No special requirement

This subject aims to provide a general view on research methods in the specific area of Human Resource Management. Given the growing impact and importance of conducting top quality research in the management area, it is critical for students of HRM to develop the knowledge and skills in that area. If they do it properly, that knowledge can become a real source of competitive advantage in the job market. At the end of the course participants will be able to: ¿ Understand the nature and purpose of research in the HR area. ¿ Identify the main stages and characteristics of a good research project. ¿ Describe the main research paradigms and research methodologies in the realm of HRM. ¿ Develop some basic statistical tools to conduct analytical surveys in the HRM area.

- Research topic in Human Resource Management - The Structure of a research paper - Unit of analysis, population and sample. Variables and constructs. - Data sources: primary data and secondary data. - Descriptive analysis - Inferential analysis: correlations - Inferential analysis: regressions - Experiments - Qualitative research

The course will be based on readings, some exercises, and a final written exam. Throughout the course, students will be asked to hand in some exercises and are urged to actively participate during every class with their opinions, doubts and comments. Students will be also encouraged to consult different sources of information (webs, journals, career services, etc.). Notice that a significant part of the course workload will be done within learning teams.