Week 2 – Formulation of a research question and specific area of study

Table of Contents

I. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 2

II. Learning Outcomes .................................................................................................................... 2

III. The Research Problem .............................................................................................................. 2

IV. The Research Gap ..................................................................................................................... 5

V. The Research Aim ...................................................................................................................... 6

VI. The Research Objectives .......................................................................................................... 7

VII. The Research Questions .......................................................................................................... 8

VIII. The Research Hypothesis ....................................................................................................... 9

IX. The Research Justification ...................................................................................................... 11

X. Strategies for choosing a research topic ................................................................................... 13

XI. Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 15

References ..................................................................................................................................... 16

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I. Introduction
Identifying the research problem and selecting a research topic are critical initial steps in the
research process. These steps help define the research focus and guide the development of a
research question or hypothesis.
This week aims to focus on the preliminary steps in the research process and establish a more in-
depth understanding of the definition of the research problem, research questions, research
justification, and strategies for choosing the research topic. The steps in problem definition are
presented, from identifying the broad managerial problem to conducting preliminary data and
defining the research problem. The most common strategies for selecting a research topic are also
summarised. Further on, a clear framework to define research aims, objectives, and hypotheses
will be established.

II. Learning Outcomes

Upon the completion of this week of study, you will be able to:
1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of methodologies and theoretical approaches.
2. Critically evaluate and identify appropriate resources in order to undertake research.
3. Critically plan and implement research tasks and communicate an understanding of the
research process.

III. The Research Problem

The research process starts with a problem definition. However, a problem does not necessarily
mean something is seriously wrong with the organisation, business environment, or employees.
By “problem” in research, we also mean observation, interest or selected issues that we want to
learn more about, and potentially improve the situation with newly gathered knowledge. Sekeran
and Bougie (2016) define a problem as “any situation where a gap exists between an actual and a
desired ideal state”.

The research process starts once the broad management problem arises, as shown in Figure 1.

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 Figure 1. The steps in problem definition
Source: Sekeran and Bougie, 2016

The problem that might work as a trigger for further investigation, is a broad management problem.
The key issue is that the broad management problem is not researchable. It needs to be narrowed
down actually to be able to conduct research and investigate it. Some examples of broad
management problems are as follows:

• The organisation is facing unability to utilize vehicles’ capacity;

• The organisation is suffering from inefficient route management;
• The logistics in charge/or customers (including businesses in Business-to-Business or B2B)
are unable to track consignment;
• Countries and/or businesses are unable to adapt to increase transportation costs;
• Countries and/or businesses are suffering from newly imposed tariffs and/or quotas;
• Inability to deliver on time due to sustainable practices (e.g. slow steam).

For illustrative purposes, the first example of a broad managerial problem is chosen: the
organisation is facing unability to utilize vehicles’ capacity. It is an interesting and valid starting
point for the research, but these broad managerial problems are not yet researchable and must be
narrowed down. Therefore the next step would be to conduct preliminary research. According to
Bentri (2019), the preliminary research has three main purposes:

1. To analyse the needs and the context of the broad research problem,
2. To perform theoretical and conceptual analysis,
3. To design a theoretical and conceptual framework for the study.

To conduct preliminary research, both primary and secondary information sources can be used.
Primary data consists of the information gathered by the researcher for current research purposes.

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Obtaining primary data is costly and time-consuming because it involves conducting experiments,
surveys, interviews, focus groups, and other data-gathering instruments. Secondary data is data
collected by other researchers at earlier points in time, but it is possible to use it for the current
research project. Secondary data also includes available information on the topic from statistical
reports, administrative reports, and other sources ( Hox and Boeije, 2005). Remember, for this
module you will only use secondary data.

In the context of the example: the organisation facing unability to utilize vehicles’ capacity, the
following preliminary information could be gathered:

1. Background information on the organisation- the history, origin, location, resources, and
more in-depth information on vehicles quantities, fleet details, conditions, routing and type
of cargo/goods, etc. in the organisation;
2. Information on the topic and area of subject- reviewing the topic from the textbooks,
academic journal articles, and conference proceedings can help to establish a conceptual
idea and theoretical framework. At the Master’s level, the focus should be on scholarly
journal articles. The search could be conducted on capacity management, transport
optimisation, transport route planning, vehicle maintenance and fleet management.

