RESEARCH: Process
Involves about seven steps:
1. Identify a broad problem area
2. Define the problem statement
3. Develop hypotheses
4. Determine measurement of variables
5. Data collection
6. Data analysis
7. Interpretation of data & derive conclusions
RESEARCH:
Problem
“problem” - not always that something is seriously wrong
with a current situation that needs to be rectified
immediately but it could also indicate an interest in an
issue where finding right answers might help to improve
an existing situation
Problem: any situation where a gap exists between an
actual and a desired ideal state
Problem statement: unambiguous, specific, and focused,
and that it is addressed from a specific academic
perspective-(general objective and research questions)
No amount of good research can find solutions to the
situation if the problem to be studied is not clearly
pinpointed
RESEARCH:
Problem
First: identify a broad problem area-drop in real
GDP; frequent production interruptions; low smallscale crop production yields; high price levels; low
investment; high corruption levels; poor health
system; high tax rates; high poverty levels; e.t.c.
Second: preliminary research-first review of
literature , read and narrow down broad problem into
a specific research problem
Preliminary research help to find answers to questions
such as: “What is the problem?”; “Why does the problem
exist?”; “Is the problem important?”; and “What are the
benefits of solving the problem?”
RESEARCH: Problem
3. Define the problem statement-specify the real
research issue
-staff turnover is higher than anticipated
- The introduction of flexible work hours has
created more problems than it has solved
-Young workers in the organization show low
levels of commitment to the organization
RESEARCH: Problem example
“Why is productivity in Japan so much
higher than in India”?
Ambiguities:
What sort of productivity is being referred to?
With what industries the same is related?
With what period of time the productivity is
being talked about?
RESEARCH: Problem example
 Question is much too general to be amenable to
analysis- narrow it down to:
 “What factors were responsible for the higher labor
productivity of Japan’s manufacturing industries
during the decade 1971 to 1980 relative to India’s
manufacturing industries?”- better & further refined to;
 “To what extent did labor productivity in 1971 to 1980
in Japan exceed that of India in respect of 15 selected
manufacturing industries? What factors were
responsible for the productivity differentials between
the two countries by industries?”
RESEARCH: Problem
RP: should be relevant, feasible & interesting
Relevant: if it is meaningful from a practical
perspective, an academic perspective or both
Practical perspective: relevant if it relates to
(1) a problem that currently exists or
(2) an area that needs to be improved
RESEARCH: Problem
 Academic perspective: relevant if:
(1) Nothing is known about a topic, (prove that your claim is
right)
(2) Much is known about the topic, but the knowledge is
scattered and not integrated, (difficult one, since it is
expected that you will present an integrated overview of the
topic)
(3) Much research on the topic is available, but the results are
(partly) contradictory, (challenge since research project will
aim to reconcile contradictory findings or to establish
boundary conditions ) ; or
(4) Established relationships do not hold in certain situations
RESEARCH: Problem
Feasible: problem statement feasible if you are able to
answer the research questions within the restrictions
(time & money, availability of respondents, expertise
of researcher, e.t.c.) of the research project
Interesting: be genuinely interested in the problem
statement you are trying to answer, so that you stay
motivated throughout the entire research process
NB: Problem has to be transformed into a researchable
topic for investigation