Here are some helpful websites with advice from experienced academics.
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Some useful books to help you get started.
Business Models by
The growing body of research on business models draws upon a range of sub-disciplines, including strategic management, entrepreneurship, organization studies and management accounting. Business Models: A Research Overviewprovides a research map for business scholars, incorporating theoretical and applied perspectives. It develops the field of business model research by offering a critique of the field as it has developed to date and provides a guide for future research and theorization. The research performed as a basis for this book improves and extends prior subjective and less-documented work by using a scientific approach to identifying impactful research. The book argues that business model research is a mature field and that future research should focus on performative and ecosystem-based contributions, with the timely identification of four distinct stages of business model research. The study here provokes a new set of research questions, which are addressed in the concluding passages of Chapters 5-8, as a point of departure for those researching business models. This book is essential primary reading for scholars and practitioners of business models who are looking to seek out new knowledge and build new perspectives.
The Essentials of Business Research Methods by
Increasingly, managers must make decisions based on almost unlimited information. How can they navigate and organize this vast amount of data? Essentials of Business Research Methods provides research techniques for people who aren't data analysts. The authors offer a straightforward, hands-on approach to the vital managerial process of gathering and using data to make clear business decisions. They include critical topics, such as the increasing role of online research, ethical issues, data mining, customer relationship management, and how to conduct information-gathering activities more effectively in a rapidly changing business environment. This is the only text that includes a chapter on qualitative data analysis, and the coverage of quantitative data analysis is more extensive, and much easier to understand than in other texts. The book features a realistic continuing case throughout that enables students to see how business research information is used in the real world. It includes applied research examples in all chapters, as well as ethical dilemma mini cases, and exercises.
Research Methods for Business and Management by
This updated and revised edition offers a comprehensive overview of key research methods and the main choices available when undertaking research in business and management. New to this edition is a comprehensive, practical guide on how to write your dissertation - invaluable to all. It is a clear, concise and practical guide containing wealth of outstanding examples for each method covered.Central to this edition is the 'methods map' (chapter 4), which sets out a logical process for researchers to articulate their position in relation to five key aspects of their research philosophy. In addition, the editors have developed a free app to accompany the book and this enables novice researchers to quickly develop a comprehensive justification of their particular research design in an interactive way. Taking you through the entire life cycle of a dissertation, the text covers everything from the purposes of research through to chapters on gathering primary and secondary data; using literature; quantitative and qualitative research; managing your research; using data and research ethics. Individual chapters are allied to a powerful critical commentary showing how some of the world's leading scholars have used particular methods in their own research. Carefully constructed to achieve the greatest clarity for the student the text gives the reader: * In-text exercises * End of chapter' review questions with solutions* Exemplar papers identified and discussed for each of the main methods *Directed further reading for developing understanding in key areas It is an essential learning aid for upper level undergraduates and postgraduates across a wide range of business and management courses and it comes with a range of supported learning materials including tutorials, lecture slides and tutor notes.Kevin O'Gorman is Professor of Management and Business History and Head of Business Management in the School of Languages and Management in Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. He trained in Glasgow, Salamanca and Rome as a philosopher, theologian and historian. His research interests have a dual focus: Origins, history and cultural practices of hospitality, and philosophical, ethical and cultural underpinnings of contemporary management practices. Using a wide range of methodological approaches he has published over 80 journal articles, books, chapters, and conference papers in business and management studies.Robert MacIntosh is Professor of Strategy and Head of the School of Management and Languages at Heriot-Watt University. He trained as an engineer and has worked at the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde. His research on the ways in which top teams develop strategy and on organizational change has been published in a wide range of outlets. He has a long-standing interest in research methods for business and management studies and has published on the relevance of management research using methods that include ethnography and action research. He has consulted extensively with public and private sector organizations and sits on the board of the charity Turning Point Scotland.
A peer reviewed journal contains articles that have been reviewed by a panel of experts prior to publication.
When you search various Databases you may have an option to restrict your search to scholarly / peer-reviewed / academic articles.
Check Ulrichsweb to see whether a journal is peer reviewed. Search for the name of the journal and the academic gown symbol.
This Library video shows you exactly what to look for.
Change your settings so that Find it @ SCU links automatically appear within Google Scholar in your search results:
If you use EndNote, under Bibliography Manager, select EndNote.
Click Save.
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Search the library collections in a new window, or use the search box below to enter author, title or subject keywords:
Top tips for effective searching in the library collections (vid. 2 min.):
Want more research tips? Try our Research Ready Tutorial.
A good search strategy is essential to get the best results and to feel confident that you have found all relevant material for your Literature Review.
See Database search tips for helpful, timesaving tips.
Finding and searching using the most appropriate descriptor or subject heading in a database ensures you find ALL the relevant material on that topic within that database.
Keep records of where you search and what search terms you used, so you don't waste time repeating searches at a later date!
In order to be sure you have done a really comprehensive search of the literature, here is a checklist of sources/types of information for you to use.
Books: Search the SCU catalogue and Libraries Australia which searches ALL library catalogues throughout Australia. The National Library of Australia and all the State Libraries are deposit libraries, so you can be sure you are seeing everything that has been published in Australia, including theses, reports and conference papers. Request an Inter-Library Loan for items not held at SCU. (Note: not available to offshore students.)
Electronic books: Search in the SCU catalogue and limit your results to "Available Online" and "Books."
Journal literature: Use databases to find relevant scholarly articles that are unavailable without an SCU login. To find suitable databases for your subject area, see the subject guides. Databases searches are essential to ensure that you have retrieved all relevant literature in your field. Google Scholar can also be used to locate articles.
Citation databases: e.g. Scopus and Web of Science allow you to trace the works of particular authors and provides citations to related articles. These sources provide both peer-reviewed research literature and quality web resources.
Websites of Organisations often contain useful links to other quality web resources. Find a key organisation in your subject area (government agency, nongovernmental organisation, scholarly society, research institute, professional or business association). Find their website and look for links.
Statistics are available online from a number of organisations. Supporting your argument with statistics can be a powerful tool for any researcher.
Grey Literature - Unpublished source material is an essential resource for some research projects but is often extremely difficult to locate and access. See our Grey Literature Library Guide or your Liaison Librarian for assistance.
Conducting Research Literature Reviews by 
Conducting Educational Research by 
Planning an Applied Research Project in Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports by Once you know the details of a thesis, how do you obtain the thesis? Here is a summary of what to do:
Writing your thesis by 
Writing the Winning Thesis or Dissertation by 
Style manual for authors, editors and printers / 6th ed.
Cite Right by The School of Business and Tourism uses the Harvard referencing style.
For information on referencing please consult the SCU Library Harvard Referencing Style Guide online.
There are some tools available to help with referencing - once you are familiar with the Harvard style itself. You might like to explore our EndNote LibGuide and familiarise yourself with this reference management software.
Why use EndNote?
EndNote is free to SCU staff and students.
Go to the EndNote LibGuide for further information and to download the software.
