Topic outline

  • General

    Responsible teacher: Kari Tanskanen

    Assigment Supervisors: Karlos Artto, Jan Holmström, Timo Seppälä, Paul Lillrank, Risto Rajala; Riitta Smeds, and Post-Docs in the department

    Teaching period: I-II, III-V (Autumn and Spring)

    Workload: 5 or 7 credits

    Learning Outcomes:

    o   Students will learn how to apply research methods and scientific thinking in problem solving.

    o   Students will learn how to define and specify adequate research objectives and research questions in the subject area of Operations and Service Management.

    o   Students will learn how to make a sound research plan for a small-scale empirical study.

    o   Students will be able to execute an empirical data collection project, analyze the data, report the results, and evaluate the quality (reliability and validity) of the study.

     

    Content:

    Course includes designing a study that is based on empirical data. Students will do hands-on exercises of the different phases of conducting scientific research (e.g., designing a study, data collection, data analysis, etc.). The course prepares the students for conducting scientific research (e.g. Master's thesis) as well as critically assessing studies done by others.

     

    Course practicalities

    The course consists of two parts.

    PART 1

    Part 1 (about 54 hours) includes lectures, reading materials, and examination, and is held jointly with three Majors (i.e., courses TU-E1090 - Research Assignment in Strategy and Venturing, TU-E2090 - Research Assignment in Operations and Service Management, TU-E3090 - Research Assignment in Leadership and Knowledge). All information and communication regarding Part 1 (reading materials, pre-lecture work, weekly exams, news and discussions) takes place in a separate forum hosting all three courses. The first lecture will provide further details.

    PART 2

    The second part of the course (81-135 hours) consists of supervisory meetings and writing a research plan, conducting the research assignment, final presentation, and review of an assignment. Please note that Part 2 is different in the above-mentioned courses and students in TU-E2090 - Research Assignment in Operations and Service Management need to follow the instructions provided here.

    To participate in this course, you must register to both the course (Part 2) and the lecture module (Part 1).

    The kick-off lecture of the Research Assignment in Operations and Service Management Part 2 takes place on Thursday, February 14, at 12:00 (right after the last lecture of Part 1).

    Schedule of PART 2

    Deadline for submitting research plans is February 28, 2019

    Two mandatory sessions
       - Feedback discussion on Research Plan (3-5 pages), book separate time with Kari Tanskanen
       - Presentation and review of Research Assignment in one seminar, two possible dates
            • April 10 , 2019 (Wed), 10:15-, location TBA
            • May 22, 2019 (Wed), 10:15- location TBA

    Optional guidance sessions – contact your supervisor by email
      - Be specific in the email about the aim of the meeting (e.g., discuss data collection, final draft of the
    assignment, etc.)
      - Send a draft of your work to your supervisor at least 3 days before the meeting by email. Include your main questions on the first page of the draft.