CERTIFICATE IN BUSINESS RESEARCH
Program 2005
Program leader:
Dr. Roger Hussey, Dean,
Odette School of Business
Program Coordinator: Professor Dave Bussiere
Odette School of Business
The Centre for Executive Education at the University of Windsor will offer a Certificate
in Business Research beginning in January 2005. The certificate provides students with
the philosophical and practical training necessary for entry into the Bristol School of
Business Ph.D program. The program is modeled on the European system. In this
system, students first undertake a period of research training. This is followed by the
development of a research proposal. Students are then registered with supervisors and
conduct individual research leading to a thesis.
The Certificate in Business Research meets the research training requirements for the
Ph.D. offered by the Bristol Business School -- a leading UK School. Participation in
this workshop is for professional development only and participants will not receive
credit toward any University of Windsor programs. However, participants will gain the
skills required to develop the Ph.D. research proposal.
Intended audience
The certificate is intended for those who wish to pursue a PhD in Business. It is
particularly valuable for those who cannot attend courses to take a PhD and are uncertain
about on-line courses. It is ideal for individuals currently teaching in Canadian
universities and colleges.
Prerequisites
Normally students should possess an undergraduate degree in business or a related
discipline and an MBA or equivalent from a recognized university.
Certificate Objectives
The objectives are to:
 enhance understanding of the research process;
 introduce various conceptual issues;
 explain the main data collection methods;
 explore data analysis methods
 assist students to conduct independent research
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Cost of Certificate
The cost of the Certificate in Business Research is $2500 plus G.S.T., with an additional
$250 for books/materials. The $2500 workshop fee includes course tuition, refreshments
and parking. Lunches will also be provided on the full-day Saturday seminars and the
four-day intensive course weekends. A $500 deposit will be required by December 15th,
2004.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Certificate in Business Research is highly intensive. It is only appropriate for those
who are seriously trying to improve their academic research skills or who are
contemplating undertaking a Ph.D. The texts should be regarded as at the introductory
level and there will be a substantial amount of additional reading. The Certificate will
concentrate on the conceptual and practical issues of undertaking a Ph.D. and specific
data collection methods. The quantitative analysis of data will not be addressed in depth.
The certificate will consist of three parts: a series of research seminars and two intensive
four-day courses. Additional meeting times will be available as required for the
completion of coursework and proposal development.
Doctoral Research Seminars
These seminars will introduce students to business research. Topics will include research
ethics, literature and citation searches, research paradigms, research methodologies,
research design and basic data collection.
Required Reading:
Blaikie, Norman (2000), ‘Designing Social Research”, Blackwell Publishers Ltd.
Collis, J and Hussey R (2003), ‘Business Research’, Palgrave Macmillan.
Additional research articles will also be provided.
Seminar Dates:
Saturday, January 8, 2005
Saturday, January 15, 2005
Saturday, March 5, 2005
Saturday, May 14, 2005
Saturday, June 10, 2005
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Course 1: Ways of Knowing: Research Methodologies
This course introduces students to a wide range of advanced social theories and
epistemologies used in a business and management context.
Required Reading:
An extensive readings package will be provided on January 8, 2005.
Course Dates:
Friday, January 21 to Monday, January 24, 2005
Course Evaluation:
This course will include two equally-weighted assignments. The assignments will
be completed in the months following the January 21-24 meetings.
Course 2: Research Practice
This course deals with issues of research conception, design, execution and management.
Required Reading:
Frost and Stablein, eds. (1992), ‘Doing Exemplary Research’, Sage Publishing
An extensive readings package will be provided.
Course Dates:
Friday, May 13 to Monday, May 16, 2005
Course Evaluation:
This course will include one assignment. The assignment will be completed in the
months following the May 13-16 meetings.
