Discussion:
The business project unit provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate a range of key skills and abilities by planning and conducting a significant piece of research which uses academic theory to help explore and explain a business question or problem. The unit enables students to manage their own learning while producing a piece of work that is of a critical, analytical, original nature and relevant to real life business practice.
Students act as researchers; this may involve analyzing trends and developments in business management, evaluating organizational policies and practices or government regulations or developing new academic approaches or scholarly theories. Business professionals are continuously engaged in research and evidence-based decision-making - this unit therefore should be viewed a practical module preparing students to commission, undertake or understand the results of research in the future. The unit thus equips students with insight into the process of conduct research, from identifying research topics and questions, selecting appropriate research methods, collecting data, analyzing data, deriving conclusions, and finally to writing up the research report.
Students will use this knowledge to design, plan and undertake their own research project, culminating in a written report. Projects are agreed between students and their supervising tutor, and will be undertaken on a topic linked to the students' specialist interest. The project should draw upon key academic theories that underpin the issues under investigation. The final report of the project - of around 8,000 words in length - should draw on all the learning provided within the Business Management degree and should enable students to integrate the various units in a holistic manner by focusing on an aspect of business knowledge. The topic chosen should show originality and should offer a worthwhile contribution to business knowledge.