Research Project
HKU
Session 1
1
Module Team
• Dr. Jian Wang (module leader)
• Dr. Joseph Ho
• Dr. BJ Lee
2
Academic context
“Most people let themselves be pushed by
chance, or other people’s expectations,
into environments of which they make the
best, rather than those which meet their
inner needs”
Michael Deakin 1996
3
Why do we need research?
Research Adds Knowledge: Research Helps Improve Practice:
Addresses gaps in Gains new ideas
knowledge and Expands Gains new insight into methods
knowledge
To evaluate and resolve a
current management dilemma:
To gather more information
before selecting a course of
action
Since 1995 the UK Government has expected
Research Builds Research Skills:
all departments and quasi-government
Planning & time management
organisations to make better use of research
Analytical & problem solving skills
when making policy
Writing & presentation skills
Module learning outcomes
• Plan and construct a self-managed study programme;
• Investigate research questions using appropriate research
methods and strategies;
• Demonstrate the ability to self-manage a research project;
• Extract and analyse, in an appropriate manner,
quantitative and qualitative material;
• Discuss and critically analyse the research project topic
chosen and defend it using coherent and well structured
arguments;
• Present the findings of the research project in an
appropriate academic/professional manner as determined
by their programme of study and the nature of the chosen
project.
5
Teaching Sequence
• Introduction
• Doing a project
• Research process – how to develop ideas
• Literature review
• Data collection
• How to read a journal article
• Developing a proposal
• Quantitative methods
• Interpret empirical results
• Referencing and write up
• How to make progress
6
Purposes
• Lectures:
Aim to provide students with an overall
picture about the key learning outcomes of
the module and to highlight other relevant
information to perform well in the module.
• Seminars:
Aim to provide students with the adequate
training/practical support for the
development and progress of their research
projects.
7
Assessment
• Proposal (1,000 words) (10%)
Submission – see the module handbook
Oral Presentation (10%)
Submission TBA
• Final Report (5,000 words) (80%)
Submission – see the module handbook
8
Task One
• Take a few minutes and discuss with the
person next to you what you think
business and management research is.
9
Business and management research is…..
• Concerned with the framing of questions rather
than just getting answers
• Process orientated
• Exploratory
• About theory creation
• Uses same tools but differently to market
research
• Can lead to deeper insights
10
A Project is….
• Should be based on academic theory
• Should have a strong level of application
of theory to practice
• It should lead to actionable outcomes -
make recommendations
11
Overall Aim/Purpose
The Project Objectives
Literature Review
Research Questions
Methodology
Findings
Analysis / Interpretation
Conclusions
Limitations
Recommendations
12
Key points
• Aim/Purpose - define the area/topic that you intend to
research.
• Objectives – to achieve define the specific sub-areas
that you intend to research the overall aim,
• Literature review - congruent with the objectives, builds a
case for the study, enables the key research question to
be defined
• Methodology - describes your approach to the whole
study
13
Key points
• Findings - describes at face value what your data
collection has identified.
• Analysis /Interpretation - considers the meaning and
implications of the findings relative to existing theory.
• Conclusions - key points identified, extent to which
objectives are fulfilled.
• Limitations - to the study and
• Areas for further research
14
Task two
• Brain storm as many ideas as possible as to why
you think getting started on a study may be
difficult.
• How might you overcome these?
15
Your role in the process
• Having an open mind
• Being motivated
• Driving the study forward
• To produce the work
• To be honest
• To follow advice
• To own the work
16
Your supervisors role in the study
• To supervise and guide you but not to do the
study
• To read some of your work once and give you
feedback
• To discuss your ideas
• To give you an insight into progress made and in
very broad terms the quality (but not a specific
grade)
17
Questions?
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