Once the preliminary research stage is conducted, a researcher is able to define the problem
statement. It is a problem narrowed down from a broader managerial problem and is now
researchable. In the chosen example, the problem statement could be formulated as follows: In the
last three years, the organisation lost 30% of its transportation fleet due to a lack of preventive
maintenance, and an ineffective corrective maintenance system.

The problem statement further develops into research aims, objectives and research questions, and
hypothesis. Remember that the problem statement should be specific and focused, and it should
be written in a way that is accessible to both experts and non-experts in the field. It is an essential
component of the research proposal or paper, as it guides the direction of the research and provides
a clear justification for its significance.

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IV. The Research Gap

The research gap refers to an area of knowledge or a topic in which there is a lack of information
or understanding. It is a space in which current research and knowledge are limited or insufficient,
and where further investigation is needed to fill the knowledge void. Identifying a research gap is
crucial in academic and scientific research, as it helps to define the research question and
objectives. Researchers can explore the research gap by conducting a literature review to determine
what is already known and what is yet to be discovered (Creswell, 2002). Once the research gap
has been identified, researchers can design a study to fill the gap and generate new knowledge.
Research gaps can be found in any field of study, and they may be due to various reasons, such as
a lack of resources, limitations in previous research, or the emergence of new research questions.
Filling research gaps can contribute to the advancement of knowledge and the development of new
theories, methods, and practices, and can also have practical implications for solving real-world
problems.
An example of a research gap could be the impact of preventive maintenance on transport fleet
capacity and effective distribution/freight. While there is some research on this topic, there is a
need for further investigation to understand the mechanisms through which proper maintenance
impact transport systems efficiency in trade, as well as the conditions under which these operations
are most effective. To write the research gap, a thorough literature review could be conducted to
identify the existing research on the impact preventive maintenance on transport systems efficiency
in trade. The review should examine the types of preventive maintenance systems/program that
have been implemented, as well as the outcomes that have been measured, such as a reduction of
vehicle downtime, increased safety for drivers and vehicles, significant savings on fuel
consumption, extension of engine lifetime and cost reduction by minimising repairs. Based on the
literature review, some possible research questions to address the research gap could include:
✓ What specific elements of transport systems maintenance are most effective at improving
international trade efficiency and sustainability?
✓ How do different transport methods adopt preventive and corrective maintenance to reach
a healthy tradeoff between sustainable and efficient practices?

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 ✓ What is the role of strategic planning in the success of transport systems optimisation and
maintenance?
The research problem and research gap are closely related as the research gap often emerges from
the research problem. The research problem refers to the issue or question that the research aims
to address, while the research gap refers to the area of knowledge or topic in which there is a lack
of information or understanding. The research problem arises from a gap in knowledge or
understanding in the field, which can be identified through a literature review or by observing a
problem in practice. Once the research problem has been defined, the researcher can examine the
existing literature to determine what is already known about the topic and what gaps exist in the
research. This gap then informs the research question or hypothesis, which aims to fill the
knowledge void and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the field.

V. The Research Aim

The research aim is the specific goals or objectives that a research project aims to achieve. It is
often included in the introduction section of a research proposal or paper and is closely related to
the research question or hypothesis. The research aim is the overall purpose of the research.
According to Doody and Bailey (2016), there are nine types of research aims:
• Predict
• Add to the knowledge base
• Have a personal, social, institutional, and/or organisational impact
• Measure change
• Understand complex phenomena
• Test new ideas
• Generate new ideas
• Inform constituencies
• Examine the past

In a hierarchical structure, the research aim is the general purpose of research, which is then further
developed into more specific objectives, questions, and hypotheses, as shown in Figure 2.

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 Figure 2. The hierarchy and definitions of research aim, objectives, questions, and hypothesis
Source: Thomas and Hodges, 2010

Some examples of a research aim:

• To investigate the factors affecting unsustainable transport sytems;

• To summarise the key determinants of green trade;
• To analyse the differences between efficient transport and green transport.

These are all examples of a general research aim, that can be further developed into more specific
objectives, questions, and hypotheses.

VI. The Research Objectives

Research objectives are more specific than the research aim, should be closely related to the
research question, and problem, and should be specific, achievable, and mutually exclusive
(Doody and Bailey, 2016). When defining the objectives, Ogbeiwi (2017) suggests using the
SMART approach:
• Specific- the way the research is described is detailed enough to give an overall idea of
what it is going to achieve,
• Measurable- the achievement of the objective needs to be determined in a manner that it is
possible to quantify it to some extent,
• Achievable- objectives should provide a challenge for a researcher, but at the same time
there should be a way to find a solution,

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 • Relevant- the objective has to be relevant to the research problem, research aim, and
research outcomes,
• Timely- the research objectives should be achieved in a timely manner, and the research
aim and objectives should be fulfilled in a given period of time.
A research objective To find out everything about transport systems efficiency not a SMART
objective, due to the fact it is too broad, not achievable, and not measurable. A SMART objective
would be framed in the following way: To investigate the impact of preventive maintenance on the
efficiency and capacity management of road freight and vehicles involved in international trade.

VII. The Research Questions

Developing a research question requires understanding the field of the study. According to Khoo
(2013), “a well-stated research question is a question half-answered”. The author also proposes
specific characteristics of the research question, summarised in Figure 3.

Figure 3. A characteristic of a good research question

Source: Khoo, 2013
A good research question will be important, relevant, and interesting, while still staying simple,
answerable, clear, and original, and providing further implications.
Research questions further guide the selection of the research methods that can be used to
investigate it. Sreejesh et al. (2014) suggest that the research questions can be framed in one of the
following contexts:

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 • Exploratory research question: these are research questions that help to investigate the
highly complex problem, and assess critical issues surrounding the research problem.
Exploratory research question sets the foundation to explore the topic further, as there is
not much known about it at the current state.
• Evaluative research question: is used to determine the effectiveness or impact of an
intervention or program. They seek to evaluate the outcomes of an intervention or program
in terms of its success or failure. Evaluative research questions start with "what effect," "to
what extent," or "how successful" and focus on measuring the effectiveness of a program,
intervention, or policy.
• Descriptive research question: aims to describe people, organisations, products, and
processes.
• Causal research question: is when research is interested in how one variable affects the
other and therefore is determined to test the causal relationships. For example, the HR
manager is interested in how workplace stress impacts talent retention and might ask the
research question. Causal studies require hypotheses to be tested.
All research studies should have at least one research question, and they should also have aim
(Creswell, 2002). As stated before, the aim of the study is a broad statement of intention and
aspiration; it is the overall goal you intend to achieve.
The wording of this broad statement of intent is derived from the research question. If it is a
descriptive research question, the aim will be, for example, "to investigate" or "to explore". If it is
an exploratory research question, the aim should state the correlated phenomena, such as "to
ascertain the impact of gender on career aspirations". If it is an evaluative research question, then
the aim should include the direction of the relationship being tested, such as "to investigate whether
teamwork decreases rates of occupational stress in employees in the food sector".

VIII. The Research Hypothesis

“A hypothesis is a statement of the researcher's expectation or prediction about the relationship

among study variables” (Anupama, 2018). In a hypothetical statement, a researcher expresses the
expected outcome of the study. Toledo et al. (2011), suggests several types of research hypothesis:
• inductive (based on observation),

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 • deductive (originating from theory),
• directional (expected direction),
• non-directional (relation exists),
• null hypothesis (no significant relation),
• alternative (significant relation) hypotheses,
The hypothesis is a tentative prediction of the nature and direction of relationships between sets of
data, phrased as a declarative statement (Salkind and Rainwater, 2006). Therefore, hypotheses are
only required for studies that address descriptive research questions. For the study with the aim
"to investigate whether preventive maintenane decreases rates of vehicle downtime in the trade’s
transport sector", the hypothesis being tested would be " preventive maintenane decreases rates of
vehicle downtime in trade". Studies that seek to answer evaluative research questions do not test
hypotheses but can be used for hypothesis generation. Those hypotheses ould then be tested in
subsequent studies.
In other words, a hypothesis is a statement that can be proved or disproved. A research question
can be made into a hypothesis by changing it into a statement. For example, if you are studying
the effects of preventive maintenance on transport efficiency, you might formulate the following
research question:
✓ What are the effects of preventive maintenance on transport efficiency?
A similar question might be:
✓ Does preventive maintenance affect transport efficiency?
The hypothesis for this research question is the following:
✓ Maximum fleet efficiency is achieved when weekly preventive maintenance is performed.
Null hypothesis: A null hypothesis (abbreviated H0) is a hypothesis to be disproved. The
hypothesis above can be turned into a working null hypothesis simply by adding "not":
✓ Maximum fleet efficiency is not achieved when weekly preventive maintenance is
performed.
Another null hypothesis is:
✓ Preventive maintenance does not have an effect on fleet efficiency.
Null hypotheses (abbreviated H0) are used in sciences. A null hypothesis is formulated in the
scientific method, and a scientific investigation is conducted to disprove the null hypothesis. If it

