PORTSMOUTHBUSINESSSCHOOL

CONSULTANCY AND RESEARCH METHODS (U20567)

MBAExecutive, 2012-14

Nick Capon ()

Michele Lundy ()

Michael Wood (unit co-ordinator)()

This document may be updated. You will find an up-to-date copy, with several of the other handouts, and links to various things at

18September 2012SCHEDULE 2012-2014

Session / RB 2.01 (RB 1.05 booked for statistics sessions)
1:Thu 20 Sept 2012
15.00-18.00 / Michael / Michele / Introduction, reading, assignment, exam.
What is research?What is consultancy?
Introduction to consultancy
Overview of academic research methods
2: Fri 21 Sept, 2012 15.30-18.30 / Michael / Statistics (1)
3: Sat 22 Sept, 2012 15.30-18.30 / Michael / Statistics (2)
4: Fri 18 Jan 2013 15.30-18.30 / TBA / Types of analysis: quantitative, qualitative, etc
Critical analysis of academic articles or MBA Projects
5: Sat 19 Jan 2013 15.30-18.30 / TBA / Statistics (3)
Tutor research presentation
6: Fri 8 Feb 2013 15.30-18.30 / TBA / Statistics (4)
7: TBA / TBA / Review and revision for the exam
8: TBA / Nick / Choosing a research topic
Research aims and design
9: TBA / Nick / Literature reviews and searches
Ethics
Tutor research presentation
10:TBA / TBA / Important issues for research: establishing causation, ensuring representative samples, using sensible indicators, etc
11: TBA / Michele / Consultancy project process
12: TBA / Michele / Consultancy skills and processes
13: TBA / Michele / Consultancy skills and processes
14: TBA / Nick / Data gathering: questionnaires, interviews, etc, etc
15: TBA / Nick / Project proposal workshop
16: TBA / TBA / Very brief introduction to data analysis using Excel and SPSS.
Any other issues about proposals
17: TBA / TBA / Project induction.

Examination (statistics): May 2013

Deadline for submitting the project proposal assignment: May 2014

Deadline for submitting the consultancy report:September 2014

Notes

1Like any other course, we will have to be selective and only look at a few of the many concepts and techniques relevant to each of the course aims. It is particularly important to remember this in relation to the research methods part of the course. It is clearly impossible to cover all methods of research in detail in the short time we have available, so it is very important that you consult the literature on research methods (see below) for detailed guidance on your particular research area. For example, if you decide to do a questionnaire survey, you must consult (and reference) books and / or articles giving advice on the design and analysis of questionnaires. You may also need to read about access and research ethics, selecting samples, and so on.

2The “tutor research presentations” in the schedule will give a brief (about half an hour including questions) account of some recent research conducted by the tutor in question, and of the research methods adopted. Obviously, we will be very grateful for your comments!

3Although the taught sessions are with the whole group, we will frequently work in smaller groups, and for many of the sessions two or more tutors will be involved.

Aims of the Unit

  1. To help course members appreciate the nature and value of management research, and encourage them to adopt a critical attitude to analytical research results.
  2. To develop proficiency in producing research reports and consultancy reports underpinned by thorough appropriate research and application of relevant academic material (including statistical method).
  3. To facilitate the development of consultancy skills through undertaking a group based strategic assignment within a host organization, and to help course members appreciate the nature and complexity of the strategic leadership role of senior managers in a 'live' organization.
  4. To demonstrate, and apply, strategic competencies in researching and critically analysing the host organization’s current situation, to explore options and make recommendations for implementation by senior managers.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able, at threshold level, to:

  1. Make appropriate use of statistical methods, and appraise the nature and value of statistical conclusions.
  2. Critically evaluate management research.
  3. Plan and carry out effective management research.
  4. Use a consultancy orientation to investigate a complex organizational strategic challenges faced by managers in a host organisation. Synthesise knowledge, propose solutions, and recommend implementation actions.
  5. Demonstrate competencies associated with applying strategic/management knowledge in a consulting situation.

Syllabus Outline

The topics covered in the unit will include:

  1. Use of statistical methods in research: software (Excel, SPSS), presentation and analysis of data, basic statistical concepts, and the more advanced concepts of regression modelling (single and multiple independent variables), and statistical inference (null hypothesis tests and confidence intervals).
  2. Research planning, management, and writing; including literature search and review.
  3. Research designs, including; Qualitative research techniques, and issues relevant to evaluating research - eg. Sampling, validity and reliability.
  4. Introduction to consultancy skills and processes including workshops.
  5. Engaging with a host organisation to carry out a project on a strategic issue, including; researching, negotiating, planning, proposing, team working, communicating, analysing, synthesizing, solving, recommending, presenting and writing.

