James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2024

BU4072 - Research Philosophy and Design

Students must undertake both BU4072 and BU4073 concurrently.

Subject Description

This subject develops students' abilities to recognise, appraise and employ research paradigms relevant to business studies. It offers learning experiences which help students identify assumptions in the research process and builds their ability to respond to ethical issues in research design. Through a synthesis of such research issues as paradigmatic approaches, relevance, resources and the disciplinary forces affecting researchers, it enhances students' abilities to create pragmatic research design solutions.

Learning Outcomes

• develop an understanding of the philosophy of research
• appreciate and understand how different ways of seeing similar phenomena can produce different behaviours
• appreciate and understand the main social theories by which business behaviour in particular settings can be interpreted
• appreciate and understand that from a research perspective, the adoption of a particular paradigm orientation will influence how research is conducted and how various results are interpreted
• enable students to structure an individually generated research proposal pertaining to The School of Business; develop knowledge of a variety of research designs

Subject Assessment

• Written > Examination - In class - (50%) - Individual
• Design Assignment - (25%) - Individual
• Philosophy Assignment - (25%) - Individual

Note that minor variations might occur due to the continuous subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.

Inadmissible Subject Combinations:  BU4060 BU4064

Availabilities