Module 5: Problem Identification + Identifying Research Problem area, * Selecting the Specific Research Issue, + Formulating the Objectives and Hypothesis * Clarifying the Objectives,Research Problem * Aproblem occurs when there is a difference betweeti the current condition and a more preferable set of conditions. + A gap exist between the way things are now aid a way that things could be better. * The "current condition" refers to the existing state or situation, while the "more preferable set of conditions" represents an ideal or desired state. + A research problem is a specific isue or gap in existing knowledge that you aim to address in your research. + Any question that you wamt-answered and any assumption or assertion that you want to challenge or investigate can become a research problem or a research topic for study. + It might be practical problems aimed at contributing to change, or theoretical problems aimed at expanding knowledge.Research Problem + ‘Potential research questions may occur to us on a regular basis, but the process of formulating them in a meaningful way is not at allan easy task.’ * The type of research problem depends on broaé! topic of interest. Example: * Sales profit and margins could be beiow targets set by management. + New product fails to meet the targeted goals. * Actual business performance is less than the possible business performance.ill Why is the research problem important? + Having an interesting topic isn’t a strong enough basis for academic research. Without a well-defined research problem, you are likely to end up with an unfocused and unmanageable proj * You might end up repeating what other people have already said, trying to say too much, or doing research without a clear purpose and justification. + Need a clear problem in order to do research that contributes new and relevant insights,Step 1: Identify a broad problem area Practical research problems * Identify a problem by reading reports, following up.ou previous research, or talking to people who work in the relevant field or organization. © Issues with performance or efficiency © Processes that could be improved © Areas of concern among practitionsss © Difficulties faced by specific groups of people Example: 1. Voter tumout in Karnataka has been decreasing, in contrast to the rest of the country. The HR department of a local chain of restaurants has a high staff tumover rate. wn A non-profit organization faces a funding gap that means some of its programs will have to be cutStep 1: Identify a broad problem area (Cont...) Theoretical research problems + Identify a research problem by reading existing ‘esearch, theory, and debates on topic to find a gap in what is currently known about it. + You might look for: oA phenomenon or context that has not been closely studied co A contradiction between two ormore perspectives o A situation or relationship that is not well understood co A troubling question that has yet to be resolvedStep 2: Learn more about the problem To find out what is already known about the problem and.piapoint the exact aspect that research will address. Context and background + Who does the problem affect? + Is ita newly-discovered problem, or a wei + What research has already been done? + What, if any, solutions have beea proposed? + What are the current debates about the problem? What is missing from these debates? |-established one? Specificity and relevance + What particular place, time, and/or group of people will you focus on? + What aspects will you not be able to tackle? + What will the consequences be if the problem is not resolved?Can | get a new coke, please! * Coca-Cola conducted blind taste test in the early 1980s to, determine consumer taste preferences. * Results indicated that consumers preferred sweetenci product, similar to Pepsi. Coca-Cola introduced tiie new taste coke and named it “new coke” and discontinued the original coke. * In less than three months new cook was discontinued after consumer outrage over the removal of the original coke. * Ithas been suggested that Coca-Coia narrowly defined the research problem. * Coca-Cola failed to measure the emotional attachment and loyalty to the existing brand name and its effect on subsequent purchase and consumption behavior.Research Questions Once you've identified the general problem area, the ne¥t step is to narrow it down to a specific, well-defined research issue or question * Arresearch question pinpoints exactly what yott want to find out in your work All research questions should be: + Focused on a single problem or issue + Researchable using primary/secondary sources » Feasi + Specific enough to answer thoroughly le to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints + Complex enough to develop the answer over the space of a paper or thesis * Relevant to your field of study and/or society more broadlyCharacteristics of a strong research question RQ:"How do influencer marketing strategies on "aay impact brand perception : > 4 and consumer purchase 2 ? Q behavior in the fashion i Strong »e industry? research question 4, * Mey Sp, v Complex ‘ond erguell®Problem Statement A problem statement is a concise and concrete summary of the research problem you seek to address. Purpose: Problem statements explain the problem's background, significance, and the need for research. They set the stage for the study and justify its importance. Tt should: ¥Contextualize the problem. iwi do we already know? v Describe the exact issue your research will address. What do we still need to know? v Show the relevance of the problem. Why do we need to know more about this? v Set the objectives of the research. What will you do to find out more?Problem Statement: Example + "Despite the increasing investment in socizi media advertising, there is a lack of clarity ‘garding its effectiveness in enhancing brand awareness, particularly among the younger demographic (aged 18-35) in India. This knowledge gap necessitates research to better understand the impact of social media advertising on brand awareness in this target group."Step 1: Contextualize the problem The problem statement should frame your research problem, giving some background on “what is already known” Q Practical research problems * Where and when does the problem arise? * Who does the problem affect? * What attempts have been made te soive the problem? Q Theoretical research problems * What is already known about the problem? + Is the problem limited to a certain time period or geographical area? + How has the problem been defined and debated in the scholarly literature?Step 2: Show why it matters The problem statement should also address the relevance of the research. “Why is it important that the problem is addressed?” O Practical research problems + What will happen if the problem is not solved? * Who will feel the consequences? * Does the problem have wider relevance? Are similar issues found in other contexts? Q Theoretical research prob'ems * How will resolving the problem advance understanding of the topic? + What benefits will it have for future research? * Does the problem have direct or indirect consequences for society?Step 3: Set your aims and objectives The research aim is the overall purpose of your researcl:) It is generally written in the infinitive form: * The aim of this study is to determine... * This project aims to explore... * This research aims to investigate.+ Example 1: Voter turnout in the Northeast has been decreasing steadily over the past ten years, in contrast to other areas of the country. According to surveys conducted by local nonprofits, turnout is lowest among those under 25 years of age. There have been some effective attempts at engaging these groups in other regions, and in the last two elections, major parties increased their campaigning efforts. However, these interventions have yet to have any significant effect on turnout. + Example 2: In the past ten years. ihe “gig economy” has become an increasingly important segment of the labor market. People under 30 are now more likely to engage in freelance arrangements (rather than full-time jobs) than in the past. Research on the reasons for and consequences of this shift has focused on objective measures of income, working hours, and employment conditions. However, there has been little work exploring young people’s subjective experiences of the gig economy.Research objectives Definition: Research objectives are specific, measurable goals that outline what a researcher is trying to achieve and explain why you are pursuing it. They provide clear direction for the research and help in setting the scope of the investigation. Purpose: Research objectives guide the research process by specifying what needs to be accomplished. They serve as a roadmap. to reach a research goal. They should: + Establish the scope and dept!i of your project + Contribute to your research design * Indicate how your project will contribute to existing knowledge "To determine the impact of social media advertising on brand awareness among consumers aged 18-35 in India over a 6-month period."Why are research objectives important? + Establish the scope and depth of your préject: This helps you avoid unnecessary research. It also means that your esearch methods and conclusions can easily be evaluated. + Contribute to your research design: When you know what your objectives are, you have a clearer idea of what methods are most appropriate for your research. + Indicate how your project will contribute to extant research: They allow you to display your knowledge of \p-to-date research, employ or build on current research methods, and attempt to contribute to recent debates.‘SMART’ Research Objectives ic, Res + Sp Make sure objectives are +h needs to be clearly defined in order to get useful results. overly y + Measurable: Know how you’ll measure, whether your objectives have been achieved. + Achievable: Objectives may be challening, but they should be feasible. Make sure that relevant groundwork has been done on research topic or that relevant primary or secondary sources exist. + Relevant: Make sure that they directly address the research problem you want to work on and that they contribute to the current state of research in the field. + Time-based: Set clear deadlines for objectives to ensure that the project stays on track.Example Research Problem Area: Suppose you are interested in the field of education, and you've noticed a decline in student performance in statistics in your class. Research Question/issue: "Why are students in Class struggling with statistics?” Problem Statement: The declining performance of students in statistics within the class has raised concerns regarding the efficacy of current teaching methods and the potential influence of external factors. This study aims to investigate the underlying causes of students’ struggleswith statistics and to evaluate the effectiveness of existing instructional approaches. Additionally, it secks to explore any socio- economic or environmental factors that might be impacting students’ proficiency in statistics. Ultimately, the research endeavors to provide evidence-based recommendations for enhancing the quality of statistics education in the class, thus addressing the pressing issue of declining student performance in this subject.Research Objectives: 1. To analyze the factors contributing to declining stai students. To assess the effectiveness of current statistics teaching methods. 3. To identify any socio-economic or environméntal factors influencing student statistics proficiency. 4. To propose evidence-based recommendations for improving statistics education in class. Original Objective: "To analyze the factors contributing to declining statistics performance among class students.” SMART Objective: "To quantitatively analyze the impact of teaching methods, socio-economic and environmental factors on the declining and performance of class students over a one- year period using standardized test scores as the measure.” es performance among classHypothesis Clarification about the relationships or guide data collection and Hypothesis are testable statements or educated gues effects you expect to find in your research. They analysis. » Null Hypothesis (H0): There is no significant relationship between teaching methods and student statistics performance. * Alternative Hypothesis (H1): There is a significant relationship between teaching methods and student statistics performance.