus STUDENT ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW ASSESSMENT TYPE DUE DATE WEIGHT LENGTH LEARNING OUTCOMES Individual Assessment 1 Literature Review Week 6 30% 2000 to 2500 words 1, 2, 3, 5 Individual Assessment 2 Research Proposal Week 12 50% 1500 to 2000 words 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Individual Assessment 3 Individual Reflective Journal Week 13 20% 1000 to 1500 words 1, 2 ,3 ,4 ,6, 7 STUDENT ASSESSMENT DETAILS Assessment 1 Literature Review - Individual Assignment (2000 to 2500 words) For this assessment, students are expected to demonstrate their understanding of the extant, academic literature related to an approved, business topic. In consultation with their lecturer, students need to decide on a business-related topic/concept. Students need to select approximately eight to twelve (8-12), but at least three (3), peer-reviewed articles or comparable sources (online resource can be accessed using ProQuest or Google Scholar) that are related to the topic (as the basis of their literature review). In the context of their chosen topic, students need to review the articles and sources selected, i. e. read and critically analyses (compare and contrast) the literature. In doing so, students are required to discuss the key ideas/arguments put forward by authors, identify communalities/similarities, differences and conclusions drawn by different authors. Based on this analysis and discussion, students are expected to point out potential gaps in the literature that will form the basis of Assessment 2, the research proposal.HI6008- Business Research T2 2017 5 Marking criteria of the literature review include: the quality and currency of the literature selected; the student’s ability to compare and contrast author’s arguments/viewpoints and identify gaps in the existing literature in the context of the chosen business topic; the demonstrated ability to use Harvard referencing. Assessment 1: Marking Criteria: Marking Criteria’s Marks Literature review scope and objective 5 Comparative Analysis 10 Quality and currency of articles and sources used 5 Gaps identified and conclusions drawn 8 Use of Harvard Referencing 2 TOTAL MARKS 30 Assessment 2 Business Research Proposal - Individual Assignment (1500 to 2000 words) For this assessment, students are expected to present a written research proposal that is based on the literature review (Assessment 1) and demonstrates their understanding of business research/research paradigm. Based on their literature review, students are required to write a business research proposal outlining the details of the proposed research project that addresses the gaps identified in the literature. Derived from the business topic, the proposal needs to include clearly state research questions (primary and secondary), and provide a solid research methodology that supports the feasibility of the research project Marking criteria of the research proposal include: the justification of the research questions that operationalize the research topic; the demonstration of a detailed research methodology addressing research instrument, sample size and sampling approach, research location/s and schedule as well as providing a critical assessment of the limitations of the methodology and the expected outcome of the research project. Assessment 2: Marking Criteria: Marking Criteria’s Marks Research Project Introduction and justification 5 Research Questions and justification 15 Research Methodology 30 TOTAL MARKS 50 Assessment 3: Individual Reflective Journal – Individual Assignment (1000-1500 words) For this assessment, students are expected to write a weekly journal over the duration of the 12-week teaching period that documents a critical analysis of their learning process. In the journal students need to reflect/review how they have progressed with the learning goals related to assessments 1 and 2. Students need to write their individual reflective journal concurrently to performing assessment tasks 1 and 2, i.e. from the first week of the subject. For each week, students need to make journal entries that provide a reflection of their ‘journey’ of gaining, and applying knowledge of the research paradigm. For each week students should reflect and compare the theoretical knowledge with what they apply into practice. As assessment 1 and 2 are completed, students should clearly identify learning goals achieved.HI6008- Business Research T2 2017 6 Assessment 3: Marking Criteria: Marking Criteria’s Marks Introduction and Reflective Journal Scope 5 Critically and depth of learning reflections reflective analysis 10 Conclusion 5 TOTAL MARKS 20 SUBJECT MATERIALS AND RESOURCES Prescribed Textbook: Bryman, A. and Bell, E. (2015), Business Research Methods, (Fourth Edition), UK, Oxford University Press. Recommended Readings: - Zikmund, W. G. (2012), Business Research Methods, (9th edn), USA, Cengage - Sherri L. Jackson (2015), Research Methods and Statistics; Critical Thinking Approach, (5th edn), USA, Cengage. - William, T., James, P. and Arora, K. (2015), Research Methods: The Essential Knowledge Base, (2nd edn), USA, Cengage SUBJECT SYLLABUS Wk Topics scheduled Assessment Tutorial Activities Chapters 1 The nature, process and strategy of business research Tutorial -1- Blackboard Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 2 Research design and planning the research process Tutorial -2- Blackboard Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 3 Literature Review and Writhing Business Research Tutorial -3- Blackboard Chapter 5 and Chapter 29 4 Ethics and Legal Consideration in Business Research Tutorial -4- Blackboard Chapter 6 5 The Nature of qualitative