MGTM05 MBA Research Project Module Handbook 2024-25 - A1

Welcome Message from Module Leader

I am delighted to welcome you to MBA Programme at the Faculty of Business and Technology, here at the University of Sunderland. As you embark on your journey, we hope you make the most of the learning experiences on this Module ‘MGTM05 - MBA Research Project. This module is aimed at preparing you with the skills that you need in the world of professional practice through the lens of social research. As a student undertaking this module, it is worth noting that you will be developing a range of transferable skills that are crucial to the rapid changes in the modern workplace.

As part of your experiences on this module, we will provide you with a high-quality educational experience with a focus on applied learning. This is driven by an increased demand for digital skills and, a critical understanding of phenomena. You will be prepared to apply skills such as critical thinking, critical reading, and critical writing to explore a suitable topic within the Business and Management subject area. As part of the assessment, you will produce a research proposal which is an opportunity to explore an issue of interest to you. You will be supported to develop the appropriate research question(s), select and justify the choice of the research design which will enable you to investigate your research question.

By completing an original as well as a suitable research project of your choice into an organisation or industry sector, you will be applying judgment to the selection of information sources and evaluation of what supports your research. In doing this, you will demonstrate your ability to identify data which may be hard to access, which will see you rely on soft skills such as communication, and networking just to mention a few. In this module, you are encouraged to be innovative and consider the impact of your research project on society, the economy and the environment. Upon completing your dissertation, you will have a chance to reflect on your overall MBA experiences, skills gained and identify areas that you need to further improve in your development as a professional in the world of practice.

Throughout this module, you will have the opportunity to participate in our in-class engagement activities which will serve to inform, inspire, engage and to support you towards achieving the learning outcomes of this module. You will also benefit from the support of colleagues from the Centre for Graduate Prospects, the Marketing Hub and our alumni relations team, some of who you will meet – in person and virtually.

Undertaking this module is not only about the research project or what you will learn in the classroom. This module gives you a broad range of activities that will stretch and develop your knowledge, thinking and skills. There is something for everyone undertaking this module.

That is why we are;

• A top ranking in the Northeast for Student Satisfaction (83%) for the Business and Management course (The Complete University Guide 2025).
• Ranked as a top 40 university in the Guardian University Guide 2025.
• The University of the Year for Student Support in the Daily Mail University Guide 2025.
• The University of Sunderland is in the top 10 universities in the UK for Careers Prospects (What Uni Student Choice Awards 2024).

Within the module, we are committed to providing a student experience of the highest standard and making sure you have the support you need along the way. The handbook on this module is an essential resource where you will find the information you will need. This includes the indicative teaching schedule, the recommended reading list and some of the resources that will support your learning.

On behalf of the teaching team, we look forward to welcoming you to the lecture halls and a memorable learning experience on the module.

Dr Okeoma John-Paul Okeke

This handbook is correct at the time of writing and may be subject to change. Throughout your studies, to ensure you have the most up-to-date information, you should always consult the online version of this handbook held on Canvas.

Module Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, successful students will be able to do the following:

1. Critically evaluate a substantive authentic business issue within an organisation or business sector.
2. Conduct a relevant research investigation into an authentic business issue adhering to ethical guidelines.
3. Produce sustainable recommendations for strategic change in the organisation/sector investigated.
4. Critically reflect on their professional identity and personal learning which has taken place to inform future career development.

Module Content

In the course of this module, students will cover the following areas of study:

