Course Description

The ability to formulate the right questions and choose the most efficient tools for seeking answers, as well as to intelligently interpret the information gathered and presented by others, is indispensable for those who want to succeed in today’s highly complex business environment. This course will equip students with both the understanding of principles that guide quality research and the tools of innovation and technology management needed to implement those principles in formulating a research project, selecting appropriate methods, collecting and analyzing data, and presenting their findings. We will focus on the practical application of the concepts and methods discussed in the course by conducting students’ own research projects and critically analyzing the research of others.

Course Aim

The main goal of this course is to impart knowledge and skills necessary for conducting and evaluating research in innovation and technology management field. The course will begin with the introduction to the fundamental principles that underlie approaches to research and the practical implications of these principles, including formulation of research questions, concepts of validity and reliability, and issues of research ethics. We will then proceed to unpack the main qualitative and quantitative methods used in business research. Conducting their own research projects will help develop students’ practical research skills, and analysis of published research and other students’ research projects will sharpen their ability to critically evaluate the information coming from research conducted by others. Presentation of their own research findings and discussion of others’ research will also serve to refine the students’ presentation and communication skills. Students who have successfully completed the course and all its assignments will be able to define the research question, formulate the research design, choose the appropriate methods for data collection and analysis, present and apply their findings, and critically evaluate other researchers’ output. Finally, the skills and knowledge gained in this course will also be employable during the preparation of their final theses.

Learning Outcomes

• Critically evaluate the relevance of business research in managerial decision-making.
• Have a critical awareness of research issues, methodologies, and methods used in business and management as well as understanding of potential ethical problems of the research.
• Obtain skills and analytical competences to identify a business problem/ need, translate it into a research question, and design an appropriate way to answer it.
• Be able to use the main qualitative and quantitative strategies of business research. Evaluate their advantages and disadvantages and appropriate application areas.
• Develop skills and analytical competences to design a research project and collect data.
• Obtain skills to analyze data and draw reasonable interpretations as well as communicate research findings in a clear and well organized way.
• Develop skills to critically evaluate the quality of other researchers‘ findings and the process used to obtain them.