RESEARCH METHODS FOR BUSINESS:

A SKILL BUILDING APPROACH

UME-SEKARAN AND ROGER BOUGIE (5th Edition)

CHAPTER 3:
THE RESEARCH PROCESS: THE BROAD
PROBLEM AREA AND DEFINING THE
PROBLEM STATEMENT

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 Topics Discussed
2

1. The broad problem area

2. Preliminary data gathering
3. Some information vital for research
4. Literature review
5. Problem definition
6. The research proposal
7. Managerial implications
8. Ethical issues

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 Chapter Objectives
3

After completing Chapter 3 you should be able to:

1. Identify problem areas that are likely to be studied in
organizations.
2. Discuss how problem areas can be identified in work
settings.
3. State research problems clearly and precisely.
4. Explain how primary and secondary data help the
researcher to develop a problem statement.
5. Develop relevant and comprehensive bibliographies for
any organizational research topic.

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 Chapter Objectives
4

After completing Chapter 3 you should be able to:

6. Write a literature review on any given topic, documenting
the references in the prescribed manner.
7. Develop a research proposal.
8. Apply all you have learned to a group project that might
be assigned.

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 5

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 Broad Problem Area
6

 A “problem” does not necessarily mean that something is

seriously wrong with a current situation that needs to be
rectified immediately. A problem could also indicate an
interest in an issue where finding the right answers might
help to improve an existing situation. Thus, it is fruitful to
define a problem as any situation where a gap exists between
the actual and the desired ideal states, e.g.
1. Training programs are perhaps not as effective as anticipated.
2. The sales volume of a product is not picking up.
3. Minority group members in organizations are not advancing in their
careers.
4. The introduction of flexible work hours has created more problems than it
has solved in many companies.

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 Preliminary Information Gathering
7

 Once we have identified the broad problem area, it needs to

be narrowed down to a specific problem statement after
gathering some preliminary information.
 Nature of information to be gathered
1. Background information on the organization – that can be obtained
from available published records, the website of the company, its
archives, company policies, procedures, rules, statistical bulletins, and
government publications (secondary data), and can be obtained from
observing events, people, and objects, or by administering
questionnaires to individuals (primary data).
2. Prevailing knowledge on the topic – that is, relevant findings from
previous research known as literature review.

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 Literature Review
8

 A literature review is a step-by-step process that involves the

identification of published and unpublished work from
secondary data sources on the topic of interest, the evaluation of
this work in relation to the problem, and the documentation of
this work.
 A survey of the literature facilitates the creative integration of the
information gathered from the structured and unstructured
interviews with what has been found in previous studies.
 In other words, it gives a good basic framework to proceed
further with the investigation.
 A good literature review thus provides the foundation for
developing a comprehensive theoretical framework from which
hypotheses can be developed for testing.
Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)
 Literature Review
9

 In sum, a good literature review ensures that:

1. Important variables that are likely to influence the problem
situation are not left out of the study.
2. A clearer idea emerges as to what variables will be most
important to consider (parsimony), why they are considered
important, and how they should be investigated to solve the
problem. Thus, the literature survey helps the development of the
theoretical framework and hypotheses for testing.
3. The problem statement can be made with precision and clarity.

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 Literature Review
10

 In sum, a good literature review ensures that:

4. Testability and replicability of the findings of the current
research are enhanced.
5. One does not run the risk of “reinventing the wheel”; that is,
wasting effort on trying to rediscover something that is already
known.
6. The problem investigated is perceived by the scientific
community as relevant and significant.

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 Conducting the Literature Review
11

 The first step of the literature review involves the

identification of the various published and unpublished
materials that are available on the topic of interest, and
gaining access to these.
 Data sources - books, academic and professional journals,
reports, theses, conference proceedings, unpublished
manuscripts, newspapers, government publications, internet,
and the like.

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 Evaluating the Literature
12

 To assess the quality of recent research, you could ask the

following questions:
 Is the main research question or problem statement presented in a
clear and analytical way?
 Is the relevance of the research question made transparent?
 Does this study build directly upon previous research?
 Will the study make a contribution to the field?
 Is there a theory that guides the research?
 Is the theory described relevant and is it explained in an
understandable, structured, and convincing manner?
 Are the methods used in the study explained in a clear manner
(description of methods)?
 Is the choice of certain methods motivated in a convincing way
(justification of methods)?
Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)
 Evaluating the Literature
13

 To assess the quality of recent research, you could ask the

following questions:
 Is the sample appropriate?
 Are the research design and/or the questionnaire appropriate for this
study?
 Are the measures of the variables valid and reliable?
 Has the author used the appropriate quantitative and/or qualitative
techniques?
 Do the conclusions result from the findings of the study?
 Do the conclusions give a clear answer to the main research
question?
 Has the author considered the limitations of the study?
 Has the author presented the limitations in the article?
Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)
 Documenting the Literature Review
14

 Documenting the literature review is important to convince

the reader that:
 The researcher is knowledgeable about the problem area and has
done the preliminary homework that is necessary to conduct the
research, and
 The theoretical framework will be structured on work already done
and will add to the solid foundation of existing knowledge.
Note: The literature survey should bring together all relevant
information in a cogent and logical manner instead of
presenting all the studies in chronological order with bits
and pieces of uncoordinated information. A good literature
review also leads one logically to a good problem statement.

