Chapter 3

Defining and Refining the

Problem

Slide 3-2
 First Steps Research Process

FIGURE 3.1
Three important first steps in the research process:

Step 1 Step 2
Step 3

Identification of
the Broad Preliminary Definition of the
Management Research Research Problem
Problem

Slide 3-3
 Problem

▪ Problem: any situation where a gap exists

between an actual and a desired ideal
state.

Slide 3-4
 The Broad Problem Area
▪ Examples of broad problem areas that a
manager could observe at the workplace:
▪ 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.
Slide 3-5
 Symptoms versus Problems

▪ It is important that symptoms of problems

are not defined as the real problem.
▪ One way of determining that the problem,
rather than the symptom, is being
addressed is a technique called ‘5 Whys’
or ‘5 times why’.
▪ This approach will help you to get to the
root cause (the most basic cause) of a
problem.
Slide 3-6
 Symptoms versus Problems

▪ Keep asking “Why?” until the most basic cause is

arrived at.
▪ Example: My best employees are leaving the
organization.
▪ Why? They are not satisfied with their jobs.
▪ Why? They don’t find a challenge in their jobs.
▪ Why? They don’t have control over their work.
▪ Why? They don’t have enough influence over
planning, executing, and evaluating their
work.
▪ Why? We have been reluctant to delegate.
Slide 3-7
 From Problem to Feasible Research Topic

▪ We need to transform the broad problem

into a feasible topic for research by:
a) making it more specific and precise;
b) setting clear boundaries;
c) selecting a perspective from which we
investigate the subject (Machi and
McEvoy, 2012).

▪ Preliminary research will help us to make

these transformations.
Slide 3-8
 Preliminary Information Gathering

▪ Nature of information to be gathered:

1. Information on the organization and its
environment – that is, the contextual
factors.
2. Information on the topic of interest.

Slide 3-9
 First Review of the Literature

▪ Helps the researcher to:

▪ Structure research on work already
done
▪ Develop problem statement with
precision and clarity

▪ Is beneficial in both basic and applied

research projects

Slide 3-10
 What Makes a Good Problem Statement?

▪ Good problem statement includes both:

▪ The research objective
▪ Research questions

Slide 3-11
 A Good Problem Statement

▪ Research objective: why of the research

▪ Research objective applied research:

▪ to solve a specific problem in a work setting;
▪ to change something.

▪ Example:
▪ To determine factors that increase employee
commitment to the organization;

▪ Allows manager to increase commitment and hence

to decrease turnover, absenteeism and increase
performance levels.
Slide 3-12
 Example

The purpose of this study is twofold:

1. to identify the factors that influence the
passenger’s waiting experience and
2. to investigate the possible impact of
waiting on customer satisfaction and
service evaluations.

Slide 3-13
 A Good Problem Statement
▪ Research questions:
▪ what of the research (what do you want to learn?)
▪ Translates problem into a specific need for information

▪ Research questions:
▪ Are related to the objective
▪ If objective is unclear we will not be able to formulate research
questions

▪ Example:
▪ What are the factors that affect the perceived waiting experience of
airline passengers
▪ To what extent do these factors affect the perception of waiting times?
▪ What are the affective consequences of waiting
▪ How does affect mediate the relationship between waiting and service
evaluations?
▪ How do situational variables (such as filled time) influence customer
reactions to the waiting experience?
Slide 3-14
 Good Problem Statement

▪ Relevant
▪ for the organization
▪ Feasible
▪ you are able to answer the research
questions within the restrictions of the
research project.
▪ Interesting
▪ to you!

Slide 3-15
 Basic Types of Questions

▪ Exploratory
▪ Descriptive
▪ Causal

Slide 3-16
 Basic Types of Questions

▪ Exploratory questions:
▪ not much is known about the situation
at hand, or no information is available
on how similar problems or research
issues have been solved in the past.
▪ Example:
▪ A service provider wants to know why
his customers are switching to other
service providers?
Slide 3-17
 Basic Types of Questions
▪ Descriptive questions:
▪ Enable the researcher to describe the
characteristics of the variables of interest in a
situation.
▪ Example:
▪ What is the profile of the individuals who have
loan payments outstanding for 6 months and
more?
▪ The profile would include details of their average
age, earnings, nature of occupation, full-time/part-
time employment status, and the like. This might
help him to elicit further information or decide
right away on the types of individuals who should
Slide 3-18 be made ineligible for loans in the future.
 Basic Types of Questions

▪ Causal questions:
▪ Delineating one or more factors that are
causing a problem.
▪ Example:
▪ Will the sales of product X increase if
we increase the advertising budget?

Slide 3-19
 The Research Proposal

▪ The research proposal drawn up by the

investigator is the result of a planned,
organized, and careful effort.

Slide 3-20
 Research Proposal Contains (1)

▪ Working title.
▪ Background of the study.
▪ The problem statement.
- The purpose of the study.
- Research questions.
▪ The scope of the study.
▪ The relevance of the study.

Slide 3-21
 Research Proposal Contains (2)

▪ The research design offering details on:

a. Type of study
b. Data collection methods
c. The sampling design.
d. Data analysis.
▪ Time frame of the study
▪ Budget
▪ Selected bibliography.

Slide 3-22