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Ngcebo Norman Mbuli

Student ID: UD64809BPR73866

COURSE NAME:
Research Methodology

Assignment Title:
Establishing a Clear Problem Statement

ATLANTIC INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

14/11/2020
 Table of Contents

1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………… 3 - 4
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2. Justification……….....……………………………………………………………… 4

3. Establishing a Clear Problem Statement: Three Scenarios……………………….…4 - 10

4. Research Questions………………………………………………………………… 10

5. Recommendation……………………………………………………………………. 11

6. Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………… 11

7. References…………………………………………………………………………… 12
 Introduction

Research is a very important component of our daily lives not only for academicians but every

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|3 It establishes a good and scientific basis for our decisions. Research helps to inform
policy development in a number of institutions. It is a very common phenomenon in the
education sector as well as in the medical profession. In Project Management research is mostly
used as means to minimise risks in any project whiles also helping to enhance preparedness for
risks, (Aanbari, & Kwak, 2018). Research further informs of new findings, additional
information and helps identify gaps in a particular area, (Wendi, 2019). It is a broad topic which
is necessary in almost every aspect of humanity.

A number of scholars have defined research as a scientific way of investigating on a certain topic
which embraces a systematic and well planned approach, (Woodside, 2017). Research can either
be qualitative or quantitative depending on the nature of study. In simple terms research follows
a pattern which begins with a topic, followed by background of the research, followed by a
problem statement, which is usually followed by research questions, justification of the study,
literature review, methodology under-which there is approach to be used, sources of data,
definition of population, sampling methods, data collection tools, data presentation, analysis,
findings, recommendations and conclusion, (Moriarty, (2018). It is a lengthy yet a very
interesting process which engages the mind and other population groupings.

In the 21st century research is even more important because this generation does not accept
anything necessarily without a scientific proof, (Alhady & Ezeldin, 2018). Unlike in previous
decades and centuries where it was easy to say something and people would accept without any
demands for scientific proof. Notably is that in the current era there is no sector of life that is
immune from research. The banking industry requires a thorough research presented in a form of
a business plan for any loan to be given. An acceptable Business Plan Document is the one
which presents market research which establishes current needs for that particular product. In the
agriculture sector, before commercial farmers take off to their farms, they want to be sure of the
marketability of a particular seed before their planting. Before choice of a certain seed is made,
research is also made in relation to certain climate conditions. Similarly in the education sector,
before a certain curriculum can be introduced, thorough research must be done to ascertain its
 validity and how it will benefit scholars. Socially as well, if a gentleman proposes for marriage,
the lady takes time to do research about the gentleman; his background, employment status,
vision for the future and a number of other important issues. Research is very important in any
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sector and informs decision making almost at all levels, (Aanbari & Kwak, 2018). This paper
presents on the importance of research and how to clearly establish a problem statement and or
the need for a particular research.

Justification: Why the Focus on Problem Statement?

Generally research is interesting. Setting out to find a solution or to ascertain facts in a certain
topic or to prove and or disapprove something is indeed an interesting experience, (Newman et
al, (2018). However a number of people still find it to be challenging and difficult. A number of
researchers especially those who are new in research find it difficult to articulate clearly the
problem being investigated and how a particular research will add in the gap of knowledge. It is
worth mentioning at this stage that there is no research without a problem-statement and this
must be clearly articulated just from the beginning. Hence it is very important for new
researchers in particular to understand and master the art of clearly establishing the problem
statement.

Establishing a Clear Problem Statement: Three Scenarios

In this paper three scenarios are going to be presented, from each a problem-statement is going to
be presented. With a clearly presented problem statement, a topic, research questions and the rest
of the important components of research can be easily formulated. Once the most important
question, “What does the research seek to investigate?” is answered it the whole research can
commerce.

Scenario 1: Livestock Farming and Insurance in Eswatini. Are Livestock Farmers Exposed
to Animal’s Insurance?

A number of scholars have indicated that the African economy is mostly driven by agriculture,
(National Academies of Sciences, 2019). This has been the trend from centuries back. Africans
grow a variety of crop or vegetables and keep heard of cattle in particular. Cattle are a pride of
almost all African men. Its value is even seen during key ceremonies in African marriage like
 bride-prise paying “lobola.” This is the case across the Kingdom of Eswatini. Many take pride in
their cattle. However, these asserts for a number of farmers is always exposed to a number of
risks which include drought, lighting, accidents, theft and smuggling. The Ministry of
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Agriculture in Eswatini has recently reported increasing number of cattle smuggling into
neighbouring countries (Nhlengetfwa et al, 2020). With the recent issues of global warming,
droughts are eminent and livestock is hugely affected. Not only does global warming comes with
negative effects of drought but also unpredictable weather conditions which results in lighting
and storms which have in the past resulted in huge losses among cattle farmer in particular.

