COURSE SYLLABUS: MGMT 5320 Research Methods
Winter 2012- Tucson Campus
Mission Statement
Wayland Baptist University exists to educate students in an academically
challenging, learning-focused and distinctively Christian environment for
professional success, and service to God and humankind.
Instructor:
Dr. Charles Motzko, P.E.
Office:
Tucson Campus
Cell Phone:
(520) 744-7528 (9:00am – 9:00pm)
Email:
charles.motzko@wayland.wbu.edu
Course Web Site:
www.wbu.edu
Office Hours:
Before/After Class or by Appointment
Class Day and Hours:
Tuesday; 6:00 pm – 9:15 pm
Class Location:
Tucson Campus, 6235 E. Broadway Blvd (520) 792-1506
DESCRIPTION:
This course provides an overview of business research and the requirements needed to conduct quality business research.
Business research is conducted to provide trustworthy information on business problems or issues by systematically applying one
of a family of methods. In some form affects many aspects of our business and personal lives. Unfortunately, there is questionable
research that can that can lead to poor management decisions. This knowledge from this class will help inform students how to
read and understand research reports, analyze and interpret results, prepare a research design, and finalize a research project.
Moreover, we will explore the work of others to contrast “good” research with “bad” research.
Students will also demonstrate their grasp of the fundamentals of research by developing and presenting the results of a
comprehensive research project. Students will conduct their research by developing a management dilemma - research question(s)
hierarchy, an appropriate research design (with hypothesis testing), and by collecting data, conducting the data analyses, and
presenting the findings and conclusions.
All written assignments in this class will comply with the writing style contained in the Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association (APA).
TEXTBOOK:
BOOK
AUTHOR
ED
YEAR
PUBLISHER
Business Research Methods
Cooper
11th
2011
McGraw-Hill
ISBN#
0073373702
Optional Material: Academic Journals, Business Magazines and Websites, Newspapers, and Internet search engines results.
OUTCOME COMPETENCIES:
Upon completion of this course the student should be able to:
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Apply and explain approaches and techniques required in performing reliable and valid research.
Understand and explain the terminology involved in conducting research.
Demonstrate the methodological and analytical skills relevant to researching a business problem.
Describe the interdisciplinary relationships between business research and other fields.
Present both an oral and written research proposal and report.
Develop a conceptual framework for research methodology.
Prepare a research proposal leading to a research study.
Understand both qualitative and quantitative research methods.
Be able to read and understand research reports.
Dr. Charlie Motzko
MGMT 5320 – Winter 2012-13
Page 1 of 5
Instructor Biography:
Dr. Motzko began his 50+ year business career starting with the U.S. Air Force’s Precision Measurement Equipment
Laboratory (PMEL) program in 1961. After separation from the USAF, he obtained registration as a State of California
Professional Engineer in Quality (1978). He received his Bachelor of Arts in Management (with distinction) in 1982, and
his MBA from UCLA in 1984. In 2008, he received his Doctor of Management based on his global research involving
leadership and the determinants of organizational effectiveness for National Measurement Institutes.
Dr. Motzko has worked in the Aerospace and Defense Industry sector, at the executive level for much of his career, all
culminating in the formation of his own management consultancy in 1996. The consultancy’s area of expertise is
domestic and international regulatory compliance and metrology management. Dr. Motzko is currently serving as Adjunct
Faculty at the Wayland Baptist University Campus Center in Tucson, AZ.
My Educational Philosophy:
My educational philosophy is one of learning by engagement. Lectures and directed class discussion will reinforce the readings,
assignments, and writings. Quizzes, discussions, papers, projects, and examinations will evaluate the students' retention and
assimilation of the course material. I encourage my students to call me with their questions so that we can get those questions
answered as quickly as possible without waiting on email turn around.
Each week, I will facilitate opportunities to explore the subject matter through class discussion, student assignments, and critical
thinking. Through formative assessment of the learner’s weekly performance (quizzes and class discussion), I guide the students
to critical examination and analysis of the subject matter. The course culminates in a project paper and final summative
assessment that provides each student the opportunity to demonstrate their accomplished understanding.
Attendance Policy:
Students should attend all classes. All absences must be explained to the instructor, who will determine whether omitted work
may be made up. If allowed, the late penalty applies. When a student has three absences, in accordance with WBU policy, the
instructor will advise the student and file an unsatisfactory progress/attendance report with the campus dean. Any student that
misses 25 percent the of classes (3+ classes) as unexcused absences will receive a grade of F. Additional attendance policies,
as defined by the instructor in the course syllabus, are considered part of the University’s attendance policy.
Incompletes:
Grades of incomplete are not awarded.
