ECU BUS3100 Business Research Practices: Detailed Unit Information

This document serves as a comprehensive introduction to the BUS3100 Business Research Practices unit at Edith Cowan University (ECU), Semester 1, 2021. It is prepared by Associate Professor Sean Kim and provides essential information for students. The document begins with key unit contacts, including the unit coordinator, tutors, and academic coordinator, along with their contact details and consultation times. It acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land and introduces the unit, emphasizing the dynamic business environment and the importance of effective research. The unit aims to equip students with the skills to design, analyze, and report on business research, applying market research designs, tools, and analytics. It outlines the unit learning outcomes, course learning outcomes, and communication skills expected of students. The document details the learning experience, including lectures, tutorials, and the use of Blackboard. It also provides information on active learning, on-campus and online student expectations, and the use of discussion boards. Recommended texts, software requirements, and a detailed study schedule, including topics, readings, and assessment dates, are included. The document concludes with assessment information, emphasizing the requirement to achieve an overall mark of 50% or more to pass the unit.

BUS3100
Business Research Practices
Semester 1, 2021

BUS3100 | Page 2
BUS3100
Business Research Practices
Discipline: Business Services
Prepared by: Associate Professor Sean Kim, Version 1.0
Key unit contacts
UNIT COORDINATOR AND LECTURER
Name Room Email Tel Consultation Time
Associate Professor Sean
Kim
JO2.251 [e-mail] 6304 5146 Email for
appointment
TUTOR
Name Room Email Tel Consultation Time
Dr Sharon Shan [e-mail] Email for appointment
ACADEMIC COORDINATOR
Name Room Email Tel
Dr Claire Lambert JO2.229 [e-mail] 6304 5587
Dr Greg Willson JO2.259 [e-mail] 6304 2558
Dr Ruth Sibson JO2.238 [e-mail] 6304 5600
OTHER STAFF CONTACTS
Name Room Tel Email
Librarian, Ms Kate Hewit Library [e-mail]
Senior Learning Adviser, Ms Christine
Higginbotham JO2.130 [e-mail]
Classes for on campus delivery
LECTURE
Day Time Room
Tuesday 18:30 – 20:30 JO21.202 (Case Study)
TUTORIAL
Day Time Room
Tuesday 15:30 – 16:30 Week 2-7: JO 05.219 (Case Study); Week 8-13: JO02.105 (Digital Hub)
Tuesday 16:30 – 17:30 Week 2-7: JO 05.219 (Case Study); Week 8-13: JO02.105 (Digital Hub)
Tuesday 17:30 – 18:30 Week 2-7: JO 05.219 (Case Study); Week 8-13: JO02.105 (Digital Hub)

BUS3100 | Page 3
Acknowledgement of Country
The The School of Business and Law acknowledges and respects the Nyoongar people, who are the
traditional custodians of the land upon which its campuses stand and its programs operate. In particular
ECU pays its respects to the Nyoongar Elders, past and present, and embraces their culture, wisdom and
knowledge.

BUS3100 | Page 4
Introduction to the Unit
Welcome to BUS3100 Business Research Practices!
The business environment is dynamic and rapidly changing. Effective research design, analysis and
reporting informs business decisions and ensures that a business can address challenges and maximize
opportunities. This unit examines and applies market research designs, tools, analytics and applications to
inform strategic business decisions. Students will produce a research report based on an authentic case
study and be equipped with the necessary skills to interpret information and communicate research-informed
recommendations.
To succeed in this unit, it’s important to engage with preparatory readings and participate fully in lectures and
tutorials to get the most out of the learning experience.
Unit Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit you will be able to:
1. Apply appropriate research methods to address business problems.
2. Conceptualise a business research problem through analysis, interpretation and synthesis of
information to provide recommendations that address challenges and maximize opportunities.
3. Apply research codes of conduct, including ethical frameworks in the decisions and actions of
business research.
4. Collaborate in team settings using effective communication skills to produce a written business
research report.
ECU School of Business and Law is an Advanced PRME signatory and is committed to transforming business and
management education and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Course Learning Outcomes
Your learning in this unit will contribute to the development of the following Course Learning Outcomes:
• UGCLO2: Access, analyse and critically evaluate relevant information to solve challenging business
problems systematically.
• UGCLO4: Collaborate effectively in team settings to produce measurable outcomes .
• UGCLO7: Value professional behaviours and/or personal citizenship that reflect an appreciation of
the interrelationship between business ethics and corporate social responsibility.
Communication Skills
Communication skills are not only crucial for success at University, employers also want graduates who are
competent and confident communicators, with strong English language proficiency.
For assistance with improving your English language skills, you can make an appointment to see an
Academic Learning Consultant or attend one of the Writing Skills workshops. Please visit Blackboard >
Communities > Academic Skills Centre for workshop registrations and Academic Learning Consultant
appointments.

