MODULE INTRODUCTION

Business research means undertaking systematic research to find out things about business
in general. Research does not only need to provide findings that advance knowledge and
understanding, but it also needs to address business issues and problems. It needs to
provide original insight into a phenomenon by advancing knowledge. When research is
taken various characteristics and a procedure should be followed. The literature review is
one of the most important parts of research. This is the task that one does become aware of
the available body of knowledge in the area. It is an integral part of any research project and
its helps in many steps of the ongoing research. The research strategy and design are the
essential parts of any research topic. It can be qualitative, quantitative or a mixture of both
depending on the research question or hypothesis in mind. There are various issues
regarding both methodologies, one important is sampling. In doing research one can use
interviews, questionnaires or even online databases. Finally, when the results of a research
strategy are obtained, and the researcher needs to write the report, there exists a specific
structure that he/she should follow.

AIMS OF THE MODULE

The module aims at providing students with the knowledge of the essential tools and
techniques necessary to understand the nature and concept of research, to develop a
research question or hypothesis, to review the literature, to apply the appropriate research
design in order to provide results and to write the research project. Students will become
familiar with a variety of research methods through studying examples of research projects
and scientific papers. They will also have the opportunity to become familiar with the
processes followed when applying for research funds, from national and international
foundations as well as the specialized programmes and initiatives each of these foundations
offers. Students will acquire experience about effective research implementation processes,
methods, and results dissemination. They will be presented with opportunities for developing
their own research questions and methodological designs which will lead to the elaboration
of their Masters.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of the Module, students should be able to:

 Obtain a clear understanding of the different characteristics of research

 Identify research questions or hypotheses
 Raise research questions and be able to draw from the educational research
principles in order to develop research designs and methodologies suitable for
investigating economic and policy issues
 Identify the elements that highlight the quality of a research through certain research
examples
 Consider all different types of sources in order to obtain the literature review
 Write the literature review and the Reference list
 Understand the processes followed and acquire the skills needed for writing a
research proposal, through their practical involvement in the process
 Choose a research design and perform an analysis
  Develop their own, research questions and methodological designs, which will lead
finally to the elaboration of their Master’s Thesis.
 Write the project
 Understand the mechanisms they can use for the effective communication of their
research and academic results to the end users and the dissemination of the results
to all interested parties, academic or not.

STUDY MATERIALS
Study Guide

The main resource is this Study Guide which contains the complete design and detailed
content of this module. Note that the deadlines for submitting the marked assignments are
also given in the Study Guide.

Textbooks

The following texts are associated with topics considered at various points throughout this
module.

 Business Research Methods. 12th edition, 2014, Cooper Donald, Schindler Pamela,
McGraw Hill Higher education
 A gentle Guide to Research Methods, 1st edition, 2006, Rugg and Petre, McGraw Hill
education

The following texts are also recommended readings.

 Cohen, L., Manion, L., Morrison K. (2011). Research Methods in Education. 7th ed.
London: Routledge.
 Creswell, J.W. (2013). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods
Approaches. 4th Ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
 Seidman, I., (2012). Interviewing as Qualitative Research: A Guide for Researchers in
Education and the Social Sciences, 4th ed. Teachers College Press.
 Charmaz, K (2006). Constructing Grounded Theory: A Practical Guide Through
Qualitative Analysis. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
 Silverman, D., (2015). Interpreting Qualitative Data. 5th ed. Sage Publications.
 Anderson, R. D. (2014). Modern Business Statistics with Microsoft Excel.5th ed. Cengage
Learning.
 Crowther, D. and Lancaster, G. (2012). Research Methods, 2nd ed., Routledge.
 Sekaran, U. and Roger B. (2011). Research Methods for Business: A skill Building
Approach, 5th edition, Wiley
 Matthews and Ross (2010). Research Methods. A Practical Guide for the Social
Sciences, Longman, Pearson education
 Wooldridge, M., J. (2012). Introductory Econometrics: A Modern Approach, 5th edition,
South-Western College Pub.
 Scherbaum, A., C, and Shockley, M.K. (2015). Analyzing Quantitative Data for Business
and Management Students. Sage Publications Ltd.

ASSESSMENT
The formal assessment of this module consists of
 Midterm Assignment on Qualitative methods (50% of total marks for module)
 Closed-book Final Examination on Quantitative methods (50% of total marks for
module)