Front Cover -- Half-Title -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- List of figures and tables -- Acknowledgements -- Walkthrough of textbook features and online resources -- Part 1: INTRODUCTION -- Chapter 1: Investigating and Researching HR Issues -- Researching HR issues -- Getting started: the research process and the skills you need -- What is research in HR? -- What kind of a researcher are you? -- Requirements for student projects -- Writing your research proposal -- Working with your supervisor -- Managing the research project -- Working as a practitioner-researcher -- Summary -- Review and reflect -- Explore further -- Part 2: PLAN AND DESIGN THE RESEARCH -- Chapter 2: First Stages Towards an HR Project -- How to use this chapter -- Deciding what to research and developing a credible justification for your project -- Establishing the focus of the project -- Approaches to research methodology -- Research design issues -- Access to data -- Final preparations - project planning -- Summary -- Review and reflect -- Explore further -- Chapter 3: Finding and Reviewing HR Literature and Information Sources -- How to use this chapter -- Why read, when to read and what to read -- Different types of literature -- Searching for and finding appropriate literature and information sources -- Evaluating your sources -- Reading the literature and making notes -- Evaluation and analysis -- The structure of the literature review -- Referencing and citations -- Summary -- Review and reflect -- Explore further -- Chapter 4: Ethics, Professionalism and HR Research -- How to use this chapter -- Hr professionalism and ethical conduct -- HR research and research ethics -- Ethics in a digitised society -- Research ethics at different stages of your project -- The positive features of ethical assessment processes -- Summary -- Review and reflect -- Explore further.

Chapter 5: Planning the Research Process -- How to use this chapter -- Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods research -- Research, theory and practice -- Data quality issues -- Planning to gather data -- Writing up the methodology -- Summary -- Review and reflect -- Explore further -- Part 3: IMPLEMENT YOUR RESEARCH -- Chapter 6: Finding and Using Documents and Organisational Evidence -- How to use this chapter -- Different forms of documentary evidence -- Using data from organisational management information systems -- Finding and selecting appropriate secondary data sources -- Analysing documentary and organisational information -- Summary -- Review and reflect -- Explore further -- Chapter 7: Collecting and Recording Qualitative Data -- How to use this chapter -- The value of qualitative data in HR research -- Observation and participation -- Data from individuals -- Focus groups -- Sample selection for qualitative research -- Making sense of the data -- Summary -- Review and reflect -- Explore further -- Chapter 8: Analysing Qualitative Data -- How to use this chapter -- The process of qualitative analysis -- Categorising and coding data -- Different approaches to analysis -- Data display processes -- Evaluating explanations and formulating conclusions -- Use of software for qualitative data analysis -- Writing up your analysis -- Summary -- Review and reflect -- Explore further -- Chapter 9: Collecting and Recording Quantitative Data -- How to use this chapter -- The uses of quantitative data in HR research -- Sources of quantitative data -- Undertaking your own survey -- Collecting, organising and presenting quantitative data -- First-level data analysis -- Summary -- Review and reflect -- Explore further -- Chapter 10: Analysing Quantitative Data -- How to use this chapter -- Quantitative data analysis in plain english.

An 'analysis routemap' -- Assessing the relationship between two variables -- Analysing data to answer research questions -- Summary -- Review and reflect -- Explore further -- Part 4: EVALUATE AND REVIEW -- Chapter 11: Writing up Your Project and Making Recommendations -- How to use this chapter -- Why, what, when and for whom to write -- Structuring and organising your writing -- Writing the conclusions, recommendations, abstract and personal reflection -- Style and expression issues -- Reviewing, revising and submitting your work -- Summary -- Review and reflect -- Explore further -- Chapter 12: Developing Effective Links Between Research and Practice -- How to use this chapter -- Routes to knowledge about HRM -- Communicating what you have learned with non-academic audiences -- Bridging the gap between research and practice -- Developing effective practitioner-researchers -- Summary -- Final review and reflect -- Explore further -- References -- Glossary -- Index -- Back Cover.