Research Methods for Managers – MGNT 3633

Dr. Anderson

Course Information
​
Course Description: ​This course is designed to introduce students to basic approaches for
conducting research in a business environment. A special emphasis is placed on research methods
and tactics that are applicable to enhancing management practice, organizational effectiveness, and
organizational survival. Students will be introduced to various pathways to knowledge, research
method design, data collection, data analysis, reporting of research results, the peer review process,
and applied research.

Learning Objective Relates to BBA Learning Goal(s)

By the end of this course students should be able to:
1. Identify elements of the research process (LG 2)
2. Analyze research questions and match them with appropriate research processes (LG 2)
3. Manage a basic data collection for conducting research (LG 5)
4. Apply research results to management ​ ​decisions (LG 3)
Readings:
1. Articles will be placed on courseden for you to read prior to class
2. We will rely heavily on this web site: ​http://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/purpose
3. Suggested Readings (not required): Schwab, Donald P. 1999. Research Methods for
Organizational Studies. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: Mahwah, NJ.
​ Course Structure: Credit Hour Policy (3 credit hours), for approximately fifteen weeks, students in
this class will generally spend 150 minutes with direct faculty instruction (online) and work
about 360 minutes outside of the classroom each week. This out-of-class work may include, but
is not limited to, readings, assignments, projects, group work, research, and test preparation.
Course Schedule and ​ Course Management: The course will be managed according to the schedule in
this syllabus. I do reserve the right to adjust the schedule as needed. Such adjustments will be
shared with you via email or posted on Courseden.

Instructor Information
Introduction: As a student, employee, manager, teacher, coach, administrator, and professor, I have
spent the last 20 years studying, learning, teaching, and researching about the experiences people
have within a firm’s operations, the experiences firms have in markets, and how both of these are
shaped by the environments in which they exist. This journey has taken me through four college
degrees (all from different institutions and in different areas of study, but all related to the study of
people in organizations), work in financial services, high school teaching and coaching, and working
as a university professor and administrator, as well as service in my church and community. In this
class we will spend a lot of time focused on helping you mastering the content within the field of
strategic management, I also hope we will find time to learn from each other’s experiences and as
we select the next steps along the pathway we will each pursue.

Contact information
Name: Jon Anderson, Ph.D.
Office: RCOB 2318
Email: janderso@westga.edu ​(I prefer this over courseden. Please allow two working days for a response)
Office Hours: Before or after class or by appointment

I reserve the right to modify the syllabus throughout the semester

 Course Structure and Policies
​ Student Rights and Responsibilities: Please carefully review the information at the following link:
http://www.westga.edu/assetsDept/vpaa/Common_Language_for_Course_Syllabi.pdf​ The
document at this link contains important information pertaining to your rights and responsibilities
in this class. Because these statements are updated as federal, state, university, and accreditation
standards change, you should review the information each semester.

Student Attendance and Behavior: As a student it is expected that you engage in class at all times
noted on the course schedule. If if you do not complete an assignment/exam on time, you will
receive a 0 for that assignment/exam. Please make arrangements to login and complete your work
early. It is also expected that you act respectfully and participate, especially in group assignments
and class discussion. If you behave unprofessionally (as determined by me, the professor), you will
be disqualified from a group project or class discussion and lose the associated credit toward your
grade. You are expected to be in class. ​Each missed class will deduct 2% from your final grade. Please
see me if an emergency happens.

Student Integrity: You should be honest. If you are not honest in your work on an assignment you
will receive a “0” for that assignment and may receive a “F” for the course, depending on the
severity of the infraction (as deemed by me, the professor). Please follow all instructions with
exactness, especially when completing assignments/exams online.

The UWG honor codes states: “At the University of West Georgia we believe that academic and
personal integrity are based upon honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. Students at
West Georgia assume responsibility for upholding the honor code. West Georgia students pledge to
refrain from engaging in acts that do not maintain academic and personal integrity. These include,
but are not limited to, plagiarism*, cheating*, fabrication*, aid of academic dishonesty, lying, bribery
or threats, and stealing.” The student manual also outlines the method for handling cheating or
academic dishonesty as follows: “Each incidence of academic dishonesty is subject to review and
consideration by the instructor, and is subject to a range of penalties including but not limited to
failing the assignment, failing the course, and referral to Office of the Vice President for Academic
Affairs” (available online at ​http://www.westga.edu/~handbook/hb3.php?page=honorcode​).

Assessments of Learning Objectives

Your final grade will be determined by your grades on three exams and one project. ​As it is expected
that you will attend class, your final grade will be reduced by 2% for each absence. Please see me if an
emergency happens. Additionally, final paper grades will be adjusted for peer evaluation.

Course Assessments and Grade Calculation:

1. Exam 1 20%
2. Exam 2 20%
3. Exam 3 20%
4. Variable Definitions 10%
5. Literature Review 10%
6. Survey Instrument 10%
7. Final Paper (including data and analysis) 10%
Total Points for Grade Calculation 100%

Final Course Grading Scale: 90-100% = A; 80-89% = B; 70-79% = C; 60-69% = D; Below 60% = F

I reserve the right to modify the syllabus throughout the semester

Anticipated Course Schedule

Face2Fac
Date Question to answer? e or
Group
1/9 Why conduct research in business? What are truths? F2F
1/11 What is a research question? What are levels of analysis? ​Assign F2F
Groups
1/16 MLK Day N/A
1/18 What is the empirical research model? F2F
1/23 What are conceptual and operational ​variables? F2F
1/25 Develop five research questions Group
1/30 What is construct ​validity​? F2F
2/1 Define and describe your variables Group
2/6 Exam Review F2F
2/8 Exam 1 (​Turn​ in Variable Definitions) F2F
2/13 How to conduct a literature review? F2F
2/15 How to write a literature review F2F
2/20 Write your literature review Group
2/22 Write your literature review Group
2/27 How do you design a research study? ​(Turn in Literature Review) F2F
3/1 How do you design a research study part 2? F2F
3/6 Design your research study Group
3/8 How do you select a sample from a population? F2F
3/13 How do you create a research or survey instrument? F2F
3/15 How interested are you in a social relationship? F2F
3/20 Spring Break N/A
3/22 Spring Break N/A
3/27 Exam Review F2F
3/29 Exam 2 (Turn in Survey Instrument) F2F
4/3 Collect your data Group
4/5 Collect your data Group
4/10 How do you organize research data and use statistics? F2F
4/12 Organize your data Group
4/17 How do you check for validity and reliability? F2F
4/19 How do you test your research results? F2F
4/24 How do you identify and describe research limitations? F2F
4/26 How do you summarize your research conclusions? F2F
5/1 How do you keep research integrity? Complete research paper Group
5/3, 8:00 am Exam 3, Final Research Paper Due F2F

I reserve the right to modify the syllabus throughout the semester

 Structure/Template For Your Research Paper

Abstract
(100-200 word description of the paper)

Introduction
(1-2 pages overviewing the need for this research project)

Literature Review and Hypotheses

(2-4 pages reviewing what we know from previous studies. This section should build the case for
your study. Hypotheses should be integrated toward the end of this section). You must cite 15
research articles in this section for full credit.

Methods
(1-2 pages outlining your research methods, measures, and data collection)

Result
(1-2 pages describing the results of your research)

Discussion and/or Conclusion

(1-2 pages outlining implications of your findings. What new knowledge was created, and what are
potential future research directions?)

Limitations
(1-2 pages outlining shortcomings of your research. what should other researchers consider as they
conduct similar research?)

Works Cited
You must cite 15 research articles in this section for full credit.

I reserve the right to modify the syllabus throughout the semester