Course detail

Research Methods in Management

FP-SvmrKAcad. year: 2021/2022

An integral part of university studies is creative activity, which is further deepened in the master's degree. This emphasis on creative activity is based not only on the requirements of the academic sphere, but also on business practice, which requires graduates of the master's degree to take an innovative approach, quality knowledge of the researched reality and ultimately independent solutions. The course follows primarily on the elaboration of a diploma thesis as a support for improving the quality of the outputs of the analytical part and subsequent proposals, but also on solving problems or projects of students in practice from the contracting authorities or their own business activities.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

4

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Learning outcomes of the course unit

Students will get acquainted with the research process, its rules and procedures. Students will know the basic research approaches, methods and techniques of data collection used in them. Students will be able to independently choose a suitable approach and methods of data collection with respect to the selected issue in order to answer the research question and fulfill the goal. Students will be able to prepare a research report with relevant results for subsequent decisions or proposals in practice. Students will learn to practically apply research methods and techniques and apply them in the thesis.

Prerequisites

The course requires the following knowledge and skills of the student: statistical data analysis, probabilistic statistics, basic knowledge in the field of literature search, the ability to collect and analyze data, data interpretation, the ability to present project results.

Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Teaching takes place in the form of lectures, which have the character of an explanation of the basic principles, methodology of the discipline and problems. The lectures use discussions, individual and team work. Teaching is accompanied not only by a theoretical explanation, but also by the support of practical examples and outputs of research in practice.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

Course completion:
The final evaluation of students will be based on the quality of processing an individual research project and passing the exam in the form of a test of theoretical assumptions. The first activity demonstrates the student's theoretical and practical knowledge and skills in grasping the chosen issue, the second part focuses on the evaluation of a general overview of the issue. Both activities are mandatory in case of completion of the course.

The final evaluation of the research project is based on the quality of the critical analysis of the literature search and the selection of a suitable research strategy and methods for the problem. Furthermore, the analysis and processing of data, including conclusions.
The total number of points that a student can obtain is 70 points, which is divided according to the qualitative evaluation criteria as follows:
• 20 points - literary research and setting of the research framework (10b), formulation of the goal (10b),
• 20 points - selection of research approach (10b), chosen method and technique of data collection (10b),
• 15 points - analysis and evaluation of data,
• 15 points - formulation of conclusions (5b), contribution to practice or academic field (10b).

The minimum number of points to complete the activity is 30 points. If the student does not achieve the minimum required number of points from the project, he / she will be informed by the teacher, including obtaining detailed feedback for editing or reworking. The student re-submits the project to the teacher's email no later than one week before the last date of the exam in the form of a test of the study prerequisite.
The exam will be composed of a range of topics based on lectures for the combined form of study. The student chooses and chooses from 10 questions the correct answer of type a), b), c), d), while for the correct answer 3 points and for none or incorrect 0 points. The total time to complete the test is 20 minutes.
The student must obtain at least 50% of points (ie 16 points) from the test of the study prerequisite. If the student does not obtain at least the mentioned 50% of points in the first term, he / she has the opportunity to write a corrective test on the date set by the teacher. The test of study prerequisites is a mandatory part of the course completion.

PARTIAL AND OVERALL EVALUATION:
1) Individual research project - 0-70 points. (min. 30 points).
2) Test of study prerequisites - 0-30 points (min. 16 points).

Overall rating:
A - 89-100 points
B - 77-88 points
C - 65-76 points
D - 53-64 points
E - 46-52 points
F - 45 points or less

Reasons for not granting credit:
- failure to submit a research project on time,
- non-compliance with minimum requirements (points) from mandatory activities,
- Gaining less than a total of 46 points.

