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Conceptual Basis (5 cr)

Code: 300503316-3001

General information


Enrollment

20.08.2018 - 07.09.2018

Timing

01.08.2018 - 31.12.2018

Number of ECTS credits allocated

5 op

Mode of delivery

Contact teaching

Campus

Kouvola Campus

Teaching languages

  • English

Seats

12 - 40

Degree programmes

  • Degree Programme in International Business

Teachers

  • Sara Czabai-Leppänen
  • Ulla Puustelli
  • Tuuli Järvinen
  • Markku Nikkanen
  • Slaveya Hämäläinen
  • Hugh Clack
  • Jagat Kunwar

Teacher in charge

Ulla Puustelli

Groups

  • IB16S1
  • IB16S2
  • IB16SDD

Objective

Bachelor’s thesis (300503312; 15 cr) is part of a module called Researching and Developing Work Practices in the Global World, worth of 30 cr. The other course of the module is called Research and Development Skills (300503412; 10cr). These two courses form the studies of the 5th semester, and it is meant that you as a student concentrate on the studies of this module and do not take any other courses during 5th semester. A third course,project management (300503212) belonging to this module is already studied on 4th semester. Bachelor’s thesis is a research and development project which aims at developing the region and its actors. Bachelor’s thesis is divided to three parts. They are:3005033121 Conceptual Basics 5cr3005033122 First Draft of the Report 5cr3005033123 Final Report, Oral Presentation and Maturity Test 5crThese parts are organized in turns with the parts of the Research and Development Skills course. The parts of that course are3005034121 Research and Development Plan 5cr3005034122 Methods 5cr300503212 Project management 5crFirst, you take the project management course during the second year of studies. Then, during the fifth semester you have, in this order the different parts of research and development skills course and the bachelor's thesis course.Research and Development PlanConceptual BasicsMethodsFirst Draft ReportFinal Report, Oral Presentation and Maturity TestObjectivesStudents understand what the research process is, and of what parts it consists of.Students know the different stages of project type working from earlier courses and can utilize that knowledge during this course.Students are able design and carry out R&D- projects to companies or other type of organizationswith justified research approachesStudents learn to report orally and in written the results, give constructive feedback to other students and profit from the feedback received.Students can search for, and critically read and interpret information.Students can, if needed, outsource R&D- projects during his/her professional careers.

Content

Research process as a whole, including basics of different research approachesQualitative, quantitative and/or process methodsProject schedulingAcademic writingGetting to know some area of international business and being able to show that for example by providing the reader with the conceptual basis of the study or with a literature review including a figure summing up the relevant concepts s/he is going to use in the bachelor’s thesis (=theoretical framework).Implementing the plan of a R&D-project decided earlier during the Research Plan-course (300503412) and reporting its results orally and in written ContentsResultDeadline Informing to studentsKick-off of the Bachelor’s Thesis project15th Jan 20xx Choosing of the topicsFilling in the formulas and giving them to the heads of specialization1st March 20xx Allocating the supervisorsHeads of specialization allocates the supervisors to students30th March 20xx First meetingSupervisor organizes a meeting15th April 20xx at the latest PlanResearch and development plan including the scheduling15th Sept 20xx - supervisor has 10 days to give feedback to students Conceptual basis of the studyConceptual basis or literature review + theoretical framework21st Oct 20xx - supervisor has 10 days to give feedback to students MethodsCollecting and utilizing data or data acquisition and data analysis15th Nov 20xx - supervisor has 10 days to give feedback to students Interim evaluation report1st draft o the project report1st Dec 20xx ­- supervisor has 10 days to give feedback to students Final reportingFinal report in Theseus Oral presentation and discussions Maturity test15th Dec 20xx – supervisor has 10 days to give feedback to students

Location and time

To be discussed with the own thesis superviosr.

Materials

Thesis guidelines of the South-Eastern Finland Univeristy of Applied Sciences

Teaching methods

Scheduled track:
At the end of the study unit, you are able to:
- Identify key concepts and learn to undertake literature search using various methods
- Develop independent critical thought
- Know the essential principles of critical literature review
- Know how to source appropriate literature and evaluate its quality and utility
- Identify theoretical foundation of your research and learn how to apply theory in research
-Create a conceptual and theoretical framework for your research project

Blended track:
To be discussed with the own thesis superviosr.

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

The conceptual basis part is passed when:

- the student has fulfilled all the necessary assignments found in the Moodle platform
- the student proves his skills in searching for scientific information, reacting to it critically and exploiting it in his written and oral communication
utilizing XAMK's writing templates, referencing guides and softwares for writing and presentations

Assessment passed/failed.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

Student gets a grade (1-5) of all the parts of this course. In addition to that, s/he gets oral and/or written feedback from own supervisor, method and language teacher and from other students.