How to Write a Problem Statement

Three Parts:Sample Problem StatementsWriting Your Own

Problem StatementPolishing Your Problem

StatementCommunity Q&A

A problem statement is a short, succinct explanation of a problem a business is

facing and a proposed solution to the problem. Problem statements can be
effective ways to define an issue and communicate a solution within a short
span of time. Before you write your problem statement, think about the problem
and your proposed solution, and be prepared to back it up with facts!

Quick Summary
The first thing you should do in a problem statement is to describe the ideal
solution using words like "should." Then, introduce the problem by using words
like "Unfortunately" or "However," followed by a clear 1-2 sentence description
of what's wrong. In order to emphasize why this problem is important, explain
the financial cost the business will suffer if the problem goes unsolved, and
back your statement up with data. For more advice on how to propose a
solution, including how to explain your solution in concrete concepts, read on!
Did this summary help you?YesNo

Sample Problem Statements

 Sample Problem Statement

Part 1
Writing Your Own Problem Statement
1.
 1
Describe the "ideal" state of affairs. There are lots of different ways to write a
problem statement — some sources will recommend jumping right to the problem itself,
while others recommend providing background context first so that problem (and its
solution) are easier to understand for the reader. If you're ever unsure of how to begin,
opt for the latter option. While conciseness is something every piece of practical writing
should aim for, it's even more important to be well-understood. Start by describing how
things should work. Before you even mention your problem, explain in a few sentences
how things would be if the problem didn't exist.
o For instance, let's say that we work at a major airline and that we've
noticed that the way passengers board our planes is an inefficient use of time and
resources. In this case, we might begin our problem statement by describing an ideal
situation where the boarding system isn't inefficient that the company should shoot for,
like this: "The boarding protocols used by ABC Airlines should aim to get each flight's
 passengers aboard the plane quickly and efficiently so that the plane can take off as
soon as possible . The process of boarding should be optimized for time-efficiency but
also should be straightforward enough that it can be easily understood by all
passengers."


2
Explain your problem. In the words of the inventor Charles Kettering, "A problem well-
stated is a problem half-solved."[1] One of the most important goals (if not themost
important goal) of any problem statement is to articulate the problem being addressed
to the reader in a way that's clear, straightforward, and easy to understand. Succinctly
summarize the problem you intend to solve — this cuts to the heart of the issue
immediately and positions the most important information in the problem statement
near the top, where it's most visible. If you've just stated an "ideal" state of affairs as
suggested above, you may want to start your sentence with phrasing like "However, ..."
 or "Unfortunately, ..." to show that the problem you've identified is what is preventing
the ideal vision from being a reality.
o Let's say that we think we've developed a quicker, more efficient system
for getting passengers aboard our planes than the typical "back to front" seating
system. In this case, we might continue with a few sentences like, "However, ABC
Airline's current passenger boarding system is an inefficient use of the company's time
and resources. By wasting employee man hours, the current boarding protocols make
the company less competitive, and by contributing to a slow boarding process, they
create an unfavorable brand image."


3
Explain your problem's financial costs. Soon after you state your problem, you'll
want to explain why it's a big deal — after all, no one has the time or resources to try to
solve every single minor problem. In the business world, money is almost always the
 bottom line, so you'll want to try to highlight the financial impact of your problem on the
company or organization you're writing for. For instance, is the problem you're
discussing keeping your business from making more money? Is it actively costing your
business money? Is it damaging your brand image and thus indirectly costing your
business money? Be as exact and specific about the financial burden of your problem
— try to specify an exact dollar amount (or a well-supported estimate) for your
problem's cost.
o For our airline example, we might proceed to explain the problem's
financial cost like this: "The inefficiency of the current boarding system represents a
significant financial burden for the company. On average, the current boarding system
wastes roughly four minutes per boarding session, resulting in a total of 20 wasted
man-hours per day across all ABC flights. This represents a waste of roughly $400 per
day, or $146,000 per year."