Assessment

There are three components to the assessment:

  1. A 1 hour examination assessing the statistics element of the course at the end of Semester 2. This has a 25% weighting. If you wish, you will be able to take a maximum of one side (A4 size) of notes into the examination. There are some notes on the exam, and a sample paper, linked to the bottom of the page at .
  1. A research plan ( for your MBA Research Project. This has a 25% weighting. It is not practical for the assignment to be anonymous, so please put your name and student number on it.
  1. Consultancy Project. This has a 50% weighting. The report should display an ability to integrate tools, techniques and learning across the host organisation’s issues and should draw sound conclusions that lead to realistic and attainable recommendations. There should also be explicit plans for implementation that are sensitive to the organisational context. This is a group assignment, normally in groups of three. Feedback from the host organisation will be taken into account.

Reading

Consultancy

Burtonshaw-Gunn, S. A., 2010, Essential Tools for Management Consulting, Wiley (ISBN: 978-0-470-74593-9)

De Wit B & Meyer R, 2004, Strategy: Process, Content Context; An International Perspective, Thompson International (ISBN: null)

Research methods

There are summary notes at .

You will also need a book on business research methods. There are many available – for example:

Bryman, A. & Bell, E. (2007). Business Research Methods.Oxford: OxfordUniversity Press.

EasterbySmith, M., Thorpe, R., & Lowe, A. (2008). ManagementResearch: anintroduction. London: Sage.

Gill, J., & Johnson, P. (1997). Researchmethodsformanagers2ndedition. London: Paul Chapman.

Jankowicz, A. D. (2005). BusinessResearchProjects. London: Thomson Learning.

Riley, M., Wood, R.C., Clark, M A., Wilkie, E., & Szivas, E. (2000). Researching and writing dissertations in business and management.London: Thomson Learning.

Robson, C. (1993 and 2002). Real World Research. Oxford: Blackwell.

Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2007). Researchmethodsforbusinessstudents. Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd.

There are also books on specific areas:

Anderson, Valerie (2004). Research methods in human resource management.London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Ayres, Ian. (2007). Super crunchers: how anything can be predicted. London: John Murray. (Lots of examples of experiments and regression in research.)

Coghlan, D. & Brannick, T. (2001). Doing research in your own organization. Sage. (or later edition)

Cottrell, Stella. Critical Thinking Skills. Basingstoke: Palgrave; 2005.

Gabriel, Yiannis. Storytelling in organizations: facts, fictions and fantasies. Oxford: OxfordUniversity Press; 2000.

Foster, J., Barkus, E., & Yavorski, C. (2006). Understanding and using advanced statistics. London: Sage

Hart, C. (1998). Doing a literature review : releasing the social science research imagination.London: Sage.

Hewson, C., Yule, P., Laurent, D., Vogel, C (2002).. Internet research methods.London: Sage.

Malhotra, N. K. (1999), Marketing research: and applied orientation (3rd edition). New Jersey: Prentice Hall International.

Mann, Chris; Stewart, Fiona. Internet communication and qualitative research: a handbook for researching online. London: Sage; 2000.

Pawson, Ray. Evidence-based policy: a realist perspective. London: Sage, 2006

Pidd, M. (2003). Toolsforthinking: modellinginmanagementscience (2nd ed). Chichester: Wiley.

Rivett, P. (1994). Thecraftofdecisionmodelling. Chichester: Wiley.

Ryan, B., Scapens, R. W., & Theobald, M. (1992). Researchmethodandmethodologyinfinanceandaccounting. London: Academic Press.

Stein, S. D. (1999). Learning, teachingandresearchingontheinternet: apracticalguideforsocialscientists. Harlow: Addison Wesley Longman.

Taleb, N. N. (2008). The black swan: the impact of the highly improbable. London: Penguin. (Not on research methods as such, but makes some relevant points. You may find it offensive if you are French or an economist.)

Thorpe, R. & Holt, R. (2008). The Sage dictionary of qualitative management research.London: Sage.

Wallace, M. & Wray, A. (2006). Critical reading and writing for postgraduates. London: Sage.

Wood, M. (2003). Making sense of statistics: a non-mathematical approach.Basingstoke: Palgrave.

In addition to works on research methods, you will also, of course, need to consult books and articles on your research area.

Statistics

The course handouts at cover most of the statistics element of the course.

We will follow the approach in

Wood, M. (2003). Making sense of statistics: a non-mathematical approach. Basingstoke: Palgrave (especially chapters 3, 8 and 9).

There are many other books which provide a useful coverage of statistics (including Robson, 2002 listed below), and also many helpful resources on the web. An interesting popular book on what statistics can do is

Ayres, Ian. (2007). Super crunchers: how anything can be predicted. London: John Murray.

Documents and other facilities on the web

This document and some other documents on the research methods part of the course are on

Portsmouth University Library has a site linked to the University home page ( then search for library). This has links to many other sites, and to search engines for trawling through the internet. There is advice on referencing at I have also put a few links which may be useful for research methods and statistics on

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