research, sampling and participant observation Tutorial -5- Blackboard Chapter 17, Chapter 18 and Chapter 19 6 Interviewing, Focus Groups and Language in qualitative research Individual Assessment 1 Tutorial -6- Blackboard Chapter 20, Chapter 21 and Chapter 22 7 Qualitative Data Analysis Tutorial -7- Blackboard Chapter 23 and Chapter 24 8 The Nature and Sampling in Quantitative Research Tutorial -8- Blackboard Chapter 7 and Chapter 8 9 Structured Interviewing and Questionary Design Tutorial -9- Blackboard Chapter 9, Chapter 10 and Chapter 11 10 Structured Observation and Content Analysis Tutorial-10- Blackboard Chapter 12 and Chapter 13 11 Secondary Analysis and Quantitative Tutorial-11- Chapter 13 andHI6008- Business Research T2 2017 7 Data Analysis Blackboard Chapter 14 12 Mixed methods research: combining quantitative and qualitative research Individual Assessment 2 Chapter 27 13 n/a Individual Assessment 3 n/a Study week* Exam week* STUDENT ASSESSMENT SUBMISSION AND LATE PENALTIES To be eligible to pass this subject, you must complete all forms of assessment and demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes. All assignments must be submitted electronically ONLY using a word processor, uploaded to Blackboard via the Final Check and Submission of SafeAssign. Submission deadlines are strictly enforced and late submission incurs penalties of 5 (five) % of the assessment value per calendar day unless an extension and/or special consideration has been granted by the lecturer prior to the assessment deadline. Unless an extension and/or special consideration has been granted, no assessments are accepted after 14 calendar days of the due date, or the end of the trimester for assessments due later in a trimester. Students need to allow up to 24 hours for the Final Check of their assignment submission to SafeAssign to be available. VIEWING STUDENT GRADES AND ASSESSMENTS Results, including the final grade, can be viewed via the Grade Centre on Blackboard. Results for all assessments are usually published within two weeks of the due date of the assessment, and the final examination respectively. Students who wish to appeal their mark for any assessment are advised to do so within 14 days of the publication of results (please follow the procedures outlined in the Student Handbook). Please note that students are eligible to view any of their assessments. For continuous assessments during the teaching period, students need to contact their lecturer immediately after the publication of results. For viewing of the final examination script, students need to complete the respective form (available on your Blackboard) and pay the applicable administrative fee. The form needs to be submitted within 14 days of the publication of the final/overall results. Please note that there is no review/remark option available for any student assessments. ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT AND PLAGIARISM Holmes Institute views any forms of academic misconduct as most serious offences. Academic misconduct in any form, including plagiarism, contract cheating and cheating in a class test or examination, is not tolerated and will be dealt with according to the policies and procedures set out in the Holmes Institute Student Handbook. Plagiarism occurs when one uses another person’s ideas or manner of expressing them and passes them off as one’s own work by failing to give appropriate acknowledgement (that is, referencing the source). It is important that student reference their work appropriately. The Faculty of Higher Education at Holmes Institute uses the Harvard style of referencing. A detailed guide to referencing can be found in the Student Handbook and Resource Centres. It is expected that you will be familiar with the Harvard style of referencing.HI6008- Business Research T2 2017 8 STANDARD GRADING SYSTEM AND DISTRIBUTION GRADE LETTER RANGE High Distinction HD 80% and above Distinction D 70 – 79% Credit CR 60 – 69% Pass P 50 – 59% Fail NN 0-45% (did not meet the standard required according to the learning outcomes in the Subject Guide ) Faculty Pass* FP Awarded by Board of Examiners in exceptional circumstances Supplementary Exam Granted (a temporary grade) NS Supplementary examination granted Deferred Exam (a temporary grade) ND Officially Deferred examination Fail NA Student did not submit any work according to the schedule in the Subject Guide No results NR Student did not submit any assessments Result Withheld RW Additional assessment and/or work required Result Withheld WH Outstanding fees or non-return of Holmes Institute materials * This grade is sometimes referred to as a conceded pass at other institutions Explanation of Letter Grade HD Outstanding work which exhibits sophisticated understanding and critical synthesis, analysis and evaluation of the subject matter. While the work utilizes opinions of others, judgements about the value of the subject matter are made and drawn together in an organized whole. Gaps in the subject matter might also be identified and the implications discussed. D Substantial work of high quality, which demonstrates a clear understanding of the subject matter, in which the relationship between the constituent elements are identified clearly and discussed with some level of critical analysis. The work also applies abstract ideas in concrete situations. CR Sound and competent work, which demonstrates a reasonable but not complete grasp of the subject matter. The work utilizes recall and paraphrases the work of others concerning the subject matter. Some basic level of critical analysis is evident. Originality in the work is rarely evident. P Work that demonstrates a satisfactory