Figure 1: Livestock Risks Exposure Rate

Type of Risks Rate of Exposure in Eswatini

Drought High
Natural Disasters High
Smuggling Very High
Accidents High
Source: Ministry of Agriculture, 2020

The above table shows the high rates of risks exposure in the livestock industry across the
country. Regardless of these high risks rates, the Eswatini Royal Insurance Company still reports
very low enrolments rate in livestock insurance. The synopsis is as follows; there is high risks
exposure rate; in reality farmers have been hard hit by these risks; farmer’s insurances (livestock
in particular) has been availed by insurance companies, however the enrolment rate is relatively
low. This study therefore seek to investigate the reasons for Eswatini farmer’s none-enrolment to
livestock insurance when the risks is so high and eminent.

The above narrative clearly communicates the problem being investigated. With such clear
articulation of the problem statement, there rest of the research components can be easily
developed and linked. Still on scenario 1, the problem statement can easily be demonstrated
graphically as shows below.

Figure 2. Articulation of Problem Statement: Livestock Farming and Insurance in

Eswatini. Are Livestock Farmers Exposed to Animal’s Insurance?

Area of Research/Study Community Trends Problems / Issues being

 Investigated?
Agriculture: Livestock and  Swazi’s are proud  Why are livestock
Insurance agriculturist/farmers. farmers not enrolled
Page | 6  Swazi’s keep large to the available
herds of cattle and insurances when the
livestock is an risk is too high and
important asset effects are regularly
among them. seen across the
 Across the country country?
livestock farming is
hard hit by
smuggling, drought,
and high exposure to
risks like storms,
lightings and
accidents.
 Insurance companies
provide a wide range
of farmers insurance
across the country.
 Enrolment to farmers
insurance is
extremely low yet
the reality of the
risks is daily seen
across the country.

With the above graphic break-down, a problem statement can be easily deduced.
 Scenario 2: Family Disputes over Inheritance: Why is the Last Will not written?

Sadly, there are increasing reports of family fights over deceased asserts and or inheritances in

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| 7 Kingdom of Eswatini. Cases of nasty family fights for inheritances are tackled in civil courts,
traditional courts and a number of other avenues. Media reports are frequently running stories of
orphans who cannot access their deceased parents’ assets. Widows are thrown out of their
homesteads with all assets taken by extended family members. In some instances orphans live in
dire hunger as they await court decisions for their deceased parents’ possessions. In some
instances where the children or maybe the widow cannot access courts, the asserts are easily
taken and blown irresponsibly by in-laws. It is always a sad occurrences whenever such happens.
There is an easy and official way of avoiding this. It is by writing the last will before one dies.

Figure 2. Articulation of Problem Statement: Family Disputes over Deceased Inheritance:

Why is the Last Will not written?

Area of Research/Study Community Trends Problems / Issues being

Investigated?
Family Disputes over  Eswatini families are  Why do most of
Deceased Inheritance: Why mostly linked to Swazi’s fun away
is the Last Will not written? extended families from writing their
and such links are last will and
very strong. testaments?

 Husband, wife and

with their biological
children usual work
very hard to generate
wealth and acquire
family assets.

 Upon death of the

husband mostly, the
extended family
 takes over everything
in terms of asserts.

Page | 8  Children and widows

are left to suffer
when all assets
including land is
taken.

Scenario 3: Cutting Budgets for International Meetings and Workshops; Harnessing

Technology for Virtual Meetings Post COVID 19.

Local and international travels, meetings and workshops are one of the budget lines which takes
a lot of money in companies, organisations and government portfolios. A lot is spent of travels
and face to face meetings. The recent Nationwide lock-downs have taught us that it is possible to
host well attend and effective meeting virtually. A number of organisations including the United
Nations did same and important issues were discussed and conclusions reached. Religious
groups also did same in their prayers and a variety of other religions initiatives. Of-course there
has been huge complains of inadequacy in network connections, international time differences
and divided concentration. The other school of thought has been that people are social beings,
they enjoy being together and deliberating on issues face to face. However this is expensive and
has recently proven to be an option that can be completely blocked by occurrences like those of
pandemics. Are virtual meetings there way to go?

The recent lock-downs have not only affected the working class by preventing conventional way
of conducting meetings but also hugely affected education systems globally. Schools and
universities were ate some point completely closed. Academic calendars were completely halted.
Debates on refunds of already paid school fees sparked serious misunderstandings. On the other
hand, schools and universities which had embraced technology and utilised the virtual approach
were least affected. Lessons continued, there were no issues on already made payments.
 Figure 3. Articulation of Problem Statement: Cutting Budgets for International Meetings
and Workshops; Harnessing Technology for Virtual Meetings Post COVID 19.

