Business Research Methods

Assignment Brief for Assignment/coursework 1: Learning Conversation

7BUS2002-0901-
Module Title: Business Research Methods Module Code:
2024
Weekly Learning Conversation
Assignment Format & Assignment 20% of the overall
Maximum Word count
(Group) plus weekly 250-word Weighting: grade
Individual reflection

Learning Set Conversation:

First 4 weeks during the
Tutorials

PLUS

250-word individual
reflection to 4 weeks after
Coursework
be submitted by every Friday: submission
return Date
Coursework Submission: Week 1: 18/10/24 returned to
Week 2: 25/10/24 students:
Week 3: 01/11/24
Week 4: 08/11/24

Time: 23:59

Method: On-line submission

via Studynet/Canvas

Dr Ketty Grishikashvili
Module leader First marker Module Team
Approved ✘ Module Board
Internal Moderator
Date: 04/09/24 name
 Approved Module Board
External Examiner
Date: date

Assessment Criteria
Learning Outcomes: Knowledge and Understanding tested in this assignment:
 Demonstrate understanding of contemporary business issue and challenges associated with
business research
 Demonstrate a potential business research issue, aim, objectives and question (s)
 Identifying key literature, theories and authors relevant to specific topics
Learning Outcomes: Skills and Attributes tested in this assignment:
 Creating a learning community and communicating effectively across teams
 Formulate effective research aim, objectives and research question(s)
Feedback /Marking criteria for this Assignment
Performance will be assessed using HBS Grading Criteria and Mark scheme.
Guidance for improvement will be given in writing on the Assessment Feedback Form or on the StudyNet
Feedback Form within 4 weeks of submission.
For each day or part day up to five days after the published deadline, coursework relating to modules
submitted late will have the numeric grade reduced by 10 grade points until or unless the numeric grade
reaches 40 for levels 4, 5 and 6 or 50 for level 7 (PG). Where the numeric grade awarded for the assessment
is less than 40 for level 4, 5 and 6, or 50 for level 7, no lateness penalty will be applied. However, if a
submission is more than 5 working days after the published deadline, a grade of zero will be awarded.

Detailed Brief for Individual/Group Assessment

Assignment Title: Learning Conversation: Develop research topic, aim, objectives
and question(s).
Description of the assignment:
This assignment serves as a preparatory stage and intends to develop your research, problem solving,
teamwork and reflexive skills relevant to your final Research Proposal assignment, which takes 70% of the
overall assessment weighting. In addition, this assignment will form a solid foundation for your final MSc
IB Major Research Project which is a 60-credit module (weighting 1/3 of your degree).
During the first four weeks’ seminar sessions you must prepare for and participate in a Learning
Conversation (an approximately 30 minutes) based on concepts you have learned on Canvas preparation
and in your face-to-face sessions. As a Learning Set you will be exploring key issues associated with the
contemporary business and management research practices with the module tutors and with your peers.
Reflection and collaborative feedback within the learning set during the weekly Learning Conversation
will provide an opportunity to share understanding, formulate research problem, identify a relevant
literature and develop potential research aim, objectives and question(s) for your research proposal.

Topics to be discussed each week are as following:

Week 1 - Nature of Business and Management Research & Research Process + The Case
Study of the week.
Week 2 - Identifying Potential Research Topic, Aims and Objectives + The Case Study of the
week
Week 3 - Identifying Potential Literature for your Research + The Case Study of the week.
Week 4 - Developing your own research topic, question (s), aim and objectives. It is
mandatory to highlight the Contemporary Business Issue to be addressed for a Specified
Organisation (it could be one of the well-known brands) + The Case Study of the week.

After each week’s Learning Conversation each member of Learning Set should reflect on their Learning
Conversation and produce reflective piece of work no more than 250 words and no less than 150.
You have to individually consider:

 What was the week’s topic and the case study of the week and what you learned from the
Learning Conversation?
 How experience from this conversation can help you to build your own research proposal?

