POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

MODULE: RESEARCH METHODS ASSIGNMENT TITLE: RESEARCH METHODS DECEMBER 2011

Important Notes: Please refer to the Assignment Presentation Requirements for advice on how to set out your assignment. These can be found on the NCC Education Campus. Scroll down the left hand side of the screen until you reach Personal Support. Click on this, and then on Policies and Advice. You will find the Assignment Presentation Requirements under the Advice section. You must familiarise yourself with the NCC Education Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism Policy and ensure that you acknowledge all the sources which you use in your work. The policy is available on Campus. Follow the instructions above, but click on Policies rather than Advice. You must complete the Statement and Confirmation of Own Work. The form is available on the Policies section of Campus. Scroll down the left hand side until you reach Personal Support. Click on this and then click on Policies and Advice. Please make a note of the recommended word count. You could lose marks if you write 10% more or less than this. You must submit an electronic copy to the NCC Education Campus (full instructions detailed at the end of this document). Media containing viruses, or media which cannot be run directly, will result in a fail grade being awarded for this module. All electronic media will be checked for plagiarism. Marker's comments:

Moderator's comments:

Mark:

Moderated Mark:

Final Mark:

Research Methods

December 2011

Final

NCC Education 2011

Assignment Overview
This assignment requires you to develop an overview document of approximately 3000 words for a proposed piece of management research. Note: you are NOT expected to undertake the project work

Compulsory Contents
The 3000 word Research Proposal (Task One)

Task 1
You have been commissioned to undertake a piece of management research in a local organisation that manufactures components used in televisions. The organisation employs approximately 50 people in total. The owner has asked you to consider current approaches to Performance Management, and offer some advice (recommendations) for improvement. Please prepare an overview briefing document for the owner that discusses how you plan to undertake this small-scale research project. Important: you are NOT expected to undertake the project work, you are only being assessed on your ability to discuss the design of the work to be undertaken. Ensure that your briefing document addresses each of the following five elements. Also note the approximate guidelines for allocating words to each task. 1) Discuss, with justification, whether you think a quantitative or qualitative approach would best suit this project. Use relevant theory to justify your chosen approach. 20% of overall word count 2) Discuss, with justification: a) Whether you propose using a mono or mixed method strategy. Why will this approach best suit the work in your opinion? Support your answer with references to relevant academic theory of research methodology. b) Which method or methods would you suggest are appropriate for data collection? Why will this method or combination of methods best suit the work in your opinion? Support your answer with references to relevant academic theory of research methodology. c) Give an indication of the type(s) of questions you might use for data collection, e.g. open or closed, etc. and the types of data you propose collecting, e.g. numerical or nominal, etc. Why will these types of questions best suit the work in your opinion? Support your answer with references to relevant academic theory of research methodology. 40% of overall word count

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NCC Education 2011

3) Where do you propose to find relevant academic sources to contextualise the project work in existing academic literature? Give some indication of specific search strategies and key words that might be appropriate to locate sources for this research project. Give an indication of specific electronic databases and academic journals that might be appropriate sources. 15% of overall word count 4) Develop a Gantt chart to give an indication of likely tasks and timelines needed to complete the work for this specific research project assuming a 2 month project. Briefly discuss the key milestones. Briefly discuss where potential difficulties may arise, and your strategy for overcoming these. 15% of overall word count 5) Discuss the likely ethical issues associated with this specific research project. Support your answer with references to relevant academic theory of research methodology ethics. 10% of overall word count

Guidance
The following criteria will be used to assess your work. carefully. Please read this section very

You must make sure that your work demonstrates: Knowledge, understanding & intellectual application of research philosophy and principles Knowledge, understanding & intellectual application of research strategy and design Knowledge, understanding & intellectual application of research methods Knowledge, understanding & intellectual application of project planning Knowledge, understanding & intellectual application of research ethics In addition, your work must: Be word-processed using the NCC Research Proposal Template Demonstrate higher-order research skills Demonstrate synthesis and analysis skills

Research Methods

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Final

NCC Education 2011

Submission Requirements

A single word processed document containing all reports and other documentation i.e. explanations, output reports and page images of graphic tools etc. pertaining to all tasks. Maximum word limit is 3000 words (+/- 10%) not including the appendices. The document should be properly structured with a table of contents, bibliography (online and literature sources) and appendices (where necessary). Refer to the Assignment Presentation Requirements on Campus for more information. (See front cover). Produce clear and specific reasoning and argument to justify answers. An electronic copy of the document must be submitted to the NCC Education Campus in the following way: o Log on to the NCC Education Campus (http://campus.nccedu.com) using the username and password given to you upon registration to the programme o Click on My Programme on the menu on the left hand side of the page o Click on Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management o Click on Assignment Upload on the menu bar that runs along the top of the page o Click on the relevant module name for the assignment that you are uploading o Click Submit a new assignment o Browse for your assignment file and fill in any necessary additional information o Click OK o Wait for confirmation that your assignment has been successfully uploaded

Warning: all media must be virus free! Media containing viruses, or media which cannot be run directly, will result in a FAIL grade being awarded for this module.
You must read and understand NCC Educations policy on Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism. You must complete the Statement and Confirmation of Own Work form and attach the completed form to your assignment.

Research Methods

December 2011

Final

NCC Education 2011