Part A: Course Overview
Course Title: Business Research Lab
Credit Points: 12.00
Course Coordinator: Dr Meg Colasante
Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 99251656
Course Coordinator Email: meg.colasante@rmit.edu.au
Course Coordinator Location: Building 80 Level 6 Room 34
Course Coordinator Availability: Appointments arranged via email
Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities
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Course Description
The Business Research Lab provides the on-campus space and guidance for you to develop various work-based practical research skills needed to address real work-related challenges. In this course you will use these skills to prepare a proposal for a research inquiry within the contexts of a specific industry case situation, using contemporary technology, and developing foundational research and contemporary transferable skills. Through individual efforts and by collaborating within a team, you will engage with an industry partner and use formal research skills to plan an investigation into a problem or innovation. Your proposal should be feasible for the industry partner to conduct to arrive at useful findings, confirmed through sharing your proposal with the industry partner and receiving feedback. During the research process, you will unpack how emerging technology such as GenAI can be transparently and ethically used, plus determine how emerging social impact issues can influence the inquiry such as cultural inclusion.
Overall, you will learn, practice, and develop foundational and emerging research skills, on a scale that can be achieved in a one-semester course. With the inclusion of industry-focused elements, such as an industry partner, case studies, and guest lectures, the course enables you to not only develop theoretical knowledge but to also acquire a range of work-based practical research skills and associated capabilities for addressing real work-related challenges. These skills are transferrable into the workplaces of multiple and varied business contexts.
Foundational research skills and processes include defining the inquiry focus; gathering, appraising, theming, and synthesising industry-focused sources of literature (including formal and grey literature); and practicing research methods and techniques relevant to business contexts and determining which are applicable to apply in the research proposal. During this process, you will analyse information for knowledge and ideas and verbally and visually communicate ideas to peers and a business audience for feedback.
Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development
This course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes for BP344 Bachelor of Business Professional Practice:
PLO2: Integrate business knowledge, social intelligence and ethical decision-making in ways that are inclusive and culturally appropriate to produce outcomes that are impactful, sustainable and fair.
PLO3: Analyse complex challenges and formulate innovative solutions in real-world contexts.
PLO5: Coherently articulate technical and conceptual business knowledge that is both contemporary and interdisciplinary.
PLO6: Compile and curate a compelling professional identity, and demonstrate autonomy, judgment and responsibility in conducting, reporting and reflecting on professional practice.
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
CLO1: Investigate a given business case to determine a feasible topic of research.
CLO2: Appraise and synthesise industry-focussed literature and associated information sources and articulate relevance of these to the business research contexts.
CLO3: Determine, through simulated practice, appropriate methods and techniques to apply to the topic of research.
CLO4: Construct a feasible business research proposal using research processes and contemporary technological, ethical, and social intelligence skills.
CLO5: Present a research proposal to a business discipline audience and communicate planned actions in response to feedback received.
CLO6: Reflect upon skill development through own contributions to the research proposal and engagement in the feedback processes.
Overview of Learning Activities
This course provides a student cohort learning experience with one or more industry partners. In-class skill-building, practice, and peer support form key parts of your social-constructivist learning, and your assessments require direct in-class collaboration and presentations.
The course is enriched with industry-partnered learning and foundational and contemporary skill development. Business case studies (vicarious, virtual, and/or guest presenters) will illustrate workplace applications and benefits of the skills and processes developed and practiced, while guest experts in academic research and other areas such as GenAI will contribute to your skill building. This course forms a cohesive, engaging, and productive package to help you realise your abilities towards planning a contemporary business-based research project.
Overview of Learning Resources
Various learning resources are available online through MyRMIT Studies/Canvas. The lecture notes and workshop notes are posted on Canvas.
RMIT Library provides extensive resources, services and study spaces. All RMIT students have access to scholarly resources including course related material, books, e-books, journals and databases.
Contact: Ask the Library for assistance and information on Library resources and services: http://www.rmit.edu.au/library.
Study support is available for assistance with assignment preparation, academic writing, information literacy, referencing, maths and study skills.
Additional resources and/or sources to assist your learning will be identified by your course coordinator and will be made available to you as required during the teaching period.
Overview of Assessment
Assessment 1: 20%
Linked CLOs: 1,6
Assessment 2: 40%
Linked CLOs: 2,3
Assessment 3: 40%
Linked CLOs: 2,3,4,5,6
Formative feedback will be provided throughout the semester by the teacher/s and peers during class activities. Summative assessment feedback will be provided on day of presentations, and within two-weeks post assessment submission.