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Chapter Outline
1) Overview
2) Importance of Defining a Problem
3) The Process of Defining a Problem and
Developing an Approach
4) Tasks involved in Problem Definition
i. Discussions with Decision Makers
ii. Interviews with Industry Experts
iii. Secondary Data Analysis
iv. Qualitative Research
RIP 2.1
When he looked
perplexed, I
explained that data
analysis in not an
independent
exercise.
Fig. 2.1
Discussion
with
Decision Maker(s)
Interviews
with
Experts
Secondary
Data
Analysis
Qualitative
Research
Objective/
Theoretical
Foundations
Analytical
Model:
Verbal,
Graphical,
Mathematical
Research
Questions
Hypotheses
Characteristics/
Factors
Influencing
Research
Design
Fig. 2.2
Fig. 2.3
Specific Components
Table 2.1
ResearchTask
RoleofTheory
1.Conceptualizing
Providesaconceptualfoundationandunderstandingofthebasicprocessesunderlying
andidentifying
theproblemsituation.Theseprocesseswillsuggestkeydependentandindependent
keyvariables
variables.
2.Operationalizing
Theoreticalconstructs(variables)cansuggestindependentanddependentvariables
keyvariables
naturallyoccurringintherealworld.
3.Selectinga
Causalorassociativerelationshipssuggestedbythetheorymayindicatewhetheracausal
researchdesign
ordescriptivedesignshouldbeadopted.
4.Selectinga
Thetheoreticalframeworkmaybeusefulindefiningthepopulationandsuggesting
sample
variablesforqualifyingrespondents,imposingquotas,orstratifyingthepopulation(see
Chap.11).
5.Analyzingand
Thetheoreticalframework(andthemodels,researchquestionsandhypothesesbasedon
interpretingdata
it)guidetheselectionofadataanalysisstrategyandtheinterpretationofresults(see
Chap.14).
6.Integrating
Thefindingsobtainedintheresearchprojectcanbeinterpretedinthelightofprevious
findings
researchandintegratedwiththeexistingbodyofknowledge.
Fig. 2.4
Development of Research
Questions and Hypotheses
Components of the
Marketing Research Problem
Objective/
Theoretical
Framework
Research Questions
Analytical
Model
Hypotheses
RIP 2.2
H2:
H3:
RIP 2.3