My Learning Design Prototype
Welcome to the Applied Retail Research Course
Please watch the course introduction video below
Welcome to the Applied Retail Research Course. This course seeks to capacitate you with the relevant knowledge and skills to be able to effectively and efficiently conduct applied/practical/empirical research in the retail industry.
Course Outline
This course is co-designed and co-created meaning that your voice as a student is integrated throughout the course. You are therefore more than welcome to suggest any changes to the course, be in in terms of the content, the assessment, the teaching and learning activities and so on. If you suggest any changes to the course outline, please make sure to use a different colour. The original colour is black and any other colour reflects changes suggested by course participants.
Semester 1 Summative Assessments
In the first semester of 2022, you are required to do two summative assessments, that is, the research proposal (weighted at 40%) and the research proposal video (weighted at 40%). Please click on the buttons on the right to view these summative assessments.
The Research Proposal Assignment is due on 31 May 2022 at 23:59hrs and must be submitted via Blackboard.
The Research Proposal Video Assignment is due on 11 June 2022 at 23:59hrs and must be submitted via Blackboard.
Welcome to Module 1
Module 1 Learning Outcomes
Module one provides a comprehensive introduction to applied business research. By the end of this module you should be able to:
Understand what is research and the different types of research;
Understand the meaning and role of applied business research; and
Identify a research problem and come up with an appropriate title for your study.
Module 1 Case Study
Watch this video and answer the following questions?
1. What role did research play in the success of Starbucks?
2. What challenges did Starbucks face when conducting Research?
3. Suggest three strategies that Starbucks can implement to overcome these challenges.
Please upload your answers on Blackboard under the folder “Module 1 Case Study Answers” This assignment must be submitted by 23:59hrs on 12 February 2022.
Module 1 Self-Study Questions
Please read the Module 1 main content and answer the self-check questions in this section without referring to the notes. Once you have completed, mark your own work by comparing your answers to the information in the notes. Where you went wrong, please do the necessary corrections.
1. Outline the features that can make business and management research distinctive from research in other disciplines.
2. What are the key differences between basic and applied research (and consultancy)?
3. Examine Figure 1.2. What does this suggest about the need to plan and to reflect on and revise your ideas?
Please log on to the Module 1 folder on Blackboard; go to the formative assessments section and click on the link to Module 1 Revision Exercise. Answer all the questions using the Kahoot app.
Module 1 Multiple Choice Questions Using Kahoot. This assignment must be submitted by 23:00hrs on 22 February 2022.
Module 1 Game: Role Play
Please watch this video (on the right). After watching the video, imagine that you have been hired as a Market Research Consultant by a national retailer. Produce a 5-minute video to be presented to the company explaining the importance of market research. This assignment must be submitted by 23:00hrs on 26 February 2022.
Student Feedback
In order for me to ensure that this course is enjoyable and important to you, I need to hear your feedback on what is working well for you and what is not working well for you. Please therefore click on the button on the right to provide feedback your feedback about Module 1. The feedback will help me to come up with improvements to the course.
Welcome to Module 2
Module 2 Learning Outcomes
Module two introduces you to the concept of the research proposal. By the end of this module you should be able to:
Understand the purpose, structure and contents of a research proposal; and
Develop the draft structure of the research proposal for your proposed study.
Module 2 Case Study
Please down load the Module 2 Case Study and answer the following questions:
1. Why is it important that your research can be related to a relevant theory base, and when during the project does the theoretical framework need to be identified?
2. Do you think that Emma is right to restrict her project to only low cost airlines, rather than the whole industry or a comparison with another sector? Give reasons for your answer.
3. Do you think Emma was correct in her decision not to carry out interviews? Give reasons for your answer. If she was to change her mind, are there any ethical issues that would need to be addressed?
Please log on to the Module 2 folder on Blackboard; go to the formative assessments section and click on the link to Module 2 Case Study and upload your answers there. Please upload your answers by 23:59hrs on 28 February 2022.
Module 2 Self-Study Questions
Please read the Module 2 main content and answer the self-check questions in this section without referring to the notes. Once you have completed, mark your own work by comparing your answers to the information in the notes. Where you went wrong, please do the necessary corrections.
- Brainstorm at least one of the following research questions, either on your own or with a
colleague, and list the key words that you have generated.
a How effective is profit-related pay as a motivator?
b How do the opportunities available to a first-time house buyer through interpersonal
discussion influence the process of selecting a financial institution for the purposes of
applying for a house purchase loan?
c To what extent do new methods of direct selling of financial services pose a threat to
existing providers? - You are having considerable problems with finding relevant material for your research
when searching online databases. Suggest possible reasons why this might be so.
Module 2 Revision Exercise: Multiple Choice Questions
Please log on to the Module 2 folder on Blackboard; go to the formative assessments section and click on the link to Module 2 Revision Exercise. Answer all the questions using the Kahoot app. You will receive an automated response with your mark. For those questions that you incorrectly answered, the correct answers will also be provided.
Module 2 Game: Word Puzzle
Click on the button on the right and download the Chapter 2 Word Puzzle. Identify the following word by circling them and them upload your answers on Blackboard under the “Module 2 Formative Assessments Folder – Word Puzzle.” This assignment must be submitted by 23:59 hours on 04 March 2022.
Student Feedback
In order for me to ensure that this course is enjoyable and important to you, I need to hear your feedback on what is working well for you and what is not working well for you. Please therefore click on the button on the right to provide feedback your feedback about Module 2. The feedback will help me to come up with improvements to the course.
Welcome to Module 3
Module 3 Learning Outcomes
Module three seeks to capacitate you with the requisite knowledge and skills to be able to conduct a thorough review of the literature related to your research study. By the end of this module you should be able to:
Understand the different types of literature reviews;
Understand the role and purpose of literature review in a research study;
Understand the different sources of literature;
Search for the relevant literature for your proposed study; and
Be able to identify the literature relevant to your proposed study.
Module 3 Case Study
Please down load the Module 3 Case Study and answer the following questions:
1. Why is it important that your research can be related to a relevant theory base, and when during the project does the theoretical framework need to be identified?
2. Do you think that Emma is right to restrict her project to only low cost airlines, rather than the whole industry or a comparison with another sector? Give reasons for your answer.
3. Do you think Emma was correct in her decision not to carry out interviews? Give reasons for your answer. If she was to change her mind, are there any ethical issues that would need to be addressed?
Please log on to the Module 3 folder on Blackboard; go to the formative assessments section and click on the link to Module 3 Case Study and upload your answers there. Please upload your answers by 23:59hrs on 10 March 2022.
Module 3 Self-Study Questions
Please read the Module 3 main content and answer the self-check questions in this section without referring to the notes. Once you have completed, mark your own work by comparing your answers to the information in the notes. Where you went wrong, please do the necessary corrections.
1. Why is it important for your research investigation that you be critical when reviewing the
literature?
2. What might a project tutor mean by suggesting that a critical literature review should
be ‘balanced’?
3. What do you need to do to develop a literature review which is sufficiently critical, yet also sufficiently balanced?
Module 3 Revision Exercise: Multiple Choice Questions
Please log on to the Module 3 folder on Blackboard; go to the formative assessments section and click on the link to Module 3 Revision Exercise. Answer all the questions using the Kahoot app. For those questions that you incorrectly answered, the correct answers will also be provided.
Module 3 Game: Pictionary
Click on the button on the right to download a pictionary. Match the pictures to the words, save the document and submit it on Blackboard via the folder “Module 3 Formative Assessments – Pictionary” This assignment must be submitted by 28 March 2022 by 23:59hrs.
