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Research Problem Statement Examples

This academic article explains how to write a research problem statement and provides examples of a problem statement in research. Examples and Samples of Problem Statements in Quantitative Research.

Problem Statement in Research

A problem statement in research is a concise, precise synopsis of the research problems the study intends to address. It also identifies the knowledge gap that motivates the research and contributes to the body of knowledge.

The problem statement section analyzes what is known and what remains unknown regarding the research problems and issues. The ‘known’ vs ‘unknown’ needs to be analyzed, synthesized, and defended rather than written descriptively. Arguments for the existence of the problem may be supported by highlighting inconsistencies, controversies, conflicts, or contradictions in prior studies.

It also proposes variables that identify the research gaps contributing to the resolution of the research problem. Additionally, the research problem statement highlights the weaknesses of prior findings. Moreover, it emphasizes the expected knowledge or what is required (still unknown) to enable you to contribute to the body of knowledge.

A good problem statement certainly answers the following questions: what issue needs to be addressed, and why?

Does the research problem statement differ between quantitative and qualitative research?

The answer is no, and there is no difference. The writing style of the research problem statement is similar across research strategies. Consequently, the research candidates follow the same style for writing research problems for quantitative, qualitative, and other research approaches.

How To Write a Problem Statement

The author explains how to write a research problem statement for students’ research proposals, papers, theses, and dissertations.

Elements of a Research Problem Statement

The problem statement contains these four elements:

  1. Context or Background
  2. Problem or Literature Gap
  3. Relevance or Significance
  4. Objective or Purpose

The context is the background of what is currently known and unknown about the research issue. The problem statement establishes context for the audience and defines the problem within that context.

The issue concerns what we need to know. It clearly states the specific problem the research aims to address. It highlights a gap in the current knowledge or literature that your study intends to address.

Relevance refers to the significance of the study. It justifies why it is an essential issue to research and the value of research.

Finally, the objective is the aim of the study: what you want to discover, clarify, or confirm. It proposes a solution to the problem.

Problem Statement Writing Steps

The author divides the process into three stages to define four elements.

The Three Stages of Writing a Problem Statement are:

  1. Review the Literature From Previous Findings
  2. Identifying the Problem With Research Gaps
  3. Contribute to the Body of Knowledge
1. Review the Literature From Previous Findings

First, the researchers must read industry reports, government statistical reports, and newspaper articles to understand the broader context better. They also read relevant research papers, review papers, and dissertations previously published to deepen their knowledge.

Many scholars suggest that researchers systematically review journal articles to advance knowledge. According to Mark Petticrew and Helen Roberts, the systematic literature review is closely aligned with the acquisition of knowledge in a particular area. The PRISMA systematic literature review is the most widely used and well-accepted strategy for synthesizing prior studies.

The literature review from past findings has to answer the following question:

  • What research has already been conducted on this topic? 

It summarizes and organizes existing knowledge to provide a background for the current work.

  • What are the main themes, trends, or patterns that have emerged from prior research?

It classifies previous research and identifies dominant views or areas of controversy.

  • What has been established, and what remains unknown or unresolved? 

The primary goal is to identify knowledge gaps, inconsistencies, or under-explored areas that the current study will address.

  • How does the past research lead to the author’s current study? 

It situates the new research within the broader academic field and clarifies how it builds upon or departs from previous work.

  • What do we know about the problem from the real world and academic literature?  

Knowledge from the real world, often gained through practical or personal experience, defines the problem in a tangible, immediate context

2. Identifying the Problem With Research Gaps

Researchers must identify research gaps, including inconsistencies, controversies, conflicts, or contradictions in prior studies. Among approaches to identifying research gaps, the most common involve concepts, perspectives, theories, methodologies, methods, and analyses. Research gaps must be systematically identified as the basis for an investigation. Therefore, researchers need to state the research gaps precisely and clearly, and specify the type of research they intend to study.

The seven types of research gaps are:

  1. Evidence gap
  2. Knowledge gap
  3. Practical knowledge gap
  4. Methodological gap
  5. Empirical gap
  6. Theoretical gap
  7. Population gap.

