Course GM0407 Research Methods in Industrial Management
Course GM0810 Research Methods in Management
2011 Room Main Topic Readings Teacher
Mon Nov 7
11:15-
13:00
C22
Introduction and
Overview
1, 2 Brink
Task
Hand out T1:
Review of Thesis
Handout T3:
Preliminary research proposal
Wed
Mon
Wed
Nov 9
Nov 14
Nov 16
11:15-
13:00
10:15-
13:00
10:15-
13:00
C22
C22
C22
Writing your thesis /
Writing a report
Nature of problem – 7
“new” techniques &
Problem solving
Lit rev
3,27
4
Brink
Brink
Brink
Mon Nov 21
10:15-
13:00
C22
Qualitative research, interview
16, 8, 18 Brink
T2 (small group):
Do and analyse 3 interviews
Wed Nov 23
10:15-
13:00
C22
Observation,
Ethnography Focus groups
11,17,19 Brink
Mon Nov 28
10:15-
13:00
C22 Qualitative analysis 12,22,23 Brink
Wed Nov 30
10:15-
13:00
C22
Reflections and
Critical thinking
(paradigms and perspectives)
24, (5,25) Brink
Fri Dec 2 24:00
Hand in T2:
Analyse your results
Mon
Wed
Mon
Wed
Dec 5
Dec 7
Dec 12
Dec 14
10:15-
13:00
10:15-
13:00
10:15-
13:00
10:15-
13:00
C22
C22
C22
C22
Quantitative research
Quantitative data analysis
6,7,9,10,
*
14, (13,
15), *
Quantitative research
Quantitative data analysis
*
*
Bourelos
Bourelos
Wikhamn
Wikhamn
Mon Jan 9 12:00
Hand in T3 Draft
Research proposal
Wed/Tur
Jan
11/12
2*3h ?
Presentations & feedback
Brink,
Middel,
Wikhamn
,
Bourelos
Sun
Sun
Jan 15
Jan 15
24:00
24:00 - -
Hand in T3
Research proposal
Hand in

* selected chapters from the following books:
Blumberg, Cooper, & Schindler (2011 or 2008) Business Research Methods (European
Edition), McGraw-Hill Higher Education
Cooper & Schindler (2011) Business Research Methods (International Edition)
Task 1: Analysis of a Masters thesis (Individually)
The objective is to both familiarize you with the expectations of a Masters thesis, and also to apply what you have learnt in the course to analyze someone else’s work.
Your task is to apply your knowledge about methods and critical thinking to review a Masters thesis. This is an opportunity for you to train in critical thinking as well as to apply what you have learnt and also increase your awareness of the correspondence between research question, method, analysis, and empirical material, and conclusions.
As a guideline to writing up your work, answer the following questions:
Write 2 pages where you answer the following questions:

What is the main problem or research question?
 What ‘techniques’ or methods have the author(s) used to gather empirical material?

Is the analysis correctly performed?
 What well does the empirical information and analysis ‘correspond’ or answer, the main problem/research question? Why or why not?
Then write 2-3 pages to compare and reflect about the thesis

Do you think the thesis succeeds in answering its questions? Why or why not? (This may be linked to the following question:)

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the thesis?

Propose an alternative method to answer its chosen research questions. Argue why this method would likely lead to different results. Argue whether your results would likely be better, worse or equivalent to answer that particular research questions.
Task 2 Qualitative methods (Group wise: 3 students/ group)
Your task is to perform both a small qualitative and a small quantitative research assignment during the course. During both the assignments you should use the same research topic, which thus will be used as your ‘course theme’ during Task 2.
Put together an interview guideline and perform 3 interviews (one each) at least 15 min long.
Write 2-4 pages description of your research and your analysis.
Task 3: Proposal of own thesis project (Individually)
The objective is to get you working to define your Masters thesis project, with a specific emphasis upon your research strategy and methodology. This is an active use of the knowledge gained in this course, as applied to a specific problem area.

You should write a 2-4 page description of the project, followed by a 2-4 page analysis.
Hence, you will need to both define the Masters thesis (e.g. what you will do, the overall topic, strategy) as well as explain why you do so. For the latter purpose, you should be able to explain, for example:
(a) Explain the relationship between key aspects of research design, research methods, and data analysis from the perspective of different research strategies.
(b) Identify researchable questions and estimate or delineate data needs depending on the purpose, models and frameworks of an empirical investigation
(c) Explain how you plan to gather qualitative evidence, including how to conduct interviews and/or gather quantitative data
(d) Relate to the book, and how you can use common techniques to acquire and analyse data.
(e) Describe your scientific paradigms and explain how these affect research strategies
(f)
What will you do when the planned research strategy ‘all goes wrong’? what problems might arise, and how can you solve them?
Note that you will hand in this proposal, and then revise and improve it for a second hand-in.
The proposal will be presented (15 min each) in small groups at the end of the course. The presentations will be held in front of a quarter of the class. Thus you will be allocated to a time for your presentation lecture the 11 th
and 12 th
January.