Late Assignments:
Assignments are late if submitted after 11:30pm on the due date. Assignments are usually collected on class night. Late
assignments receive a penalty.
University Grading and Assessment Criteria:
A
90-100
Honor Grade; clear demonstration of complete mastery of the subject
B
80-89
Above Average; mastery of most course concepts
C
70-79
Average; satisfactory performance
D
60-69
Below Average
F
Below 60
Failure to meet minimum course requirements
I
Incomplete
A grade of I is granted only if the student is passing the course, but circumstances
beyond the student’s control prevented completion of required course work during
the term & attendance requirements were met. See catalog for further details.
Dr. Charlie Motzko
MGMT 5320 – Winter 2012-13
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Assessment Criteria
Activity
Participation/Class Assignments
Presentation, Participation and
Deconstruction of Journal Articles
Lead a weekly Chapter Discussion
Research Paper
Research Paper Presentation
Mid-Term Examination
Final Examination
Total Points
Total
Possible Points
90 (10pts/class)
45 (5 pts/class)
35
140
40
50
100
500
Presentation, Participation and Deconstruction of Journal Articles: In order to better understand the complexity of structured
research, each student will be required to bring to class and be prepared to discuss a research report/article each class week.
Analyses of scholarly articles help students learn writing of the literature review and clarify how to make theory from the
textbook “come alive.” One way of understanding the relationship between theory and practice is by working through the
definition by Kerlinger (1973) "...as logically interrelated constructs that present a systematic view of phenomena by specifying
relationships among variables, with the purpose of explaining and predicting the phenomena."
Lead Chapter Discussions: Students will be assigned as facilitators for assigned chapters during the term. Facilitators are expected to
encourage active learning (e.g., student feedback/questions in a seminar format); as such, please refrain from a straight lecture
format.
Research Study: Students will complete one major research paper. Topic selection for the research paper will be discussed during the
first class session. Each topic must be approved by the instructor. Students will present study updates at selected classes (specified
in Assignments) during the course. See “Cases” on Page 703 of the text, for a starting point for research paper topic. Other topics
may be submitted for approval. I have included a booklet(13 pages) titled “CASE STUDY METHODOLOGY” that may be used as
supplemental resource to introduce rigor and structure to your research paper. The booklet will be available in class and under the
“Course Resource” tab in Blackboard.
The research paper is due at Week ten. Research papers must comply with the writing style contained in the Publication Manual
of the American Psychological Association, 6th edition (APA 6th edition). Papers will be a minimum of 5,000 words , and contain
at least 10 references (40 percent within the past 5 years, and 40 percent from peer-reviewed journals). In addition, students will
orally present in a professional manner their research study to the class. The presentation will be between 10 - 15 minutes in
duration, and contain appropriate visual aids.
The research paper is the major product for this course and students receive a grade of “F” if a completed research paper
is not submitted.
Examinations: The mid-term examination and a final examination will be administered. Each exam will be two hours in length.
Other Important Course Information:
1.
Assigned assignments (homework)are due at the beginning of each class. No late homework will be accepted without the
prior approval of the instructor. Approval could be granted only if the student has informed the instructor of an absence prior
to the class.
2.
Missed quizzes or exams cannot be made-up at a later date as a matter of policy. Extraordinary circumstances will be
considered on a case-by-case basis. Consideration to administer a quiz or exam other than on the scheduled date will occur
only if the student receives approval from the instructor prior to the scheduled quiz/exam date.
3.
All written assignments must comply with the APA (6th edition) writing style. Grammar as well as content and organization
of contents will be a part of the grading criteria of each assignment.
4.
Any student who has questions about an assigned grade must make an appointment with the instructor so that issues can be
resolved within a week after the assignment is returned to the student. This is to avoid questions about grade questions arising
at the end of the course or after the course is over.
Dr. Charlie Motzko
MGMT 5320 – Winter 2012-13
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5.
All exams and homework are to be the work of the student, except when the assignment is a group assignment. A violation
(cheating or plagiarism) will result in a "zero" for the assignment. Importantly, if the violation occurs on either the midterm
or final examination, or on the final research paper, the student will receive an "F" as the class grade. Academic honesty is
expected of all (see statement below). Cheating or plagiarism may include: using unauthorized assistance on any in-class or
take-home examination, paper, or project; presenting the work of someone else as your own without acknowledging the
source; taking exams or course material from an instructor or student; or submitting the same academic work for credit more
than once without consent.
6.
Students need to use the WBU eLibrary to access information for the research project.
7.
Please no beepers or cellular phones in class unless they are placed on the silent or vibrating mode.
8.
Please do not bring children to class.
9.