Researchers must identify key gaps, inconsistencies, and controversies in the literature to establish the need for additional research. Researchers can conduct research based on one, two, or more than two research gaps. This section also defines the study process and methods to achieve the goals.

The Problem with research gaps must answer the following questions:

  1. What do we not know about the problem from the real world and academic literature?
  2. What does your research want to achieve by this study?
  3. How do we want to resolve the problems?
3. Contribute to the Body of Knowledge

Finally, the research problem includes the importance and significance of the study. It explains why and how it contributes to the body of knowledge. The empirical evidence contributes to the literature. It also highlights the study’s theoretical and practical significance in resolving the issues.

The section answers the following questions:

  1. Why do we need to know what we do not know about the problem?
  2. What might happen if the problem is not resolved?
  3. What are the future benefits of solving the issues, including the impact on society, community, and people’s lives?

Examples of Problem Statement in Research

The author presents examples of research problem statements based on different research titles. Thus, examples of problem statements in research help students approve the research proposal. These samples illustrate how to write a research problem statement for qualitative and quantitative research.

Example of Problem Statement in Review Research (SLR)-1

Research Title: A Comprehensive Literature Review on the Impact of Artificial Intelligence in Entrepreneurial Activities

Problem Statement
Entrepreneurship is a popular topic (Indrianti et al., 2020), and researchers such as Audretsch and Moog (2022) argue that it warrants special attention given its connection to current economic and social challenges. The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools has become particularly important in the digital transformation of businesses, as entrepreneurs must constantly adapt and stay informed on emerging trends (Kraus et al., 2018). Therefore, AI has been propelled by ongoing market transformations and the rising needs of an expanding population. The information technology (IoT) surge has played a crucial role in advancing AI and has sparked interest among both business and government leaders (Zhang & Lu, 2021).

Nonetheless, there remains a scarcity of literature specifically addressing the relationship between entrepreneurship and AI (Popkova & Sergi, 2020), despite findings by Obschonka & Audretsch (2019) indicating that the integration of AI into entrepreneurship marks the beginning of a new era.
Among various systematic literature reviews, Giuggioli & Pellegrini (2022) notably emphasize the advantages of AI in fostering entrepreneurial growth.

However, our research not only addresses the previously overlooked semantic analysis but also extends and builds upon analyses conducted over the past two years, which is particularly pertinent in light of the digital acceleration following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Additionally, Di Vaio et al. (2020) review the literature on AI and business models. In recent years, various literature reviews have examined connections between topics such as education (Tahiru, 2021); health (Shah & Chircu, 2018); public administration (Reis et al., 2019); and consumer behavior (Mariani et al., 2022). The absence of comprehensive systematic literature reviews concerning the role of AI in entrepreneurship highlights the significance of the current study.

Examples of Problem Statement in Research

Problem Statement in Research Example-2

Research Title: The Antecedent Of Artificial Intelligence Adoption Among Hr Professionals In the Tourism & Hospitality Industry In Malaysia.

Problem Statement

Recently, Human resource professionals have been introduced to many advanced technologies, including nanotechnology, autonomous vehicles, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence in the 4.0 industrial era (Chatterjee, Rana, Dwivedi & Baabdullah, 2021). The new technology, especially AI tools, challenges conventional human resource management practices. The current era demands that organizations employ competent employees who are experts in advanced technologies. Innovative employees welcome new technology to enhance performance and market competitiveness.

HR professionals regard AI as a powerful tool for increasing productivity. Very few studies have examined the antecedents of artificial intelligence (AI) adoption among HR professionals (Pan et al., 2022).  These studies have not articulated how AI tools enhance organizational employee productivity (Chatterjee et al., 2021).

Many studies demonstrate that large companies such as IBM adopt AI tools to reduce human resource costs (Lim, 2023) and enhance employee performance (Islam, Aldaihani, & Saatchi, 2023). Academic demands have increased for the use, application, and adoption of AI technology among scholars globally (Akter et al., 2022).

