METHODS AND ANALYTICS FOR HR RESEARCH - 2019/0

Module Overview

The module introduces and explorers key methods of research methods and analytics for HR. The course provides an intermediate grounding in a broad variety of methodological and analytical ‘tools’ for application to common HR and business issues. It provides an applied grounding in methods and the research process for the MANM357 Applied Research Dissertation module, where students explore an HR issue from a business perspective in greater detail. The course is very applied and hands-on with practical lab-based sessions in every session. It takes a ‘tool box’ approach to the core analytical techniques based upon intuitive understanding of them with a rule-based approach to their application. At the end of the course, students complete a structured assignment on how to apply principles of research and analytical techniques to a business issue from an HR perspective.

Module provider

Surrey Business School

Module Leader

HUO Yuanyuan (SBS)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

There are no specific required modules or previous learning needed to take this module. The course is open only to enrolled students on the MSc Human Resource Management. Students who have never completed a research-based social science dissertation may find extra background recommended reading helpful.

Module content

Indicative content includes (weekly topics):

• 
  Identifying a research question and ethics
  


• 
  Conducting literature reviews
  


• 
  Collecting and preparing data
  


• 
  Quantitative analysis
  


• 
  Qualitative techniques
  


• Writing the dissertation

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate:

• 
  Critical application of course materials
  


• 
  Knowledge of key methodological and analytical techniques
  


• 
  Appropriate application of techniques
  


• 
  Ability to interpret and present data and analysis in a clear and concise fashion
  


• 
  Assessment strategy involves more than exam technique (e.g. research skills)
  

• 
  A 2000-word individual written assignment on investigating an HR-related issue
  


• 
  A 2000-word report based on analysis of a dataset provided by the module team
  

• 
  Weekly computer-based applied research exercises
  


• 
  Verbal feedback in lectures/lab sessions
  


• 
  Clear explanation of marking scheme will be given for all assessments
  


• 
  Written feedback on coursework within three weeks of submission (by course tutors)
  


• 
  Office hours held will be held bi-weekly should further feedback be required
  

Module aims

• Introduce approaches to tackling research problems
• introduce types of data, practical aspects in data collection, quality control, and appropriate application of techniques
• descriptive and exploratory techniques
• predictive techniques
• interpreting and clearly presenting data
• making evidence-based managerial recommendations

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

 

The majority of learning will be independent learning, in line with other courses on the programmes. The teaching will mainly be in the form of Lectures and Lab Sessions. Each lecture will be based around exercises applying and illustrating the particular theme that week with specific reference to practical HR issues (e.g. diversity analysis for bivariate analysis, predicting turnover from selection scores for regression and prediction, making sense of engagement surveys with factor analysis, analysing the gender pay gap for moderation, etc.).

 

The learning and teaching methods include:





Activity


Hours




Lectures/lab sessions (11 x 3 hours)


33




Directed learning


33




Self-directed learning (including assignment)


84




Total


150

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MANM382

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2019/0 academic year.