 4
Back up your assertions. No matter how much money you claim your problem is
costing your company, if you can't back up your claims with reasonable evidence, you
may not be taken seriously. As soon as you start making specific claims about how
serious your problem is, you'll need to start supporting your statements with evidence.
In some cases, this may be from your own research, from data from a related study or
project, or even from reputable third-party sources.
o In some corporate and academic situations, you may need to explicitly
reference your evidence in the text of your problem statement, while in other situations,
it may be enough to simply use a footnote or another form of shorthand for your
citations. If you're unsure, ask your boss or teacher for advice.
o Let's reexamine the sentences we used in the previous step. They
describe the cost of the problem, but don't explain how this cost was found. A more
thorough explanation might include this: "...Based on internal performance tracking
data,[1]on average, the current boarding system wastes roughly four minutes per
boarding session, resulting in a total of 20 wasted man-hours per day across all ABC
flights. Terminal personal are paid an average of $20 per hour, so this represents a
waste of roughly $400 per day, or $146,000 per year." Note the footnote — in an actual
problem statement, this would correspond to a reference or appendix containing the
data mentioned.

 5
Propose a solution. When you've explained what the problem is and why it's so
important, proceed to explain how you propose to deal with it. As with the initial
statement of your problem, your explanation of your solution should be written to be as
clear and concise as possible. Stick to big, important, concrete concepts and leave any
minor details for later — you'll have plenty of opportunities to get into every minor
aspect of your proposed solution in the body of your proposal.
o In our airline example, our solution to the problem of inefficient boarding
practices is this new system we've discovered, so we should briefly explain the broad
strokes of this new system without getting into the minor details. We might say
something like, "Using a modified boarding system proposed by Dr. Edward Right of
the Kowlard Business Efficiency Institute which has passengers board the plane from
the sides in rather than from the back to the front, ABC Airlines can eliminate these four
minutes of waste." We might then go on to explain the basic gist of the new system, but
 we wouldn't use more than a sentence or two to do this, as the "meat" of our analysis
will be in the body of the proposal.


6
Explain the benefits of the solution. Again, now that you've told your
readers whatshould be done about the problem, it's a very good idea to
explain why this solution is a good idea. Since businesses are always trying to increase
their efficiency and earn more money, you'll want to focus primarily on the financial
impact of your solution — which expenses it will reduce, which new forms of revenue it
will generate, and so on. You can also explain non-tangible benefits, like improved
customer satisfaction, but your total explanation shouldn't be too much longer than a
few sentences to a paragraph.
o In our example, we might briefly describe how our company could
conceivably benefit from the money saved with our solution. A few sentences along
 these lines might work: "ABC Airlines stands to benefit substantially from the adoption
of this new boarding program. For instance, the $146,000 in estimated yearly savings
can be re-directed to new sources of revenue, such as expanding its selection of flights
to high-demand markets. In addition, by being the first American airline to adopt this
solution, ABC stands to gain considerable recognition as an industry trend-setter in the
areas of value and convenience."


7
Conclude by summarizing the problem and solution. After you've presented the
ideal vision for your company, identified the problem keeping your from achieving this
ideal, and suggested a solution, you're almost done. All that's left to do is to conclude
with a summary of your main arguments that allows you transition easily into the main
body of your proposal. There's no need to make this conclusion any longer than it
needs to be — try to state, in just a few sentences, the basic gist of what you've
 described in your problem statement and the approach you intend to take in the body
of the article.
o In our airline example, we might conclude like this: "Optimization of
current boarding protocols or adoption of new, more-effective protocols is crucial for the
continued competitiveness of the company. In this proposal, the alternative boarding
protocols developed by Dr. Right are analyzed for their feasibility and steps for effective
implementation are suggested." This sums up the main point of the problem statement
— that the current boarding procedure isn't very good and that this new one is better —
and tells the audience what to expect if they continue reading.