Course curriculum

LECTURES:
1 - 2. Introduction to the subject, evaluation conditions and required activities, specifics of research within the management of company development, research process and its critical factors. Determination of research goals and research questions, determination of the state of scientific knowledge, data sources for literary research, conceptualization of the topic, theoretical framework and hypothetical model.
3 - 4. Research approaches, primary vs secondary, deductive vs inductive, qualitative vs quantitative and their methods of data collection, pilot study and preliminary research, cross-sectional and longitudinal study, category of triangulation and methodological triangulation. Part 1: Quantitative research - process of implementation, preparation and data collection in quantitative research, hypothesis determination, operationalization of research, level and unit of analysis, sample determination and its representativeness, validity and reliability, archival research, types of databases and work with data retrieval.
5 - 6. Part 2: Qualitative research - process of implementation, preparation and data collection, qualitative sampling, types of questions, analysis and interpretation of qualitative data (transcription and coding of data), visualization of results. Processing of research results into a research project / report, interpretation and discussion of data, proposals of recommendations for practice.
7 - 8. Individual implementation of research by the student (desk research or field).
9. Processing and submission of research.

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

The aim of the course is to acquaint students with the methodology of research work and to deepen knowledge and skills in the implementation of research of future graduates for practice in the field of business development and growth management. The course is based on the theoretical foundations of laws, procedures and rules of conducting research throughout the research process so that the student is individually able to choose the appropriate approach, method and technique of data collection, analyze and interpret data to meet the goal or answering a research question.
The student individually chooses the issues that will be processed through selected research methods and data collection techniques, namely: 1) "in the field" (primary data collection) or by performing 2) "desk research" (secondary data collection) or 3) special categories of research falling under the issues of experiments, modeling and simulations.

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

Attendance at lectures is not mandatory, but is controlled. The control of teaching takes place after the fulfillment of both required activities in the form of a completely processed individual project according to the requirements of the teacher's email, as well as the completion of the course in the form of a test of study prerequisite (submission of the processed project precedes the possibility of the exam).

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

DISMAN, Miroslav. Jak se vyrábí sociologická znalost. Praha: Karolinum, 2005. ISBN: 978-80-246-0139-7. (CS)
HENDL, Jan. Přehled statistických metod: analýza a metaanalýza dat. Páté, rozšířené vydání. Praha: Portál, 2015, 734 s. ISBN 978-80-262-0981-2. (CS)
HENDL, Jan. Kvalitativní výzkum. Základní metody a aplikace. Praha: Portál, 2005. ISBN 978-80-7367-485-4. (CS)
BRATKOVÁ, Eva. Metody citování literatury a strukturování bibliografických záznamů podle mezinárodních norem ISO 690 a ISO 690-2 [online]. Verze 2.0, aktualiz. a rozš. Praha: Odborná komise pro otázky elektronického zpřístupňování vysokoškolských kvalifikačních prací Asociace knihoven vysokých škol České republiky, 2008-12-22 [cit. 2010-02-06]. 60 s. (CS)
SAUNDERS, M., LEWIS, P. a A. THORNHILL. Research Methods for Business Students. 3. editione. London: Prentice Hall. 2003. 504 pp. ISBN 0-273-65804-2. (EN)
ŘIHÁČEK,Tomáš, Roman, Hytyk a kolektiv, 2013. Kvalitativní analýza textů: čtyři přístupy. 1.vyd. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 190 s. ISBN 978-80-210-6382-2. (CS)
ŠIROKÝ, J. Tvoříme a publikujeme odborné texty nejen pro ekonomy. 1. vyd. Praha: Computer Press, 2011. 28 s. ISBN 978-80-251-3510-5. (CS)
PAVLICA, K. a kol. Sociální výzkum, podnik a management. 1. vyd. Praha: Ekopress, 2000. 161 s. ISBN 80-86119-25-4. (CS)

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme MGR-SRP-KS Master's, 2. year of study, winter semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Guided consultation in combined form of studies

16 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Syllabus

1. Concentration:
• Introductory introduction
• Structure of lectures
• Individual research project
• Research process
2. Concentration:
• Literary research (overview)
• Primary and secondary research
• Research approaches and strategies
3. Concentration:
• Secondary research
• Pre-research
• Primary research
4. Concentration
• Quantitative and qualitative research approaches (methods)
• Analysis of research results, discussion of research results
• How to write a research report and a scientific article