Example of Problem Statement in Quantitative Research -3

Article Title: Effects of High‐Performance Work Systems (HPWS) on Hospitality Employees’ Outcomes Through Their Organizational Commitment, Motivation, and Job Satisfaction

 Review the Literature From Previous Findings

Limited research has investigated the influence of High-Performance Work Systems (HPWS) on employee outcomes, including health and job satisfaction, which are particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic (Kloutsiniotis and Mihail, 2020a; Adikaram et al., 2021).

Stressful and uncertain environments have exacerbated burnout, which was already a significant issue among hotel staff before the COVID-19 crisis (Ayachit & Chitta, 2021; Tsui, 2021; Wong et al., 2019).

Earlier studies have confirmed that HPWS directly affects employees’ social identity and also plays a mediating role in the relationship between HPWS and “psychological empowerment” (Bartram et al., 2014; Mihail and Kloutsiniotis, 2016).

Identifying the Problem With Research Gaps

Given the significance of High-Performance Work Systems (HPWS) in the hospitality and tourism sectors, researchers emphasize the need for further exploration, particularly within hotel contexts. Therefore, this study aims to address gaps in the existing literature by examining the relationships between HPWS and outcomes, with particular focus on the hotel industry. Specifically, we discuss the pathways linking employees’ perceptions of HPWS implementation to their overall well-being. Furthermore, we provide empirical evidence to support the link between employee well-being and individual job performance.

Contribute to the Body of Knowledge

This study offers valuable theoretical and managerial insights to the field. We initially respond to ongoing calls in the literature for more empirical research in the hospitality and tourism industry and investigate how HPWS influences employee outcomes. By doing so, we contribute to the growing body of research on how employees’ perceptions of HPWS affect outcomes such as quality of life (QoL).

Importance of a Strong Problem Statement

The statement of the problem is the most crucial component of securing acceptance for the research proposal or project. The candidates must identify research problems with knowledge gaps systematically to write a problem statement for a research proposal, project, dissertation, or thesis. A strong problem statement impresses examiners and reviewers and helps secure the proposal’s acceptance. It is the first step in conducting any academic research.

The researcher sets the research objective, research question, and hypothesis based on the problem statement. Hence, candidates or students cannot continue their research without a strong problem statement. The research problem is an inevitable part of quantitative, qualitative, and other research. No research can be conducted without identifying the research problem.

A good research proposal must include a research problem statement that identifies weaknesses in prior studies. Accordingly, it provides empirical evidence that enriches the literature. A strong problem statement must explain how to fulfill the research gaps.

Ph.D. and Master of Science (by research) students undergo a proposal defense. In this presentation, examiners may ask candidates which research problem they aim to address. Thus, a concise and strong problem statement is essential for overcoming proposal defense (PD).

Poorly Written Problem Statement of the Research Proposal

A research proposal may be rejected due to a poorly written problem statement. The authority might deny the research proposal for the following reasons:

  • A research proposal can be rejected if this section is poorly defined and discussed.
  • The research proposal may also be declined if the candidate merely states the Research Proposal without critically discussing why it is a problem.
  • The candidate did not successfully highlight the connections between constructs with the theory used to explain the framework.
  • How does Contingency theory support the moderator?
  • How does the theory support and justify the relationships in the framework?

Problem Statement in Research

Business Plan Examples For Students About Food

This article offers a Food Business Plan Sample pdf or Sample Business Plan for Food Products. Students might follow this article to complete their assignment, for example, “Business Plan Examples for Students about Food.”

Food Business Plan Sample

The food business plan sample refers to the business proposal example for food products. The author presents a food business plan example for students and employees about food. It helps them write business plan samples for food products, including cookies, cakes, burgers, popcorn, and sandwiches. Therefore, students can follow this food business plan sample for writing other business plans relevant to food products. The business plan sample for food shows how to start a new business with food products. It is also known as a business plan and business report sample for food products.

Business Plan Examples For Students About Food

The author writes the following business plan sample for food products to explain how to write a business plan. It will assist the students in completing assignments. The food is the most profitable business in the world. Therefore, it also helps entrepreneurs evaluate their business ideas before implementing them.