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 Literature Review – Example:
Organizational Effectiveness
15

Organization theorists have defined organizational effectiveness (OE) in

various ways. OE has been described in terms of objectives (Georgopolous and
Tannenbaum, 1957), goals (Etzioni, 1960), efficiency (Katz and Kahn, 1966),
resources acquisition (Yuchtman and Seashore, 1967), employee satisfaction
(Cummings, 1977), interdependence (Pfeffer, 1977), and organizational vitality
(Colt, 1995). As Coulter (2002) remarked, there is little consensus on how to
conceptualize, measure, or explain OE. This should, however, not come as a
surprise to us since OE models are essentially value-based classifications of
the construct (the values being those of the researchers) and the potential
number of models that can be generated by researchers is virtually limitless.
Researchers are now moving away from a single model and are taking
contingency approaches to conceptualizing OE (Cameron, 1996; Wernerfelt,
1998; Yetley, 2001). However, they are still limiting themselves to examining
the impact of the dominant constituencies served and the organization's life
cycle on OE instead of taking a broader, more dynamic approach (Dahl, 2001,
p. 25).
Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)
 Literature Review – Example:
Organizational Effectiveness
16

• From the above extract, several insights can be gained.

• The literature review:
1. Introduces the subject of study (organizational effectiveness)
2. Highlights the problem (that we do not have a good
conceptual framework for understanding what OE is), and
3. Summarizes the work done so far on the topic in a manner
that convinces the reader that the researcher has indeed
surveyed the work done in the area of OE and wants to
contribute to the understanding of the concept, taking off on
the earlier contingency approaches in a more creative way.

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 Problem Statement
17

 A problem statement is a clear, precise, and succinct

statement of the specific issue that a researcher wishes to
investigate.
 After the interviews and the literature review, the researcher is
in a position to narrow down the problem from its original
broad base and define the issues of concern more clearly.
 No amount of good research can find solutions to the situation
if the critical issue or the problem to be studied is not clearly
pinpointed.
 There are three key criteria to assess the quality of the problem
statement: it should be relevant, feasible, and interesting.

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 Problem Statement
18

Characteristics of Problem Statement:

Problem statements are a set of declarative sentences
Not stated in the form of a question
Not contain statements about objectives, goals, or purposes
Components of Problem Statement:
Well-formed problem statements contain three parts:
1. Principal Proposition (PP) -- It’s a fact...
2. Interactive Proposition (IP) -- However, Yet
3. Speculative Proposition (SP) -- Therefore,

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 Problem Statement – Example 1
19

There are various technologies that have been grouped as

Web 2.0, the second version of the worldwide web. As in
other spheres of life, these technologies have their place in
academic libraries. Libraries and their users are enjoying the
benefits of Web 2.0 technologies, but they are also prone to
problems and threats. However, no empirical data are
available on the impact of such technologies in libraries. In
order to improve the use of these technologies in libraries,
there is a need to study librarians’ perceptions (whether
positive or negative) of Web 2.0 technologies with regard to
academic library services.

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 Problem Statement – Example 2
20

The tools of Web 2.0 are rapidly gaining popularity in all

walks of life. They have enabled academic libraries to involve
faculty and students in their activities and solicit their
feedback for improvement in services. Library websites are
the windows through which they provide electronic services
to the distant users. It is assumed that many academic
libraries have already included a variety of Web 2.0 features
in their websites but there is a little research investigating the
extent and purpose of the adoption of such features. The
practices of the libraries of world’s top academic institutions
in this regard should be explored to guide other libraries in
getting maximum benefit of these technologies.

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 The Research Proposal
21

 A research proposal is a concise and coherent summary of

your proposed research. It sets out the central issues or
questions that you intend to address. It outlines the general
area of study within which your research falls, referring to
the current state of knowledge and any recent debates on
the topic.
 The research proposal drawn up by the investigator is the
result of a planned, organized, and careful effort, and
basically contains the following:

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 The Research Proposal
22

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 The Research Proposal
23

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 The Research Proposal
24

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 The Research Proposal
25

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 Managerial Implications
26

 Managers sometimes look at the symptoms in problematic

situations and treat them as if they are the real problems,
getting frustrated when their remedies do not work.
Understanding the antecedents–problem–consequences
sequence and gathering the relevant information to get a
real grasp of the problem go a long way towards
pinpointing it.
 Managers' inputs help researchers to define the broad
problem area and confirm their own theories about the
situational factors impacting the central problem.

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 Ethical Issues in the Preliminary Stages of
Investigation
27

 If the researcher decides to carry out the project, it is

necessary to inform all the employees – particularly those
who will be interviewed for preliminary data gathering
through structured and unstructured interviews – of the
proposed study. The element of unpleasant surprise will
thus be eliminated for the employees.
 It is also necessary to assure employees that their responses
will be kept confidential by the interviewer/s and that
individual responses will not be divulged to anyone in the
organization.

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 Discussion Questions
28

1. Explain the preliminary data collection methods.

2. Why is it important to gather information on the
background of the organization?
3. Should a researcher always obtain information on the
structural aspects and job characteristics from those
interviewed? Give reasons for your answer with examples.
4. How would you go about doing a literature review in the
area of customer satisfaction?
5. What is the purpose of a literature review?
6. Why is appropriate citation important? What are the
consequences of not giving credit to the source from which
materials are extracted?
Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)
 Discussion Questions
29

7. “The problem definition stage is perhaps more critical in

the research process than the problem solution stage.”
Discuss this statement.
8. Why should one get hung up on problem definition if one
already knows the broad problem area to be studied?
9. Offer a clearly focused problem statement in the broad
area of corporate culture.
10. After studying and extracting information from all the
relevant work done previously, how does the researcher
know which particular references, articles, and information
should be given prominence in the literature review?

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)

 APA Style Manual 6th Edition
30

 Click on this link and read the short summary of

Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association (APA) Style Manual 6th edition.
Short Summary of APA 6th Manual.pdf

Ali Raza Sultani (Doctoral Candidate - ABD)