• Developing, Leading and Management Competence: This will be achieved by the delivery and consideration of practice-based seminars covering critical skills, research practice skills and employability. This will support the self-reflection element of the assessment to enable the student to demonstrate personal development and mastery of relevant postgraduate skills.
• Mindsets in a global business environment: Using research-informed literature and mini- presentations from business leaders to consider mindsets which are beneficial to a contemporary business environment.
• Professional identity and presenting ourselves professionally: Drawing on relevant academic and practitioner perspectives to consider the concept of identity. Activities are designed to facilitate reflection on professional identity to date, as well as reflecting forward on areas for development in line with future goals. There are also opportunities to share and present reflections with peers and professional stakeholders.
• Preparing for applied research projects: A critical evaluation of the concept of applied research projects, drawing on examples of contemporary research into business issues, questions and/or debates. This will enable the student to consider the strategic context in which the project will be set as well as determine the scope of the project.
• Searching for and analysing secondary sources: Guided instruction on accessing and using library resources to search databases and company reports to access a range of contemporary data to contextualise research environments. Critical evaluation of the use of sources and their application to organisation/environment-based research.
• Research philosophies, design, methods, and analysis: Critical discussion of texts concerning the different layers of undertaking primary research. Theoretical texts and empirical journal articles will be used to facilitate discussions about philosophical and practical decisions concerning the suitability of dimensions, approaches, and research methods. This will support the student in clarifying their thinking of the variety of research methodologies available.
• Research ethics: Critical debate about research ethics and the importance of undertaking ethical practice when conducting research. Guided instruction about the University’s research ethics process.
• Structuring and writing research projects: Critical discussion about the research journey from planning and proposal to a final research project, including features of academic writing.
• Researching professional practice: Critical evaluation of journal articles and practices which focus on researching and reflecting on professional practice within a business environment. Discussions will facilitate the development of practices which will inform the writing of the reflective commentary (one section of the research report).

MGTM05 Assessment Overview

Detailed assignment brief available on Canvas in the Assignment folder.

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

This module is assessed through an Applied Research Report. The summative assessment cannot be done without the student providing a Research Proposal. Your research proposal will outline the approach you are going to take in your research. Although the proposal is not an element of summative assessment, you will be able to conceptualise your research through a proposal. The focus of your research can be challenging, and the in-class workshops will help you develop as well as refine your ideas.
As part of the summative coursework assignment, students will be expected to write a report of approximately 12,000 words (this is for guidance only). The main project will contain a literature review, methodology, data analysis and sustainable recommendations.

The issue of how recommendations for change could be implemented given the studies undertaken will be based on prior experience of the organisation or business sector which has been investigated. Within the recommendations, an outline plan detailing the timescales, management interventions and resources that would need to be available to implement the recommendations will be included.

The report should also contain a critical self-reflection (supported by evidence) on the development of relevant skills and competencies derived from undertaking the programme of study and the research undertaken for this project. Ideally, students should apply their research skills in finding information and use their initiative to develop their research proposal which will culminate in the final research project.

In completing the summative assessment coursework, you may wish to contact a small company for access if you will be using them as a case organisation in your research project. Note that evidence of access approved by the organisation must be evidenced. This must be a credible as well as verifiable company and must be agreed with your project supervisor. This further reinforces the originality of your work. You may seek to interview these by contacting them to arrange meetings or

requesting they address questions over email. It is important to note that not all small business owners are available or willing to do so and a lack of interviewing will not compromise your grades. However, you may feel you will better understand the phenomena process through an interview or primary observation. You have to ensure you familiarise yourself with the ethical guidelines of the University. Your research must embody the Research Governance and Integrity values of the University of Sunderland accessible via: https://www.sunderland.ac.uk/more/research/research- governance-integrity/. Students are encouraged to familiarise themselves with this link. It provides information and advice for the university’s research community and stakeholders on the policies and procedures for governing good research practice and for investigating and reporting misconduct in research.
This assessment method reflects conditions you will face when working for companies and when having to conduct strategic analyses of competitors or on behalf of clients (e.g., in consultancy). You will need to work under time constraints, you will not have full and perfect access to all information and you will need to make judgements based on analysis of data and information that you can get access to. Try to integrate information from across different analysis tools and methods for richer strategic insights.
Assignments should be typed, using 1.5 spacing and an easy-to-read 12-point font. (Preferably Times New Roman).
The word count should: Include all the text according to the assessment brief. It specifically excludes the following;
Exclude diagrams, tables (including tables/lists of contents and figures), equations, executive summary/abstract, acknowledgements, declaration, bibliography/list of references, footnotes, and appendices. However, it is not appropriate to use diagrams or tables merely as a way of circumventing the word limit. If a student uses a table or figure as a means of presenting his/her own words, then this is included in the word count.

MGTM05 ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Performance in the assessment for the module is judged against the following criteria:

Organisation, structure and presentation;

Depth of understanding of the subject area across the literature, methodology and reflection; Originality of data.
Level of criticality in the analysis of data presented and discussion; Use of sources and referencing.
Overall conclusions and recommendations.