Food Business Plan Sample
Food Business Plan Sample

1.0 Executive Summary

We established the Food Vile around the area of the 17th residential college (Kolej Tujuh Belas) and the Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, University Putra Malaysia (UPM). Our business provides delivery services of light foods at times when the cafeteria is less accessible or during rush hours. The emphasis on food delivery has led to the birth of our company’s name, Food Ville.

The main reason for us starting this business is that we notice most students have the problem of getting something to eat early in the morning. The cafeteria usually sells heavy meals, such as in the morning, and students will either not have enough time to eat or have no appetite for those kinds of food. We also found that most students skipped breakfast to rush to class, which is highly unhealthy.

Besides peak hours in the morning, students also usually crave light foods at night while being busy with academic matters. Unfortunately, the only vending machine for soft foods is only available in Block D, which is far away for some students. Thus, we want to serve these students by having delivery service to their doorsteps, saving them time and energy.

2.0 Background

2.1 Introduction to Business

Food Ville is a new restaurant at the 17th Residential College (Kolej Tujuh Belas) and the Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, University Putra Malaysia (UPM).

Sandwich is our main product and also the main idea to start our entrepreneurship. After that, we decided to sell various foods such as buns, nachos, popcorn, and ice gem biscuits to attract the attention of the people; therefore, each of our committee members provided new ideas and products to increase our business sales.

We started this business because we wanted to provide customers with cheaper and more affordable food. We also spotted that time is a problem for most students here in the faculty, as most of us need to rush to class early in the morning and might not have time for breakfast. Late at night, the café is also closed thus limiting access to food. Thus. We provide delivery service for our customers, especially early in the morning and also at night. Our foods are good for breakfast before class and supper late at night.

2.2  Agreement Letter

This letter outlines the terms and conditions of the agreement that shareholders need to agree to:

  1. The name of the business is Food Ville.
  2. The business operation starts on 17 November 2019 and ends on 7 December 2019
  3. The organization is as below:

Business Plan Examples for Students about Food

  1. Shareholders agree to pay RM25.00 as start-up capital.
  2. The profits and losses from the business will be distributed according to the money that has been contributed.
  3. Each partner must work as a team to implement the company and solve problems.
  4. We take every decision or action based on discussion by every partner.
  5. The top management is the only authority to approve any expenses or transactions.
  6. All rules and regulations stated in the agreement are conclusive. Any future changes will be made according to the suitability and importance of the business.
  7. If any member is found violating this agreement, a police report will be made, and law action will be taken accordingly.
2.3  Objectives of Business

Food Ville has the following goals and objectives:

  1. Become an established community destination with a customer satisfaction rate of at least 90% by the end of the operation period.
  2. Achieve cash flow self-sufficiency by the end of the operation period.
  3. Repay debt from original financing by the end of the operation period.
2.4 Vision and Missions Statement

Vision: To become the most accessible food provider in 17th Residential College as well as the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Mission:  To provide quality and yummy Food for breakfast and supper, as well as fast and flexible delivery services, to achieve 100% customer satisfaction.

2.5  Company Overview

The company’s motto, “On The Run,” was chosen as our characteristic and also as an attraction to our customers due to our fast and punctual special delivery services. Below is our company’s logo.

The logo also consists of our company’s name, “Food Ville,” as we want our customers to know that we also sell a variety of Food in addition to sandwiches. Our motto, “On The Run,” is attached to the logo, which means we are always ready to serve and deliver our products quickly and on time.

3.0 Administrative and Human Resource Plan

3.1  Business Strategy

Business strategy is crucial to maintain or amplify a company’s growth. Good business strategies are not influenced by the personal preferences of corporate management. Based on strategy in our company, there are some highlights on the function of every department to ensure the plan runs significantly. To meet the targeted goal in our business plan, we have put as much emphasis on the efficiency of each department. Our company has made several strategies to achieve our objectives. We have chosen the system based on every department suggestion in our company.

