Research Methodology

– PRIYANKA GUPTA
 Step 1:Formulating the Research Problem
The first step in research is formulating a research problem.
problem It is the most important stage in applied research. A
well-identified problem will lead the researcher to accomplish all-important phases of the research process,
starting from setting objectives to the selection of the research methodology.

Further, poorly defined problems will not yield useful results. Poorly defined problems create confusion and do
not allow the researcher to develop a good research design.
design
It is rightly said that
“A problem well defined is half-solved”

It may be mentioned that the problem formulation from the researcher’s point of view represents translating the
management problem into a research problem. In order to formulate an appropriate research problem on the
basis of a management problem, it is necessary to have a meaningful dialogue between the researcher and the
manager. The conflicting viewpoints between the top management and marketing researchers must be
reconciled if research has to be effective and useful. Without a meaningful dialogue, the problem is likely to be
defined poorly. The research carried out on that basis will hardly have any value for the management.
Step 1:Formulating the Research Problem
A person with an inquisitive nature and the necessary background would recognize a problem or an
opportunity in less time than another who lacks these qualities. Once the researcher has identified two or
more problems or opportunities, the next question he should be concerned with is—which of the
problems is to be selected? This is necessary as he will not be in a position to take up all the problems on
account of limited finances and time constraints. In such a case he has to determine priorities, carefully
examining their importance to his organization. Choosing a relatively less important problem would
amount to wasting limited resources. He should look into the value and cost aspects as explained in the
preceding chapter. He should then select that problem which gives the maximum net value of research.

The next core question is: whether all problems require research?.
We have countless problems around us, but all that we encounter do not qualify as research problems, and
thus, these do not need to be researched.
Keeping this point in view, we must draw a line between a research problem and a non-research problem.
Step 1:Formulating the Research Problem (Contd.)
A complete problem definition must specify each of the following:
• Sample and sampling units: The individuals or objects whose characteristics are to be measured
are called sampling units. The sampling units always identify the objects to be studied. It is
necessary that the universe is well defined.
defined
• Time and space boundaries: Marketing managers continually run the risk of making the right
decision at the wrong time. Opportunities are transient, the marketing executive who assumes a
static environment is doomed to failure.
• Product features, and consumer preferences:
preferences The researcher may be interested in only one
characteristic of the product. It is necessary that the problem definition specify one or more
characteristics to be measured and the fact that the nature of relationships amongst them is to
be determined. Further, the preference of the consumer should be considered while defining the
research objective.
• Specific environmental conditions: The management is sometimes interested in knowing the
behavior of certain types of firms under specific economic conditions. In such cases, the problem
definition must spell out those conditions precisely. In other words, the problem definition must
specify the environment for which the company wants research results. It may also spell out the
possibilities of changes as well as the direction of change in the environment so that the results of
the research study do not become irrelevant.
irrelevant
Questions: Formulating the Research Problem
What is research problem?
A research problem is a statement about an area of concern, a condition to be improved, a difficulty to be
eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or in practice that points to
the need for meaningful understanding and deliberate investigation. In some social science disciplines the
research problem is typically posed in the form of a question.
question A research problem does not state how to do
something, offer a vague or broad proposition, or present a value question.

The purpose of a problem statement is to:

1. Introduce the reader to the importance of the topic being studied. The reader is oriented to the
significance of the study and the research questions or hypotheses to follow.
2. Places the problem into a particular context that defines the parameters of what is to be investigated.
3. Provides the framework for reporting the results and indicates what is probably necessary to conduct
the study and explain how the findings will present this information.
Characteristics of research problem
Basic characteristics of research problem:
For your research problem to be effective, make sure that it has these basic characteristics:

• Reflecting on important issues or needs

• Basing on factual evidence (it’s non-hypothetical)

non

• Being manageable and relevant

• Suggesting a testable and meaningful hypothesis (avoiding useless answers).

How to formulate a research problem?
How to formulate a research problem?
The process of formulating a research problem requires a series of steps.

(i) Identify the Broad Study Area: This is a great idea to thinking about the subject area of your interest.
Researchers should identify the field in which they would like to work. It will help them tremendously to get
an interesting research topic.

(ii) Dissect the Broad Study Area into Subareas: In this stage, researchers need to dissect and specify their
research broad study area into some subareas.
For example- if you select unemployment as your broad study area, then dissect it into unemployment & social
stability, unemployment & crime, unemployment & individual frustration, etc. In this case, your research title
maybe how unemployment produces criminal activities.
activities Or how it creates frustration in mind among
unemployed people.
For example- if you select Cyber security as your broad study area, then dissect it into network security, web
security, database security related with cyber crime , etc.
etc

(iii) Mark-up your Interest: It is almost impossible to study all subareas. That’s why researcher must identify their
area of interest. Researcher should select issues in which they are passionate about. Their interest must be the
most important determinant of the research study.
How to formulate a research problem?
(iv) Study Research Questions: In this step researchers would point out their research questions under the area
of interest as they decided in the previous stage.
For example; If you select unemployment as your study area, your questions might be “how unemployment
impacts on individual social status?” “How it affects social stability?” “How it creates frustration on
individuals?”
Define what research problem or question you are going to study? The more you study the research problem
it will be just as relevant and fruitful to solve the problem indeed.

