MSc Human Resource Development (International Development) / Course details

This module aims to help students understand the important role of HRD practitioners as researchers. The module critically explores the importance of research skills as a key qualification for HRD practitioners. In doing this, the module highlights the need to generate trustworthy knowledge on important development issues through applied social science research as a crucial and major value-adding activity for both public and private enterprises in contemporary international contexts. The objective of the module therefore, is to contribute to students’ knowledge about the place of effective research in the HRD process and by so doing, develop their understanding on ways of conducting an investigation with the goal of gaining knowledge about an issue of importance. The main aim of this effort is to prepare students to apply research to solve important organisational and social problems in real life contexts, especially in developing countries.

The emphasis in this unit is placed on developing skills most likely to lead to a successful completion of a systematic research journey, such as the ability to:

• frame research aims/objectives,
• identify or define a problem within a broad research topic
• generate research questions/hypotheses,
• generate a conceptual framework
• select and justify a particular research design and methodology
• generate and analyse qualitative data primarily, and understand the role of quantitative data
• act in line with acceptable academic and ethical standards so as not to spoil the field
• present or report your findings in an academically appropriate way (i.e. I such a way that does not plagiarise, and that accurately acknowledges the work of others)

Overall, students will learn what it means to progress the ‘research process’ from initial conceptualisation of an investigable problem through to devising a means to study that problem, analyse appropriate data, and report their findings. The overarching purpose of these efforts is to enable students gain confidence in a range of cognitive and practical skills suitable to conducting research projects in a range of contexts, with a view of adding to the development of relevant employability and professional skills of those that pass through the course.

The module is delivered via series of lectures and tutorials, using a mix of case studies, discussion groups and other classroom based activities. Blackboard will be used for the distribution of teaching and learning materials. It will also be used as an interactive mechanism between students and tutors, for example, to direct students to particular readings or to provide news about the module or the module content.

Students should be able to:

• Understand and critically debate the importance of social science research skills as a key qualification for HRD and development policy practitioners.

• Understand and critically evaluate the characteristics of engaged scholarship in the context of HRD and international development.

• Understand and critically engage with the importance of values and identify strategies to navigate the interest-driven environment when conducting applied research in organisational and social settings.

Ability to demonstrate a critical awareness of different research designs and respective methodologies relevant to academic and practitioner researchers working within an international context.

•  Explain their chosen research question/hypothesis and research objectives, and all the relevant elements contributing to a research proposal suitable to researching a contemporary HRD and development policy topic; and
• Critically evaluate the literature relevant to their research aims in order to develop a conceptual framework or critical stance.

• Act as an independent self-learner by demonstrating the skills necessary to plan, organise, undertake and present a research project as a poster/presentation and/or as a written research proposal.
• Develop key skills necessary to become better researchers in an increasingly transnational world.

2200 words Dissertation reserch proposal 

Fieldwork task 800 word written assignment 

Tailored feedback on both assignments via TurnItIn on Blackboard.

Boateng, R. (2014) Research Made Easy. Accra: PearlRichards Foundation.

Cho, Y., Park, J., Ju, B., Han, S.J., Moon, H., Park, S., Ju, A. and Park, E. (2016) ‘Women leaders’ work-life imbalance in South Korean companies: A collaborative qualitative study’, Human Resource Development Quarterly, Vol. 27(4), pp.: 461-487.

Collis, J. & Hussey, R. (2014) Business Research: A Practical Guide for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students. Fourth Edition. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Lewis-Beck, M.S., Bryman, A. & Futing Liao, T. (2004) The SAGE Encyclopedia of Social Science Research Methods. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications Inc.

Lin, C.I.C., Kuo, F.-Y. and Myers, M.D. (2015) ‘Extending ICT4D studies: The value of critical research’, MIS Quarterly, Vol. 39(3), pp.: 687-712.

Nam, K-A., Cho, Y. and Lee, M. (2014) 'West meets east? Identifying the gap in current cross-cultural training research', Human Resource Development Review, Vol. 13(1), pp.: 36–57.

Robeyns, I. (2006) ‘Three models of education: Rights, capabilities and human capital’, Theory and Research in Education, Vol. 4(1) pp.: 69-84.

Saunders, M., P. Lewis and Thornhill, A. (2019) Research Methods for Business Students, Eighth Edition. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.

Smollan, R.K. (2017) 'Supporting staff through stressful organizational change', Human Resource Development International, Vol. 20(4), pp.: 282-304.

Yin, R.K. (2014) Case Study Research: Design and Methods. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications.