Conceptualizing a Research Problem

Research is an important tool for planning business growth and development. It provides the knowledge infrastructure that supports evidence-based decision making. Formulating a research problem is an important step in the research process which determines the scope and the applicable methodology.

Here are some factors to consider when conceptualizing a research problem:

Empiricism: The researcher must ensure that the specific problem identified in the statement of the problem is researchable. A good research problem should be able to withstand empirical test. Research problem should be able to generate appropriate terminologies that can be used to generate expected data.

The research problem should be written clearly to capture the interest of the reader: The researcher should avoid all forms of ambiguity through operationalization of research variables.

The scope of the research problem should be indicated: The scope of the study should come out clearly. It addresses the extent to which the research attempts to tackle the research problem.

Importance of the study in adding new knowledge: The research problem should generate information that adds new knowledge in the relevant area of study. This is because one of the main functions of research is to discover new knowledge.

The problem statement must give the purpose of the research: The research problem must have goals and objectives that need to be accomplished. It will therefore lay ground for the formulation of the study objectives.

Feasibility: The research problem should be feasible and able to shape a research that can be realistically conducted within a reasonable period of time taking into consideration resources available.