Defining and Refining the Problem CHAPTER 3 1

Chapter Objectives 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Discuss how problem areas can be identified. State research problems clearly and precisely. Explain how primary and secondary data help the researcher to develop a problem statement. Develop relevant and comprehensive bibliographies for any research topic. Write a literature review on any given topic. Develop a research proposal. 2

Broad Problem Area n 1. The 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. → 3

Broad Problem Area 2. 3. 4. Areas that a manager believes needs to be improved in the organization. A conceptual or theoretical issue 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. 4

Examples of Broad Problem Areas that Could be Observed at the Work Place n n n Training programs are perhaps not as effective as anticipated. The sales volume of a product is not picking up. Inventory control is not effective Some members in organization are not advancing in their careers. The introduction of flexible work hours has created more problems than it has solved in many companies. 5

Preliminary Data Collection n 1. 2. The nature of data to be gathered could be classified under three headings: Background information of the organization (the contextual factors). Prevailing knowledge on the topic (relevant findings from previous research). 6

Preliminary Data Collection n 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. 7

Preliminary Data Collection n n Secondary data, are data that already exist and do not have to be collected by the researcher. Some secondary sources of data are statistical bulletins, government publications, information published or unpublished and available from either within or outside the organization, library records, data available from previous research, online data, web sites, and the Internet. 8

Preliminary Data Collection n n Other types of 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. Such data gathered for research from the actual site of occurrence of events are called primary data. 9

Defining the Problem Statement n 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. 10

Business Problems Translated into Problem Statements 11

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. 12

The three key criteria for problem statement n 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 13

From an academic perspective, research is relevant if: 1. 2. 3. 4. Nothing is known about the topic. Much is known about the topic, but the knowledge is scattered. Much research on the topic is available, but the results are contradictory. Established relationships do not hold in certain situations. 14

A problem statement is feasible n n n If you are able to answer the problem statement within the restrictions of the research project. These restrictions are possibly related to time and money and the expertise of the researcher (a problem statement may be too difficult to answer). Thus, it is important that you develop a narrowly defined question that can be investigated with a reasonably amount of time and efforts. 15

The problem statement is interesting n Because research is a timeconsuming 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. 16

Examples of broad problem areas that a manager could observe at the workplace: n n n 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. 17

Examples of Well-Defined Problem Statements n n 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? 18

Basic Types of Questions A problem statement includes both a n statement of the research objective(s) and the research questions There are three basic types of questions that research projects can address: exploratory and descriptive questions. n 19

Exploratory Research Questions Exploratory research questions are typically developed when: a) not much is known about a particular phenomenon; b) existing research results are unclear or suffer from serious limitations; c) the topic is highly complex; or d) there is not enough theory available to guide the development of a theoretical framework Exploratory research often relies on qualitative approaches to data gathering such as informal discussions (with consumers, employees, managers), interviews, focus groups, and/or case studies. As a rule, exploratory research is flexible in nature 20

Descriptive research questions The objective of a descriptive study is to obtain data that describes the topic of interest. For instance, if we want to know what percent of the population likes Coca‐Cola better than Pepsi in a double‐blind test, we are interested in describing consumers’ taste preferences. Descriptive studies are often designed to collect data that describe characteristics of objects (such as persons, organizations, products, or brands), events, or situations. 21

Descriptive research questions Descriptive research is either quantitative or qualitative in nature. It may involve the collection of quantitative data such as satisfaction ratings, production figures, sales figures, or demographic data, but it may also entail the collection of qualitative information. For instance, qualitative data might be gathered to describe how consumers go through a decision‐making process or to examine how managers resolve conflicts in organizations. 22

Causal research questions Causal studies test whether or not one variable causes another variable to change. In a causal study, the researcher is interested in delineating one or more factors that are causing a problem. Typical examples of causal research questions are: “What is the effect of a reward system on productivity? ” and “How does perceived value affect consumer purchase intentions? ” The intention of the researcher conducting a causal study is to be able to state that variable X causes variable Y. So, when variable X is removed or altered in some way, problem Y is solved. 23

Causal research questions THE POSITIVIST VIEW n Causal studies are at the heart of the scientific approach. For a positivist, the world operates by laws of cause and effect that can be discerned if a scientific method to research is used. Exploratory research is needed when there is not enough theory available to guide the development of a theoretical framework. In such cases, exploratory research needs to be done to understand what is going on. Based on this preliminary work, we will be able to set up more rigorous (read: causal) designs for further investigation. 24

The research proposal contains the following: n Key elements: n n n Purpose of the study Specific problem to be investigated. Scope of the study Relevance of the study Research design: n n n Sampling design Data collection methods Data analysis Time frame Budget Selected Bibliography 25

MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS Managers sometimes look at the symptoms in problematic situations and treat them as if they are the real problems, getting frustrated when their remedies do not work. Understanding the antecedents–problem–consequences sequence and gathering the relevant information to get a real grasp of the problem go a long way towards pinpointing it. 26

Example n While Chrysler’s minivans, pickups, and sports utilities take a big share at the truck market, its cars trail behind those of General Motors, Ford, Honda, and Toyota. Quality problems include, among other things water leaks and defective parts ( Business Week, No. 10, 2007). 27

Example-cont. 1. Identify the broad problem area. 2. Define the problem? 3. Explain how you would proceed further. 28

Answers 1. The broad problem is that the Chrysler cars are lagging in market share. 2. The problem statement: How can the market share of Chrysler cars be improved? 29

answers 3. It is best to interview the users of GM, Ford, Honda, and Toyota car users and obtain from their reaction – both positive and negative- to the cars they use, and why they prefer them. n Similar reactions from the users of Chrysler cars should also be gathered. One should proceed further based on the analysis of these responses. 30