An individual reflective Aide Memoire must be uploaded to this portal by 23.59 on every Friday:
Week 1: 18/10/24
Week 2: 25/10/24
Week 3: 01/11/24
Week 4: 08/11/24
Important: There will be no extensions for any of these deadlines. If you cannot attend the tutorial, it is
your responsibility, that you let your tutor know in advance with appropriate proof (e.g. a doctor’s note).

Specific Instructions:
This work involves Two Stages.
Stage One
1. You must select your own Learning Set (group) within your tutorial groups, with a minimum of four
and maximum of five members (recommended is four). Only in exceptional circumstances and with
permission from the module tutor will teams of three be allowed. Under no circumstances can teams be
larger than five.
Failure to join a team may result in a loss of marks for the learning conversation component of the
coursework.
You must form Learning Set within your tutorial group. You are not permitted to change tutorial
group under any circumstances unless this has been formally agreed with the programme team.

2. Use Canvas preparation material to help you build your knowledge and understanding even further
3. Each group member must do their own research (e.g., find an information and bring it with you (an
academic paper, newsletter or video) about the weeks topic and contribute equally during the Learning
Conversation
Stage Two
After each week’s Learning Conversation each member of Learning Set should reflect on their Learning
Conversation and produce a reflective piece of work no more than 250 words and no less than 150.
You have to individually consider:
 What was the week’s topic and the case study, what did you learn from the Learning set
Conversation?
 How experience from this conversation can help you to build your own research proposal?
Please Note:
• Do not use Wikipedia as a reference – perhaps instead use it to find links to case studies and other
published material. Use the UH online library for literature searches of academic peer-reviewed
journals. Consider using search engines such as Google Scholar and Scopus for practitioner-
 focused trade publications and news sources.
• The CASE Guide to Harvard Referencing is an essential resource.

It is essential that you:

 Show ability to discuss and analyse the topic with critical awareness.
 Show ability to describe theoretical concepts and then use examples as illustrations of how
theory is linked to practice.
 Use Harvard Referencing.
 Have at least 7 academic sources by end of week 5

Marking scheme:
e.g. Weighting
 Attendance, engagement, and participation. 100%

 Team spirit and co-operation, building trust and rapport with the ability
to positively challenge.
 Ability to discuss and analyse the topic with critical awareness.
 Ability to giving and receiving feedback and feedforward.
 Ability to developing effective research aim, objectives and research
question(s).
 Ability to meet deadline for reflective piece of work.
 Individual reflection.
Total 100

Student Support and Guidance

 For further help, contact your module leader in their drop-in hours or by email.
 Use the Grading Criteria and Mark Scheme to help improve your work.
 Go to CASE workshops, use the CASE website and drop-in hours www.studynet.herts.ac.uk/go/CASE/
 Academic English for Business support is available through daily drop-ins from the CASE office. See
the CASE workshop timetable on the CASE main website page for details.
 Make full use of Library search to identify relevant academic material and the ‘Subject Toolkit for
Business’ which contains links to other Information Databases and the Information Management
 contact details.
(http://www.studynet1.herts.ac.uk/ptl/common/LIS.nsf/lis/4DAF5390094771C2802575ED004212BF)
 Some tutors allow students to test their work using Turnitin. Guidance on submission to Turnitin via
StudyNet can be found by using the following link.
http://www.studynet1.herts.ac.uk/ptl/common/asu.nsf/resource+library/
TURNITIN+FOR+STUDENTS+2016+USER+GUIDE.pdf/$FILE/
TURNITIN+FOR+STUDENTS+2016+USER+GUIDE.pdf

Marking:
Meeting weekly tasks and submitting reflective piece of work every Friday (4 weeks) will be scored as
Complete or Incomplete and stored in canvas. The total score (20%) will be automatically recorded in
canvas as well. You may also get Excused, which still counts as a mark, but it is not a full mark. In case of
Excuse please see your Tutor to improve the mark for the following week.