BUS3100 | Page 5
The Learning Experience
The mode of delivery for this unit is through a weekly on-campus 2-hour lecture, accompanied with a 1-hour
tutorial in a computer lab or case study room. Lectures provide the theoretical foundation of key concepts in
business research practices, while the tutorials are skills-based. It is important that students attend BOTH
the lecture and tutorial each week because content for the exam is being provided and developed in both
class types. Please arrive punctually and participate constructively and professionally. You will find it
beneficial to complete the associated reading prior to attending class, to give you some understanding of the
topic and improve your confidence with sharing your ideas during class.
The teaching and learning approach is enhanced through in-tutorial discussions, where the skills of working
effectively with others (specifically working in teams, task collaboration and working productively with people
from diverse cultures), communicating effectively, critical appraisal and the ability to generate ideas are
emphasised. Successful completion of this unit requires students to complete individual and (potential) group
assessment items, which are assessed for quality academic and professional standards, including written
communication (structure, language and conventions), ability to work effectively with others, critical analysis
(depth of thought, development of argument and logical analysis), depth and breadth of coverage, and the
ability to research effectively, using both academic and contemporary sources.
Blackboard, the ECU learning management system, will be used in this unit to permit communication outside
of the scheduled classes, and to provide you with information relevant to this unit. As an enrolled student in
BUS3100, you will be able to access the relevant unit information and resources that have been placed
there. To login to Blackboard, log in to your student portal or via http://myecu.ecu.edu.au. You will need your
username and password that were assigned to you as an enrolled student at ECU. You should also check
your ECU email regularly, as the lecturer/tutor will use this as a means of communication.
All teaching and learning at ECU is conducted in accordance with the Student Charter (accessed at:
http://intranet.ecu.edu.au/student/my-studies/rules-and-policies/student-charter). You should familiarize
yourself with this document in order to appreciate the culture and behavioural expectations of the University.
Active learning
Studying a university-level course requires you to take an active role in what you are learning. To get the
most out of your time at ECU, you should engage with and actively participate in your units, and take
responsibility for your own learning.

