SG7002: Applied Business Project

PROJECT AREA 

Submission date: Wednesday, May 10th 2023, 16.00 

Academic Year: 2022/23 Term B 

Project Leader: Aidan Kelly Email: 

a.j.kelly@uel.ac.uk 

Tel: 0208 223 2965 Room Number: US2.16 

Student Hours: Tuesday: 10.00 – 12.00, Thursday 14.00  – 16.001 

Timetabled Teaching  

There is no scheduled teaching for SG7002. Scheduled “contact” time is between the student  and his/her supervisor, during the academic year. To assist you in your discussions with your  supervisor there are a number of workshop videos and other resources on developing your  research question, undertaking a literature review, primary and secondary research,  quantitative and qualitative research, data analysis, and completing your research project 

which are available on the SG7002 site and can be streamed online. 

How to access your timetable 

To access your personal timetable log into the intranet and click on the timetable box and  save to your favourite browser, or use the intranet link (UEL ID required to login) 

https://ueltt.uel.ac.uk 

All room numbers on our campuses follow the same pattern – the initial of the building,  followed by the floor number and finally the room number e.g., DL4.01 is room 1 on the 4th floor of the Dockland Library building. Campus maps can be found  here: 

• Link to the Docklands Campus Map 

• Link to the Stratford Campus Map

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INTRODUCTION TO THE MODULE  

Welcome to SG7002 Business Project Module. This is the capstone project for postgraduate  programmes at the Royal Docks School of Business and Law and requires students to conduct  independent business research under the supervision of an academic member of staff. This  Module Handbook is intended to be a definitive guide, for both students and supervisors, as  to the Project Process at the Royal Docks School of Business and Law. It includes the module  specification, a detailed overview of the research planning process, the supervisory process,  the structure and contents of a Business Project and details of electronic submission.  

MODULE AIMS  

In the Postgraduate Business Project module students will complete an independent research  project. You will have a course-specific project leader who will provide you with a choice of  projects for your course in line with professional body accreditation. These might include:  applied research on a contemporary business issue based on primary research, a work-based  project, case study or other empirical research. You will undertake your project under the  supervision of an academic member of staff. 

The module aims to develop students’ critical thinking, methodological, analytical and writing  skills through the research process in undertaking a project. Students must choose a project on offer within the course they are undertaking, and work under the supervision of the  allocated supervisor for a period of 12 weeks. In undertaking a business project, students will  critically engage with literature on their chosen topic, formulate valid project questions and  objectives, evaluate different methodological alternatives, execute appropriate data  collection and analytical techniques, develop cogent academic explanations of their findings  and address the project question and objectives originally posed in their study. Students  should also be able to provide recommendations for academic theory and/or management  practice as an outcome of their research project.  

The postgraduate business project aims to help students to understand the dynamics of  business research and to develop their research as well as project management skills. It  provides students with a unique opportunity to specialise in a particular subject/vocational  area, and is extremely valuable if students wish to work in a specific industry sector or  undertake research in future study/employment. Overall, the module aims to develop both  students’ independent research capability and enhance their graduate employability. 

Module Specifications: 

Learning Outcomes for the module 

The following codes identify where a learning outcome meets one of the UEL core  competencies, 

• Digital Proficiency - Code = (DP) 

• Industry Connections - Code = (IC) 

• Social & Emotional Intelligence - Code = (SEI) 

• Physical Intelligence - Code = (PI) 

• Cultural Intelligence - Code = (CI) 

• Community Connections & UEL Give Back - Code = (CC) 

• Cognitive Intelligence – Code = (COI) 

• Enterprise and Entrepreneurship (EE) 

At the end of this module, students will be able to: 

Knowledge  

1. Demonstrate the ability to analyse complex business and management problems  critically and rigorously and make evidenced based management  

recommendations (IC)  

2. Demonstrate high levels of expertise in selecting and conducting research methods and addressing strategically significant organisational problems and issues. (IC) (CC) 

Thinking skills  

3. Demonstrate synthesis of knowledge and skills by applying appropriate research  strategies and philosophies to organisational issues (PI)  

4. Demonstrate self-directed capacity to plan, design and monitor an individual  piece of research (SEI) 

5. Design and present a well-defined and structured report covering the  investigation with appropriate and justified conclusions and recommendations, while showing awareness of their limitations. (CC) (IC) 

Subject based skills  

6. Identify, interpret and engage in critical analysis and discussion of  contemporary literature in your professional field. (PI) 

7. Demonstrate the ability to effectively analyse business problems from the  professional practitioner perspective in your field and make meaningful and where  appropriate costed business recommendations (DP) (IC) (CC) 

8. Demonstrate the skills of logical thought, critical evaluation, data analysis and  reflection that will enhance influencing and negotiation capabilities as  practitioner in your relevant field (SEI) 

Skills for life 

9. Demonstrate the ability for self-directed learning and the ability to reflect  on learning, and emotional and social intelligence, which will inform future  practice (SEI)  

10. Exhibit digital proficiency in computer aided research skills that promotes  the effective presentation of research findings and recommendations (DP) 

Supervisor Allocation  

Students will be allocated a supervisor on the basis of the course they are enrolled on.  Students should choose a topic that is relevant to the course they are studying. All supervisory  allocations will be made by the course leader within the Royal Docks School of Business and  Law and will be located on a spreadsheet on a course-specific tile on the SG7002 MOODLE  page, your supervisor will contact you directly to arrange your first meeting, it is your  responsibility to engage with your supervisor throughout the academic term. 

Supervisor Relationships  

Once students have been allocated a supervisor, they will work with that academic member  of staff for the dissertation semester period (12 weeks). Once students establish who their  supervisor is, they should email them to organise their first meeting.  

Role of the Supervisor 

The role of the supervisor is to oversee the research process and act as a sounding board for  the student’s ideas and research approach. The supervisor’s role is not to “co-produce” the  work, but to provide critical commentary on the development of the work and offer advice  for improvement. All key decisions regarding literature, research question, methodology and  data analysis approaches are made by the student with the support of the supervisor.  Students should take ownership of the project and adopt a proactive approach with their  supervisor. The supervisor is there to offer guidance to the student and ensure the project is  progressing productively. 

Minimum Contact Time 

Students are entitled to 6-hours face-to-face contact time with a supervisor. This includes  email contact and the time it will take a supervisor to read a chapter draft. Students and  supervisors should agree contact via Teams as part of these contact hours (students on Tier 4  Visas would normally attend supervisory meetings in person but these can also be arranged  on MS Teams). Supervisors are expected to provide comments upon only one draft per  chapter and should not read multiple drafts of the same chapter. Students should provide for  a period of 72 hours to allow a supervisor to respond to an email communication (particularly  if this is in the summer period) and comment upon the work. Students are also advised to  keep regular contact with their supervisors throughout the dissertation process, and not leave  all communications until the final weeks and days prior to submission. Any student who is  having difficulty contacting a supervisor should email the project leader for assistance.  

Your supervisor will communicate with you to offer six supervisory sessions. Before these  meetings you should email the supervisor the chapter of work that you want feedback on.  You should also seek guidance/advice on the video workshop relevant to the next stage of  research. Whilst there may be some flexibility the following table represents how you might  organise your work with your supervisor over the term.