engagement with the subject matter such that the student is said to have a general understanding of the field. Provides an adequate basis for further study. NN Did not meet the learning objective of the subjectHI6008- Business Research T2 2017 9 USE OF BLACKBOARD Holmes Institute uses Blackboard Learn as its online learning platform. All students enrolled have access to Blackboard and it is imperative that students log onto their Blackboard immediately after they enrol for the trimester. Blackboard Learn allows students to view and download their lecture material, grades, important announcements on their subjects and discussion rooms for selected subjects. Please note that it is the student’s responsibility to check Blackboard on a regular basis. It is expected that students will have viewed lecture materials and additional readings before class. All students are advised to familiarize themselves with the use of Blackboard. Guides to Blackboard are available in the Resource Centre on each campus. Should you have difficulties accessing and/or using Blackboard, please contact your lecturer or the Holmes Institute Blackboard Helpdesk on: [email protected]. USE OF RESOURCE CENTER AND PROQUEST As part of their degree studies, students are expected to engage in additional research. Textbooks and teaching materials available in the Resource Centre will be of use here. In addition, current students have access to a range of electronic academic journals via ProQuest, which is accessible once you log into Blackboard. Holmes Institute also supports students using Google Scholar. Should you require any assistance with the use of ProQuest and/or online research, please contact your lecturer and/or the Resource Centre staff on your campus. STUDY SKILLS & ACADEMIC SUPPORT Students who have difficulties with their studies and/or specific forms of assessment are encouraged to contact their lecturer/tutor, academic mentor or the Student Engagement and Support Coordinator. Holmes Institute offers regular Academic and Study Skills Workshops throughout the semester, which are useful addressing important academic skills and are free for any student to attend. Students with insufficient academic progress may be required to attend these workshops and sessions with the Academic Progress Team. Academic and Study Skills Workshops are offered throughout the trimester for essay writing, doing research using ProQuest, giving business presentations, referencing and examination preparations. Announcements are made on your Blackboard and on noticeboards on campus.HI6008- Business Research T2 2017 10 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - FAQs Do I need to obtain 50% in each assessment to pass a subject? NO, in order to pass any subject, you need to meet two requirements, namely achieve an overall mark of 50 or more AND obtain at least 40% of possible marks in the final examination (hurdle or threshold requirement). There is no hurdle or threshold requirement for assessments other than the final examination though and you can still pass the subject if you got less than 50% in any assessment – excluding the final examination. I missed an assessment for a subject, do I now fail the subject? Whilst Holmes Institute requires that you attempt all pieces of assessments prescribed for any subject, there may be circumstances, where you can still pass a subject even if you have missed an assessment. When you miss a class test due to medical reasons and you submit a medical certificate within three working days, for example, you may be eligible to have the weight of the class test added to the final examination. Please see the Student Handbook for details. Can I view my assessments? As a student, you are entitled to view any of your assessments, that is any assignment but also the class test for any subject, and upon request/application also the final examination script. Please note that viewing any assessment is an administrative process and no academic advice is given and students are neither allowed to take pictures or notes of the assessment. Students are only allowed to view any assessment with an administrator present, and for a limited period of time (please check the Student Handbook for details). Other than assignments, the class test and examination script remains the property of Holmes Institute. Where can I see my marks and grades? All your results will be available via the Grade Centre on your Blackboard. You can access the results for each subject in the respective folder. Please ensure that you familiarise yourself with the letter grades, especially for the temporary grades of NS (supplementary examination awarded) and ND (deferred examination), which can be found earlier in this subject outline. I got a final result of 52/NS. Have I passed the subject? NO, as the letter grade NS (supplementary examination awarded) indicates, you have not passed the subject, but you have been awarded the opportunity to pass the subject if you successfully pass the supplementary examination. Please familiarise yourself with the Supplementary Examination Policy in the Student Handbook. When do I need to attempt a NS/supplementary or ND/deferred examination? If you have been awarded a supplementary (NS) or deferred (ND) examination, you are required to sit the examination during the next examination period for these examinations, which is different from the final examination period at the end of the teaching period each trimester. I missed to sit for a NS/supplementary or ND/deferred examination, do I have to repeat the subject? YES, if you do not attempt any supplementary or deferred examination during the designated examination period, you will receive