Administration and Human Resources Department
  • Ensure all the business operations are followed according to the procedure and manage the co-workers and administration problems.
  • It addresses and solves problems that affect people management programs in the long run.
Marketing Department
  • To ensure that our products are fully advertised and promote our best services by giving a reasonable price.
  • We are promoting the business and mission of an organization through social media.
Operational Department
  • To ensure that all the equipment and materials run smoothly and also to maintain the operation of all products are effective and of good quality.
  • This department has the ultimate accountability for profit and loss and seeks to maximize return on investment for the shareholders.

4.0  Marketing Plan

4.1 Introduction

The marketing plan is the process of marketing which includes finding, understanding, and meeting customers’ needs as well as building public awareness of the brand. It is used to determine the effectiveness of how a company’s product is being known to the public and helps to ensure that the marketing plan, marketing strategies, and overall business strategy all work together. A company should always have a proper and systematic marketing plan to run things smoothly.

Our company, Food Ville, managed to have a very proper and systematic marketing plan because of a skillful marketing manager. Our marketing manager can market, market and promote our products to be well-known to the residents of 17th college as our target markets are them. Before our company even decided to sell our products, which include various types of Foods, our marketing manager efficiently managed the marketing plan. Some of the marketing strategies used included promoting through promotions like posters or social media accounts, pricing strategies, and many more.

4.2  Product Description

Our products are sandwiches, buns, ice gem biscuits, nachos with cheese, and popcorn.

For sandwiches, there will be two flavors: tuna and egg mayonnaise. The sandwiches are made with hard dough bread, giving customers a better taste and texture to enjoy the sandwiches. We will also add salad to the sandwiches to balance the customers’ diets and provide high nutritional value. The sandwiches are packaged with plastic wrap.

For the bun, we will buy the bun from the supplier and repack them to sell. Hence, we will order 100 units of bun every three days from the supplier to ensure that the bun we sell to the customers is always fresh and the customers can believe in our brand. The type of bun consists of a pizza bun, hot dog bun, ten-coins bun, chocolate doughnut, chicken floss doughnut, creamy bun, and gourmet bread topping with butter and sugar.

For the biscuits, our product is ice gem biscuits. We will buy a bucket of ice gem biscuits which is 4 kg, and repack them into small packages for sale. There are two types of packages, one is a small pack, and another is a large pack. The small box contains 50g of ice gem biscuits, while the large pack contains 100g of ice gem biscuits.

We will buy a large packet of potato chips for the nachos and repack them into small packages, which are 50g of chips for sale. And we also have a small can of cheese in it.

For the popcorn, we buy 1 kg of each flavor of the popcorn, which is butterfly caramel popcorn and mushroom caramel popcorn, then repack them into small packages, which is 50g of popcorn.

4.3  Target Market

The main target of our business is UPM students, lecturers, and staff from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, who do not have enough time to prepare or eat their breakfast due to the morning class. We also target the people who are looking for cheap and affordable breakfast and supper—the archery students are also in our target lists.

4.4  Competitions

Other businesses are also selling bread and Food in the area of 17th Residential College (Kolej Tujuh Belas), such as the cafeteria and the coop mart of 17th Residential College. Moreover, the price of bread and Food is also affordable for the students, and this will compete with our business. Therefore, our company supplies fresh homemade sandwiches and different kinds of bun, with free special delivery services to become our company’s attraction.

4.5  SWOT Analysis

We have followed to identify favorable and unfavorable circumstances (internal or external) that may affect Food Ville’s business operation.

Table 3 below shows the analysis.

SWOT Analysis

4.6  Marketing Strategies

In promoting our Foods, various marketing strategies were chosen.

Delivery services

In terms of services, our company uses delivery service as a major platform for promoting our Foods. We deliver food for the morning (breakfast) and also late at night for supper. We always want to deliver food to meet the customer’s demand and satisfaction. Apart from that, we have also set 2 employees to deliver food.

Location

In selling our Foods, we solely used delivery services as a major platform as we do not have a specific stall or a fixed location to see our products.

Pricing strategies

Food Ville sells food at a very reasonable price to attract more customers. Even though we sold our products at reasonable prices, we managed to lower the price at the end of the carnival to sell and finish up the stocks fully.

