Unit Outline: Semester 1, 2016

Faculty of Business, Government & Law

BGL Research Project PG                                              9504 (Postgraduate)

1a        Unit title: BGL Research Project PG

1b        Unit number: 9504 (PG)

1c        Teaching Period and year offered: Semester 1, 2016

1d        Credit point value: 3

1e        Unit level: Postgraduate

1f         Name of Unit Convener and contact details (including telephone and email):

Name:	Assistant Professor Dr. Majharul Talukder
Room:	6D27 (Building 6, Level D, Room 27)
Telephone:	61(0) 2 6201 2702
Email:	majharul.talukder@canberra.edu.au

1g          Administrative contact details

Tel: (02) 6206 8810

Fax (02) 6201 5764 Room: 11B27

Email: BGLAdminEnquiries@canberra.edu.au Web: http://www.canberra.edu.au/faculties/business

2a        Unit description and learning outcomes

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Work independently on a significant project and communicate the results effectively;
2. Understand the theoretical and methodological concerns of high quality research in business management, public administration or an allied discipline relevant to their professional field;
3. Engage in high quality independent and ethical research;
4. Collect, evaluate, interpret and present information and/or numerical data;
5. Select and use appropriate information and communication technology, and to retrieve, manipulate and present information;
6. Identify problems and analyse the main features of problems relevant to their professional field;
7. Apply appropriate problem solving processes, arguments, critical and creative thinking; and
8. Identify and where appropriate evaluate strategies or propose policy for the resolution of problems.

2b        Graduate Attributes

Graduate attributes development in the unit:

1. UC graduates are professional. Because we collaborate closely with industry and other stakeholders, our graduates have the knowledge, skills and attitudes to succeed in their profession and become leaders in their field.

UC graduates can:

1. employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills;
   1. communicate effectively;
   1. use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems;
   1. work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict;
   1. display initiative and drive, and use their organization skills to plan and manage their workload;
   1. take pride in their professional and personal integrity.

• UC graduates are global citizens. We support students to gain the knowledge and confidence to be global citizens.

UC graduates can:

1. think globally about issues in their profession;
   1. adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries;
   1. understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures;
   1. communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings;
   1. make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives;
   1. behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives.

• UC graduates are lifelong learners. Our graduates are passionate about being at the forefront of their profession, staying in touch with the latest research, news and technology.

UC graduates can:

1. reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development;
   1. be self-aware;
   1. adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas;
   1. evaluate and adopt new technology.

2c        Prerequisites and/or co-requisites:

We expect that students enrolling this unit have experience of research methods.

Individuals entering our programs bring with them a diversity of attributes and experiences. As students of the University they will develop the qualities of critical thinking, curiosity and reflective practice. They will use foresight, initiative and leadership, and be open to alternative perspectives. As graduates, they will continue to learn and thrive in environments of complexity, ambiguity and change.

3a        Delivery mode

This is a research unit. There are seven lectures to provide instructions to the students how to progress with their research.

Week	Date	Recommended Work	Readings	Activities
1	15/02/2016 (Lecture)	Introduction to research project	Ch: 1,2	Room:22B14
2	22/02/2016	Literature Review, Theory and Hypotheses	Ch: 3,4
3	29/02/2016 (Lecture)	Methodology	Ch: 5,8,9	Room:22B14
4	07/03/2016	Prepare Data Collection Instruments	Ch: 10,11
5	14/03/2016 (Lecture)	Data Collection	Ch: 12,13	Room:22B14
6	21/03/2016	Data Entry & Data Analysis	Ch: 14	Proposal Submission
7	28/03/2015 (Lecture)	Discussion	Chapter: 15,16	Room:22B14
8	04/04/2016	Mid Semester Break
9	11/04/2016	Finalize Analysis and Prepare Draft Report	Ch: 17
10	18/04/2016 (Lecture)	Prepare First Draft	All Chapters	Room:22B14
11	25/04/2016	Finalize Draft, Edit and Prepare for Submission	All Chapters	Poster Submission
12	02/05/2016 (Lecture)	Submit the Project	All Chapters	Project Submission Room:22B14
13	09/05/2016 (Lecture)	Review Lecture	All Chapters	Room:22B14

4a        Lists of required texts/readings

Prescribed Text: Copies are available in the bookshop and library.

