1. The Business and Management Research Training Programme
PGR Induction September 2015

2. The details... Core courses Choosing electives
Additional research training needs
How much time should you spend on research training
Practicalities
Original Thinking Applied

3. Core Courses Compulsory Courses for MSM division:
Research Process
Qualitative Research Methods
Quantitative Research Methods
Compulsory Courses for PMO and IMP divisions:
And two from:
Comparative International Business
Science Technology and Innovation Studies
Epistemology
Critical Research Methods for People Management and Organization
The Craft of Fieldwork: Method, Text and Writing
Optionally supervisors from IMP may specify Epistemology as compulsory.

4. Research Process All above have been timetabled
Taught in Semester 1 by Prof. Paul Irwing, Laszlo Czaban, Eljee Javier, Ian Fairweather, Ian Pople, Mark Healy
Aim: To provide an overall framework for the conduct of research including the production of doctoral theses, conference papers and posters, and journal articles
Not a single course but:
Induction
Epistemology
Research Design & Measurement
Research Ethics
All above have been timetabled

5. Research Process Humanities Researcher Development Programme:
Writing your Literature Review:(Eljee Javier)
Planning your Research: (Ian Fairweather)
Academic Writing: (Ian Pople)
The above courses you must book
MY TRAINING
Researcher Development
Universities Training Catalogue
Assessment: A research proposal for the first study to be
included in the doctoral thesis: To be marked by
the supervisor (3000 words)

6. Quantitative Research Methods
Semester 1 – Prof. Paul Irwing and Dr. Charles Cui
Aims:
To provide an overall framework for the conduct of quantitative research
To introduce students to basic statistical methods and hypothesis testing
To introduce students to quantitative research methods,
To provide a grounding in multiple regression and factor analysis

7. Quantitative Research Methods
Teaching method: Lecture, groupwork, practical computing sessions
Assessment: Report based on quantitative study consisting of a literature review, results from factor analysis, multiple regression, and a discussion (4,500 words)

8. Qualitative Methods
Semester 1 – Prof. Trevor Wood-Harper and Dr. Mostafa Mohamad
Aims:
To understand the coherence and plausibility of a qualitative research project.
To apply appropriate methods, analysis of data, research evaluation, and research assessment.
To help students develop a justification audit for their major decisions and assertions, including methods of data collection, analysis, and dissemination
Provide students with the tools available to enable the appropriate choice of data collection technique(s) and analysis for a given research issue.

9. Qualitative Methods
Teaching and learning methods: Lectures, group presentations with student led discussion/critiques and self-study of particular methods, data analysis techniques and dissemination & evaluation.
Assessment: Presentation of your qualitative proposal including justification audit slides 70/30%

10. Epistemology (Knowledge production & justification in business and management studies)
Semester 1 – Dr. Laszlo Czaban
Aim: to familiarise doctoral students with the major philosophical and methodological issues involved in the production of valid knowledge in business and management studies. It focuses on the particular nature of business and management research in the context of general theories of scientific knowledge, such as logical positivism, critical rationalism and realism, and considers how the social and management sciences differ from the physical and biological sciences.
Introductory lecture in week 1, then students work in groups and make presentations, followed by class discussion
You will be assigned to a group: each group makes two presentations during the semester
Reading required in advance of session
Assessment: group presentations 20%; essay 80%

11. Critical Research Methods for People Management & Organizations
Semester 1 – Dr. Damian O’Doherty
Aims:
To introduce a set of methods appropriate to the study of People Management and Organizations for students intending to conduct primary qualitative fieldwork using documentary, case study methods, interviews, or ethnographic style research.
Designed specifically for students primarily interested in human resource management, industrial relations, organization studies, and organization development.
Contributes alternative perspectives in the study of general business and management studies including leadership, motivation, creativity, and fairness at work.

12. Critical Research Methods for People Management and Organizations
Teaching Methods: Weekly workshops combining lecture and seminar discussions around key readings and case studies
Assessment: Essay (2000 words)

13. Critical Research Methods for People Management and Organizations
Teaching Methods: Weekly workshops combining lecture and seminar discussions around key readings and case studies
Assessment: Essay (2000 words)

14. The Craft of Fieldwork: Method, Text, and Writing
Semester 1 : Prof. Leo McCann
Aims: advanced exploration of the craft of qualitative research and writing.
Designed with students of organizational and workplace research in mind, focusing mainly on organization studies and sociology of work literatures, paying particular attention to the interpretation and discussion of contemporary published qualitative texts.

15. The Craft of Fieldwork: Method, Text, and Writing
Intended primarily for students whose theses relate to sociology of work, organization and management, as well as to themes of gender, occupational and group culture, and individual identity construction.
Teaching: 5 fortnightly sessions – lecture and group discussion
Assessment: 4,000 word reflective report.