BUS3100 | Page 6
On-campus students
If you are enrolled as an on-campus student you will need to attend a weekly seminar. It is important that
you attend class every week, arrive punctually and participate constructively and professionally. You will find
it beneficial to complete the associated reading prior to attending class, to give you some understanding of
the topic and improve your confidence with sharing your ideas during class.
Learning materials and resources will be available on the Blackboard site for this unit, to assist you with your
studies.
Online students
If you are enrolled as an online (off-campus) student you will find your learning materials on Blackboard. It is
important that you are proactive and self-motivated with your learning as an online student, making sure you
commit to your studies at regular times every week to ensure success. It is critical for your success in an
online unit to engage with other students via Blackboard > Discussion forums, asking and answering one
another’s questions, sharing different perspectives and engaging with the content.
To assist you with planning your time, please consider the following:
• Use the Study Schedule to guide your progress through the learning activities and assessment tasks
this semester;
• Check your ECU student email regularly;
• Stay in touch with your classmates regularly, via Blackboard > Discussion Board.
• Plan ‘rigid’ study times in your weekly schedule and consider allocating separate times for reading,
learning activities, assignment research and discussion.
Discussion board expectations
Networking with other students; asking questions to clarify understanding; responding to questions asked by
other students; debating different perspectives; and sharing articles or other information you discover
throughout your studies, are all important parts of learning. To enable you to ‘discuss’ the unit content with
other students or to ask questions about the assessments, etc., an electronic Discussion Board is available
on the Blackboard site for this unit. It is your responsibility to check the discussion board at least once a
week via Blackboard > Discussion Board. If you are not sure how to find, or how to use the Discussion
Board, ask (or email) your tutor or lecturer for help.
When using the discussion boards, you must display the normal courtesies of professional communication.
Please refer to ‘ECU Discussion Board Etiquette’ (below) to guide your communication with other students.
The discussion boards are monitored and postings deemed unprofessional, inappropriate and/or unrelated to
the unit content will be removed.
ECU DISCUSSION BOARD ETIQUETTE
Please ensure your online communications follow these guidelines:
• Be polite;
• Use correct spelling and grammar;
• Do not write using capital letters (this can be interpreted as SHOUTING!);
• Avoid exotic fonts or colours;
• Be concise;
• Be respectful of different perspectives;
• Avoid responding when you are feeling angry;
• Do not disclose personal contact details; and
• Take the plunge and get involved in the discussions.
Texts and Resources
There is no mandatory textbook for this unit however a list of recommended texts are listed below. All are
available from the ECU Library.

BUS3100 | Page 7
Recommended texts
Bryman, A. (2016). Social Research Methods (5th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University.
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approach (4 th
ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Jennings, G. (2010). Tourism research (2nd ed.). Milton, Qld: John Wiley & Sons Australia
Kvale, S. (1996). Interview: An Introduction to Qualitative Research Interviewing. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage Publications.
Pallant, J. (2010). SPSS Survival Manual. Buckingham: Open University Press.
Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods( 3 rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Publications.
Punch, K. F. (2014). Introduction to Social Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches (3 rd ed.).
Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications.
Sekaran, U. (2013). Research Methods for Business–A Skill Building Approach (6 th ed.). New York: John
Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Yin, R. (2003). Case Study Research: Design and Methods (3 rd ed.). California: Sage Publications
Software requirements
Students will need a licence or access to Microsoft Excel and SPSS. All computers in the e-Labs have
Microsoft Excel and SPSS pre-loaded.

BUS3100 | Page 8
Study Schedule
This schedule provides a guideline on the topics covered and activities required each week, including
assessment dates during the semester.
Wk Date Topic/s Recommended Readings Tutorial Exercises Assessment
1 23 Feb The role of business
research
Forsey, M., & Low, M. (2014).
Beyond the production of
tourism imaginaries: Student-
travellers in Australia and their
reception of media
representations of their host
nation. Annals of tourism
research, 44, 156–170.
No Tutorial in Week 1 Briefing
Assessment
Structure in Week 1
2 2 Mar Business research process Please refer to Blackboard Case Study:
Larouche Candy
Company
Work on Business
Research Proposal
3 9 Mar Qualitative and quantitative
research methods
Please refer to Blackboard Case Study: Public
Exercise Station –
Defining Research
problem
4 16 Mar Research design and
sampling methods
Please refer to Blackboard Focus Group
Planning & Interview
5 23 Mar Questionnaire design and
measurements
Please refer to Blackboard Case Study: Public
Exercise Station –
Research Desgin
6 30 Mar Business research ethics
and data preparation
Please refer to Blackboard Developing Research
Instrument: Case
Study
Mid-semester break (5 – 9 April)
7 13 Apr Qualitative data analysis Please refer to Blackboard Assessment 1
Consultation
1st Assignment
due 16 Apr
8 20 Apr Quantitative data analysis I
(descriptive and inferential)
Please refer to Blackboard Analysing Qualitative
data- A case study
9 27 Apr Quantitative data analysis
II (descriptive and
inferential)
Please refer to Blackboard Designing Data
Analysis Strategy
10 4 May Quantitative data analysis
III (descriptive and
inferential)
Please refer to Blackboard Using Excel for
Descriptive Data
Analysis
11 11
May Online Quiz (1:30pm to 11:59pm WST, Tuesday 11 May)
12 18
May
Reporting your findings Please refer to Blackboard Using SPSS for Data
Analysis
13 25
May
Student consultations
(No Lecture)
Assessment 2
Consultation
2nd Assignment
due 31 May