Hair, J., Lukas, B., Miller, K., Bush, R. and Ortinau, D. (2014).  Marketing Research. McGraw Hill

Supplementary reading/reference book:

Allen, P., Bennett, K. & Heritage, B. (2014). SPSS Statistics: A Practical Guide. Cengage Learning.

Recommended Texts/ Readings:

Zikmund, W. and Babib. B. (2010). Marketing Research. Cengage Learning. Hair, J., Bush, R. and Ortinau, D. (2006). Marketing Research. McGraw Hill.

Hair, J., Celsi, M., Ortinau, D. and Bush, R. (2013). Essentials of Marketing Research. McGraw Hill Feinberg, F., Kinnear, T and Taylor, J. (2013). Modern Marketing Research. Cengage Learning.

Aaker, D., Kumar, V., Leone, R. and Day, G. (2013). Marketing Research. Wiley. Malhotra, N. (2010). Marketing Research. Pearson.

Iacobucci, D and Churchill, G. (2010). Marketing Research. Cengage Learning.

Wilson, A., Johns, R., Miller, K. and Pentecost, R. (2010). Marketing Research. Pearson. Coakes, S. (2013). SPSS: Analysis without Anguish (V: 20). Wiley

Some useful journals include:

Journal of Marketing

Journal of Business Research Journal of Marketing Research Journal of Consumer Behavior

Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics

Academy of Management Review  Journal of Computer Information Systems Journal of Management

Asia Pacific Management Review MIS Quarterly

Additional reading materials/articles:

Talukder, M. (2011). Development of an enhanced model of innovation   adoption by individual employees. Journal of Asia Pacific Business, 12(4), 316-339.

Talukder, M. and Quazi, A. (2011). The impact of social influence on individuals’ adoption of innovation. Journal of Organizational Computing and Electronic Commerce, 21(2), 111-135.

Talukder, M. and Quazi, A. (2010). Exploring the factors affecting employees’ adoption and use of innovation. Australasian Journal of Information Systems, 16 (2), 1-30.

Talukder, M., Quazi, A. and Keating, B. (2014). Virtual systems in Australia:  A study of individual

users’ commitments’ and usage. Journal of Internet Commerce. 13(1), 1-21.

4b        Materials and equipment            N/A

4c        Unit website

To find your unit site online, login to LearnOnline (Moodle) using your student ID.

5a        Assessment overview

Assessment items	Weigh (%)	Due date	Learning outcome(s)	Addresses Graduate Attributes
1. Research Proposal	15	21 March 2016	1-5	1a-f, 2a-f, 3a-d
2. Poster Presentation	10	26 April 2016	1-5	1a-f, 2a-f, 3a-d
3. Final Project Report	65	29 April 2016	1-5	1a-f, 2a-f, 3a-d
4. Participation	10	All lectures	1-5	1a-f, 2a-f, 3a-d
	100

5b        Details of each assessment item

Students should nominate a project to their supervisor. Students should consider the credit point value, plus the fact that it is 100% project based and therefore with no classroom time commitment, the project should be sufficient in meeting the credit points.

