Applied Research Methods teaching plan (30 hours),
2017
For 35 & 7-8 (full) Group
(JKKH) dated: June 3, 2017
Online version: http://josephkkhoworkdiary.blogspot.hk/2017/05/applied-research-methods-teaching-plan.html
[Feb. 27]
Primary deadlines information
to students: The Dissertation Synopsis Form due date is 9 Aug 2017
and Dissertation Proposal due date is 27 Sep 2017. The Dissertation submission
due is in May 2018. This is the same as part-time one.
Session
(3 hours each)
|
Topics
|
Readings/
activities
|
1. On
research proposal and research methodology
June 8:
19:00-22:00, 2017
|
1. Nature
and skills required for formulating dissertation proposal
2. Basic
nature on research process
3. Introduction
of local university theses portals to access dissertation reports with local
contents
|
· Saunders et
al. (2012: section 1.2: The nature of research; 1.3: business and
management research; 1.4: the research process).
|
2. Layers
of management research: an introduction
June 15:
19:00-22:00, 2017
|
1. From
research philosophies, to inductive/ deductive reasoning, to a range of
research strategies
2. On
ontology and epistemology
|
· Saunders et
al. (2012: Chapter 4, primarily the “research onion”: pg. 128)
· Saunders et
al. (2012: 145-148: inductive and deductive reasoning)
· Saunders et
al. (2012: 130-132: ontology)
· Saunders et
al. (2012: 132-134: epistemology)
|
3. Quantitative
vs. qualitative research methods; inductive vs deductive
reasoning
June
22: 19:00-22:00 2017
|
1. Explanation
of quantitative and qualitative research
2. Review
of dissertation report samples from local university theses portals
3. Inductive
vs deductive reasoning: an elaboration
|
· Saunders et
al. (2012: Chapter 12: analyzing quantitative data; chapter 13: analyzing
qualitative data)
· Saunders et
al. (2012: 145-148: inductive and deductive reasoning). Also see Facebook
page on reasoning (url address:
https://www.facebook.com/Literature-on-reasoning-1589559494676577/).
|
4. Correlation
analysis; literature review I
June
29: 19:00-22:00, 2017
|
1. Correlation
analysis
2. Literature
review skills: elaboration I
3. Review
of relevant academic articles on local topics related to correlation analysis
and literature review
|
· Saunders et
al. (2012: section 12.5: examining relationships, differences and trends
using statistics).
· Saunders et
al. (2012: Chapter 3: critically reviewing the literature).
· Facebook
page on correlation analysis (url address: https://www.facebook.com/literature.correlation.analysis/).
|
5. Dissertation
report writing skills; literature review II; primary vs secondary
data; case study research I
July 6:
19:00-22:00, 2017
|
1. Review
dissertation report writing quality with local universities’
dissertation report samples
2. Literature
review skills – elaboration II
3. Primary
vs secondary data: nature and gathering methods
4. Case
study research I
|
· Saunders et
al. (2012: Chapter 3: Critically reviewing the literature)
· Saunders et
al. (2012: Chapter 8 (using secondary data) and Chapter 9:
Collecting primary data through observation)
· Yin
(1989; chapter 1: Introduction)
|
6. Discuss
potential local dissertation topics of interest to students; case study
research II; Focus group approach; survey research
July
13: 19:00-22:00, 2017
|
1. Examine
local potential dissertation topics of interest to students
2. Case
study research II
3. Focus
group approach
4. Survey
research
|
· Class
brainstorming of dissertation topics in local contexts (1 hour 30
min).
· Yin
(1989; chapters 2-6)
· Saunders et
al. (2012: 176-178: Survey)
· Saunders et
al. (2012: section 10.8: group interview and focus groups)
|
7. Observational
research; interview; action research
July
20: 19:00-22:00, 2017
|
1. Observational
research
2. Interview
3. Action
research
4. Discussion
of how research methods can be applied in dissertation projects in local
settings, with special reference to case study research
|
· Saunders et
al. (2012: Chapter 9: Collecting primary data through observation)
· Saunders et
al. (2012: Chapter 10: Collecting primary data using semi-structured,
in-depth and group interviews)
· Saunders et
al. (2012: 183-184: Action research)
· Examine
the local case of 759 store annual report (url address: http://www.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/SEHK/2015/0824/LTN20150824524.pdf) to
brainstorm specific case study research design: class exercise. (1
hour 30 min.)
|
8. Experiment;
ethnography; experiment
July
27: 19:00-22:00, 2017
|
1. Experiment
research methods (true experiment and quasi-experiment)
2. Ethnographic
research
3. Discussion
of how research methods can be applied in dissertation projects in local
settings, with special reference to case study research
|
· Saunders et
al. (2012: 174-176): Experiment
· Saunders et
al. (2012: 181-182): Ethnographic research
· Examine
the local case of HKTV network Limited annual report (url address: http://ir.hktv.com.hk/pdf/announcement/E_annual_report.pdf) to
brainstorm specific case study research design: class exercise. (1
hour 30 min.)
|
9. Content
analysis; grounded theory;
Aug 3:
19:00-22:00, 2017
|
1. Content
analysis: basic techniques
2. Grounded
theory: basic ideas, including thematic analysis
3. Discussion
of how research methods can be applied in dissertation projects in local
settings, with special reference to case study research
|
· Facebook
page on cotent analysis (url address: https://www.facebook.com/literature.contentanalysis.documentstudy/).
· Saunders et
al. (2012: 185-187): Grounded theory.
· Examine
the local case of Esprit annual report (url address: http://www.esprit.com/investor_relations/financial_information/annual_interim_reports/ )
to brainstorm specific case study research design: class exercise. (1
hour 30 min.)
|
10. Research methods quality: validity, reliability,
relevance, etc.; research ethics
Aug 10:
19:00-22:00, 2017
|
1. Explanation
of attributes of research methods quality: validity (internal, external and ecological),
reliability, relevance, etc.
2. Discussion
of how research methods can be applied in dissertation projects in local
settings
3. Basic
research ethics ideas
4. A
revision on how to formulate a dissertation proposal and produce a
dissertation report with a local research topic.
|
· Saunders et
al. (2012: 192-194): Reliability and validity.
· Saunders et
al. (2012: section 6.5; 6.6): research ethics.
· Examine
the local case of Sa Sa annual report (url address: Examine the local case of
HKTV network Limited annual report (url address: http://corp.sasa.com/en/investor-relations/annual-and-interim-report) to
brainstorm specific case study research design: class exercise. ) to
brainstorm specific case study research design: class exercise. (1
hour 30 min.)
|
Total number of hours spent on case studies: 7 hours 30 min.
References
Saunders, M., P.Lewis and A. Thornhill. 2012. Research Methods
for Business Students, Pearson. [textbook].
Yin, R.K. 1989. Case study research: Design and Methods,
Sage.
Some advice from UK staff on dissertation projects
Some advice from UK staff on dissertation projects
Previous teaching e -resource:
