| Unit name | Research Methods in Global Operations and Supply Chain Management |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EFIMM0071 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Luo |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Management - Business School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
This unit provides indispensable tools for academic and professional excellence. In this unit, the students will delve into the nuances of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed research methods and learn to tackle complex issues in operations and supply chain management. They will develop skills which are critical for informed decision-making and effective management in real-world contexts. The students will learn to critically analyse various academic perspectives, appreciate the relevance of these perspectives in research design, and understand the impact of cultural and ethical considerations in research. This unit empowers the students to confidently navigate and contribute to the evolving landscape of global operations and supply chain management and make them an asset in any organizational or academic setting.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit is a cornerstone of the MSc programme, bridging the gap between the taught element and the research of dissertation. It lays the foundation for a deep understanding of research methodologies, essential for tackling the complex challenges in global operations and supply chain management. This unit complements other programme components by providing the analytical tools needed to conduct effective research and make evidence-based decisions. The skills gained here are crucial for analysing and addressing global challenges in the relevant areas, ensuring that the students are well-prepared for the multifaceted demands of this dynamic field.
An overview of content
The unit aims to enable students to gain an understanding of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed research methods appropriate to address the issues encountered in academia and practice. It provides evidence to inform management decision-making and academic study within the operations, supply chain and logistics management fields. It is designed to provide students with knowledge and skills to collect, critically evaluate, interpret, and present relevant research.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
During the delivery of the unit students will:
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this unit, students should be able to:
Teaching will be delivered through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous sessions including lectures, tutorials, drop-in sessions, discussion boards and other online/offline learning opportunities.
This unit will be comprised of a combination of learning materials, critical review of selected academic journal papers and case studies, and both live and student-centred activities related to each topic. Live sessions (i.e. synchronous sessions) will be face-to-face. You will be steered by each week’s activities to stimulate reflections on your reading(s), the taught content of the live session, and applications to real world phenomena.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Formative assessment within this unit will take many forms in class, including: practice quizzes, practice exercises, and informal presentations of ideas ‘in progress’. The students will receive peer and lecturer informal feedback on these activities.
In addition, the students are invited to submit a 2-page plan or outline of their research proposal by the end of Week 6. This submission will not be formally assessed or graded. However, if they submit it, they will receive formative feedback. This will better equip you when developing your summative assessment submission.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Students are required to submit a research proposal (3000 words) for their dissertations (100%) [ILOs 1-6]. This proposal should be an outline of your research aims, question, literature review, methodology, data collection, data analysis and research contribution. The research can be from any area of studies but must be from the operations management or supply chain domain. Students can use either qualitative/quantitative or mixed method covered in this unit.
When assessment does not go to plan
When a student fails the unit and is eligible to resubmit, failed components will be reassessed on a like-for-like basis.
Students eligible for a reassessment will be required to rework their research proposal (3000 words) (100%) using feedback to improve the original submission. [ILO 1-6]
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EFIMM0071).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