BUS3100 | Page 9
Assessment Information
In order to pass this unit, you must achieve an overall mark of 50% or more from the assessment tasks
sumarised below. It is possible to fail an assessment task and still pass the unit but you are urged to apply
yourself consistently throughout the semester to avoid unnecessary risk.
Assessment summary
No. Assessment Due Date and Time Value Mandatory to Pass
1 Assignment: Business Research
Proposal
Friday 16 April, 5:00pm WST 45% No
2 Online Quiz Tuesday 11 May,
1:30pm – 11:59pm WST
10% No
3 Report: Business Research
Report
Monday 31 May, 5:00pm
WST
45% No
Assessment Task 1: Assignment 1 – Business Research Proposal
Students will be required to prepare a business research proposal relating to industry-driven research based
on a case study provided on Blackboard. Students will be required to research and develop the managerial
problem, research statement, and research objectives. Provide an outline of the research design, a focus
group plan, a questionnaire, and a measurement instrument table based on the information provided in their
chosen case study. Research brainstorming, plans and preparations will be encouraged collectively within a
group. Please be informed that your submission is individual.
PREPARATION
Before starting this assignment, you should have read all assessment materials provided on Blackboard and
consulted with your Tutor for additional instructions and support.. Please refer to the marking rubric for this
proposal on Blackboard to see marking criteria and achievement expectations.
ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
Refer to a separate document entitled ‘Assignment 1 Guideline_BUS3100’ in Assessment Zone.
To perform satisfactorily in this assignment, consider the following:
Value: 45%
Format: Research Proposal, 3500 words (+/- 10%), MSWord, Times New Roman 12pt font,
1.5 spacing.
NO ECU COVER SHEET REQUIRED!
Due date & time: Friday 16 April, 5:00pm WST
How to submit: Electronically, via Blackboard>Assessment folder > Turnitin link
Unit learning
outcomes:
• Apply appropriate research methods to address business problems; and
• Conceptualise a business research problem through analysis, interpretation
and synthesis of information to provide recommendations that address
challenges and maximize opportunities.
Course learning
outcomes
• UGCLO2: Access, analyse and critically evaluate relevant information to solve
challenging business problems systematically.
• UGCLO7: Value professional behaviours and/or personal citizenship that
reflect an appreciation of the interrelationship between business ethics and
corporate social responsibility.

BUS3100 | Page 10
• Your questionnaire should show a diverse application of question types and formats. It is important
to consider the wording of your questions, order of placement, and most importantly, relevance to
the issue brief/objectives. In addition, questions mustcover both categorical and numerical
‘measurement levels’, in order to demonstrate your understanding of the statistical and analysis
application of the data.This will be further discussed in the lectures and tutorials. Layout of the
questionnaire is important; students will be encouraged to prepare their questionnaire referring to a
sample questionnaire provided on Blackboard.
• Readability – content should be succinct yet information-rich, well edited in terms of grammar and
spelling and professionally presented.
• Correct referencing is required adopting the APA referencing style.
• Proof read your work before submission, as marks will be deducted for an unprofessional or
unedited documents. Please keep a back-up of all your work as there will be no extensions for ‘lost’
work.
RESOURCES
Apart from the references provided above, a list of suitable resources will be made available on Blackboard.
MARKING CRITERIA
Please refer to the marking rubric on Blackboard for this assignment to see criteria and performance
expectations.
FEEDBACK
Feedback will be available via Blackboard>My Grades. There will be opportunity in labs to obtain feedback
from your tutor as you progress with the assessment task.
Assessment Task 3: Report – Business Research Report
Students in groups will be required to prepare a business research report based on data provided on
Blackboard. You are encouraged to prepare your practices and exercises within your group in order to help
and learn from each other. The final report must be an individual submission.
Value: 45% of the unit
Format: Microsoft Word document, 3000 words (+/- 10%). Times New Roman, 12pt font, 1.5
spacing and 2.5cm margins are recommended.
NO ECU COVER SHEET REQUIRED!
Due date & time: Monday 31 May, 5:00pm WST
How to submit: Electronically, via Blackboard>Assessment folder > Turnitin link
Unit learning
outcomes:
• Conceptualise a business research problem through analysis, interpretation
and synthesis of information to provide recommendations that address
challenges and maximize opportunities;
• Apply research codes of conduct, including ethical frameworks in the
decisions and actions of business research; and
• Collaborate in team settings using effective communication skills to produce
a written business research report.
Course learning
outcomes
• UGCLO2: Access, analyse and critically evaluate relevant information to
solve challenging business problems systematically.
• UGCLO4: Collaborate effectively in team settings to produce measurable
outcomes.
• UGCLO7: Value professional behaviours and/or personal citizenship that
reflect an appreciation of the interrelationship between business ethics and
corporate social responsibility.

