Methodology of Writing the MA Thesis

This course initiates research as practised in business and management disciplines. It provides a critical examination of the key quantitative and qualitative methodologies that are needed to undertake, evaluate and present an original research project. Following an foreword to research the course will move on to explore the major paradigms and debates in business research. It will help students to build appropriate strategies for reviewing literature and developing a coherent set of aims and objectives for a thesis. It identifies how to develop research questions/hypotheses and how to produce a robust and realistic thesis proposal.

This course initiates research as practised in business and management disciplines. It provides a critical examination of the key quantitative and qualitative methodologies that are needed to undertake, evaluate and present an original research project. Following an foreword to research the course will move on to explore the major paradigms and debates in business research. It will help students to build appropriate strategies for reviewing literature and developing a coherent set of aims and objectives for a thesis. It identifies how to develop research questions/hypotheses and how to produce a robust and realistic thesis proposal.

Bryman A., Bell E., (2007), Business Research Methods (2nd edition), Oxford: Oxford University PressLancaster G., (2005), Research Methods in Management, Oxford: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann.

Saunders M., Lewis P., Thornhill A., (2009), Research Methods for Business Students (4th Edition), New Jersey: Financial Times/Prentice Hall.

Thody A., (2006), Writing and Presenting Research, SAGE Publications

Maylor H., Blackmon K., Researching Business and Management (2005), New York, Palgrave Macmillan

Case studies

Assignment - Written dissertation proposal 100%

The proposal should address the following topics: background, academic context, research objectives, methodology, timescale and resources, literature, and be a starting point for the process of preparing the dissertation (25000 words, 7 pages).