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can be disproved, the alternative hypothesis is constructed, and the process is repeated. As an
example, we might begin with the null hypothesis:
• Preventive maintenance does not affect transport efficiency.
If we can disprove this, we find that maintenance does indeed affect transport efficiency. We might
then go to the alternative hypothesis:
• Different systems of preventive mateinance have the same effect on transport efficiency.
If we can disprove this, we can go to another alternative hypothesis:
• Maximum transport efficiency is not achieved after setting a clear and systematic
preventive maintenance system. And so on.
At each stage in the investigation, we conduct experiments designed to try to disprove the null
hypothesis.
The alternative hypothesis (abbreviated H1) is a statement of what a hypothesis test is set up to
establish:
• Opposite of null hypothesis.
• Only reached if H0 is rejected.
• Frequently "alternative" is the actually desired conclusion of the researcher.
Relationship between the null hypothesis and the significance of investigation
A generalised form of the alternative hypothesis can be used as the aim of the research. For
example, if our final proved hypothesis is:
✓ Maximum transport efficiency is achieved after setting a clear and systematic preventive
maintenance system, we might generalise this to a statement such as: This investigation
demonstrated that setting proper preventive maintenance mechanism has an effect on
transport efficiency, in fact, transport efficiency is achieved after a dedicated maintenance
roster/department/team for each specific maintenance category (electrical, mechanical,
etc.) due to the varying impact of each category on actual vehicle downtime.

IX. The Research Justification

In business and management research, justification refers to describing three aspects of potential
benefits and contributions of current research work: academic, scholarly, and practical. Research
justification explains the research, the practical, and theoretical implications have to offer to

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science, policy, and the general or study population (Akanle and Shittu, 2020). Research
justification is not simply rewriting the research aim, objectives, or questions, but critically
indicating the value that the research and its outcomes will provide.
An example of research justification is provided from a study Ilkhanizadeh, S. and Karatepe, O.M.,
2017. An examination of the consequences of corporate social responsibility in the airline
industry: Work engagement, career satisfaction, and voice behavior. Journal of Air Transport
Management, 59, pp.8-17. The justification is shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4. Example of justification of the research study

Source: Ilkhanizadeh & Karatepe, 2017
Study justification is made by theoretically and practically showing the study's importance and
value. The research justification can be presented in the introduction or background section of the
research proposal or report or article. It should be concise and clearly written, with evidence to
support the claims being made. A well-justified research study is more likely to be seen as
important and worthwhile, leading to greater support and acceptance. It should:

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 • Clearly explain the problem or issue that the research aims to address;
• Provide evidence to support the significance of the problem or issue;
• Explain how the research will contribute to addressing the problem or issue;
• Provide a clear rationale for the research design and methodology.

X. Strategies for choosing a research topic

The research topic should be consistent with the broad problem area, research problem statement,
aims, and objectives of the research, as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5. The relationship between the research problem, purpose, question, and research title
Source: Newman and Covrig, 2013
As seen in Figure 5, the title should be specific enough to explain the research's what, who, where,
when, and how, and closely related to the problem statement, purpose, and research questions.
Finding a good research question can be a struggle. But there are some valid sources of good
research topics, as summarised by Praharaj and Ameen (2020), namely:

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 • Identifying your own research area- something that you are interested in, or observed
around you,
• Reading reviews and reports in the area, to gain a general understanding of the topic,
• Conducting a literature review, and identifying the research topic from the gaps identified
in the studies.
A more structured approach to finding a research topic is offered by Leong and Muccio (2006).
Finding a research topic could involve one or a combination of several strategies:
• Personal strategies
o Personal experiences
o Idea generation
o Novels, TV, newspapers, media
• Interpersonal strategies
o Interviewing professors
o Research assistantships and scholarships
o Other researchers
• Printed sources
o Primary journals
o Secondary journals
o Other library resources
• Computer strategies
o Literature searches
o Web searches
o Conferences, networking
o Thesis and dissertations
Once the research topic is formulated, Paradede (2018) also suggests asking these 11 questions, to
ensure that the chosen topic is good:
1. Can it be enthusiastically pursued?
2. Can it sustain interest?
3. Is the problem solvable?