The price of our products is as follows:

Price List of Food Business plan sample pdf

Promotion

Social media is used as a platform to promote our various types of Foods. We managed to promote Food Ville so that it is known to all 17th college residents through social media accounts like Instagram, Twitter, and also Facebook.

We also did a few other promotions by distributing our posters to students, lecturers, and academic staff of the medicine and health sciences faculty.

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5.0 Operation Plan

5.1 Introduction

The operation plan is part of the business’s strategic plan and is important for effective business leadership. The operation plan can describe how the plan works, including listing all the strategies and providing a budget summary and the workflow from input to results of the business.

Operation management refers to the administration of business practices to create the highest level of efficiency possible within an organization. To have good operation management, each of us must understand the processes essential to what a company does and get them to flow and work together. This involves utilizing resources from the suppliers, raw materials, and equipment.

The operation plan is a crucial part of our business. The Operational plan aims to provide organization personnel with a clear picture of their tasks and responsibilities in line with the goals and objectives. Therefore, we divided the operation plan into several parts: operation objectives, operation strategies, material planning, and implementation schedule to ensure our business runs effectively.

5.2  Operation Objective

The operation objectives for Food Ville:

  • To ensure the operations of our business run smoothly
  • To produce high-quality products that can fulfill our customer satisfaction and expectations.
  • To have a good service and function well to meet our customer’s demand
  • To ensure our business is profitable and able to expand
  • To accomplish consistency in the services offered
5.3  Operation Strategies

To ensure that our business runs smoothly throughout the week and meets our objectives, we set the following strategies:

  • Build a delivery service schedule.
  • It also ensures the Foods that are being delivered meet the guarantee that has been offered by us.
  • Ask for feedback on our Foods.
5.4 Process Planning
5.5 Material Planning
  • For buns, nachos, popcorn, and biscuits, we ordered them from the supplier.
  • For sandwiches:
Raw materials Fix assets
  • Bread
  • Mayonnaise
  • Salad
  • White pepper
  • Canned tuna
  • Egg
  • Water heater
  • Spoon
  • Knife
  • Plate
5.6 Implementation Schedule

6.0 Financial Plan

6.1  Introduction

A financial plan is a process of framing objectives, procedures, and budgets regarding the financial activities of concern. We use it to ensure effectiveness and adequate financial and investment policies.

Generally, an organization uses the financial plan to know an individual’s current pay and future financial state by using current known variables to predict future income, asset values, and withdrawal plans.

A financial plan is one of the most crucial parts of a business. Some of the important financial plans are:

  • Firstly, it provides the direction of one’s business
  • Secondly, it helps understand how finances impact one’s business
  • It also helps to manage income better.
6.2  Objective of the Financial Department

A few objectives have been determined as below:
Firstly, it determines capital requirements.
Secondly, It utilizes the fund sufficiently for different purposes.
Thirdly, the financial department maintains proper cash flow.

6.3 Project Implementation Cost

Project Implementation Chart For Business Plan

Source of Fund:
Our own money is used as the start-up capital with a contribution of RM25.00 per shareholder and a loan of RM50.00 from our lecturer, Dr. Sabrina, bringing the total start-up to RM350.00.

Conclusion

Food Ville Sdn Bhd has a net profit margin of 30.13%. For every RM 1 in sales, the business makes a net profit of RM 0.30.  The 12 shareholders will share the profits.

Food Ville Sdn Bhd also has a break-even point of RM 266.95. Since sales passing this break-even point means that Food Ville Sdn Bhd can start making profits.

Buns have a break-even point at RM 103.77 (sale of 52 units), and the egg mayonnaise sandwich has it at RM 39.21 (sale of 20 units). The break-even point for a tuna sandwich is RM 36.58 (sale of 13 units). For nachos with cheese, it is RM 27.26 (sale of 4 units); for 50g ice gem biscuits, it is RM 6.69 (sale of 4 units); for 100g ice gem biscuits, it is RM22.95 (sale of 8 units) while popcorns have a break-even point at RM 30.48 (sale of 13 units).

The return on investment value for the business is 0.961, or 96.1%. Therefore, the shareholders can get back RM 0.96 as profit for every RM 1 capital invested in the business.

Appendices

Appendices Sample