BUS3100 | Page 11
PREPARATION
Before starting this assignment, you should have read all assessment materials provided on Blackboard and
consulted with your Tutor for additional instructions and support. Please refer to the marking rubric for this
report on Blackboard to see marking criteria and achievement expectations.
ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
A detailed guideline is available on Blackboard>Assignments>Assignment 2. Refer to a separate document
entitled ‘Assignment 2 Guideline_BUS3100’.
To perform satisfactorily in this assignment, consider the following:
• The design and format of your report must be of a high standard. That is, considered acceptable in a
professional environment. You should consider style, font size, and quality of graphics and tables.
• Demonstration of analysis techniques and the interpretation of data findings. This includes applying
the correct statistical techniques for the question(s) under investigation, including both descriptive
and inferential analyses, as well as identifying key findings relevant to the study.
• Correct referencing is required adopting the APA referencing style.
• Proof read your work before submission, as marks will be deducted for an unprofessional or
unedited documents. Please keep a back-up of all your work as there will be no extensions for ‘lost’
work.
RESOURCES
Apart from the references provided above, a list of suitable resources will be made available on Blackboard.
MARKING CRITERIA
Please refer to the marking rubric on Blackboard for this report to see criteria and performance expectations.
FEEDBACK
Feedback will be available via Blackboard>My Grades.
Assessment Task 2: Online Quiz
You will be required to undertake a 15 mininutes online quiz on the subjects covered in this unit on 19 th May
The exact time will be announced in due course.
PREPARATION
Simlar to the in-class quiz exercise, a 15 minutes online quiz of multiple-choice questions will be
designed. There will be 10 questions in total.
EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS
The subjects covered in Week 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10 only will be on the online quiz.
The Online Quiz [equivalent to 10%] will open Tuesday 11 May at 1:30pm WST and close at 11:59pm
on the same date.
Value: 10% of the unit.
Format: 15 minutues online quiz on Blackboard
Date & time: 1:30pm to 11:59pm WST, Tuesday 11 May
Where: Blackboard

BUS3100 | Page 12
• There are 10 multiple choice questions (worth 1.0 mark each) to answer and you will have 15
minutes to complete the quiz. This assessment is worth 10% in total.
• The Online Quiz is based on the lecture content/notes in Week 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 & 10. You
should make sure you are familiar with the content that is covered on these weeks on Blackboard
and use the lecture notes to read around the topics to enhance your understanding. If a topic is not
covered on the provided lecture notes, it will not be in the quiz.
• You will have to complete the online quiz sometime between 1:30pm and 11:59pm WST (Perth
Local Time) Tuesday 11 May.
• How to complete the Quiz: Go into Assessments heading in Blackboard- click through on the link
“Online Quiz (10%)”, which will take you to the quiz.
• You must complete the Quiz in one sitting (once you start you cannot exit until you have
completed the quiz) so make sure you allocate yourselves enough time (15 minutes) to sit the quiz.
• Please ensure you use a secure Internet connection – please do not use your mobile phone or tablet
to complete the quiz.
• Questions appear one at a time with no backtracking [No BACK Button], thus you must answer the
question as it appears and then proceed onto the next question [your answer should save
automatically]. Questions will be scrambled and allocated randomly to students.
• If for some reason you encounter an issue with Blackboard when you sit the quiz please take a
screen grab of the issue and email me so I can investigate.
FEEDBACK
Your exam score will be available via Blackboard>My Grades.

