Formulating Research Problem

MBA II Sem @ GEHU

1 05/16/2020 Jitendra Chauhan, GEHU

 Formulating a research problem

The specific research process is basically depends upon:

 Expertise in research methodology;
 Knowledge of subject area;
 Understanding of the issues to be examined;

The Research Problem:

“Any question that you want answered & any assumption
that you want to challenge or investigate can become a
research problem or a research topic for your study”.

2 05/16/2020 Jitendra Chauhan, GEHU

 Importance of formulating a research
problem

 It is the first & important step of the research process;

 It is like the identification of a destination before
undertaking a journey.
 A research problem is like a foundation of building so to
build a strong building a strong foundation is required.
 In beginning it may be very confusing but remember
‘confusion is often but first step towards clarity’.
 Acc to Kerlinger, “you must have a clear idea with regard
to what it is that you want to find out about”.

3 05/16/2020 Jitendra Chauhan, GEHU

 Source of research problem

Every research study has two aspects:

1. The study population;
2. The subject area.

4 05/16/2020 Jitendra Chauhan, GEHU

 Aspects of a research problem
Aspects of about Study of
study
Study People Individuals, organizations, groups, You collect required
communities information from or
population about them
Problem Issues, situations, associations,
needs, population composition,
profiles etc. Information that
Subject Program Contents, structure, outcomes, you need to collect
area attributes, satisfaction, consumers, to find answers of
service providers etc. your research
Cause-effect relationship, study of questions
Phenome
phenomenon itself, etc.
non

5 05/16/2020 Jitendra Chauhan, GEHU

 Considerations in selecting a research
problem:

 Interest
 Magnitude (sufficient knowledge about research process & ability to
manage within available time)
 Measurement of concepts (if using in study)
 Levels of expertise
 Relevance (relevance to your profession)
 Availability of data
 Ethical issues

6 05/16/2020 Jitendra Chauhan, GEHU

 Steps in formulating a research problem-
alcoholism

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4

Identify Dissect Select Raise Questions
• Profile of alcoholics • What impact has
• Causes of alcoholism on marital
relations?
alcoholism Effects of
Alcoholism • How does it affect
• Process of becoming alcoholism on the various aspects
an alcoholic
the family of children’s lives?
• Effect of alcoholism
on the family
• What are the effects
on the family’s
• Community attitudes finance?
towards alcoholism
• The effectiveness of
a treatment model,
etc

7 05/16/2020 Jitendra Chauhan, GEHU

 Cont…

Step 5 Step 6 Step 7

Formulate objectives Make sure Double-check
Main objective: Asses these
• That you are really
to find out the effects of objectives in the
interested in the
alcoholism on the family light of:
• The work involved study.
specific objectives: • That you agree
• The time available
• To ascertain the impact of alcoholism with the objectives.
to you
on marital relation • Financial
• That you have
• To determine the ways in which adequate
resources at your
alcoholism affects the different resources.
disposal
• That you have the
aspects of children’s lives • Your (& your
technical expertise
• To find the effects of alcoholism on research
to undertake the
the financial situation of the family, supervisor’s)
study.
etc. technical expertise
in the area
8 05/16/2020 Jitendra Chauhan, GEHU
 Steps in the formulation of research
problem

1. Identify a broad field or subject area of your interest

 Ask yourself, ‘Is it really interesting for me as a professional?
2. Dissect the broad area into sub-areas.
3. Select what is most interesting to you.
 it is neither advisable nor feasible to study all sub-areas.
 Select issue or sub-areas about which you are passionate.
 One way to decide what interest you most is to start with the
process of elimination.

9 05/16/2020 Jitendra Chauhan, GEHU

 Cont…
4. Raise research questions
 Ask yourself, ‘what is I want to find out about in this sub area?’
5. Formulate objectives
6. Asses your objectives
 Examine your objectives to ascertain the feasibility of achieving
them through your research Endeavour.
7. Double-check
 Go back & give final consideration to whether or not you are
sufficient interested in the study, and have adequate resources
to undertake it.

10 05/16/2020 Jitendra Chauhan, GEHU

 The formulation of objectives

Objectives are the goals you set out to attain in your study.
Objectives should be listed under two headings:
 Main objectives

 Sub objectives
Main objectives: it is the statement of the main
associations & relationship that you seek to discover or
establish.

11 05/16/2020 Jitendra Chauhan, GEHU

 Cont…

Sub-objectives: These are the specific aspects of the topic

that researcher wants to investigate with in the main
framework of study. it should be numerically listed. They
should be worded & unambiguously.
Use action-oriented words or verbs when writing
objectives. The objectives should start with words such as
‘to determine’, ‘to find out’, ‘to ascertain’, ‘to measure’, &
‘to explore’.

12 05/16/2020 Jitendra Chauhan, GEHU

 Characteristics of objectives

Identify
Identify the
the main
direction of
Clear + Complete + Specific + variables
to be + the
relationship
correlated
Descriptive studies

Correlational studies (experimental & non-experimental)

Hypothesis testing studies

13 05/16/2020 Jitendra Chauhan, GEHU