Research Methods and Ethics in Business

Course content

This course emphasizes the role and significance of research within accounting and finance, and covers different types and functions of research, formulating research, research questions, hypotheses, concepts, operations and briefs, research philosophies, epistemologies and ontologies and their relevance to quantitative and qualitative methodology and methods, collecting, analysing and interpreting data: survey methodology and methods, questionnaire design and administration, questionnaire analysis including basic statistical techniques and computer data using a relevant statistical software package – i.e. SPSS (or equivalent). Also qualitative research methods including structured, semi-structured and unstructured interviews, focus groups, participant and non participant observation will be selectively discussed. Research ethics, social and economic objectives of research, writing and presentation research results and analysis will be addressed.