8
For academic work, don't forget a thesis statement. When you have to write a
problem statement for school, rather than for work, the process will be largely the
same, but there may be extra items you'll need to take into account to assure a good
 grade. For instance, many composition classes will require you to include a thesis
statement in your problem statement. The thesis statement (sometimes just called the
"thesis") is a single sentence that summarizes your entire argument, boiling it down to
its bare essentials. A good thesis statement identifies both the problem and the solution
as succinctly and clearly as possible.
o For instance, let's say we're writing a paper on the problem of academic
essay mills — companies that sell pre-written and/or custom works for students to
purchase and turn in as their own work. As our thesis statement, we might use this
sentence, which acknowledges the problem and the solution we're about to propose:
"The practice of buying academic essays, which undermines the learning process and
gives an advantage to rich students, can be combated buy providing professors with
stronger digital analysis tools."
o Some classes explicitly require you to put your thesis sentence at a
certain place in your problem statement (for instance, as the very first or very last
sentence). Other times, you'll have more freedom — check with your teacher if you're
not sure.

 9
Follow the same process for conceptual problems. Not all problem statements are
going to be for documents dealing with practical, tangible problems. Some, especially
in academics (and especially in the humanities), are going to deal with conceptual
problems — problems that have to do with the way we think about abstract ideas. In
these cases, you can still use the same basic problem statement framework to present
the problem at hand (while obviously shifting away from a business focus). In other
words, you'll want to identify the problem (often, for conceptual problems, this will be
that some idea is not well-understood), explain why the problem matters, explain how
you plan to solve it, and sum up all of this in a conclusion.
o For instance, let's say that we're asked to write a problem statement for
a report on the importance of religious symbolism in The Brothers Karamazov by
Fyodor Dostoevsky. In this case, our problem statement should identify some poorly-
understood aspect of the religious symbolism in the novel, explain why this matters (for
instance, we might say that by better understanding the religious symbolism in the
novel, it's possible to draw new insights from the book), and lay out how we plan to
support our argument.

Part 2
Polishing Your Problem Statement
1.
 1
Be concise. If there's one thing to keep in mind when writing problem statements, it's
this. Problem statements shouldn't be any longer than they need to be to accomplish
their task of laying out the problem and its solution for the reader. No sentence should
be wasted. Any sentence that doesn't directly contribute to the problem statement's
goals should be removed. Use clear, direct language. Don't get bogged down in minor
details — problem statements should deal only with the essentials of your problem and
solution. In general, keep your problem statement as short as possible without
sacrificing its informativeness.
o A problem statement is no place to add your own personal commentary
or "flavor", as this makes the problem statement longer for no practical purpose. You
may or may not have the opportunity to be more long-winded in the body of your
document, depending on the seriousness of your topic and audience.

 2
Write for your audience. When making a problem statement, it's important to
remember that you're writing for someone else, not for yourself. Different audiences will
have different sets of knowledge, different reasons for reading, and different attitudes
toward your problem, so try to keep your intended audience in mind as you write. You
want your problem statement to be as clear and easy for your audience to understand
as possible, which means you may need to change your tone, style, and diction from
one audience to another. As you write, try to ask yourself questions like:
o "Who, specifically, am I writing for?"
o "Why am I addressing this audience?"
o "Does this audience know all of the same terms and concepts as I do?"
o "Does this audience share the same attitude as I do towards this
problem?"
o "Why should my audience care about this problem?"


3
Don't use jargon without defining it. As noted above, your problem statement should
be written so that it's as easy for your audience to understand as possible. This means
that, unless you're writing for a technical audience that is likely to be knowledgeable in
the terminology of the field you're writing about, you'll want to avoid using technical
jargon too heavily and to make sure that you define any pieces of jargon that
you do use. Never make the assumption that your audience automatically has all of the
technical knowledge that you do or you risk alienating them and losing readers as soon
as they encounter terms and information they're not familiar with.
o For instance, if we're writing for a board of highly-educated physicians, it
may be OK to assume that they'll know what the term "metacarpal" means. However, if
we're writing to an audience made up of both physicians and wealthy hospital investors
 who may or may not be medically trained, it's a good idea to introduce the word
"metacarpal" with its definition — the bone between the first two joints of the finger.