BUS3100 | Page 13
Occupational Health and Safety
Please consider the health and safety of yourself, and others you study with, in all the environments where
you study. Any group tasks need to be undertaken with the interests of all involved, ensuring the culture of
respect and safe working is similar to what would be undertaken in a workplace or community setting.
ECU is proud to have led the move to smoke-free university campuses in WA and Australia. ECU’s smoke-
free policy was established in 2012 to promote the health of staff, students and visitors. Smoking is not
permitted on any ECU campus and this applies 24 hours a day seven days a week. In accordance with
the ECU Smoke-Free University Guidelines (#4.4) "Employees observing other employees, contractors,
visitors or students smoking on University grounds should advise them that they are smoking in a prohibited
area and request them to move off ECU property."
Feedback and unit development
We invite and welcome honest feedback at ECU, both for praise and criticism, and there are a number of
ways to proceed during a semester or teaching period. The teaching staff are your first and most important
point of contact for feedback about the unit (their details are on the first page of this document). If the unit
has a general discussion board, you can post your comments there as well. More formally, in week four of a
standard semester, the School has an online survey to gauge your opinions about the progress of the unit in
this early stage.
The University has a central email address to capture and action feedback of a more general nature. You
can email [e-mail] or visit the Student Feedback page (accessed at:
http://intranet.ecu.edu.au/student/support/contact-us/student-feedback).
Unit and Teaching Evaluation Instrument (UTEI)
Towards the end of any given teaching period in a unit, enrolled students will be invited by email to complete
the ECU UTEI online survey. This survey will ask questions concerning your level of satisfaction with the
unit, your lecturer and your tutor. Your feedback is essential to help us to improve the quality of our units and
courses and as such, we appreciate your time to complete the survey carefully. Your participation and the
feedback you provide are anonymous and confidential.
Unit Development resulting from student feedback
Students from the previous semester indicated they enjoyed the synergy with the teaching staffs in this unit.
This semester we continue the good practice. Unit content will also be adjusted to assit students overcome
learning breakdowns and make the assessment better reflect students’ ability to apply their analytical skills.
Unit Development resulting from Assurance of Learning
In order to more accurately assess your actual achievement against the course learning outcomes, the
assessment tasks have been redesigned to incorporate both individual and team requirements.
Academic Skills Centre & Library Services
Each semester the Academic Skills Centre and Library offer online and on-campus workshops,
consultations, and self-access resources on a variety of topics that will help set you up for success in your
studies.
We encourage you to access these free services to assist in developing the academic, research, and
language skills required to succeed at ECU. Remember, too, that employers seek graduates with strong
communication skills and the ability to think critically about information, so taking the time now to develop
your skills in these areas will serve you well into the future.

BUS3100 | Page 14
Feel free to email or stop by the front desk at the ASC or Library with quick questions, or click on the links
below to find workshop and assignment drop-in schedules or to make individual (or small
group) appointments for support as you work on assessment tasks and skill development.
Getting support with your academic writing and research skills
Academic Skills Centre
JO 34.240
ML 3.170
BU 3.101c
Online resources:
http://ecu.edu.au/academicskills
To book an online or phone appointment with a
Learning Adviser, go to
https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001642
Email: [e-mail]
Library Services
JO Building 31
ML Building 8
SW Building 3
Online resources:
http://ecu.edu.au/library
To book an online or phone appointment with a
Librarian, go to
https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000002908
Email: [e-mail]
Learning Advisers can assist you with:
• Study strategies
• Academic writing
• English language development
• Numeracy and STEM skills
Library staff can assist you with:
• Digital skills
• Assignment research skills
• Referencing
• Endnote
Contacts
Senior Learning
Adviser
Christine
Higginbotham
Room JO2.130 [e-mail]
Librarian Kate Hewit Library [e-mail]