 Item 1 – Research Proposal (15%)                                                                                             

Students are required to choose a topic of interest either industry analysis or meta-analysis. Please write a proposal 1.5 spaced about 10-15 pages maximum (including references) Times New Roman 12 font. Each research project should include the following sections:

1. Background of the Problem
2. Objectives of the Study
3. Research Questions
4. Significance of the Study
5. Literature Review and Hypothesis Development
6. Methodology
7. References

 Item 2 – Poster Presentation (10%)                                                                                            

All students are required to share their research findings with their classmates at the conclusion of the course. Students need to develop a poster in A3 paper. You can do this through word processing/ computers. The objective is to share your research project with your classmates. You do not need to present it but need to submit on due date. Your poster should incorporate the followings:

1. Research Problem
2. Research Questions/Objectives
3. Significance of the Study
4. Literature Review/Research Model
5. Methods
6. Summary of Findings
7. Recommendations
8. Conclusion & Implications

 Item 3 – Final Project (65%)                                                                                                       

The project is concerned with the preparation of a research project to gain hands on experience of the application of marketing research into practice. Students will have collect data based on research questions relating to a specific research topic. Each student will be responsible for analyzing the data and prepare the final reports based on analysis and interpretation of the results. Please note that the project is a practical research task and requires an organized and consistent effort on the part of students. The assignment will reflect the overall research skills that you have developed throughout this unit. The project report will demonstrate your understanding of the various steps of the marketing research process in an applied setting.

Please write a report 1.5 spaced about 20-25 pages maximum (including references) Times New Roman 12 font.

In this study you will need to combine the results of other studies on the same topic to understand more information regarding the shared area of inquiry. You will need to contrast and combine results of various studies in order to identify any trend, pattern or the relationships. It conducts research on previous published research. The second option is that, you can collect secondary data on certain topic and analyze using SPSS.

Each analysis should include the following sections:

1. Abstract
2. Introduction
3. Research Questions
4. Significance of the Study
5. Literature Review
6. Methodology
7. Data Analysis
8. Results and Discussions
9. Conclusions, Implications and Recommendations
10. Limitations and Future Research
11. References

Example:

Table 1: Showing the summary of the previous research.

Authors (year)	Objectives of the study	Methodology	Sample size/Country	Major findings
Leimeister et al. (2006)	Examined the factors affecting virtual communities in a comparative context of commercial and social communities.	Survey methods	340/USA	There is a commonality between commercial and non- commercial (social) VC.
Gannon-Leary and Fontainha (2007)	Focused on benefits, barriers and success factors of virtual communities	Purely conceptual orientation	570/ Australia	Identified a number of success factors of virtual communication including usability, trust, belongingness and common purpose.

 Item 4 – Class Participation (10%)                                                                                             

All class sessions will involve the analysis and discussion of specific case situations. All cases will illustrate real organizational circumstances. Case analysis and discussion in the class will enable students understanding of the nature of a firm’s marketing strategy and the process of formulating and implementing the strategies. Lectures will provide the theoretical framework which will help to assess the cases. Students may be called randomly at any time during class to contribute, critique and participate the discussion. You need to be well prepared to provide opinion and ask questions about all assigned cases.

Read the cases thoroughly and think how you can apply concepts learned in the class. You may meet your group prior to the class to discuss the case. Use your marketing strategic concepts and knowledge to analyze a particular situation. You need to listen to your classmates and provide alternative or supportive views. The quality and quantity of your contribution will determine your participation grade. Therefore, it is essential that you attend all classes and actively participate. This participation includes the preparation for tutorials, attendance in tutorials, contributions to group exercise and contribution to class discussions.

5c         Special assessment requirements

Students who get 50% or more will pass the unit.

5d        Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment will be available to those students with a final mark of 45-49%, but only if this is their final semester and they have failed no other unit in the semester.

5e         Academic Integrity

Students have a responsibility to uphold University standards on ethical scholarship. Good scholarship involves building on the work of others and use of others work must be acknowledged with proper attribution made. Cheating, plagiarism, and falsification of data are dishonest practices which contravene academic values.

5f         Text-matching software

Text matching software may be used to detect plagiarism.

5.2       Special consideration

For examinations administered by the Examinations Office see the Deferred Examinations Policy.

The Assessment Policy says:

3.14 Special consideration is consideration given to students whose performance in a unit may be affected by unavoidable and adverse circumstances. Special consideration will normally result in extensions of time for submission of assessment items (see Assessment Procedures) or deferred examinations (see the Deferred Examination Policy).

