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Chap 03 Defining The Problem Statement

The document discusses the process of identifying broad problem areas within organizations, emphasizing the importance of observation and preliminary investigation to pinpoint specific issues. It outlines methods for narrowing down these problems through interviews and literature surveys, and highlights the significance of understanding organizational background, structural factors, and employee perceptions. The document also stresses the need for effective communication between managers and researchers to accurately define and address the real problems faced by the organization.

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11 views29 pages

Chap 03 Defining The Problem Statement

The document discusses the process of identifying broad problem areas within organizations, emphasizing the importance of observation and preliminary investigation to pinpoint specific issues. It outlines methods for narrowing down these problems through interviews and literature surveys, and highlights the significance of understanding organizational background, structural factors, and employee perceptions. The document also stresses the need for effective communication between managers and researchers to accurately define and address the real problems faced by the organization.

Uploaded by

nurulizzah3688
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The broad problem area and

defining the problem


statement

Chapter 3
Identification of Broad Problem Area
The origin of most research stems from the desire to get a grip
on issues, concerns and conflicts within the company or in its
environment.
•Broad problem area identification involves becoming aware
that an undesirable or potentially undesirable situation exists for
a firm. This situation may arise from internally or from
externally or both. Identifying some problem area is simple and
some problem area is not obvious. Hence, both observation and
some preliminary investigation are needed.
Identification of Broad Problem
Area
Observations
•For example, simple observation may sufficient to identify a broad area of
problem in labour relation or human resource management
– Example: high personal turnover, strike, absenteeism, low labour
productivity etc.,
Investigation
•Some time problem may not be obvious to observe. Under this situation a
preliminary investigation may help to identify the problem area. The
investigation may be through formal, or informal, structured or
unstructured interview.
– Example: Development of Substitute product, Development of new
technology
Narrowing the problem
area
After identification of the broad problem area through the process of observation
and focusing on the situation we need to be narrowed down to a specific problem
statement after some preliminary information (interviews and literature research) is
gathered by the researcher.
•Unstructured Interview:
– Interview without any planned sequence of questions that will be asked
from the respondents. The main aim of the interview is to cause some
preliminary issues to surface so that researcher can decide what variables
need further in-depth investigation.
•Structured Interview:
– Structured interviews are those conducted when it is know at the outset
what information is needed. The questions will be asked to everybody in the
same manner.
Identification of Research
Problem
(Problem Definition)
• Preliminary Data Collection
• Literature Survey
Problem Definition
• It is a clear and precise statement of the question of issuer that is to be
investigated with the goal of finding an answer or solution.
• The preliminary study and literature survey will help to identify the real
problem by differentiating it from antecedent or the consequences.
Sources of Data
• Secondary Data:
– Data Collected from existing sources like, company records,
company web site, Company library, and various reports etc, are call
secondary data.
• Primary Data:
– Data gathered for the research from the actual site of occurrence of
event, or from the respondents are called primary data.
Preliminary Data Collection
Nature of Data Required :
• Background information of the organization
• Managerial philosophy
• Perceptions, attitudes and behavioral responses of the organizational
members and client system.
Background information of the
organization

• The origin and history of the company


– Size in terms of assets, employees, business turnover etc.,
– Purpose and ideology of the company
– Location – regional, national and other
– Interdependent with other institutions and the external
environment
– Financial performance
Usefulness of the Background
Information

• It is most important, if an outside agency conduct the research. It will help the
researcher to investigate and identify a correct problem. It will also useful to
raise appropriate issues and questions related to the problem.
• Example: Problem of Cash flow or problem of working capital Management may
be related to poor quality of raw materials purchased, resulting high rate of
return of goods sold by company.
Information on Structural Factors
and Managerial Philosophy

• Information about organizational hierarchy, job


specialization.
• Communication channels
• Control Systems
• Coordination
• Reward system
• Workflow system
Usefulness of the Information on
Structural Factors and Managerial
Philosophy
• Questions about the structural factors and management philosophy
offer idea of the priorities and values of the company. Any
misunderstanding and misperceptions may lead to failure in newly
installed systems, processes, and procedures.
Perceptions, Attitudes and
Behavioral Responses

• Nature of work
• Superiors in the organization
• Participation in decision making
• Co-workers
• Reward Systems
• Opportunities for advancement
• Company’s involvement with community and other social group and
etc.,
Usefulness of the Information on
Perception, Attitudes and Behavior

• A general idea of people’s perceptions of their work,


organizational climate and other aspects of interest of the
research/researcher can be collected through both unstirred
and structured interviews to identify the real problem or
issue of the organization.
Managerial Problem

• Effective Problem identification requires a mixture of creativity,


knowledge, experience and sometimes luck. It require better
communication between manager and the researcher. Normally the
managers tend to describe the problem in terms of symptoms during
the interview or interactions. The researcher needs to identify the real
problem.
Symptom and Real Problem:
Example
• Symptom:
– Fall in number of fixed deposits in a commercial bank
• Real Problem:
– More number of services and less services costs by the
other banks
Literature Survey
• The preliminary information gathering and data analysis
might give a good idea(s) about the real problem. However,
surveying the literature will help the researcher to see how
others have perceived such factors or problem in other work
setting and defined the problem.
Sources
• Documentation Services
• Bibliographies
• Journals
• Government Reports
• Research Abstracts
Purposes

• To gain breath of knowledge of your study area.


• To identify other people working in this area
• Structure your research on work already done and build your research on the
foundation of the existing knowledge
• To identify opposing views
• To identify appropriate methodology, research design, method of measuring
concepts and technique of analysis
Review of Literature as a Source of
Problem Identification

• To identify gaps in the research


• To avoid reinventing the wheel
• To carry on from where others have already reached
• To develop problem statement with precision
Presentation of the Review
• By Chronological order
• By Topic
• Problem - Solution
• Cause - effect
• Argument and Counter argument
• Group on the basis of a particular Variable
By Topic
• Topic: Factors Determining Productivity of the workers
– Education and Productivity
– Training and Productivity
– Work environment and productivity
– Job Satisfaction and Productivity
Problem - Solution
• Topic: Labour Unrest in Cotton Industry
– Wage
– Hours of work
– Bonus
– Work Presser
Cause - Effect
• Topic: Share Price Movement in Malaysia

– Political instability
– Economic Growth
– Inflation
– Rate of interest
Argument and Counter Argument

• Topic: Index Future as a Hedge against Inflation.


– Argument : Yes
– Argument : No
EXAMPLE

Identification of Broad Problem Area


• A Large Computer Firm
• Symptom:
– There is a growing unhappy among computer programmers in the
organization. Turnover has been increasing steadily over the past five years.
Employees complain about inequitable salary structure.
EXAMPLE

Identification of Research Problem


• Evaluation of Internal and external Data
– Monitoring of unhappy and turnover information within the organization
– Any history of past unhappy
– Literature suggesting similar problems in other computer firms
• Isolation of Problem area
– Management has no consistent salary allocation plan
– Exit interviews revels unhappy with salary system
– EEO has recently filed a complaint against the firm, alleging salary
discrimination
Management Problem Statement

• Is the present salary structure equitable?


Research Problem Definition

• What are the main factors associated with salary levels for
computer professionals in our organization?

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