(v) Set Out Objectives : Set out conspicuously your research root objectives and sub-objectives. Research
objectives essentially come from research questions..
If you do study “Impact of unemployment on individual social status” as your research problem or research
question. Then, set out what would you like to explore to address. For Example- your main objective might be
to examine the unemployment status in a particular society or state. And sub-objectives would be its effects
on individuals’ social life. Setting out specific main and sub-objectives are so crucial.
How to formulate a research problem?
(vi) Assess your Objectives :Now, researcher should evaluate their objectives to make sure the possibility of attaining
them through the research study. Assess your objectives in terms of time, budget, resources and technical
expertise at your hand. Researcher should also assess their research questions in light of reality. Determine what
outcome will bring your study. If you can assess accurately the purpose of the research study it will bring
significant results in the long run. In fact, research objectives determine the value of the study you are going to
work out.

(vii) Statement of the problem in a general way: Formulate the problem that you have identified in the most
general way possible.

(viii) Literature survey: Reviewing the context of your research involves defining and testing the environmental
variables in your project, which may help you create a clear and focused research problem. It may also help you
note which variables are present in the research and how to account for the impact that they may have on it. By
reviewing the context, you may easily estimate the amount of data your research is likely to deliver. This may
include journals, newspapers, magazines, reports, government publications, and also computerized databases.
How to formulate a research problem?

(ix) Check Back and Rephrasing the research problem into a working proposition: Before going on with the
research work, researcher should review all steps in formulating a research problem and all the things that he
had done till now for the purpose of the research study.
study
Then, ask yourself about your enthusiasm. Do you have enough resources to step up? If you are quite
satisfied, then you forward to undertake your research work. You can change any of your plans in the light of
reality if it requires.
Sources of problem for investigation
Sources of problem for investigation
Identifying a problem to study can be challenging, not because there is a lack of issues that could be investigated,
but due to pursuing a goal of formulating a socially relevant and researchable problem statement that is unique
and does not simply duplicate the work of others.

To facilitate how you might select a problem from which to build a research study, consider these broad sources
of inspiration:
• Deductions from Theory: This relates to deductions made from social philosophy or generalizations
embodied in life in society that the researcher is familiar with. These deductions from human behavior are
then fitted within an empirical frame of reference through research. From a theory, the research can
formulate a research problem or hypothesis stating the expected findings in certain empirical situations.
The research asks the question: “What relationship between variables will be observed if theory aptly
summarizes the state of affairs?” One can then design and carry out a systematic investigation to assess
whether empirical data confirm or reject the hypothesis and hence the theory.
• Interdisciplinary Perspectives: Identifying a problem that forms the basis for a research study can come
from academic movements and scholarship originating in disciplines outside of your primary area of study.
A review of pertinent literature should include examining research from related disciplines, which can
expose you to new avenues of exploration and analysis. An interdisciplinary approach to selecting a
research problem offers an opportunity to construct a more comprehensive understanding of a very
complex issue than any single discipline might provide.
provide
Sources of problem for investigation
• Interviewing Practitioners: The identification of research problems about particular topics can arise from
formal or informal discussions with practitioners who provide insight into new directions for future research
and how to make research findings increasingly relevant to practice. Discussions with experts in the field, such
as, teachers, social workers, health care providers, etc.,
etc offers the chance to identify practical, “real world”
problems that may be understudied or ignored within academic circles. This approach also provides some
practical knowledge which may help in the process of designing and conducting your study.

• Personal Experience: Your everyday experiences can give rise to worthwhile problems for investigation. Think
critically about your own experiences and/or frustrations with an issue facing society, your community, or in
your neighborhood. This can be derived, for example, from deliberate observations of certain relationships for
which there is no clear explanation or witnessing an event that appears harmful to a person or group or that is
out of the ordinary.

• Relevant Literature: The selection of a research problem can often be derived from an extensive and thorough
review of pertinent research associated with your overall area of interest. This may reveal where gaps remain
in our understanding of a topic. Research may be conducted to:
fill such gaps in knowledge; evaluate if the methodologies employed in prior studies can be adapted
to solve other problems; determine if a similar study could be conducted in a different subject area or
applied to different study sample [i.e., different groups of people].
What Makes a Good Research Statement?
A good problem statement begins by introducing the broad area in which your research is centered and then
gradually leads the reader to the more narrow questions you are posing. The statement need not be lengthy but
a good research problem should incorporate the following features:

• Compelling topic: Simple curiosity is not a good enough reason to pursue a research study. The problem
that you choose to explore must be important to you and to a larger community you share. The problem
chosen must be one that motivates you to address it.

• Supports multiple perspectives: The problem most be phrased in a way that avoids dichotomies and
instead supports the generation and exploration of multiple perspectives. A general rule of thumb is that a
good research problem is one that would generate a variety of viewpoints from a composite audience
made up of reasonable people.

• Researchable: It seems a bit obvious, but you don't want to find yourself in the midst of investigating a
complex research project and realize that you don't have much to draw on for your research. Choose
research problems that can be supported by the resources available to you. Not sure? Seek out help from a
librarian!
Thank you