Identifying and Defining a Research Problem

Problem!

A question raised for inquiry, consideration or solution

What do we do with Problems?

• Ignore them•Talk about them•Try to solve them

What is a Research Problem?

A research problem is an issue or concern that an investigator presents and justifies in a research study.

What is a research problem?

A problem that someone would like to research

Anything that a person find unsatisfactory or unsettling, a difficulty of some sort, a state of affairs that need to be changed.

A problems involve areas of concerns to researchers, for condition they want to improve, difficulties they want to eliminate, questions for which they want to seek answers.

How to Identify a Research Problem

• Search for a problem .

• Read more about your problem.

• Take notes or keep a research journal.

• Seek professional advice.

• Keep the topic interesting.

What to do: problem identification and definition

• Follow a general procedure.

• identifying the problem situation.

• Study the available research.

• Write statement identifying and defining the problem.

• Have colleagues read your final statement identifying and defining the problem situation.

One of the most challenging task is defining the research problem such that the research yields information that directly addresses the management issues.

The end result should be for management to understand the information fully and take action based on it.

Clearly identification and definition of marketing research problem cannot be overstated.

Importance of marketing research problem

1)Fulfillment of clients need. All the effort, time and money will be wasted if the problem is misunderstood.

2) Better communication and more involvement in problem definition are the most frequently ways of improving the usefulness of research.

Management Decision Problem

Definition: problem confronting the decision maker. It asks “What does the decision maker needs to do”.

Action oriented processHow should the loss of market share be arrested?Should the market be segmented differently?Should a new product be introduced?Should the promotional budget be increased?

Marketing Research Problem

Definition: A problem that entails determining what information is to be needed and how it can be obtained effectively.

Marketing research problem is information oriented.

Departmental store patronage project

DM: we have seen the decline in the patronage of our store.R: How do you know that?DM : well, it is reflected in our sales and market share.R: Why do you think that your patronage has declined?Dm : I wish I knew.R: What about competition?DM: I suspect we are better than competitors on some factors and worse on others.R: How do the customer view your store?DM: I think most of them positively, altough we may have a weak area or two.

Management Decision Problem

What should be done to improve the patronage of the store.

Marketing Research Problem

Determine the relative strengths and weakness of sears, vis-à-vis other major competitors, with respect to factors that influence store patronage.

General rules to be followed in defining the research problem is that the definition should

1)Allow the researcher to obtain all the information needed to address the management decision problem.2) Guide the researcher in proceeding with the research.

Don'ts1)Research problem should not be defined too broadly.Example : Develop market share for a brand.Improve company’s image.

2) Research problem should not be defined too narrowly.

Internet and Computer Application.

1)Internet can help the researcher gain access to the DM.2)DMs and researcher can video chat.3) Search engine can be used to collect secondary data quickly.4)Company’s past information can be found through internet.5) The internet can also be used to enhance researcher’s ability to obtain advice from industry experts.

Why is the Research Problem Important?

• Establishes importance of topic• Creates reader interest• Focuses reader’s attention on how

study will add to literature

Can and Should the Problem Be Researched?

• Can you study the problem?– Do you have access to the research

site?– Do you have the time, resources and

skills to carry out the research?

• Should you study the problem?– Does it advance knowledge?– Does it contribute to practice?

Five Elements of a “Problem Statement”

Topic

Evidence for the Issue

Deficiencies in the Evidence

What Remedyingthe Deficiencies will do for SelectAudiences

FLOW OF IDEAS

SubjectArea

EducationalIssue

•A Concern•A Problem•Something that needs asolution

•Evidence fromthe literature•Evidence frompracticalexperiences

•In this body ofevidence, what ismissing? •What do we need to knowmore about?

How will addressingwhat we need toknow help:– researchers– educators– policy makers– individuals like those in the study

Writing Problem Statements

• Tells what will be (or was) done• Identifies variables & relationships

to be studied

Ask yourself

• To help IDENTIFY your research problem for your thesis, ask yourself such questions as:

What was the issue/problem you want to study?

What is the concern being addressed “behind” this study?

Why do you want to undertake this study?

Why is this study important to the scholarly community?

DESIGNING & WRITING THE STATEMENT OF THE

PROBLEM1. The research problem within this study

2. Justification for the problem (based on past research and practice)

3. Shortcoming of past research or practice

4. The importance / significance of the problem

CASE STUDYOn

THE HOBBIT’S Choice Restaurant

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Major Problems

• To identify and define the problem.

• To decide the areas of research

• To know the current market condition

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

formulation

• Jeff Dean is about to open a new restaurant and have to research about the all the possible concerns such as demand, supply, competitive forces etc

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Identification and interpretation

• New to the market

• How to locate and promote

• What operating strategies should be adopted

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

findings

• The problem was clearly identified

• The areas of research were not completely covered

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

THANK YOU

What is now my

problem ?