The relevant provision is 3.14 in the Assessment Procedures:

3.14 Applications for an extension to the due date for submission of an assessment item on the grounds of illness or other unavoidable and verifiable personal circumstances (that is, special consideration) should be submitted according to the procedures described in the unit outline for the relevant unit. For advice on documentary evidence to support applications for extensions, please refer to the Assessment Guide that supports these procedures.

Students should apply for extensions before the due submission date, and are advised to do so as early as possible. Applications after the due submission date may be considered only in exceptional circumstances.

5.3             Applying for Special consideration

If for any reason you are unable to do an assignment by the due date you must submit, to the unit convener, a request for an extension in writing before the due date (unless impossible) setting out in detail the genuine reason for requesting the extension.  If there is a medical or counselling reason for the extension request it must be accompanied by a medical or counselling certificate which clearly states:

• that you were unfit to complete the assignment;
  • the date of the medical or counselling consultation; and
  • the period for which you were / are / will be unfit to complete the assignment.

Evidence from UC AccessAbility, the Academic Skills Centre, the student counselling service or a Doctor may be helpful in seeking special consideration. However, it is only the unit convener who can grant an extension.

Refer to the Faculty Assignment Extension Policy

5.4             Due dates for assessment

All assignments are required to be submitted by the due date.

There is no requirement for unit conveners to mark assignments that are submitted late. In particular, small assignments that are tied to specific parts of the unit delivery such as reflective journals or weekly contributions are part of formative assessment and due dates cannot be extended without harming the value of this form of assessment to others in the unit. All assignments are required to be submitted by the due date. Assignments that are submitted late and do not have an acceptable reason will incur a penalty of 5 marks per day.

6a         Workload

The amount of time you will need to spend on study in this Unit will depend on a number of factors including your prior knowledge, learning skill level and learning style. Nevertheless, in planning your time commitments you should note that for the total notional workload over the fifteen week semester is assumed to be 150 hours or an average of 10 hours per week. These hours include time spent in classes. Students are expected to:

• Ensure that they are aware of the pre-requisites of this unit.
  • Undertake all required reading for the subject.
• Prepare for class by completing pre-reading, case notes and discussion questions as outlined in the class activity schedule.
• Actively participate in class
• Complete all items of assessment; and
• Submit the assignments on the due date

6b        Special needs

Students who need assistance in undertaking the unit because of disability or other circumstances should inform their Unit Convener or the Disabilities Office as soon as possible so the necessary arrangements can be made.

6c         Attendance requirements

It is highly recommended that students attend all classes and actively participate in the discussion.

6d        Withdrawal

If you are planning to withdraw please discuss with your unit convener. Please see this link for further information on deadlines.

6e         Required IT skills

Students are expected to have sufficient word processing skills to enable them to submit work for assessment in accordance with the specified requirements, and to be able to access and use the Internet for research purposes, including the Library’s databases. The Library provides training throughout the semester in the use of its on-line resources.

6f         Costs

Students will need ongoing access to the text. Purchase of a copy of the text is recommended.

6g         Work Integrated Learning

Work Integrated Learning will be encouraged

6h        Additional information

The unit convener will be available for consultation at times to be advised when tutorial arrangements have been finalized, or by appointment. Assignments should be submitted using the APA (American Psychological Association) referencing style.

All students enrolled in this Unit will have an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on the Unit at the end of the Semester via the Unit Satisfaction Survey which will be presented to you on OSIS.

Any change to the information contained in Section 2 (Academic content), and Section 5 (Assessment) of this document, will only be made by the Unit Convener if the written agreement of Head of Discipline and a majority of students has been obtained; and if written advice of the change is then provided on the unit site in the learning management system. If this is not possible, written advice of the change must be then forwarded to each student enrolled in the unit at their registered term address. Any individual student who believes him/ herself to be disadvantaged by a change is encouraged to discuss the matter with the Unit Convener…