4
Stick to a narrow, defined problem. The best problem statements aren't sprawling,
rambling pieces of writing. Instead, they're focused on a single, easily-identified
problem and its solution. Generally, narrow, defined topics are easier to write
convincingly about than large, vague ones, so whenever possible, you'll want to keep
the scope of your problem statement (and thus the body of your document) well-
focused. If this makes your problem statement (or the body of your document) short,
this is usually a good thing (except in academic situations where you have minimum
page limits for your assignment).
o A good rule of thumb is to only address problems that you can
definitively solve beyond a shadow of a doubt. If you're not sure of a definitive solution
 that can solve your entire problem, you may want to narrow the scope of your project
and change your problem statement to reflect this new focus.
o To keep the scope of a problem statement under control, it can be
helpful to wait until after completing the body of the document or proposal to write the
problem statement. In this case, when we write our problem statement, we can use our
actual document as a guideline so that we don't have to guess about the ground
we may cover when we write it.


5
Remember the "five Ws". Problem statements should be as informative as possible in
as few words as possible, but shouldn't delve into minute details. If you're ever in doubt
of what to include in your problem statement, a smart idea is to try to answer the five
Ws (who, what, where, when, and why), plus how. Addressing the five Ws gives your
 reader a good baseline level of knowledge to understand the problem and solution
without treading into unnecessary levels of detail.
o For instance, if you're writing a problem statement to propose a new
building development to your local city council, you might address the five Ws by
explaining who the development would benefit, what the development would
require, wherethe development should be, when construction should begin,
and why the development is ultimately a smart idea for the city.


6
Use a formal voice. Problem statements are almost always used for serious proposals
and projects. Because of this, you'll want to use a formal, dignified writing style (the
same as the style hopefully used for the body of the document) in the problem
statement. Keep your writing clear, plain, and direct. Don't attempt to win your reader
over by taking a friendly or casual tone in your problem statement. Don't use humor or
 jokes. Don't include pointless asides or anecdotes. Don't use slang or colloquialisms.
Good problem statements know that they have a job to accomplish and don't waste
any time or ink on unnecessary content.
o The closest you can usually get to including purely "entertaining" content
in academic writing in the humanities. Here, occasionally, it's possible to encounter
problem statements that begin with a quote or epigraph. Even in these cases, however,
the quote has some bearing on the problem being discussed and the rest of the
problem statement is written in a formal voice.


7
Always proofread for errors. This is a must for all forms of serious writing — no first
draft has ever existed that couldn't have benefited from the careful eye of a good
proofreader. When you finish your problem statement, give it a quick read. Does it
seem to "flow" properly? Does it present its ideas coherently? Does it seem to be
 logically organized? If not, make these changes now. When you're finally satisfied with
the structure of your problem statement, double-check it for spelling, grammar, and
formatting errors.
o You'll never regret re-reading your problem statement before you turn it
in. Since, by its very nature, the problem statement is usually the first part of a proposal
or report that someone will read, any errors here will be especially embarrassing for
you and can even reflect negatively on your entire document.

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 Community Q&A
 Question

How do I write a problem statement?

wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer

Describe the problem, back it up with evidence and explain your solution.
Not Helpful 5Helpful 59
 Question

What problem statement can I write on a subject fading out of schools?

Natalie Tellechea
Top Answerer

Point that out, saying it is of particular concern because of lack of awareness.

Not Helpful 3Helpful 24
 Question

How do I show citations?

wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer

For a citation, you list the source, the author, the year it was published, and on
what day you found it.
Not Helpful 2Helpful 13
 Question

Should I explain my problem's financial cost in every problem statement?

wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer

No, but make sure that you elaborate on it enough at the beginning of your
problem statement to serve as a background.
Not Helpful 0Helpful 3

Unanswered Questions

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organization, which intends to reduce the rate of school dropouts among
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disablity?
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 How can I write a problem statement, relating to lack of

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Sources and Citations

1. ↑ http://www.levyinnovation.com/a-problem-well-stated-is-half-solved
 http://www.ceptara.com/node/33
 http://www.faculty.virginia.edu/schoolhouse/WP/probstattemplate.html
Show more... (3)

Article Info
Categories: Business Writing
In other languages:

