Professional Certificate in Business Research Methods

This module will equip you with the knowledge and critical techniques to conduct research in business and management. We will address different kinds of research, especially scholarly, academic output, and applied consultancy output, whilst the module’s practical emphasis is upon facilitating research methods for empirical research in the programme’s capstone project.

You will learn about different approaches to undertaking research and how research methods are underpinned by different philosophical perspectives. Through the taught classes you will critically evaluate different factors that impact upon research design, quality of empirical fieldwork, and dissemination

of final research, and explore different approaches to using academic literature. You will explore the implications o your research design on constructing your research instrument and planning your data analysis or consultancy intervention. We will also outline the importance of research ethics for any human interaction involved in your research. This module is essential in supporting you to begin your capstone project (Dissertation or Consultancy Project) andthe content should be revisited once you begin your capstone project.

Upon completion of the course, learners will be able to:

• Knowledge outcome – Demonstrate a critical awareness of the purposes of management research in the domains of scholarly academic output, public advisory, and business consulting. You will also reflect upon the issues underlying the choice of data collection and analysis techniques. You will appreciate the different stages from research design to dissemination of findings or steps in the consultancy process and the nature and characteristics of each stage.
• Intellectual skills – You will be able to a) critically examine scholarly literature and to select, focus, and reflect on choice literature that motivates your chosen topic of inquiry; b) understand research design issues, and conceive, frame, and articulate one or more research questions; c) critically evaluate, draw on, and present appropriate research methods to collect and analyse empirical data for a research project as well as to evaluate secondary data sources.

This module is ideal for:

1. Postgraduate students preparing to undertake a capstone project, such as a dissertation or consultancy project, within business, management, or social sciences.
2. Aspiring researchers and analysts who seek to develop strong foundational knowledge in both qualitative and quantitative research methods for business and organisational studies.
3. Working professionals and consultants looking to enhance their ability to apply evidence-based approaches in real-world business problem-solving and consultancy interventions.
4. Individuals transitioning to research-intensive roles, particularly in business development, strategy, policy advisory, or market research functions.
5. Future doctoral candidates seeking a strong methodological grounding in academic research design and execution.

This module supports learners in critically designing and conducting impactful research while understanding the ethical and practical implications of research in diverse business contexts.