1. CH. 4 THE RESEARCH PROCESS

2. Steps 1 to 3 The broad problem area Preliminary data gathering
Problem definition

3. The Research Process

4. Broad Problem Area
Broad problem area refers to the entire situation where one sees a possible need for research and problem solving.
Such issues might pertain to:
Problems currently existing in an organizational setting that need to be solved
Areas that a manager believes need to be improved in the organization
A conceptual or theoretical issues that needs to be tightened up for the basic researcher to understand certain phenomena
Some research questions that a basic researcher wants to answer empirically

5. Preliminary Data Collection
Interviews
Literature research: the documentation of a comprehensive review of the published and unpublished work from secondary sources of data in the areas of specific interest to the researcher.

6. Literature Survey The purpose of the literature review :
To ensure that no important variable that has been in the past been found repeatedly to have had an impact on the problem is ignored
To prevent researcher to “discover” something that has already been thoroughly researched
Could be the basis of qualitative research
Provide the foundation for developing a comprehensive theoretical framework from which hypotheses can be developed for testing

7. Literature Survey (Cont’d)
Extracting the relevant information:
Detailed information on the problem that was researched
The design details of the study (such as sample size and data collection methods)
Ultimate findings

8. Problem Definition
Problem: many situations where a gap exists between the actual and the desired ideal states.
Problem definition or problem statement: a clear, precise, and succinct statement of the question or issue that is to be investigated with the goal of finding an answer or solution