Deutsch: Einen Problembericht schreiben, Português: Escrever uma Declaração de

Problema, Español: escribir un planteamiento de problema, 中文: 写问题陈
述, Italiano: Scrivere Formalmente la Definizione di un Problema, Français: écrire un
énoncé de problème, Русский: написать постановку задачи, Bahasa
Indonesia: Menuliskan Rumusan Masalah, Čeština: Jak napsat popis
problému, हिन्दी: कोई समस्या कथन लिखें (Kaise, Problem, Statement, Likhain),  ‫كتابة‬ :‫العربية‬
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The basics of writing a statement

of the problem for your research
proposal [Downloadable
template]
Key Takeaways
 What are the goals of a statement of the problem?
 What are the key characteristics of a statement of the problem?
 What is the format for writing a statement of the problem
(with examples)?
 Statement of a problem downloadable template
 Sample - Problem Statement
Prof. Henry M. Bwisa
Current chairman of the African Agribusiness Incubators Network (AAIN) and Kenya’s permanent
representative of the World Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (WASME).
May 15, 2018  723.5k views

Write a perfect problem statement. Click here to get access to all

resources that will help you with this article as you read ahead.

Editorial note: This article was updated with the addition of

a  downloadable template, which can be found at the end of the article. 

Research is a systematic investigative process employed to increase

or revise current knowledge by discovering new facts. It can be
divided into two general categories: (1) Basic research, which is
inquiry aimed at increasing scientific knowledge, and (2) Applied
research, which is effort aimed at using basic research for solving
problems or developing new processes, products, or techniques.
The first and most important step in any research is to identify and
delineate the research problem: that is, what the researcher wants to
solve and what questions he/she wishes to answer. A research
problem may be defined as an area of concern, a gap in the existing
knowledge, or a deviation in the norm or standard that points to the
need for further understanding and investigation. Although many
problems turn out to have several solutions (the means to close the
gap or correct the deviation), difficulties arise where such means are
either not obvious or are not immediately available. This then
necessitates some research to reach a viable solution.

A statement of the problem is used in research work as a claim that

outlines the problem addressed by a study. The statement of the
problem briefly addresses the question: What is the problem that
the research will address?

What are the goals of a statement of the problem?

The ultimate goal of a statement of the problem is to transform a

generalized problem (something that bothers you; a perceived lack)
into a targeted, well-defined problem; one that can be resolved
through focused research and careful decision-making.

Writing a statement of the problem should help you clearly identify

the purpose of the research project you will propose. Often, the
statement of the problem will also serve as the basis for the
introductory section of your final proposal, directing your reader’s
attention quickly to the issues that your proposed project will
address and providing the reader with a concise statement of the
proposed project itself.
A statement of problem need not be long and elaborate: one page is
more than enough for a good statement of problem.

What are the key characteristics of a statement of the problem?

A good research problem should have the following characteristics:

1. It should address a gap in knowledge.

2. It should be significant enough to contribute to the existing body of research
3. It should lead to further research
4. The problem should render itself to investigation through collection of data
5. It should be of interest to the researcher and suit his/her skills, time, and resources
6. The approach towards solving the problem should be ethical

What is the format for writing a statement of the problem?

A persuasive statement of problem is usually written in three parts:

Part A (The ideal): Describes a desired goal or ideal situation;

explains how things should be.

Part B (The reality): Describes a condition that prevents the goal,

state, or value in Part A from being achieved or realized at this time;
explains how the current situation falls short of the goal or ideal.

Part C (The consequences): Identifies the way you propose to

improve the current situation and move it closer to the goal or ideal.

Here is an example:

Example 1

Part A: According to the XY university mission statement, the

university seeks to provide students with a safe, healthy learning
 environment. Dormitories are one important aspect of that
learning environment, since 55% of XY students live in campus
dorms and most of these students spend a significant amount of
time working in their dorm rooms.

However,

Part B: Students living in dorms A B C, and D currently do not have

air conditioning units, and during the hot seasons, it is common
for room temperatures to exceed 80 degrees F. Many students
report that they are unable to do homework in their dorm rooms.
Others report having problems sleeping because of the humidity
and temperature. The rooms are not only unhealthy, but they
inhibit student productivity and academic achievement.