Always contact the instructor if you have difficulty with course material, assignments, or should a personal situation arise
where you need assistance. Contact the instructor as early as possible for direction or assistance.
ACADEMIC STANDARDS:
Students are expected to conduct themselves according to the highest standards of academic honesty. Academic misconduct
subjects the student to penalty. Examples of such misconduct may include all forms of cheating, illicit possession of examinations
or examination materials, forgery, or plagiarism. Plagiarism is the presentation of the work of another as one’s own work. Content
papers without source citations arouse suspicion of plagiarism. See also the Wayland Academic Catalog, page 80.
HANDICAP PROVISION:
It is the University policy that no otherwise qualified disabled person be excluded from participating in, be denied the benefits of,
or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity in the University. See page 4 of the current catalog and
the Statements following.
Statements:
“This class will adhere to zero tolerance for using someone else’s work as your own.”
“It is university policy that no otherwise qualified disabled person be excused from participation in, be
denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity in the
University. Students should inform the instructor of existing disabilities at the first class meeting”
“Students are responsible for reading, understanding, obeying, and respecting all academic policies, with
added emphasis being placed upon academic progress policies, appearing in the Wayland Baptist
University Academic Catalog applicable to their curriculum and/or program of study.”
ACCEPTABLE WEB SITES:
Four types of websites will be accepted as source citations: government (i.e., US, State, local, etc.), academic (i.e., WBU and
other libraries), companies and corporations (i.e., Honeywell, Raytheon, etc.). General-use sites, such as Wikipedia and Google,
are conditionally accepted with one or more supporting academic citations.
WRITING AND DOCUMENTATION ASSISTANCE:
Grammatically accurate writing about course concepts is paramount. A paper’s content is difficult to comprehend when there are
numerous grammatical and documentation shortcomings. Students may receive grammatical assistance from any writing style
guide, and for an American Psychological Association (APA) refresher visit www.apa.org or www.carmun.com. In this course,
the intent is to motivate students to elevate their writing skills to the next level of professionalism.
I will make myself available to act as an editor (time permitting) for those who want a second opinion on format, grammar, style,
punctuation, use of in-text citations, references, etc... Content will always remain the sole responsibility of the author.
Dr. Charlie Motzko
MGMT 5320 – Winter 2012-13
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MGMT 5320 COURSE ASSIGNMENTS – Winter Term; Nov 3, 2012 – Feb 16, 2013
Date
Week 1
Nov 12,
2012
Week 2
Nov 19,
2012
Reading/Topic
Assignment
Read chapters 1 and 2
Read chapters 3 and 4
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Read syllabus
Examine supplemental webpage (URL contained in text and syllabus)
Read chapters 1 and 2
Begin thought process of research topic (See “Cases” on Page 703 of the
text, for a starting point)
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Students lead discussion of chapters 3 and 4
Weekly journal article submission and discussion
Discuss selected research topic
Submit a draft outline of the paper (i.e.: Your research proposal)
nd
THANKSGIVING BREAK – Nov 22
Week 3
Nov 26,
2012
Week 4
Dec 03,
2012
rd
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Read chapters 5 and 6
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Students lead discussion of chapters 5 and 6
Weekly journal article submission and discussion
Submit a draft outline of the paper (i.e.: Your research proposal) [cont.]
Discuss selected research topics
Read chapters 10 and 11
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Students lead discussions of chapters 10 and 11
Weekly journal article submission and discussion
Discuss Sources and Collection of Data for research paper
Week 5
Dec 11,
2012
MID -TERM EXAMINATION
(Chapters 1 – 11, except Chapters 8 & 9)
th
nd
WINTER BREAK – Dec 20 – Jan 2
Week 6
Jan 07,
2013
Read chapters 12 and 13
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Students lead discussions of chapters 12 and 13
Weekly journal article submission and discussion
Research paper status update
Week 7
Jan 28,
2013
Read chapters 8 and 9
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Students lead discussions of chapters 8 and 9
Weekly journal article submission and discussion
Week 8
Jan 14,
2013
Read chapters 15 and 16,
and Appendix 15a
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Students lead discussions of chapters 15, Appendix 15a, and 16
Weekly journal article submission and discussion
Research paper status update
Read chapters 20 and 21
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Students lead discussions of chapters 20 and 21
Weekly journal article submission and discussion
Week 9
Jan 21,
2013
Week 10
Feb 04,
2013
Week 11
Feb 12,
2013
Research Paper
Presentations During Class
Dr. Charlie Motzko
 Present Research Study Findings
 Turn in Research Paper NLT 2/05/2012
FINAL EXAMINATION
(Chapters 1-21, with emphasis on Chapters 12-21 + Chapters 8-9)
MGMT 5320 – Winter 2012-13
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