23E80101 - Qualitative Business Research Methods, Lecture, 2.9.2024-10.10.2024

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Credits: 6

Schedule: 02.09.2024 - 10.10.2024

Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):

Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Tatsiana Padhaiskaya

Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):

Dr. Tatsiana Padhaiskaya, University Lecturer in Marketing

tatsiana.padhaiskaya@aalto.fi

CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period):

Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):

Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: English

CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD

Content

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  During the course students will gain understanding of the fundamentals of qualitative research, from formulating questions and selecting suitable contexts to gathering data and reporting findings. The course combines theoretical content with practical application; students will carry out a full research project on their own topic, which will lay a groundwork for their thesis and also attend lectures and read relevant literature. 

• applies in this implementation

  
  

  
  

Assessment Methods and Criteria

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Assignments given by instructor, active participation in class

• applies in this implementation

  Assessment Methods and Criteria

  Grading is based on a 0-5 scale. 

  90-100 points = 5         

  80-89 points = 4         

  70-79 points = 3         

  60-69 points = 2         

  50-59 points = 1         

  Below 50 points = Fail

   

  The assessment will be based on the following deliverables:

  • Perusall readings - max. 20 points (10 x 2 points)
  • Assignment 1: Research context and question(s) – max. 8 points
  • Assignment 2: Interview outline – max. 10 points
  • Assignment 3: Interview transcripts – max. 8 points
  • Assignment 4: Ethnography/netnography – max. 10 points
  • Assignment 5: Interview analysis – max. 8 points
  • Poster – max. 6 points
  • Assignment 6: Final research report – max. 20 points
  • Active participation in class – max. 10 points

  (Please note that meaningful, active participation requires more than mere attendance in class. Participation in class means commenting, asking questions, and taking an active role in any possible class activities.)

  Also, completing the feedback survey at the end of the course earns you 2 extra points towards your final grade.

Workload

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  6 credits, 160 hours:
  - Contact sessions (24 hours)
  - Independent learning and course assignments (136 hours)

• applies in this implementation

  Workload (6 credits, 160 hours): 

  Here is the expected breakdown of the hourly course workload, based on the instructor's estimate:

  • Lectures: 24h
  • Perusall readings: 20h
  • Assignment 1: Research context and question(s) 8h
  • Assignment 2: Interview outline 10h
  • Assignment 3: Interview and interview transcripts 10h
  • Assignment 4: Ethnography/netnography 25h
  • Assignment 5: Interview analysis 20h
  • Poster: 3h
  • Assignment 6: Final research report 40h

DETAILS

Study Material

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Readings assigned by the lecturer (compulsory).

• applies in this implementation

  Lecture slides and assigned readings. Course materials include 10 mandatory as well as some recommended readings.
  

Substitutes for Courses

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Substitutes for Courses

Prerequisites

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Prerequisites

FURTHER INFORMATION

Further Information

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Teaching Language: English

  Teaching Period: 2024-2025 Autumn I
  2024-2025 Spring III
  2025-2026 Autumn I
  2025-2026 Spring III

  Registration:

  The course is mainly intended for students who are beginning their Master's thesis seminar, as all assignments are done about students' own topics. The course should be taken when the student has enrolled for the thesis seminar or will enroll in the next period. One may take the course before that but it is not recommended.

   

  The number of students admitted to the course is restricted to 60. Priority is given to Aalto students studying in MSc Program of Marketing.

• applies in this implementation

  Course policies and ethical rules

  Communication policy

  All "official" course communication from the instructor will take place through Announcements on MyCourses. Anything posted in that forum will be forwarded to your Aalto email, so please make sure you check it periodically.

  Please use the Discussion forum if you have any questions or feedback regarding course topics, lectures, materials, assignments, etc.

  Classroom policy

  Attendance is not compulsory, but active participation in class makes up 10% of the full grade.

  To ensure a pleasant working environment:

  • Please arrive on time.
  • Please come in prepared.
  • Please keep cell phones on silence or vibrate.
  • Please be active! Ask questions and give your opinions. All ideas are welcome in the classroom and are open to debate.
  • Please remember to express your ideas in a way that is respectful to others

  Course delivery policy

  All course deliverables are submitted via MyCourses. All deadlines are firm and depending on how late the students submitted their work, this can incur a point penalty. Submissions that are later than 24 hours will not be graded at all. Submissions will be submitted to Turnitin evaluation for plagiarism checks if the instructor sees it necessary.

  (If there is something that is preventing you from submitting on time (i.e., an acute illness), please inform me as soon as possible.)

   

  Ethical rules

  Please refer to Aalto University Code of Academic Integrity:

  https://into.aalto.fi/display/ensaannot/Aalto+University+Code+of+Academic+Integrity+and+Handling+Violations+Thereof

   

  AI policy

  The school official AI policy offers very broad guidelines on how to responsibly and ethically utilize AI tools in learning (please see https://www.aalto.fi/en/services/guidance-for-the-use-of-artificial-intelligence-in-teaching-and-learning-at-aalto-university?check_logged_in=1)

  In this class, the AI policy is a bit more specific.

  Acceptable use includes (adapted from Temple University policies):

  • Brainstorming ideas
  • Fine-tuning research questions
  • Finding information on your topic
  • Drafting an outline to organize your thoughts
  • Checking grammar and style.

   

  Unacceptable use includes:

  • Writing a draft of a writing assignment.
  • Writing entire sentences, paragraphs, or papers to complete class assignments.

   

  Note that while text-generative AI can produce very competent-looking text, it is not always factual, so you need to check any information it generates. AI is also not a scientific source, you need to find appropriate citations yourself. If you utilize AI in any of the assignments, you must disclose that in an appendix: which tool(s) was used, how it was used, and why was it used.

Details on the schedule

• applies in this implementation

  Timetable and Course Topics

  Session	Date	Time	Readings
  Session 1: Introduction and Course Practicalities, What is Qualitative Research?	02.09.2024	12.15 – 14.00	No readings assigned
  Session 2: Qualitative research in marketing	05.09.2024	12.15 – 14.00   Room T003!	Belk et al. (2012): Chapter 1, Introduction
  Session 3: Planning a research project	10.09.2024	12.15 – 14.00	Belk et al. (2012): Chapter 2, Getting started
  Session 4: Doing interviews	12.09.2024	12.15 – 14.00	Belk et al. (2012): Chapter 3, Interviewing
  Session 5: Netnography	17.09.2024	12.15 – 14.00   Zoom session!	Belk et al. (2012): Chapter 5, Netnography
  Session 6: Ethnography	19.09.2024	12.15 – 14.00	Belk et al. (2012): Chapter 4, Ethnography
  Session 7: Data Analysis I	24.09.2024	12.15 – 14.00	Belk et al. (2012): Chapter 6, Data Collection aids
  Session 8: Data Analysis II	26.09.2024	12.15 – 14.00	Belk et al. (2012): Chapter 7, Approaches to data analysis
  Session 9: Theorizing and assessment	01.10.2024	12.15 – 14.00	Belk et al. (2012): Chapter 8, Analysis for managers
  Session 10: Qualitative research for managers	03.10.2023	12.15 – 14.00	Belk et al. (2012): Chapter 9, Presenting
  Session 11: Writing and presenting	08.10.2024	12.15 – 14.00	Belk and Sobh (2019) No assemblage required
  Session 12: Poster session	10.10.2024	12.15 – 14.00 Room V001!	No readings assigned

  
  

Description