Defining the Research Problem

1Sanjay Ranade, Reader, DCJ, UoM

04/19/23

A research problem refers to some difficulty that a researcher

experiences in the context of either a theoretical or practical situation

and wants to obtain a solution for the same.

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A research problem exists if• There is an individual, a group, organisation ‘I’ to whom a

problem can be attributed. The problem concerns someone. This someone occupies an environment ‘N’. This environment or the space is defined by values of the uncontrolled variables ‘Y’.

• There are at least two courses of action, choices, options, say C1 and C2, that can be pursued.

• There must be at least two possible outcomes, say O1 and O2, of the course of action, of which one should be preferred to the other. This means that there must be at least one outcome that the research wants, the one objective that the researcher prefers.

• The courses of action available must provide ‘some’ chance of obtaining the objective. However they must not provide the ‘same’ chance otherwise the choice would not matter.

• It is important to understand that the individual, organisation, group etc is said to have a problem only if there is doubt about the solution.

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• An individual or a group of persons can be said to have a problem which can be technically described as a research problem, if they (the individual, group etc), having one of more desired outcomes, are confronted with two or more courses of action that have some but not equal efficiency for the desired objective(s) and are in doubt about which course of action is best.

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Components of a Research Problem

i) There must be an individual or a group which has some difficulty or the problem or to whom the problem can be attributed.

ii) There must be some objective(s) to be attained. If one wants nothing, one cannot have a problem.

iii) There must be alternative means or 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.04/19/23 5Sanjay Ranade, Reader, DCJ,

UoM

How does one select a research problem?

i) Avoid a subject that has been overdone for it will be difficult to throw any new light in such a case.

ii) Controversial subjects should be avoided by an average researcher.

iii) Subjects whose scope is too narrow or vague should be avoided.

iv) The subject should be familiar and feasible so that the related research material or sources of research are within one’s reach.

v) Know yourself and the limitations of your experience, your ability and capacity.

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Ask Yourself

• Am I equipped in terms of experience and knowledge to carry out the research?

• Does the study fall within the constraints of budget?

• Will I get the necessary cooperation from those who must participate in the research as subjects?

• Have I conducted a preliminary study, an exploration of the issue, the problem at hand?

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Research can be donkey work or love’s labour depending on

the choice of the Research Problem.

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The technique of defining a research problem

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State the problem

• Read up, talk to various people concerned, talk to experts, do field observations, perhaps even a preliminary survey, find people who may already be doing research in the same area, seek out a guide who can help you grasp the scope and the scale of the subject at hand, immerse yourself into the subject.

• The problem stated in a general way may contain ambiguities that need to be resolved with cool and rational thinking.

• The feasibility of a particular solution should be considered and kept in mind while stating the problem.

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Understanding the nature of the problem

• How did the problem come to you? Where did you hear it first, from whom? What induced you to consider the problem at all? Discuss, talk it out with colleagues, find out the various perspectives to the problem.

• Always consider the environment, the surrounding within which the problem is to be studied and understood.

• Identify ‘who’ is ‘concerned’ with the problems and talk, talk and talk to the people involved.

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Survey available literature

• You have to be conversant with existing research, relevant theories, reports, data and records of the problem.

• Look for logical, factual flaws, identify the limitations of existing research. Are there any questions unanswered, any perspective missing, an angle that has not been considered?

• Are there any related problems that can help shed some light on the problem at hand?

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Develop ideas through discussion

• An experience survey means talking to ‘relevant’ people in the field, those with the experience. Such people are in a position to enlighten you on aspects of the study and their advice and comments are invaluable.

• You can not only define the problem more specifically, but also arrive at a general approach to the problem, techniques that might be used and even possible solutions.

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Also observe

• Technicalese, jargon, words or phrases that are typical to the problem. Define these clearly.

• State clearly the basic assumptions or postulates relating to the research.

• Why was the problem selected? What is the value of the investigation?

• Consider the suitability of the time-period and the sources of data available. Your research must be credible.

• Be explicit with the scope or limits of the investigation.

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Rephrasing the research problem

• The generalised statement of the problem now becomes a working proposition. This is more focused, clear and well defined. Once the nature of the problem is clearly understood, the environment within which the problem has got to be studied has been defined, discussions over the problem have taken place and the available literature has been surveyed and examined, rephrasing the problem into analytical or operational terms is easy.

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An Illustration

Suppose that a research problem in a broad general way is as follows:

Why do Maharashtrian entrepreneurs lack behind other

business communities?

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Ambiguities in the question

• Who is an entrepreneur?• Who is a Maharashtrian?• Which are the ‘other communities’ in business?• Are we speaking of a specific business or all

businesses?• Do self employed professionals like lawyers and

doctors fall in the category of business?• Define success and failure in business.• What is the scope of the enquiry in terms of area?

Are we looking at one suburb of Mumbai, a few suburbs of Mumbai, all of Greater Mumbai or the entire state of Maharashtra?

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How would you explore the topic?

• What made you think of it?• What is your perception about the problem?• Why do you think it is a problem?• Whose problem is it?• Who would you talk to about this problem?• Has something been written on it?• Where would you find data, reports etc to help

you understand the topic better?• Whose experience do you think would be of help

in understanding the problem?• What are the different perspectives to the same

problem?

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Talk to whom?

• Yourself, your friends, family, teachers• Economists• Sociologists• Entrepreneurs• Professionals• Writers• Editors• Icons within the community• Business associations and groups

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Read what?

• Member-directories of all registered business and trading associations to find out ‘obvious’ Maharashtrian names and those from other communities.

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The problem may be redefined thus

• A comparative study of the ability to take risk, sources of seed capital, time taken to expand the size of the business, nature of debt and the ratio of profit to capital investment between the Marathi speaking entrepreneur and the Gujarati speaking entrepreneur in Mumbai with specific focus on entrepreneurs involved in garments, ready-to-eat food, footwear, electronic goods, books and stationery, printing and the services sector exclusive to medicine, law and education in the suburbs of Girgaum, Vile Parle, Dadar, Borivli and Ghatkopar in Mumbai.

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Keep working on defining the research problem till you are clear in your mind what is the nature of the problem, the question that you are

addressing.

Unless this is clear your research gets nowhere.

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