Masters Of Business Administration Research and Proposal Writing-Developing a Research Proposal and Problem Statement
Assignment 1. Developing a Research Proposal. To have an initial structure of your research proposal
- Develop a research tittle using the elements involved in writing a research title.
- Write the problem statement which include general statement and sub-problem statements or general objectives and specific objectives and hypothesis of the study.
The basics of writing a statement of the problem for your research proposal
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?
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.
What are the key characteristics of a statement of the problem?
- A good research problem should have the following characteristics:
- It should address a gap in knowledge.
- It should be significant enough to contribute to the existing body of research
- It should lead to further research
- The problem should render itself to investigation through collection of data
- It should be of interest to the researcher and suit his/her skills, time, and resources
- The approach towards solving the problem should be ethical
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 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.