16. Critical Perspectives on International Business
Semester 1 & Semester 2 -- Prof Rudolf Sinkovics, Prof Mo Yamin, Dr. Stefan Zagelmeyer and Dr Noemi Sinkovics
Aim – To provide an overview of critical perspectives on the IB literature, in an attempt to delineate the boundaries of IB as a research field
Drawing on literature from political economy perspectives, highlighting new developments within our field, linking to comparative business systems.
Combination of lectures and seminars/discussion sessions.
Assessment: Critique paper 20%; Literature paper 80%

17. Methods and Concepts in Science, Technology and Innovation Studies
Semester 1 & Semester 2 Prof Philippe Laredo, Dr. John Rigby and Dr. Kate Barker
Aim: to consolidate the research training in Research Process and Epistemology by focusing upon the underlying concepts and methods used in the field of science, technology and innovation studies; to ensure that doctoral students acquire adequate critical and analytical capabilities for developing high quality PhD theses and to ensure a balanced introduction both to research methods and to theories and concepts critical for PhD theses in this field by examining methods in use.
Combination of lectures, discussion and student presentations
Assessment: Group presentation 90%; Participation 50%

18. Research Methods Workshops (Electives)
You may choose to spread the electives over years 1 and 2, select workshops that meet your training needs.
Usually one day (or two half days) per workshop.
Calendar of workshops between early October and early May

19. Research methods workshops: choices
Large choice of workshops taught by many staff from across the School
Some courses are clearly qualitative or quantitative; others are mixed methods
Some courses provide an introduction to specific methods or techniques (e.g. Case Studies, Structural Equation Modelling, Social Network Analysis)
Make appropriate choices e.g.
Don’t chose introductory stats if you are already very familiar with statistics
Try to include some quantitative and qualitative methods
Choose electives that cover techniques you expect to use
Choose electives that will broaden your knowledge and may help in developing your own detailed research design

20. Electives: Any number from:
Action Research
Actor Network Theory
Advanced Qualitative Analysis with NViVO*
Advanced Survey Design
Bibliometrics
Case Study Research
Comparative Case Study Analysis
Critical Thinking for Scientific Research
Elite Interviewing with Senior Managers
Diary Studies
Mixed Methods
Introduction to Qualitative Analysis with NViVO*
Scenario Methods in Research*
Social Network Analysis
Social Studies of Technology, Innovation and Organising
Structural Equation Modelling
Longitudinal data analysis
Multi-level modeling
Meta-analysis
Note: *These units may not run this year but may be taken next year.

21. Bespoke Program Optionally:
Students and supervisors have the option to develop a bespoke programme of research training to be approved by the RTP director
To do so fill in the Course Unit Selection Form, adding lines as necessary
Provide a justification

22. Additional Training needs
North West Doctoral Training Centre: allows you to take courses offered at Lancaster and Liverpool
Specialist MSc course units within MBS
Look at what’s available; you may want to audit a course; discuss with your supervisor; you will need to register to access Blackboard
But, don’t overload yourself
All kinds of seminars, workshops and other training opportunities around the University and in the North-West
Manchester;
Cathy Marsh Centre for Census and Survey Research
Northern Advanced Training Initiative - workshops
Doctoral colloquia linked to conferences
Postgraduate Statistics Centre: University of Lancaster

23. Additional Training Needs
Nationally and Internationally:
Summer School in Social Science Data Analysis – University of Essex
Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research – University of Michigan
Read the PGR newsletter, talk with your supervisor

24. A few points to bear in mind (1)
Do spend some time thinking through your training needs and discuss with your supervisor
consider whether you take electives this year or later.
As far as possible, we are flexible about course changes, where you have a good reason, and when you are in good time
You cannot change your core courses for assessment after you have submitted work!!

25. A few points to bear in mind (2)
Part time students need to consider how to spread the RTP over years 1 and 2
Bear in mind your other commitments
Aim to complete more than half in year 1 (allowing more time in year 2 to prepare end of first year report)
Core courses in semester 1 ideal for year 1;
Feel free to discuss with Stuart or Paul Greenham

26. So, how much time should you expect to spend on the RTP during year 1
The core courses are each equivalent to about 150 hours work – e.g. three hours of classes for 10 weeks plus 120 hours of preparation, follow up and writing assessments
But, all of the work for Research Process is to design your first major study
The electives are equivalent to about 20 hours work at most, including preparation, and classes
As far as possible, the RTP is aligned with the introductory stages of the PhD, not a distraction from it, or in competition with it

27. So, how much time should you expect to spend on the RTP during year 1
Let’s assume:
3 x 150 hours for the core courses
8 x 20 hours for the electives you audit
Total of around 600 hours between October and May (including completing the assessments)
Leaving you plenty of time to make progress on your supervised research (especially if you bear in mind that some of the work above is directly related to your own developing topic)
Of course, the RTP workload is lumpy and you will need to plan your time, but you should not be spending all of your time on these courses.

28. Practicalities
Specialist MSc course units start in week beginning 28th September, RTP course start week after [check the timetable!!!]
For submission deadlines see Postgraduate Research Handbook or Blackboard for specific course.
Some of you may have opportunities to attend specialised training outside MBS; in some cases it may be possible to gain exemptions from the MBS RTP but only if the nature, amount and level of work is appropriate; please discuss with Stuart or Paul Greenham as early as possible

29. Course Unit Selection Form
Complete with supervisor and hand in 29th September.
MY TRAINING
B & M Pathway
Research training Program