Welcome to the module "Research Methods and Data Management". This is a module to be taught to Year III Agribusiness students. It is made up of two components such as "Research Methods, Data Management and Data Analysis and Software Application".
Aim:
(i) The main objective of this course is to make the student able to design, to implement & organize, to carry out and to write various research tasks.
(ii) To make student familiar with basic knowledge of Data Management; Data collection and Analysis and application of software in problems solving
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed the module, students should be able to:
understand mathematical and statistical models explaining social behavior
Improved critical thinking capacity
Improving the mathematical tools in economics and more particularly in development economics
Manipulate Data using various software
Cognitive/Intellectual skills/Application of Knowledge
Having successfully completed the module, students should be able to:
Analyze problems with help of appropriate tools and define and evaluate relations between all aspects
Economic Analysis of data using some mathematical models
Communication/ICT/Numeracy/Analytic Techniques/Practical Skills
Having successfully completed the module, students should be able to:
Write a report
Present the results
Have practice in discussion and reasoning
Compile a literature review and make an appropriate use of references
General transferable skills
Having successfully completed the module, students should be able to:
Independently carry out a field survey
Apply basic tools of Data Management and Research Methods
Learning and Teaching Strategies
The learning and teaching strategy will comprise: lectures, field visits, self-studies, seminars and presentations. The total student hours for the module are 200 hours. The contact hours where students and teacher meet face to face (lectures seminars/workshops, practical classes/stock laboratory) have been allocated 48 hours each which is less than a half of the total hours budgeted for the module.
Practical assignments will be given to students to test for their understanding of the major concepts developed in class. ICT labo practices will be organised to introduce students to manipulate and analyse data. Tutorial problems are solved in-group work (each group consists of not more than 10 students), presented and discussed in class aiming at encouraging student to participate in the teaching and learning process. The e-learning methodology will be encouraged.
Assessment Strategy
Examination: Continuous Assessment Tests (CAT) and final examination. Examinations will cover lectures, assigned reading materials, and discussions;
The assignments will be graded on individual basis and on each component of the module;
ICT labo work will be evaluated.
Assessment Pattern:
Two assessments for the module:- The course work assessment, test, quiz will carry 50% and the course final examination will carry 50%.
|
Component |
Weighting (%) |
Learning objectives covered |
|
In course assessment: |
|
|
|
- Group assignment & CAT |
50 |
6.2.1; 6.2.2; 6.2.3,6.2.4 |
|
Final assessment: |
|
|
|
- Written examination |
50 |
6.2.1; 6.2.2; 6.2.3,6.2.4 |
|
Total |
100 |
|
Strategy for feedback and student support during module:
After the first few weeks in course assessment the module teaching team should meet with the students and exchange with them concerning their performance in the already evaluated courses in order to improve the future performance. During the meeting, the module team should encourage students to give their opinions on how to improve their performance
Indicative Resources:
The following textbooks are recommended for reading:
Eric L. Einspruch (2005). An introductory guide to SPSS for Windows, 2nd ed. Sage Publications, Inc. ISBN 1-4129-0415-3
Gilat A. MATLAB. An Introduction with Applications. Fourth edition. Ohio.USA
Joaquim P. Marques de Sá (2007). Applied Statistics Using SPSS, STATISTICA,MATLAB and R. Springer Berlin Heidelberg New York. ISBN 978-3-540-71971-7
Peter Dalgaard (2008). Introductory Statistics with R, 2nd ed. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC. e-ISBN: 978-0-387-79054-1
Prabhanjan Narayanachar Tattar, Suresh Ramaiah & B.G. Manjunath (2016). A course in statistics with R. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. ISBN: 9781119152729
Sabine Landau and Brian S. Everitt (2004). A handbook of statistical analyses using SPSS. Chapman & Hall/CRC Press LLC. ISBN 1-58488-369-3
Sally A. Lesik (2010). Applied Statistical Inference with MINITAB. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group. ISBN-13: 978-1-4200-6584-8 (eBook - PDF)
Trevor Wegner (2013). Applied Business Statistics Methods and Excel-based Applications, 3rd Ed. Juta and Company Ltd. ISBN: 978 0 7021 9709 3 (Web PDF).
