Research Skills: Week 71

PROBLEM DEFINITION or PROBLEM STATEMENT

Learn
A research problem does not necessarily imply that something is seriously wrong with a current situation which needs to be corrected immediately. It could simply indicate an interest in an issue and a sense that finding the right answers might help to improve existing situation.


Unlearn
Thus it is useful to define a Research Problem as “any situation where a gap exists between the actual and the desired ideal states. It involves a succinct statement of the questions or issue that is to be investigated with the goal of finding an answer or solution.

Relearn
Problem statement therefore could pertain to:
Existing business problems to which a manager is looking for a solution.
Situation that may not pose any current problems but that the manager feels can bring about improvement
Areas in which the researcher is trying to answer a research question empirically because of interests in the topic.