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Level 8 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice

Theoretical Paradigms and Disciplinary Debates

SMP805 · Developing Research Capability — Week 4 of 16

CourseSMP805
Week4 of 16
SemesterI
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This week’s topics

Theoretical Paradigms and Disciplinary Debates

  1. Grand versus middle-range management theories
  2. Evaluating competing theoretical perspectives
  3. Criteria for selecting explanatory theories
  4. Research paradigms explained: positivism, interpretivism & critical realism
  5. Research Paradigms - Positivism, Interpretivism and Pragmatism - helpful overview for thesis
  6. Management Theory

What you will be able to do

  • 2.2 Evaluate various theories and choose a specific theory for explaining the observed phenomenon.
  • 4.5 Provide a theoretical debate by critically evaluating relevant theories for a given discipline.

Activity

Start with this week’s 3 videos, then: Seminar, guided reading and a short written task: evaluate various theories and choose a specific theory for explaining the observed phenomenon.

Study materials

Videos

  • Research paradigms explained: positivism, interpretivism & critical realism · YouTube · Degree Doctor · 15 min · for registered students
  • Research Paradigms - Positivism, Interpretivism and Pragmatism - helpful overview for thesis · YouTube · Carol Forde-Johnston · 10 min · for registered students
  • Management Theory · YouTube · Galton College · 39 min · for registered students
  • Positivism vs Interpretivism | Research Philosophy Made Easy · YouTube · Dr Hayley Stainton | Tourism Teacher · 8 min · for registered students
Materials marked “for registered students” open in the student portal, which is set up as soon as you receive final acceptance.
Week 3Week 5
Course chat

Admitted students ask questions on this week’s page in the student portal: an AI assistant trained on the course answers first, and during the course’s timetabled classes Connect to your tutor brings your tutor into the chat, who may start a call if needed.

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Course plan
  • Week 1: Organizational Problem Identification
  • Week 2: Research Problem Formulation
  • Week 3: Systematic Literature Evaluation
  • Week 4: Theoretical Paradigms and Disciplinary Debates
  • Week 5: Conceptual Frameworks and Theoretical Solutions
  • Week 6: Philosophical Underpinnings of Management Research
  • Week 7: Methodological Coherence
  • Midterm: Midterm evaluation
  • Week 9: Critical Appraisal of Empirical Research
  • Week 10: Doctoral Research Synthesis and Reporting
  • Week 11: Theoretical Defense and Research Justification
  • Week 12: Applying Developing Research Capability in practice: case s…
  • Week 13: Assignment workshop: research, planning and referencing
  • Week 14: Assignment workshop: drafting, feedback and improvement
  • Week 15: Review and coursework completion
  • Final: Final assessment and submission
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