Research Methods Modules and Undergraduate Business Research: An Investigation

Abstract

Research projects form an integral part of programmes offered by most UK undergraduate business providers. In addition, many institutions provide formal research methods courses intended to support these research projects. However, there is little literature available on undergraduate business research. In this paper, we survey the literature on research methods teaching in other disciplines and construct a framework of different possible approaches. We gathered data from six UK business schools about their research methods provision and their approaches to undergraduate research proj- ects. We found that undergraduate research was supported in a number of ways, and that provision was profoundly divergent and affected by local contextual issues. We recommend that institutions need to tackle some serious difficulties and divergences in their approach to undergraduate business research, and that good practice involves the creation of a research spine through the undergraduate programme, tying together academic literacy, quantitative skills, research methods and the disserta- tion. We acknowledge that this may involve a considerable shift of resources in some institutions.