a Fail/NN grade and you have to repeat the subject. I have a question about the subject material and/or assessments, who do I contact? For any questions related to any subject you study, the first point of contact is always your lecturer. The subject outline includes the contact details of each lecturer on each campus. Please ensure that you use your Holmes Webmail for any email correspondence with your lecturer. I did not submit my assignment by the due date, can I still submit and receive marks? If you submit your assignment after the due date, penalties of 5% of the weight of the assignment apply per day that you submit late. A maximum penalty of 50% applies. Your lecturer may not accept your assignment if you submit later than 14 days after the due date. If you are late with your assignment, please contact your lecturer. I am not a member of a group for my group assignment. What do I do, can I submit individually? If you work submit a group assignment individually, you may be penalized and only receive 50% of the mark of your assignment. If you don’t have a group to work with, please urgently consult your lecturer. I have problems with members in my group. What can I do, who do I contact?HI6008- Business Research T2 2017 11 Each group is required to manage its members and contributions. In exceptional circumstances, however, and where initial negotiation attempts of the group members were unsuccessful, you should contact your lecturer.HI6008- Business Research T2 2017 12 STUDENT ASSISTANCE Studying at degree level, you may experience a number of difficulties and/or challenges. These might involve academic, personal and/or professional issues. At Holmes Institute, we have a range of people who can help you with various challenges. The following table identifies contact points should you require any support. Although we may be able to help on the spot, please note that we can help best if you make an appointment. Please use your Holmes webmail to communicate with staff at the institute at all times. SUPPORT REQUIRED WHO TO CONTACT Information for Current Students Holmes Institute Student Handbook Academic Probation / Mentoring Academic Mentors, Dean Accommodation Holmes Institute Home Stay Computers, Blackboard, Email IT and Blackboard Help Desk emails: [email protected]; [email protected] Disability Needs Holmes Institute Campus Directors Employment and Careers Career Development Team Enrolment Registrar, Higher Education Coordinator on Campus Exams Registrar, Higher Education Coordinator on Campus Financial Issues Holmes Institute Campus Directors Personal Issues Dean, Student Engagement and Support Team, Campus Director Proquest Database Librarian on Campus Study Skills Student Engagement and Support Team Visa Issues, COEs etc. Registrar, Higher Education Coordinator on Campus This subject outline was prepared by the Course Development Team for the Undergraduate Programs, Faculty of Higher Education, Holmes Institute. It was correct at the time of publication. Change to the Subject Outline may occur at any time. However, the Faculty of Higher Education endeavours to inform the students accordingly. This publication is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism, or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process or placed in computer memory without written permission. Enquires should be made to Holmes Institute Faculty of Higher Education. © Copyright 2017.HI6008- Business Research T2 2017 13 GLOSSARY OF DIRECTION WORDS FOR ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS Analyse Show the nature of something identifying the essential elements and g how they are related. Argue Present the case for and/or against a particular proposition. Compare Identify the characteristics/qualities that resemble each other. Look for similarities but also differences. Contrast Emphasize differences between things, events, problems, or qualities. Criticise Express your judgement about the truth of factors or views mentioned. Come to conclusions and discuss the positive points as well as possible limitations. Define Give clear and concise meanings of an item. Do not provide a detailed explanation but include limits of the definition and how the item defined differs from other items. Describe Recount, characterise, outline, and relate in sequence. Discuss Examine, analyse and give reasons for and against. Be comprehensive in your answer and give details, usually to assess how satisfactory something is. Evaluate Carefully appraise in relation to some standard including advantages, limitations, the costs and benefits as appropriate; attempt to make a judgement. Examine Investigate critically, appraise a subject or matter in detail. Explain Clarify, interpret, and elaborate on the material presented. Give reasons for differences of opinion or results, and try to analyse reasons behind it. Illustrate Use a concrete example, diagram, or figure to explain or clarify a problem or issue. Indicate Identify and then focus attention so as to clarify. Justify Prove or give reasons for particular conclusions or decisions. Outline Present the main features or aspects showing main points and subordinate points. Do not include minor details and emphasize the classification of things. Review Examine a subject critically, analysing and commenting on important or controversial statements. State Present the main points in a brief and clear sequence. Do not give specific details or examples. Summarise Give the main points or facts in a condensed, concise form. (Source: Adapted from Monash University, http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/quickrefs/29-direction-words.xml, accessed 14 February 2013)