Students

MQBS7025 – Advanced Qualitative Research Approaches in Business and Economics

2020 – Session 2, Special circumstance

Notice

As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.

To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Jaco Lok
Contact via Email
By appointment
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
MQBS7010 and MQBS7020
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit addresses comprehensive and practical considerations of qualitative research design, covering a range of qualitative research methodologies and analytical tools that are based on the main research philosophies underpinning qualitative research in business and organisation research. The topics include advanced research approaches and methods such as ethnography, discourse analysis, and critical approaches. It helps students develop advanced research skills that are critical to knowledge generation in business research and problem solving.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Explain the relative advantages and disadvantages of a diverse range of qualitative research methods used in management research in developing a research design
  • ULO2: Conduct qualitative research using a sound understanding of different coding and interpretation strategies that are consistent with their respective research question, method, and research philosophy
  • ULO3: Develop a theoretical research contribution by relating findings from qualitative data analysis to a literature review
  • ULO4: Analyze textual data in ways that are consistent with different research philosophies that can underpin qualitative research

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Essay 30% Yes Start of the week 12 lecture
Report 30% Yes Start of the week 8 lecture
Weekly Reveiw 40% Yes Weekly at the start of the following week's lecture

Essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 33.3 hours
Due: Start of the week 12 lecture
Weighting: 30%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

Select any text (e.g. report; interview transcript; series of news or opinion articles on a particular topic) and write a 3,000 word research report that presents the findings of three different analyses that are each based a different research philosophy: (neo-)positivist, interpretive, and critical. Justify the coding and interpretation techniques you used for each analysis in relation to your research question, making use of the relevant literature on qualitative research methods. Support your main findings using data fragments and/or summary tables.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain the relative advantages and disadvantages of a diverse range of qualitative research methods used in management research in developing a research design
  • Conduct qualitative research using a sound understanding of different coding and interpretation strategies that are consistent with their respective research question, method, and research philosophy
  • Develop a theoretical research contribution by relating findings from qualitative data analysis to a literature review
  • Analyze textual data in ways that are consistent with different research philosophies that can underpin qualitative research

Report

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 33.3 hours
Due: Start of the week 8 lecture
Weighting: 30%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

Select three recent (within the last 5 years) empirical research papers from three top academic journals that have used the same particular research method, and write a 3,000 word report that critically analyzes and compares the three papers in terms of:

1) The way they position the research question in relation to existing literature

2) The way they justify their research methods

3) The extent to which, and ways in which, their main theoretical contributions is supported by, and connected to, the findings


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain the relative advantages and disadvantages of a diverse range of qualitative research methods used in management research in developing a research design
  • Conduct qualitative research using a sound understanding of different coding and interpretation strategies that are consistent with their respective research question, method, and research philosophy
  • Develop a theoretical research contribution by relating findings from qualitative data analysis to a literature review
  • Analyze textual data in ways that are consistent with different research philosophies that can underpin qualitative research

Weekly Reveiw

Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 44.4 hours
Due: Weekly at the start of the following week's lecture
Weighting: 40%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

For each of the sessions from weeks 2 -12 of the course, write a 500-1,000 review that:

1) Summarizes what you believe to be the most important learnings from the lecture and readings in each week

2) Critically discuss how the materials covered could relate to your own research project e.g. how might you use some of the points discussed to improve, critique, and/or justify your research project?


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain the relative advantages and disadvantages of a diverse range of qualitative research methods used in management research in developing a research design
  • Conduct qualitative research using a sound understanding of different coding and interpretation strategies that are consistent with their respective research question, method, and research philosophy
  • Develop a theoretical research contribution by relating findings from qualitative data analysis to a literature review
  • Analyze textual data in ways that are consistent with different research philosophies that can underpin qualitative research

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

The week 1 session will be conducted online. The means of delivery (online versus face-to-face on campus) for the following sessions will be agreed during this session based on consensus between the UC and students.

All relevant learning resources, including readings, will be published on Ilearn.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.