Wim Buysse, Roger Stern and Ric Coe (2004). GenStat Discovery Edition for everyday use. World Agroforestry Centre. ISBN 92 9059 158 7
The module of Agricultural Production Economics and Applied Econometrics is designed for helping students to learn advance the study of agricultural production economics and to learn the econometrics applied to agricultural sector. It is divided into two main parts: Agricultural Production Economics and Applied econometrics. The Agricultural Production Economics focuses on food industry, agricultural production and demand, agricultural products marketing, farm service sector, food and economic development government involvement in agriculture. The applied econometrics focuses on enabling students at undergraduate levels to start being familiar with basic concepts of empirical analysis for potential applications in their future. More specifically, teaching in this component is to enable students understand the practical and theoretical foundation of regression analysis; cope with practical consequences related to hypothesis violation of specified models such as Multicollinearity, Heteroscedasticity, and Autocorrelation; to specify and estimate an econometric model based on agricultural economics theory through assignments; and introduce students to the application of the SPSS 17.0 for windows for data processing and analysis.
The module "Agribusiness Project Planning and Analysis" is taught to students of third year, Agribusiness. It encompasses two components: Agribusiness Entrepreneurship and Project Appraisal.
Brief description of aims and content
Aim:
The main objective of this course is to equip students with the understanding of the concepts of Agribusiness, Project Appraisal & Project (Monitoring &) Evaluation in terms of the notions: Agribusiness – Global, Regional, & National contexts, Global agenda & National Policies & Strategies to develop Agribusinesses, Project Appraisal: meaning, Scope & Types/Forms, Project (Monitoring &) Evaluation (M&E)
Also to equip students with skills & capabilities to develop/write an Agribusiness project proposal, conduct appraisals correctly, plan a project M&E matrix; and execute a final project evaluation (at the end of project implementation).
Content:
- Meaning, origin of term, and an overview of some of major (Global/Multinational), regional and local Agribusinesses
- Meaning of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and creativity
- Project appraisal: Meaning, Process, and Criteria
- Forms/Types: Technical appraisal, Social appraisal
- Appraisal on Gender/Youth inclusion
- Economic & financial appraisal: cost-benefit analysis & IRR
- Environmental Appraisal (Environmental Impact Assessment)
- Project (Monitoring &) Evaluation
- Meaning and significance
- Theory of AGB Project appraisal & evaluation…
- An overview of Agribusinesses in Rwanda
- Business development model, lean canvas, value proposition canvas
- Business person vis an entrepreneur
- Types of entrepreneurs
- Management functions
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course students shall be expected to:
- demonstrate a clear understanding and knowledge of agribusiness, project appraisal, Monitoring and Evaluation, and entrepreneurship related concepts
- demonstrate skills and capabilities to develop/write an Agribusiness project proposal, conduct appraisals correctly, plan a project M&E matrix; and execute a final project evaluation (at the end of project implementation); and.
References
"AGS: Agribusiness development". FAO.org. Retrieved 2013- 05-02.
Ng, Desmond; Siebert, John W. (2009). "Toward Better Defining the Field of Agribusiness Management" (PDF). International Food and Agribusiness Management Review 12 (4).
John Wilkinson. "The Globalization of Agribusiness and Developing World Food Systems”
John Filicetti (August 2007), PMO and Project Management Dictionary Cost-Benefit Analysis, 2nd edition, (2001) by Boardman, Greenberg, Vining, and Weimer, ISBN 0-13-087178-8 Pearson Education, Prentice Hall.
Anthony E. Boardman, David H. Greenberg, Aidan R. Vining, and David L. Weimer, (1996) Cost – Benefit Analysis: Concepts and Practice, 1st Edition, by http://www.prenhall.com/books/be_0135199689.html
Hanley, N and Spash, C (1993). Cost Benefit Analysis and the Environment. Edward Elgar. Cambridge University Press.
Brent, Robert J. Cost-Benefit Analysis for Developing Countries. Edward Elgar \Publishing. Overseas Development Administration. Appraisal of Projects in Developing Countries. A Guide for Economists. HMSO Publications.
Layard, Richard and Glaister, Stephen (eds) Cost-Benefit Analysis. Second edition. Cambridge.
Kohli, K. N (1993). Economic analysis of investment projects: a practical approach. Oxford University Press.
EAC, COMESA/SADC, CEPGL and other Developing Countries
Agribusiness within Contexts of the MDGs/SDGs; National Vision 2020; EDPRS Iⅈ and SPAT: I – III/IV; and
Htpp://Agrihub Rwanda//AgriProFocus
www.minaloc.gov.rw (INZEGO DOCS)
www.DISTRICT.gov.rw – District Development Plans
www.ur.ac.rw – Research & Community Outreach Project Reports
Peter F. Drucker-Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Ardichvilli, A., Cardozo, R., & Ray, S. (2003) - A Theory of Entrepreneurial Opportunity Identification and Development - Journal of Business Venturing, Vol. 18, pp 105–124
Thomas M. Cooney (2012)-Entrepreneurship Skills for Growth-Orientated Businesses- Report for the Workshop on ‘Skills Development for SMEs and Entrepreneurship,Copenhagen
Sweety Gupta –Functions of Management