Introduction to Research Project

Code:

ESG0031

Acronym:

IPI

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Economics
OFICIAL	Engineering

Instance: 2020/2021 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Industrial Engineering and Management
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Services Engineering and Management

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MESG	18	Syllabus since 2007/08	2	-	6	42	162

Teaching language

English

Objectives

This course unit aims to provide students with conceptual and instrumental resources to carry out a research project in the Master in Service Engineering and Management. The concepts to be approached are related to two general domains: the foundations of the research process (ontology, epistemology and methodology and ethics) and the understanding of the different stages of the research process.

Learning outcomes and competences

At the end, students should have developed the following skills:

- Conceive and develop an individual research project in the Master in Service Engineering and Management.

- Analyse quantitative and qualitative data using dedicated software.

- Identify and put in practice ethical research principles and procedures. 

Working method

Presencial

Program

1. Foundations of the research process
   
   
   
   1. Research Paradigms and ontology, epistemology and methodology
   
   
   2. Introduction to quantitative and qualitative methodologies
   
   
   3. Research Ethics
   
   
   
   


2. The research process
   
   
   
   1. Definition of object/subject of study, aim and research questions;
   
   
   2. Reviewing the literature
   
   
   3. Research methodologies (sample definition, data collection and data analysis):
      
      
      
      1. Design Science Research
      
      
      2. Qualitative Research
      
      
      3. Quantitative Research
      
      
      
      
   
   
   4. Writing and publication of research results
   
   
   
   

Mandatory literature

Creswell John W.; Research design. ISBN: 978-1-4129-6557-6
Alan Bryman; Social research methods, Oxford University Press, 2012. ISBN: 9780199202959

Complementary Bibliography

Robert K. Yin; Case study research. ISBN: 978-1-4129-6099-1
Charmaz Kathy; Constructing grounded theory. ISBN: 978-0-85702-914-0
Field Andy; Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS Statistics and sex and drugs and rock.n.roll. ISBN: 978-14462-4918-5
Silverman David; Interpreting qualitative data. ISBN: 0-8039-8758-7
Vijay K. Vaishnavi, William Kuechler; Design Science Research Methods and Patterns: Innovating Information and Communication Technology, CRC Press, 2015. ISBN: 9781498715256

Comments from the literature

Service Research (and related) journals: 
- Journal of Service Research (JSR); 
- Journal of Service Management (JOSM);
- Service Science (SS);
- Journal of Services Marketing (JSM);
- Journal of Service Theory and Practice (JSTP);
- Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science (JAMS);
- Journal of Marketing (JM);
- Journal of Product Innovation Management (JPIM);
- Management Information System Quarterly (MISQ).

Teaching methods and learning activities

- Classes based on the presentation of course unit themes;
- Research, use of specialized databases;
- Autonomous study.

Software

End Note
SPSS 16.0
NVIVO

keywords

Social sciences > Educational sciences > Research methodology

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Trabalho escrito	70,00
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	15,00
Participação presencial	15,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	42,00
Frequência das aulas	42,00
Trabalho escrito	70,00
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	8,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

To be approved in the distributed evaluation students must:
- have a grade of at least 7.5 points (out of 20), in each of the evaluation components
- attend 75% of classes.

Calculation formula of final grade

Final Grade will be based on the following components:

• 70% - Individual Report: Preparation and presentation of a research project
• 15% - Class Participation
• 15% - Analysis and discussion of a research paper.
• Final grade = 0.7 x Grade of the individual report + 0.15 x class participation x 0.15 analysis and discussion of a research paper

To be approved in this course students must:
- have a grade of at least 7.5 points (out of 20) in each of the evaluation components
- attend 75% of classes.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Working students must complete the individual work and the research paper analysis and must participate in assessment classes.

Minimum classification of 7.5 points (out of 20) in each of the evaluation components.

Classification improvement

 The classification improvement can be done in the following academic year.