2005 CERTIFICATE SCHEDULE
Saturday, January 8
9:00 – 12:00 Introduction to Research
Overview of Research
The Literature Search
Research ethics
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Reading:
Pre – Phillips, E. (1984) Learning to do research. Graduate
Management Research pp. 6 – 18
B Chapter 1
C&H Chapters 1-4
1:00 – 4:00
Practicalities of Research (Part 1)
Intro to reading journal articles
How to find and search academic journals
How to find and search published dissertations
How to gather citation and author data
Saturday, January 15
9:00 – 12:00 Paradigms and methodologies
Research paradigms
Types of research methodologies
The relationship between paradigms and methodologies
Reading:
Pre – Smith, John K. (1983) Quantitative versus Qualitative Research:
An Attempt to qualify the Issue
C&H Chapter 3
1:00 – 4:00
Practicalities of Research (Part 1)
Critiquing journal articles
Reading:
Brand familiarity and advertising repetition effects
Margaret C Campbell, Kevin Lane Keller.
Journal of Consumer Research. Sep 2003. Vol. 30, Iss. 2; p. 292
Consumers and their brands:
Developing relationship theory in consumer research
Susan Fournier.
Journal of Consumer Research. Mar 1998. Vol. 24, Iss. 4; p. 343
Intensive weekend Friday to Monday inclusive
Friday, January 21 – Monday, January 24
8.30 a.m. – 6.00 p.m. Ways of Knowing
This session will focus on research philosophy and perspectives on what
we know and how we know it. It will be led by two visiting faculty
members from the Bristol Business School: Jane Harrington and Charles
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Booth. Extensive pre and post reading will be required and copies of
articles will be provided.
Saturday, March 5
9:00 – 12:00 Research Design
Identifying the research problem
Defining research questions
The research proposal
Reading:
B Chapter 2 - 5
C & H Chapter 5
1:00 – 4:00
Data collection and the analysis of qualitative data
Data collection methods
Recording data and observations
Qualitative data analysis
Reading:
B Chapters 6 & 7
C & H Chapters 6 & 7
Intensive weekend Friday to Monday inclusive
Friday May 13 – Monday, May 16
8.30 a.m. – 6.00 p.m. Practicalities of research
This session will focus on practicalities of producing a Ph.D. quality proposal. It will be
led by visiting speaker Dr Phil Cox. Dr. Cox is Director of research at the Bristol
Business School.
Saturday, June 10 – Identifying and resolving problems with research proposals
Saturday, June 25 – Presentation of research proposals by students
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About Bristol Business School
Bristol Business School is one of the leading schools of business, management
and accounting in the UK. It is home to a lively and dynamic academic community of
more than 3,000 students and 150 staff. The school prides itself on its dedication to
excellence in both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, and it has extensive
industrial and professional affiliations. Over 84% of Business School academics are
research active and many provide consultancy expertise to a wide variety of corporations
and institutions, vital activities which support and enrich staff and students alike.
Bristol Business School is divided into six subject-based Schools. All members of
academic staff belong to one of these Schools.
 School of Accounting and Finance
 School of Human Resource Management
 School of Marketing
 School of Organization Studies
 School of Operations and Information Management
 School of Strategy and International Business
In recent years, Bristol Business School, like other business schools in the UK,
has been rigorously assessed for the quality of its teaching and learning. It has emerged
from each of these assessments with very positive endorsements.
The Higher Education Council for England rated Bristol Business School as
"Excellent" in 1994 and in 2001 this top rating was reconfirmed following a detailed
inspection by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) which awarded the School 23 points
out of a maximum of 24, an extremely good result.
During December 2001 the Government published the results of its Research
Assessment Exercise (RAE) which evaluated the quality of research in UK universities.
Bristol Business School's results demonstrate significant progress over the previous five
year period; on a scale of 1 to 5 Business and Management scored a creditable 3A whilst
Accounting and Finance scored an excellent 5, one of very few in the country.
Bristol Business School is regularly reported in newspaper league tables as being
amongst the top UK Business Schools in the country, and has been ranked within the top
ten by papers such as the Times, Telegraph, Guardian and Times Higher Education
Supplement.
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