Course outline: BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS 1 
                     
                    Course name             Business Research Methods 1 
                    Course code             ZAVM15BRM1 
                    Academic Year           2018-2019 
                    Period                  Semester 1, period 1 + 2 
                    Course size             5 ECTS (= 5 x 28 = 140 hrs student workload)  
                    Level/type              Master level. Obligatory course for MBA fulltime  
                    Entry requirements      None 
                    Lecturer(s)             Dr. Ning Ding; Dr. Xiaoyan Xu   
                    Language of instruction   English  
                    Course content          The course will cover the following topics: 
                                               •   Generate research topics and formulate research questions; 
                                               •   Conduct literature review; 
                                               •   Design research; 
                                               •   Apply qualitative research methods (data collection and analysis); 
                                               •   Analyze qualitative data using Atlas.ti; 
                                               •   Report and Present Qualitative Data; 
                                               •   Understand and apply quantitative research in business field; 
                                               •   Design a reliable and valid questionnaire to collect quantitative data; 
                                               •   Understand various sampling techniques and be able to apply the 
                                                   appropriate technique during data collection process; 
                                               •   Apply appropriate statistical techniques, e.g. T-test, ANOVA, Chi-
                                                   square and correlation/regression analysis etc. to analyze 
                                                   quantitative data; 
                                               •   Analyze quantitative data using SPSS;  
                                               •   Interpret and present quantitative analysis results at an academic 
                                                   level. 
                    Course Learning         After completing the course the students: 
                    Outcomes                BRM1 1: Write a mixed-research report for a master research project. (DD3); 
                                             
                                            BRM1 2: Recognize and justify the quantitative and qualitative research in 
                                            the field of international business and management (DD3); 
                                             
                                            BRM1 3: Apply appropriate statistical techniques based on a business 
                                            research model and the type of data available (DD3); 
                                             
                                            BRM1 4: Analyse a business problem and deliver reasonable solutions based 
                                            on the interpretation of quantitative analysis results (DD1, DD2). 
                                             
                    Didactical form         Seminars, workshops, coach meetings, lectures, group work, SPSS/Atlas.ti 
                                            skills working with computer 
                    Assessment              Assessment           Min.Grade:   Number     Code:  
                                            method(s):                        of ECTS:    
                                                                                          
                                            •  Written exam      •   5.5      •   2      •   ZAVM15BRM1A 
                                                                              •   3      •   ZAVM15BRM1C 
                                                     •    Assignment            •   5.5 
                        Course literature            Compulsory literature:  
                                                     •    Articles from Hanze Databases in Library (a list of articles is available on 
                                                          blackboard) 
                                                     •     Business Research; A Practical Guide For Undergraduate And 
                                                                                                th
                                                          Postgraduate Students, J. Collins 4  Edition. Publisher: Palgrave. ISBN: 
                                                          9780230301832 
                                                     Recommended literature:  
                                                     •    Robson, C. & Robson, P. (2002). Real world research: A resource for 
                                                          social scientist and practitioner-researchers. Publisher: John Wiley And 
                                                          Sons Ltd. 
                                                     •    Yin, R. (2013). Case study research: Design and methods. Publisher: Sage 
                                                          Publications Inc.  
                                                     •    Hart, C. (1998). Doing a literature review: Releasing the social science 
                                                          research imagination. Publisher: Sage Publications Inc.  
                                                     •    IBM SPSS Statistics 20 brief Guide (Accessible on school Blackboard 
                                                          system) 
                        Costs                        € 45 
                        Course support &             Blackboard/ Refworks /Hanze Mediatheek 
                        information  
                        Student Workload             Lectures                                                                                                     = 28 hours  
                                                     Assignment 1                                                                                            = 55 hours  
                                                     Written Exam                                                                                            = 25 hours 
                                                     Preparation lectures                                                                                = 32 hours 
                                                     Total                                                                                                           = 140 hours  
                        Other information            Students are expected to come to class prepared; Otherwise it is difficult to 
                                                     follow the lectures, group work as well as the coach meetings. 
                        
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Program: Master in Business Administration (MBA) 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Course: BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS 1 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Level  
                                                                                                                                                     Learning                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             (Please check the respective boxes)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Assignment A                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Total Avg. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     (EC: 3)                                                                                                                                                       Exam                                                                                                                   Weight per 
                                                                                                                                         Outcomes                                                                                                                                                                                       Knowledge                                                                                                                                                       Insight/                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Creation/                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            (EC: 2)                                                                                                                                 Learning 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Reproduction                                                                                                                                          Understand-                                                                                                                              Application  Analysis  Evaluation                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Design                                                                                                                                             Essay                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Outcome 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            ing 
                                                                                                            Write a research 
                                                                                                            report using mixed 
                                                                                                            methods for a                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    50 %                                                                                                                                                              0%                                                                                                                                           25% 
                                                                                                            master research 
                                                                                                            project. (DD3);                                                                                                                                                                                           x                                                                                                                                                   x                                                                                                                                             x                                                                                                                                                                                                                  x                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                            Recognize and 
                                                                                                            justify the 
                                                                                                            quantitative and 
                                                                                                            qualitative research                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               20%                                                                                                                                                             0%                                                                                                                                           10% 
                                                                                                            in the field of 
                                                                                                            international 
                                                                                                            business and 
                                                                                                            management (DD3);   x                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        x                                                                                                                         x                                                                                       x                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                            Apply appropriate 
                                                                                                            statistical techniques                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   0%                                                                                                                                                  70%                                                                                                                                                35% 
                                                                                                            based on a business 
                                                                                                            research model and                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     x                                                                                       x                                                                                                                
            the type of data 
            available (DD3); 
            Analyse a business 
            problem and deliver 
            reasonable solutions 
            based on the                                                                                                  30%              30%              30% 
            interpretation of 
            quantitative analysis 
            results (DD1, DD2).                                                  x         x           x 
                    Total                                                                                                                                  100% 
                                                                                                        
                  
                  Explanation:                                          Before 2018                                           After 2018 
                  Quantitative research will be taught in front of      Period 1:                                             Period 2: 
                  qualitative research methods.                         Write a qualitative research report (individual)      Write a research report using mixed-research 
                  Students have chance to practice both                                                                       methods (Qualitative + Quantitative) 
                  quantitative and qualitative research, such as 
                  questionnaire survey and interview research.  
                  Students’ individual written exam will also           Period 2:                                             Period 1: 
                  contain basic research concepts such as               Attend individual written exam using SPSS to          Attend individual written exam to 
                  literature review or research questions. This will    analyze and interpret quantitative data 
                  ensure that each individual will master the basic                                                               •   Answer basic research-related 
                  knowledge before he/she goes to a practical                                                                         theoretical questions 
                  research project.