Research in a Corporate Setting

Course goals

After completing this course, the student will be able to:

• Conduct acquisition for research in a corporate context, by translating a client’s request into a well-defined research problem and producing a feasible, methodologically sound research proposal.
• Plan and justify the execution of a proposed research project, including research design, deliverables, scheduling, and budgeting, while balancing scientific quality with organizational constraints.
• Communicate and evaluate research professionally in a corporate setting, by pitching research proposals to non-specialist stakeholders, and providing constructive, well-substantiated feedback on the work of others.
• Reflect on and compare research practice in corporate and academic settings, including differences and similarities in goals, constraints, stakeholder expectations, and evaluation criteria.

Relation between assessment and objectives
The first three learning goals are assessed through the writing of a research proposal, the delivery of a pitch presentation, and the provision of peer feedback during the tutorials. In addition, guest speakers with experience in a range of corporate and academic settings are invited to share their personal career trajectories. Students are asked to reflect on these experiences in order to assess the final learning goal.

Due to the nature of the course, the focus lies primarily on the development of practical skills. As a result, the course emphasizes the application of existing knowledge rather than the acquisition of new theoretical insights.

Content

In this course, the context of research in a corporate setting is considered. Many psychologists are motivated by curiosity-driven questions (e.g. why do people behave the way they do? how do users interact with technology? or how does the brain process information?). In contrast, stakeholders in corporate environments are perhaps driven by more practical goals, such as enhancing user experience of (digital) products, improving message transfer of advertisements, increasing conversion (sales) from a website, or evaluating the effectiveness of interventions, services, or internal tools. These stakeholders may work in large multinational companies, consultancies, small start-ups, non-profit organizations, governmental institutes or corporate research and development departments.

Understanding these differences in motivation, constraints, and context is essential for performing successful acquisition. The student will learn how to translate scientific questions into a research proposal that is feasible, realistic, and aligned with organizational needs. Next to that, the student will learn to properly use scientific methods; not as a superficial addition, but as the core foundation for generating reliable and actionable insights in a corporate context. In addition, this course pays attention to evaluating each other’s work, specifically learning how to give constructive, well-substantiated feedback. This skill is essential in professional research environments, where collaboration and critical discussion are part of everyday practice. Providing feedback is not about being harsh, but about being engaged, supportive, and contributing to the quality of the work.

Throughout the course, guest speakers will be interviewed who have experience working in both academic and corporate settings. They will share their personal career paths and reflect on similarities and differences between these contexts, providing concrete examples of the diverse roles and environments in which academically trained researchers can work. These interviews are intended to give students a realistic impression of the variety of professional trajectories available outside a purely academic career and to support reflection on future career choices.

Note: The entire course will be taught in English. This also includes assignments.