In general terms, grades are awarded on a range of 0-100%. A mark below 50% indicates a Fail grade. Specific categories on the Mark descriptors are provided in the assignment folder on Canvas.

LATE WORK AND EXTENSIONS

Where students are unable to meet the specified deadline, they may submit their work late and still have it marked within seven days (one calendar week) of a summative deadline (see Academic Quality Handbook regulations on extensions and ECs).

Students can submit work late by ONE of the following:

1. Late submission (a penalty will be incurred) up to 7 days post summative deadline,
2. An extension request of up to 7 days post summative deadline.
   There are no additional late submission options outside the extension period of seven days.

Students can apply to the Module Leader, or nominated representative, for an extension (normally via university email) of up to one calendar week. An application for an extension can be at any point up to three (3) days after a summative deadline.

REASSESSMENT

Normally students will be offered the opportunity to be reassessed in the failed component.

CANVAS SITE

A Canvas site is provided to support your learning.    Some elements will be available from the beginning, to help you organise your time across the various activities involved in the module:

• Announcements
• Module information – Module guide, Assessment Brief, PG mark descriptors, PG regulations, Advice & Support.
• Learning Materials - Lecture Materials, Workshop Materials, Videos and podcasts.
• Web Resources – Research News, Research Blogs, Library Databases.

SESSION CONTENTS/READINGS

Academic Texts and Resources

Chandola, T., Booker, C., (2022) Archival and Secondary Data. Sage.
Cottrell, S., (2023) Critical Thinking Skills: Developing Effective Analysis and Reflection, Bloomsbury Academic; 4th edition.

Denzin, N., Guba, Y., (2018) The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research, (5th edition), Sage.

Gray, D., (2020) Doing research in the business world (2nd edition) Sage.
Saunders, M., Lewis, P., Thornhill, A., (2023) Research methods for business students (9th edition) Pearson.
Silverman, D., (2022) Doing qualitative research. (6th edition) Sage.
Yin, R., (2018) Case study research: design and methods (6th Edition) Sage.

You may wish to use one of the alternative texts in the University of Sunderland library, some of which are available electronically as e-books (please see Resource List on Canvas).

USEFUL ONLINE DATABASES

Access to the majority of databases is through the University of Sunderland library database web page using your Single Sign On username and password.

LexisLibrary (Newspapers)

Lexis Nexis provides access to a wide range of full-text local, national and international newspapers including - the Daily Telegraph, Guardian, Independent, Times, Observer, and Sunday Times.

MARKET INTELLIGENCE

Mintel

Comprises several series of market reports: Market intelligence, Leisure intelligence, Retail Intelligence, Financial Intelligence, Library specials and Industrial reports. There is also a database specialising in marketing news.

JOURNALS

ABI/Inform

Contains abstracts of articles drawn from over 1000 business and management periodicals, and full text from about 600, including trade and academic publications.

Business Source

Gives access to articles from over 100 important management journals such as Harvard Business Review.

Emerald Full text

Gives access to articles from over 100 important management journals. The full-text archives date from 1994 and the abstracts from 1989.

ZETOC

A bibliographic database indexing articles from 20,000 research journals and 100,000 conference papers held in the British Library.

Case Studies

Links to the weekly case studies (case texts and video documentaries) can be found on Canvas.

Lectures

For each week, lecture slides will be provided before the session.

Workshops

In-class workshops will be carried out every week to support your learning. You are expected to engage with the workshops as they consolidate your learning each week. Preparation for these workshops can include independently or as a team producing work or even sections of your assignment before the workshop.

ACADEMIC OFFENCES AND BAD ACADEMIC PRACTICE

These include but are not limited to plagiarism, cheating, contract cheating, exam cheating, collusion, copying work and reuse of your work, poor referencing or the passing off somebody else's ideas as your own (as defined by Academic Quality Handbook).

If you are in any doubt about what constitutes an academic offence or bad academic practice, you must check with your Module Leader or Project Supervisor.

If you are suspected of committing an academic offence you will be referred, and the appropriate measures will be applied based on the seriousness of the case.

You are advised to familiarise yourself with the University of Sunderland Academic Integrity and Misconduct Regulations 2024/25 which can be found here. Refer to Canvas for a copy.