Part C: In response to this problem, our study proposes to

investigate several options for making the dorms more
hospitable. We plan to carry out an all-inclusive participatory
investigation into options for purchasing air conditioners
(university-funded; student-subsidized) and different types of air
conditioning systems. We will also consider less expensive ways to
mitigate some or all of the problems noted above (such as
creating climate-controlled dorm lounges and equipping them
with better study areas and computing space).

Simple four-step guide to writing a statement of the problem 

Statement of Problem Template.docx

 DOWNLOAD

Bonus takeaway exclusively for community members

Step 1 (Statement 1): Describe a goal or desired state of a given
situation, phenomenon etc. This will build the ideal situation (what
should be, what is expected or desired)

Step 2 (Statement 2): Describe a condition that prevents the goal,

state, or value discussed in Step 1 from being achieved or realized at
the present time. This will build the reality or the situation as it is and
establish a gap between what ought to be and what is.

Step 3: Connect steps 1 and 2 using a connecting term such as "but,"

"however," “unfortunately,” or “in spite of.”

Step 4 (Statement 3): Using specific details, show how the situation
in step 2 contains little promise of improvement unless something is
done. Then emphasize the benefits of research by projecting the
consequences of possible solutions.

Here are some examples of how you can write a statement of the
problem using the steps mentioned above:

Example 2

Step 1 (Statement 1)

The government of Kenya has a goal to industrialize the nation

by the year 2030 (quote). In this regard it has encouraged
growth-oriented micro and small enterprises (MSEs) that
should graduate into medium and large enterprises capable of
contributing to the industrialization goal. There are several
 sessional papers (quote/cite) that contain specific measures to
encourage and support MSEs.

Step 2 and 3 (Statement 2)

Despite the said government efforts, there is slow growth of

micro into small enterprises and even slower growth of small
into medium scale enterprises (quote, show statistics). The
government has officially acknowledged that there exists a
“missing middle” in Kenya meaning that there is a gap between
small and large enterprises in the country (cite, quote).

Step 4 (Statement 3)

Should the “missing middle” gap persist, the industrialization

goal may be difficult to achieve. A need therefore arises to
investigate why there is a persistent “missing middle” despite
government efforts.

Example 3

Statement 1

In order to accomplish their missions, public universities need

motivated workforces.

Statement 2

There are, however, frequent and severe disciplinary actions,

absenteeism, as well as various forms of unrest in public
universities which affect the accomplishment of the set
 missions. Our preliminary investigation reveals that both non-
management and management staff are under motivated.

Statement 3

Without effective motivational packages and procedures, the

said vices are likely to continue and retard the achievement of
the universities’ missions.

Thus, there is a need to examine the public universities’

motivation systems and procedures, which is the aim of the
proposed research.

Example 4

Statement 1

The Ministry of Youth is dedicated to allocating enterprise

development funds to both the youth and women. These funds
are made available in order to start entrepreneurial ventures
that create and expand employment. (Provide relevant statistics
and quote)

Statement 2

One of the main focuses of the ministry is consistency.

Unfortunately, consistency in allocating funds to the next
generation of recipients requires prior knowledge of previous
allocations and established practices. The current continuous
disbursement method does not allow for adequate analysis of
previous disbursements before a current disbursement is done.
 Statement 3

Continuing with this current disbursement method prevents

consistency and causes decisions to become grossly political,
which in turn inhibits the achievement of the goals of the funds.
Developing a more informed disbursement system could help
better implement the consistency focus of the ministry and at
the same time help the ministry better monitor and evaluate its
funds.

This proposed research aspires to explore options for a new

funds disbursement system that would focus on consistency. To
do this, the researcher will carry out a full stakeholder analysis
and use it to propose appropriate policy interventions.

Another approach

Another way to write a statement of the problem is to use a

template. Here is a simple template which might be useful for
researchers:

There is a problem in ______________________(e.g.

organization or situation where problem is occurring). Despite
___________________________(efforts to prevent or deter),
_____________________(something undesirable or unexpected)
is occurring (provide evidence). This problem has negatively
affected_____________(victims of the problem)
because_____________________________. A possible cause of
this problem is ___________________________. Perhaps a study
which investigates_________________ by a
 ___________(paradigm/method) could help resolve the
situation.