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 4. Is it manageable in size?
5. Will it lead to other research problems?
6. Is it worth doing?
7. What is the potential for contributing to the literature in the field?
8. If the problem is solved, will the results be reviewed well by scholars in the field?
9. Are you, or will you become, competent to solve it?
10. By solving it, will you have demonstrated independent skills in your discipline?
11. Will the necessary research prepare you in an area of demand or promise for the future?
If you can answer yes to all these questions, you have chosen a good research topic.

XI. Conclusion
The initial steps of research involve identifying the problem area and defining the problem
statement. This requires a clear understanding of the issue that the research aims to address and
the specific problem that the research will attempt to solve. The distinction between research aims,
objectives, questions, and hypotheses is also important. The research aim is the overall goal of the
research project, while the research objectives are the specific steps that will be taken to achieve
that goal. Research questions guide the research process and help the researcher focus on specific
aspects of the problem. Hypotheses are tentative explanations for the problem that the research
will attempt to test and verify.

To select and verify a good research topic, several strategies were reviewed. These included
reviewing literature in the field, brainstorming ideas, and consulting with experts in the field. It is
also important to ensure that the research topic is feasible and can be completed within the given
timeframe and resources. The research topic should also be relevant and contribute to the existing
knowledge in the field.

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References
Akanle, O. and Shittu, O.S. (2020) Study Justification in Social Research. In Jegede, A.S. and
Isiugo-Abanihe, U.C. (eds). Contemporary Issues in Social Research. Ibadan: Ibadan University
Press. pp. 93-104.

Anupama, K. (2018) Hypothesis types and research. International Journal of Nursing Science
Practice and Research, 4(2), pp.78-80.

Bentri, A. (2019) Preliminary research of developing a research-based learning model integrated

by scientific approach on physics learning in senior high school. In Journal of Physics: Conference
Series (Vol. 1185, No. 1, p. 012041). IOP Publishing.

Creswell, J. W. (2002) Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative.

Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Doody, O. and Bailey, M.E. (2016) Setting a research question, aim and objective. Nurse
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Hox, J.J. and Boeije, H.R. (2005) Data collection, primary versus secondary.

Ilkhanizadeh, S. and Karatepe, O.M. (2017) An examination of the consequences of corporate

social responsibility in the airline industry: Work engagement, career satisfaction, and voice
behavior. Journal of Air Transport Management, 59, pp.8-17.

Khoo, E.M. (2013) Research questions and research objectives.

Leong, F.T. and Muccio, D.J. (2006) Finding a research topic. The psychology research handbook,
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Newman, I. and Covrig, D.M. (2013) Building consistency between title, problem statement,
purpose, & research questions to improve the quality of research plans and reports. New Horizons
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Ogbeiwi, O. (2017) Why written objectives need to be really SMART. British Journal of
Healthcare Management, 23(7), pp.324-336.

Pardede, P. (2018) Identifying and formulating the research problem. Res. ELT, 1, pp.1-13.

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Praharaj, S.K. and Ameen, S. (2020) How to choose a research topic?. Kerala Journal of
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Salkind, N. J. (2010) Encyclopedia of research design (Vols. 1-0). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE
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Sekaran, U. and Bougie, R. (2016) Research methods for business: A skill building approach. john
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Sreejesh, S., Mohapatra, S. and Anusree, M.R. (2014) Business research design: Exploratory,
descriptive and causal designs. In Business Research Methods (pp. 25-103). Springer, Cham.

Thomas, D.R. and Hodges, I.D. (2010) Designing and managing your research project: Core skills
for social and health research. Sage publications.

Toledo, A.H., Flikkema, R. and Toledo-Pereyra, L.H. (2011) Developing the research
hypothesis. Journal of Investigative Surgery, 24(5), pp.191-194.

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