Introduction
The adage “if you do not know where you are going, any road will take you there” suggests some good advice to managers and researchers. It is extremely important to define the business problem carefully because the definition determines the purpose of the research and ultimately, the research design.
Problem definition
It indicates a specific managerial decision area to be clarified or problem to be solved. It specifies research questions to be answered and the objectives of the research.
Defining a research problem involves several interrelated steps. As shown: -
The process of problem definition
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Ascertain the decision maker’s objective
Management theorist suggests that the decision maker should express his or her goals to the researcher in measurable terms. Both parties should attempt to have a clear understanding of the purpose for undertaking the research.
Understanding the background of the problem
The experienced managers know a great deal about a situation and can provide researcher with considerable background information about previous events and why those events occurred.
In the other situations, when information about what has happened previously is inadequate or when manager have trouble identifying the problem, a situation analysis in the logical first step in defining the problem.
A situation analysis involves preliminary investigation or information gathering of background information to familiarize researchers or managers with the decision area.
Isolate and identify the problem not the symptoms
Anticipating all of the decisions, of a problem is impossible for any researcher or executive. For instance, a firm may have a problem with its advertisement effectiveness. The possible cases of this problem may be low brand awareness, the wrong brand image, use of wrong media, or perhaps to a small budget. Management job is to isolate and identify the most likely cases. Certain occurrences that appear to be “the problem” may be only symptoms of a deeper problem.
Determine the unit of analysis
Defining the problem requires that the researcher determine the unit of analysis for study. The researcher must specify whether the level of investigation will focus on the collection of data about the entire organization, departments, work groups, individuals or objects. In studies of home buying, for example the husband wife dyad rather than individual typically is the unit of analysis, because the purchase decision is made jointly by husband and wife.
Determine the relevant variables
Another aspect of problem definition is identification of the key variables. The term variable is an important one in research.
A variable is defined as anything that may assume different numerical or categorical values. (Categorical variable means that has limited number of distinct values)
To address the specific problem, managers and researchers should be careful to identify all of the relevant variables that must be studied. Variables that are superfluous (not directly relevant to the problem) should not be included.
In case of casual research the term dependent variable and independent variable are frequently encountered. A DEPENDENT variable is a criterion or a variable that is to predicted or explained. INDEPENDENT variable is a variable that is expected to influence the dependent variable.
Ice berg principle
The idea that dangerous part of many business problems is neither visible or not understand by business managers.
Research proposal
A written statement of the research design that includes a statement explaining the purpose of the study and a dictated systematic outline of a particular research methodology.
Pilot study
A small scale exploratory research which uses sampling but do not apply regressed standard.
State the research questions and research objective
Both managers and researchers expect problem definitions effort to result in statements of research questions and research objectives. At the end of the problem definition stage of the research process, researchers should prepare a written statement that clarifies any ambiguity (lack of clearness) about what they hope the research will accomplish.
Research objective
The purpose of research expressed in measurable terms, the definition of what the research should accomplish.
The adage “if you do not know where you are going, any road will take you there” suggests some good advice to managers and researchers. It is extremely important to define the business problem carefully because the definition determines the purpose of the research and ultimately, the research design.
Problem definition
It indicates a specific managerial decision area to be clarified or problem to be solved. It specifies research questions to be answered and the objectives of the research.
Defining a research problem involves several interrelated steps. As shown: -
The process of problem definition
if you like my post then pls click on advertisment and add as you in my follower list.
Its beneficial for you and me both.
Ascertain the decision maker’s objective
Management theorist suggests that the decision maker should express his or her goals to the researcher in measurable terms. Both parties should attempt to have a clear understanding of the purpose for undertaking the research.
Understanding the background of the problem
The experienced managers know a great deal about a situation and can provide researcher with considerable background information about previous events and why those events occurred.
In the other situations, when information about what has happened previously is inadequate or when manager have trouble identifying the problem, a situation analysis in the logical first step in defining the problem.
A situation analysis involves preliminary investigation or information gathering of background information to familiarize researchers or managers with the decision area.
Isolate and identify the problem not the symptoms
Anticipating all of the decisions, of a problem is impossible for any researcher or executive. For instance, a firm may have a problem with its advertisement effectiveness. The possible cases of this problem may be low brand awareness, the wrong brand image, use of wrong media, or perhaps to a small budget. Management job is to isolate and identify the most likely cases. Certain occurrences that appear to be “the problem” may be only symptoms of a deeper problem.
Determine the unit of analysis
Defining the problem requires that the researcher determine the unit of analysis for study. The researcher must specify whether the level of investigation will focus on the collection of data about the entire organization, departments, work groups, individuals or objects. In studies of home buying, for example the husband wife dyad rather than individual typically is the unit of analysis, because the purchase decision is made jointly by husband and wife.
Determine the relevant variables
Another aspect of problem definition is identification of the key variables. The term variable is an important one in research.
A variable is defined as anything that may assume different numerical or categorical values. (Categorical variable means that has limited number of distinct values)
To address the specific problem, managers and researchers should be careful to identify all of the relevant variables that must be studied. Variables that are superfluous (not directly relevant to the problem) should not be included.
In case of casual research the term dependent variable and independent variable are frequently encountered. A DEPENDENT variable is a criterion or a variable that is to predicted or explained. INDEPENDENT variable is a variable that is expected to influence the dependent variable.
Ice berg principle
The idea that dangerous part of many business problems is neither visible or not understand by business managers.
Research proposal
A written statement of the research design that includes a statement explaining the purpose of the study and a dictated systematic outline of a particular research methodology.
Pilot study
A small scale exploratory research which uses sampling but do not apply regressed standard.
State the research questions and research objective
Both managers and researchers expect problem definitions effort to result in statements of research questions and research objectives. At the end of the problem definition stage of the research process, researchers should prepare a written statement that clarifies any ambiguity (lack of clearness) about what they hope the research will accomplish.
Research objective
The purpose of research expressed in measurable terms, the definition of what the research should accomplish.
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