Sample Statement of a Problem

An established trend in the small business start-up financing in

Kenya is to establish funds. Some of these funds include the youth
fund and women fund. These funds have helped improve the rate of
start-ups in the country. However, after the start-up stage, the
ventures start developing problems. First, they face problems in
management which lead to a marketing problem and eventually to
stagnation and early exit.

A study by the Institute of Development Studies (RoK, 2004)

revealed that only 38% of the businesses are expanding while 58%
have not added workers. According to the survey, more enterprises
are likely to close in their first three years of operation. Four years
later the same institute conducted another study in Central Kenya.
This study revealed that 57% of small businesses are in stagnation
with only 33% of them showing some level of growth.

In our current project, we propose to examine factors that have an

impact on small business sustainability. We will employ both
qualitative and quantitative approaches to gather both primary and
secondary data and information with the objective of determining
success factors for the growth of small business in Kenya.
Specifically, we shall employ the product life cycle (PLC) model to
identify the needs of a small business at the various stages of the
PLC.

References:

1. RoK, (2008). Economic Survey. Nairobi, Kenya. Government Printer.

2. Nyaga C.N. (2009). Non-financial constraints hindering growth of

SMEs in Kenya: The case of plastic manufacturing companies in industrial
area in Nairobi county.  (A masters  research thesis, University of
Nairobi).

3. Nyagah C.N. (2013). Non-financial constraints hindering growth of

SME’S in Kenya: the case of plastic manufacturing companies in industrial
area in Nairobi County (Doctoral dissertation).

This post is a modified version of the article Is it problem statement or

statement of the problem? published on the website of Mukmik
consultants. This post has been modified and republished with the
permission of the author.

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What is a research problem?

A research problem is a definite or clear expression [statement] about an area of
concern, a condition to be improved upon, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling
question that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or within existing practice that
points to a need for meaningful understanding and deliberate investigation. A research
problem does not state how to do something, offer a vague or broad proposition, or
present a value question.

– Alan Byrman[1]
Follow These 5 Steps To Formulate Your Research
Problem
1. SPECIFY THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

A clear statement defining your objectives will help you develop effective research.

It will help the decision makers evaluate the research questions your project should
answer as well as the research methods your project will use to answer those
questions. It’s critical that you have manageable objectives. (Two or three clear goals
will help to keep your research project focused and relevant.)

2. REVIEW THE ENVIRONMENT OR CONTEXT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

As a marketing researcher, you must work closely with your team of researchers in
defining and testing environmental variables. This will help you determine whether the
findings of your project will produce enough information to be worth the cost.

In order to do this, you have to identify the environmental variables that will affect the
research project and begin formulating different methods to control these variables.

3. EXPLORE THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM

Research problems range from simple to complex, depending on the number of

variables and the nature of their relationship. Sometimes the relationship between two
variables is directly related to a problem or questions, and other times the relationship
is entirely unimportant.

If you understand the nature of the research problem as a researcher, you will be able
to better develop a solution to the problem.

To help you understand all dimensions, you might want to consider focus groups of
consumers, salespeople, managers, or professionals to provide what is sometimes
much-needed insight into a particular set of questions or problems.

4. DEFINE THE VARIABLE RELATIONSHIPS

Marketing plans often focus on creating a sequence of behaviors that occur over time,
as in the adoption of a new package design, or the introduction of a new product.

Such programs create a commitment to follow some behavioral pattern or method in

the future.

Studying such a process involves:

 Determining which variables affect the solution to the research problem.

 Determining the degree to which each variable can be controlled and used for
the purposes of the company.
 Determining the functional relationships between the variables and which
variables are critical to the solution of the research problem.

During the problem formulation stage, you will want to generate and consider as

many courses of action and variable relationships as possible.
5. THE CONSEQUENCES OF ALTERNATIVE COURSES OF ACTION

There are always consequences to any course of action used in one or more projects.
Anticipating and communicating the possible outcomes of various courses of action is a
primary responsibility in the research process.