DR Sadaqat Ali: Lec # 4 The Research Process The Broad Problem Area and Defining The Problem Statement

Lec # 4
THE RESEARCH PROCESS

The Broad Problem Area and
Defining the Problem Statement
Dr Sadaqat Ali
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
1.Discuss How Problem Areas Can Be Identified.
2.Explain How Primary And Secondary Data Help The Researcher To
Develop A Problem Statement.
3.State Research Problems Clearly And Precisely.

Steps 1 to 3
• The broad problem area

• Preliminary data gathering
• Problem definition
The Research Process
Broad Problem Area
• Broad problem area refers to the entire situation
where one sees a possible need for research and
problem solving.
• Such issues might pertain to:
– Problems currently existing in an organizational setting that
need to be solved
– Areas that a manager believes need to be improved in the
organization
– A conceptual or theoretical issues that needs to be
tightened up for the basic researcher to understand certain
phenomena
– Some research questions that a basic researcher wants to
answer empirically
The Broad Problem Area
• Examples of broad problem areas that a

manager could observe at the workplace:
– Training programs are not as effective as
anticipated.
– The sales volume of a product is not picking up.
– Minority group members are not advancing in their
careers.
– The newly installed information system is not being
used by the managers for whom it was primarily
designed.
– The introduction of flexible work hours has created
more problems than it has solved in many
companies.
6
PRELIMINARY DATA COLLECTION
(STEP # 2 IN HYPOTHETICO-DEDUCTIVE METHOD)
The nature of data to be gathered could be classified under

three (3) following headings:
1.Background information of the organization Secondary Data
2.Prevailing knowledge on the topic
3.Preliminary Data Collection

(STEP # 2 IN HYPOTHETICO-DEDUCTIVE METHOD)
SECONDARY DATA
●Secondary data are data that already exist and do not have to be collected by the
researcher again.
●Some secondary sources of data are government publications, information published or
unpublished and available from either within or outside the organization, library records,
data available from previous research, online data, web sites, and the Internet.
PRIMARY DATA
●Data gathered for research from the actual site of occurrence of events are first time
is called PRIMARY DATA.
●Information such as the perceptions and attitudes of employees are best obtained
by talking to them; by observing events, people, and objects; or by administering
questionnaires to individuals.
Background Information of the Organization (The contextual factors)
The background details of the company can be obtained from available
published records, the web site of the company. Company policies,
procedures, and rules can be obtained from the organization’s records and
documents. Data gathered through such existing sources are called
secondary data.
Prevailing knowledge on the topic

●Relevant findings from previous research in context of problem. Also know as
Literature Review.
●A literature review should help the researcher to identify and highlight the
important variables that are related to the problem.
●Literature survey is the documentation of a comprehensive review of the

published and unpublished work from secondary sources of data in the areas of
specific interest to the researcher.

SOURCES OF LITERATURE REVIEW
● The library is a rich storage base for secondary data through
books, journals, newspapers, magazines, conference
proceedings, doctoral dissertations, master’s theses,
government publications, and financial marketing, and other
reports.
● The computerized databases is now readily available and
accessible, which makes the literature search much easier,
and can be done without entering the portals of a library
building.
REASONS FOR THE LITERATURE REVIEW
1.Helps to find the important variables that are likely to

influence the problem situation are not left out of the
study.
2.Helps the development of the theoretical framework
and hypotheses for testing.
3.The problem statement can be made with precision and
clarity.
4.Testability and replicability of the findings of the current
research are enhanced.
5.One does not run the risk of wasting efforts on trying to
rediscover something that is already known.
6.The problem investigated is perceived by the scientific
community as relevant and significant (Applied Research).
CONDUCTING THE LITERATURE REVIEW
The literature review needs to be done in three (3) steps

process.
1.The First step in this process involves identifying the various
published and unpublished materials that are available on the
topics of interest, and gaining access to these.
2.The Second step is gathering the relevant information either
by going through the necessary materials in a library or by
getting access to online sources.
3.The Third step is writing up the literature review.

DATA SOURCES
o Textbooks
o Academic and professional journals
o Theses: PhD theses and Master theses.
o Conference proceedings
o Unpublished manuscripts
o Reports
o Newspapers
o The internet
SEARCHING FOR LITERATURE
There are three (3) forms of databases:
1.The BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATABASES, which display only the

bibliographic citations, that is, the name of the author, the title of the
article (book), source of publication, year, volume, and page numbers.
2.The ABSTRACT DATABASES, which in addition provide an

abstract or summary of the articles.
3.The FULL-TEXT DATABASES, which provide the full text of the

article.
DOCUMENTING THE LITERATURE REVIEW
The purpose of the literature Survey/Review is:
●To identify and highlight the important variables.
●To document the significant findings from earlier research that will serve
as the foundation on which the theoretical framework for the current
investigation can be built and the hypotheses developed.

