This module aims to introduce students to research in business and management research. The module provides a broad grounding in social science, but remains targeted on the concerns of business and management. Students will be encouraged to reflect on the purpose of knowledge creation including their own motivations for engaging with business and management research.

(LO1) Understand what social science is and why social science matters. / Understand historical developments and key debates in social science.

(LO2) Understand the relationship and tensions between social science practice and business and management research.

(LO3) Be aware of a range of different approaches to what constitutes ‘good’ research in business and management.

(LO4) Be familiar with debates about the purpose and relevance of management research and the processes of knowledge creation and dissemination into managerial practice;

(LO5) Understand key concepts in management research including polarities of approaches found in objectivism -v- constructionism; modernism -v- postmodernism; quantitative -v- qualitative distinctions, etc., and be able to apply them critically;

(LO6) Have a critical awareness of the influence of politics and ethics on management research

(LO7) Critically understand the idea and process of theory building.

(S1) Communication skills. Students will develop communication skills via group discussions, in-class presentations and coursework. This will be assessed by written assignment.

(S2) Problem solving skills. Students will be challenged to think about organisational issues and dilemmas. They will do this by gathering and synthesising information, analysing alternative perspectives and options and presenting a considered opinion or course of action in their course assessment.

(S3) IT skills. Students will have opportunities to improve their ICT skills in the use of software applications including word processing, visual presentations, databases, spreadsheets and using the internet for information searches in the course of researching and presenting coursework.

(S4) Organisational skills. This applies to all modules of the programme and is relevant for planning scheduled work and meeting assessment deadlines. This will be evident in the students' independent management of their assignments and coursework and by meeting coursework deadlines.

Online synchronous lectures x 8 hours (4 x 2 hours)

Online synchronous seminars/drop-in sessions for Q&A, reflection, or other discussion-based activities x 4 hours (4 x 1 hour)

Face-to-face introductory session early in the year to help students get to know their ULMS cohort in person and to provide information about ways to stay socially connected virtually x 1 hour

Face-to-face drop-in session for assessment queries x 1 hour

Field Work x 78 hours
Students will independently engage with secondary data within their own field to enable them to get to grips with the broad field of social science research, and how to locate their own studies within this.

Self-directed learning x 108 hours

Session 1: The nature of knowledge in social science: explanation and understanding

Session 2: The nature of knowledge in business and management studies

Session 3: Building theory in business and management studies

Session 4: Critical approaches to knowledge and method in business and management studies