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9 of Research/Study Community Trends Problems / Issues being
Investigated?
Cutting Budgets for  Companies,  Organisation,
International Meetings and organisations and institutions,
Workshops; Harnessing governments spend a governments and
Technology for Virtual lot in international international bodies
Meetings Post COVID 19. travels for meetings embracing the
and workshops. culture of virtual
 A number of meetings; towards
meetings continued cutting down budgets
successfully through on meetings and
technological workshops related
provisions even travels.
during times of lock
downs.
 Some parliamentary
sessions were held
virtually.
 Some schools
embraced the same
virtual approach and
successfully
delivered.
 Virtual meetings are
low costs.
 Concentration can be
affected.
 Connectivity is not
 good in some areas.

Page Developing
| 10 Research questions

This part of research is detrimental in establishing the link between the topic, problem statement,
literature review and the data to be collected. Research questions should be fewer in number but
broader in nature. These form a good basis for the development of questions for interviews. One
research question can translate into a number of interview questions. For example, using
Scenario 1: where the topic is “Livestock Farming and Insurance in Eswatini,” the following
research questions can be developed.

1. Why do Eswatini farmers prefer livestock farming compared to other agricultural

endeavors?

2. What is the level of risk awareness among livestock farmers in Eswatini?

3. Are livestock farmers aware and/or exposed to available insurance provisions?

4. Is livestock farming in rural Eswatini business oriented or subsistence oriented?

As demonstrated in the above research questions there is a clear link between the topic, problem
statement and the questions, (Woodside, 2017). Fast forward to interview questions each of the
above can guide the formulation of a series of questions to be used in data collection. In simpler
terms each research question gives birth to a series of interview questions.

Example two is based on scenario 3 where the topic is, “Family Disputes over Deceased
Inheritance: Why is the Last Will not written?

Research Questions:

1. Is death an easy concept to talk about and prepare for among adults in the Eswatini
context?
2. Do Swazi people understand the importance of writing a will?
3. What is the level of ‘will writing’ knowledge across the country?
4. How can implications of unavailability of a written will be curbed?
 Recommendations

This paper has discussed two very important aspects of research; problem statement and research

Page questions.
| 11 These are very important areas which are decisive as to whether there is a case to
investigate and or a study to research. A number of new researchers find it difficult to articulate a
problem statement which may end up dampening their spirits towards research. This paper
recommends the following;

 When choosing an area of study or research area it makes it easier to go about in a

research area you are passionate about. This becomes a motivation even when a number
of things are not forthcoming.
 Before going to other important areas of the research paper, it is important to establish a
clear understanding of the problem or issue a research wants to investigate. Once the
problem is clearly understood and defined it becomes easier to frame the topic and further
exposure relevant literature.
 “What is the issue or problem I want to investigate?” is a question every research must
begin with.

Conclusion

This paper presented on the importance of establishing a clear problem statement for each and
every research document. Clearly pointed out is the interrelationship between the topic, problem
statement and research questions without which the researcher may not be able to source out
relevant literature and approach on the methodology. It is therefore important that a research has
full comprehension of the problem to be investigated before any attempt is made to tackle the
other detrimental aspects of research. There is no given point or level in a research document
where the problem component of the research is not important.

References,
 1. Aanbari T., & Kwak, H., (2018). Impact on Project Management of Allied Disciplines.
Project Management Institute.

Page | 122. Alhady, A. M., & Ezeldin, A. S., (2018). Construction Site Coordination and
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exploring a change strategy for lean success. BMC Health Services Research, 19(1), 1–
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4. Gule, Z., & Mndebele, C., (2019). Agriculture teachers’ importance and competency
levels in developing students’ entrepreneurial competencies in Eswatini. University of
Eswatini, Eswatini, Swaziland.
5. Moriarty, B. (2018). Research Skills for Teachers : From Research Question to Research
Design. Allen & Unwin.
6. Ministry of Agriculture, (2019). Agricultural Produce in Eswatini. Luyengo Campus,
Manzini

7. National Academies of Sciences, E. and M. (2019). Science Breakthroughs to Advance

Food and Agricultural Research by 2030. National Academies Press.

8. Newman, Isadore, N., & Duane, C., (2018). Building consistency between title, problem
statement, purpose, & research questions to improve the quality of research plans and
reports. New Horizons in Adult Education & Human Resource; John Wiley & Sons.
9. Nhlengethwa, S., Matchaya, G., Greffiths, I., & Fakudze, B., (2020). Analysis of the
determinants of public capital investments on agricultural water infrastructure in
Eswatini. Luyengo, Manzini.

10. Wendi, K., (2019). How to find a research topic, problem statement, or a question that’s
worth publishing. A & M University Policy Sciences and Economics; Texas.

11. Woodside, A., (2017). Case Study Research : Core Skills in Using 15 Genres: Vol.
Second edition. Emerald Group Publishing Limited.