Bachelor
2020/2021
Research Seminar “Economics, Business and Society”
Category 'Best Course for Broadening Horizons and Diversity of Knowledge and Skills'
Category 'Best Course for New Knowledge and Skills'
Type:
Elective course (Sociology and Social Informatics)
Area of studies:
Sociology
Delivered by:
Department of Sociology
When:
2 year, 1-4 module
Mode of studies:
offline
Open to:
students of all HSE University campuses
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
4
Contact hours:
42
Course Syllabus
Abstract
The course consists of tutorials focusing on academic research work in the field of economic sociology. In the course students are going to discuss the basics of academic work, to practice fieldwork, to develop their course papers, and to perform academic writing and reading.
Learning Objectives
- Research Seminar is aimed at discussing academic research in the field of economic sociology, and at the formation of professional competences in studying business, economy, and society. Students will also learn how to write and read academic papers.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Understand the principles of doing academic research
- Know the methods and principles of academic and applied research
- Know the specificity of sociological approach to studying economy
- Able to conduct sociological research
- Able to use qualitative methods of data collection and analysis
- Able to study business and economic with sociological methods
- Able to read and to analyze academic books
Course Contents
- Academic reading and the basics of student scientific workThe goal of the first module is to give the students some general understanding of academic reading and to provide support for the start of their own yearly essay/bachelor thesis.
- Methods of applied researchThe goal is the development of students' research skills. In Specialization 1. "Organization studies" students will learn about current areas of qualitative and quantitative research in organizations, including Employee Experience, Employer Branding, product approach, People Analytics, and others, and discuss the prospects for developing these areas from different perspectives. In Specialization 2. "Market studies" Students will learn about current areas of qualitative and quantitative research of the markets, including target audience studying, mystery shopping, consumers’ survey, customer’s journey map (CJM).
- Student’s academic workDuring this module the focus will be done on the development of the students’ academic writing and research skills and the discussion of their research papers/project (course papers, research thesis). The main goal of this part is to help students with their research projects. We will discuss how the paper should be organized, the requirements for the research paper, the progress and the difficulties that students have by that moment with their research.
- Project: implementations of research skillsIn this module, students will try to implement the knowledge of research methods in practice. Students from "Organization studies" will analyze the case of an IT startup. Students from "Market Studies" will analyze the firm and use the method of CJM creating the maps for the organization.
Assessment Elements
- In-class participation - in the 1st module
- Homework 1Reaction paper on the academic source - the 1st Module
- Homework 2Participation in the fieldwork - the 2nd Module
- Homework 3Fieldwork paper - the 2nd Module
- Homework 4The presentation of the student's research project - the 3d Module
- In-class participation - in the 2nd module
- In-class participation - in the 3d module
- In-class participation - in the 4th module
- Homework 5Homework: students have to make a short video (3-5 minutes), reviewing the discussed book, its critics and strengths.
Interim Assessment
- Interim assessment (4 module)0.125 * Homework 1 + 0.1 * Homework 2 + 0.075 * Homework 3 + 0.125 * Homework 4 + 0.075 * Homework 5 + 0.125 * In-class participation - in the 1st module + 0.075 * In-class participation - in the 2nd module + 0.125 * In-class participation - in the 3d module + 0.175 * In-class participation - in the 4th module
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Aspers, P., & Dodd, N. (2015). Re-Imagining Economic Sociology. Oxford: OUP Oxford. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1200997
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Portes, A. (2010). Economic Sociology : A Systematic Inquiry. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=329852
- Stark, D. (2010). Ambiguous Assets for Uncertain Environments: Heterarchy in Postsocialist Firms.
- Tittenbrun, J. (2011). Economy in Society : Economic Sociology Revisited. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=524366