Research Problem

Components of Research
Problem
Dos & Don'ts while Selecting a
Problem
Session Techniques in Defining a
Research Problem
Objective
Importance of Defining a right
problem statement
Converting Management
Dilemma into Research Question
To define a problem correctly,
a researcher must know:

what a problem is?

WHAT IS A RESEARCH PROBLEM?

A research problem, in general, refers to some difficulty which a

researcher experiences in the context of either a theoretical or
practical situation and wants to obtain a solution for the same.
Usually, we say that a research problem does exist if the following
conditions are met with:
1. There must be an individual (or a group or an organization)
2. There must be at least two courses of action
3. There must be at least two possible outcomes
4. The courses of action available must provides some chance of
obtaining the objective, but they cannot provide the same chance,
otherwise the choice would not matter
We can, thus, state the components of a
research problem as under
(i) There must be an individual or a group which has some difficulty or the
problem.
(ii) There must be some objective(s) to be attained at. If one wants nothing,
one cannot have a problem.
(iii) There must be alternative means (or the courses of action) for obtaining
the objective(s) one wishes to attain. This means that there must be at least
two means available to a researcher for if he has no choice of means, he
cannot have a problem.
(iv) There must remain some doubt in the mind of a researcher with regard to
the selection of alternatives. This means that research must answer the
question concerning the relative efficiency of the possible alternatives.
(v) There must be some environment(s) to which the difficulty pertains.
SELECTING THE PROBLEM
(Don’t)

• Subject which is overdone should not be

normally chosen, for it will be a difficult task
to throw any new light in such a case.
• Controversial subject should not become
the choice of an average researcher.
• Too narrow or too vague (fuzzy) problems
should be avoided.
• The subject selected for research should be
familiar and feasible so that the related
research material or sources of research are
within one’s reach.
SELECTING THE PROBLEM (Do)

• Contact an expert or a professor in the University who is already engaged in

research.
• Read articles published in current literature available on the subject and may
think how the techniques and ideas discussed there in might be applied to the
solution of other problems.
• Discuss with others what he has in mind concerning a problem.
• The importance of the subject, the qualifications and the training of a
researcher, the costs involved, the time factor
Whether he is well equipped in terms of his background to carry out the research?
Whether the study falls within the budget he can afford?
Whether the necessary cooperation can be obtained from those who must
participate in research as subjects?
TECHNIQUE IN DEFINING A PROBLEM

1. statement of the problem in a general way;

2. understanding the nature of the problem;

3. surveying the available literature;

4. developing the ideas through discussions; and

5. rephrasing the research problem into a working proposition.

(i) Statement of the problem in a general way:

• the problem should be stated in a broad general way, keeping in

view either some practical concern or some scientific or
intellectual interest.
• In case of social research, it is considered advisable to do some
field observation, some sort of preliminary survey or what is often
called pilot survey.
• Then the researcher can himself state the problem or he can seek
the guidance of the guide or the subject expert in accomplishing
this task.
(ii) Understanding the nature of the problem:

• Understand its origin and nature clearly

• to discuss it with those who first raised it in order to find out how
the problem originally came about and with what objectives in
view
• A discussion with those who have a good knowledge of the
problem concerned or similar other problems.
• The researcher should also keep in view the environment within
which the problem is to be studied and understood.
(iii) Surveying the available literature:

All available literature concerning the problem must necessarily be surveyed

and examined

• It will be well-conversant with relevant theories in the field, reports and

records
• To find out what data and other materials -- “Knowing what data are
available often serves to narrow the problem itself as well as the
technique that might be used.”
• If there are certain gaps in the theories, or whether the existing theories
applicable to the problem under study are inconsistent with each other,
or whether the findings of the different studies do not follow a pattern
consistent with the theoretical expectations and so on.
• for indicating the type of difficulties that may be encountered in the
present study as also the possible analytical shortcomings.
(iv) Developing the ideas through discussions:
• often produces useful information

• Various new ideas can be developed

• Discuss problem with colleagues and others who have enough

experience in the same area or in working on similar problems ---
known as an experience survey.

• People with rich experience are in a position to enlighten the

researcher on different aspects of his proposed study and their
advice and comments are usually invaluable to the researcher ---
sharpen his focus of attention on specific aspects within the field.
(v) Rephrasing the research problem:

• to rephrase the research problem into a working proposition

• rephrasing the problem into analytical or operational terms is not

a difficult task

• Through rephrasing, the researcher puts the research problem in

as specific terms as possible so that it may become operationally
viable and may help in the development of working hypotheses
 An example

Let us suppose that a research problem in

a broad general way is as follows:

“Why is productivity in Japan so much higher than in

India”?
(It has a number of ambiguities such as)
• 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?

In view of all such ambiguities the given statement or

the question is much too general to be amenable
to analysis.
Rethinking and discussions about the problem may result in
narrowing down the question to:

Example: What factors were responsible for the higher labour

productivity of Japan’s manufacturing industries during the decade
1971 to 1980 relative to India’s manufacturing industries?”

Further rethinking and rephrasing might place the problem on a

still better operational basis as shown below:

• To what extent did labour 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?
Example:

• With this sort of formulation, the various terms involved such as ‘labour
productivity’, ‘productivity differentials’, etc. must be explained clearly.

• The researcher must also see that the necessary data are available.

• In case the data for one or more industries selected are not available
for the concerning time-period, then the said industry or industries will
have to be substituted by other industry or industries.

• The suitability of the time-period must also be examined. Thus, all

relevant factors must be considered by a researcher before finally
defining a research problem
 One of the largest cinema chains in
the UK faced with a problem of
declining audiences.

Converting The team in the first meeting came

management up with the initial problem
dilemma into statement as ‘to discover why
research cinema audiences are declining’
question
An alternative statement of
problem was developed ‘to identify
ways in which more people could
be attracted to attend the cinema’.
Process of Developing Research Question
 Clarity of Problem Definition
(Research Question)
Exploratory Research Descriptive Research Causal Research
(Unaware of Problem) (Aware of Problem) (Problem Clearly Defined)
possible situation

“Our sales are declining and “What kind of people are buying “Will buyers purchase more of
we don’t know why.” our product? Who buys our our products in a new package?
competitor’s product?”
“Would people be interested “Which of two advertising
in our new product idea?”“What features do buyers prefer campaigns is more effective?”
in our product?”