Such documentation is important to convince the reader that:
1.The researcher is knowledgeable about the problem area.
2.The theoretical framework will be structured on work already done and will
add to the solid foundation of exiting knowledge.

DEFINING THE PROBLEM STATEMENT
● After the literature review, the researcher is in position to
narrow down the problem from its original broad base and
define the issues of concern more clearly.
What makes a good problem statement?
● The problem statement introduces the key problem that is
addressed in the research project.
● Problem statement is a clear, precise, and short statement
of the specific issue that a researcher wishes to investigate.

3 KEY CRITERIA FOR PROBLEM STATEMENT
● There are three key criteria to assess the quality of the

problem statement:
1.It should be relevant
2.It should be feasible
3.It should be interesting

FROM AN ACADEMIC PERSPECTIVE,
RESEARCH IS RELEVANT, IF
1.Nothing is known about the topic.
2.Much is known about the topic, but the knowledge
is scattered.
3.Much research on the topic is available, but the
results are contradictory.
4.Established relationships do not hold in certain
situations.
A PROBLEM STATEMENT IS FEASIBLE
1.If you are able to answer the problem statement within the
restrictions of the research project.
2.These restrictions are possibly related to time and money and the
expertise of the researcher (a problem statement may be too
difficult to answer).
3.Thus, it is important that you develop a narrowly defined question
that can be investigated with a reasonably amount of time and
efforts.
THE PROBLEM STATEMENT IS
INTERESTING
● Because research is a time-consuming process
and you will go through many ups and downs
before you present a final version of your research
report. It is therefore vital that you are interested in
the problem statement that you are trying to
answer, so you can stay motivated throughout the
entire process.
EXAMPLES OF WELL-DEFINED PROBLEM
STATEMENTS
● To what extent do the structure of the organization and type of
information systems installed account for the variance in the
perceived effectiveness of managerial decision making?
● To what extent has the new advertising campaign been successful
in creating the high-quality, customer-centered corporate image
that it was intended to produce?
● How has the new packaging affected the sales of the product?
● What are the effects of downsizing on the long-range growth
patterns of companies?
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING:
● Key elements:
o Purpose of the study
o Specific problem to be investigated.
o Scope of the study
o Relevance of the study
o Research design:
 Sampling design
 Data collection methods
 Data analysis
o Time frame
o Budget
o Selected Bibliography

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Lec # 4

THE RESEARCH PROCESS

1.Discuss How Problem Areas Can Be Identified.

2.Explain How Primary And Secondary Data Help The Researcher To

Develop A Problem Statement.

3.State Research Problems Clearly And Precisely.

• The broad problem area

• Examples of broad problem areas that a

(STEP # 2 IN HYPOTHETICO-DEDUCTIVE METHOD)

The nature of data to be gathered could be classified under

1.Background information of the organization Secondary Data

2.Prevailing knowledge on the topic

3.Preliminary Data Collection

●Some secondary sources of data are government publications, information published or

is called PRIMARY DATA.

by talking to them; by observing events, people, and objects; or by administering

Background Information of the Organization (The contextual factors)

The background details of the company can be obtained from available

published records, the web site of the company. Company policies,

documents. Data gathered through such existing sources are called

Prevailing knowledge on the topic

important variables that are related to the problem.

●Literature survey is the documentation of a comprehensive review of the

specific interest to the researcher.

● The library is a rich storage base for secondary data through

books, journals, newspapers, magazines, conference

proceedings, doctoral dissertations, master’s theses,

government publications, and financial marketing, and other

● The computerized databases is now readily available and

accessible, which makes the literature search much easier,

and can be done without entering the portals of a library

1.Helps to find the important variables that are likely to

The literature review needs to be done in three (3) steps

1.The First step in this process involves identifying the various

published and unpublished materials that are available on the

topics of interest, and gaining access to these.

2.The Second step is gathering the relevant information either

by going through the necessary materials in a library or by

getting access to online sources.

3.The Third step is writing up the literature review.

o Academic and professional journals

o Theses: PhD theses and Master theses.

1.The BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATABASES, which display only the

article (book), source of publication, year, volume, and page numbers.

2.The ABSTRACT DATABASES, which in addition provide an

3.The FULL-TEXT DATABASES, which provide the full text of the

The purpose of the literature Survey/Review is:

●To identify and highlight the important variables.

as the foundation on which the theoretical framework for the current

investigation can be built and the hypotheses developed.

1.The researcher is knowledgeable about the problem area.

add to the solid foundation of exiting knowledge.

● After the literature review, the researcher is in position to

define the issues of concern more clearly.

What makes a good problem statement?

● The problem statement introduces the key problem that is

addressed in the research project.

● Problem statement is a clear, precise, and short statement