Research, Research Gap and the Research Problem

1 Munich Personal RePEc ArchiveResearch, Research Gap and theResearch ProblemDissanayake, of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka10 June 2013 Online Paper No. 47519, posted 11 Jun 2013 14:30 UTCR esearch, Research Gap and the Research Problem | 1 Re se a rc h, Re se a rc h G a p a nd the Re se a rc h Pro b le m na ya ke De p a rtm e nt o f C o m m e rc e a nd Fina nc ia l Ma na g e m e nt Fa c ulty o f C o m m e rc e a nd Ma na g e m e nt Stud ie s Unive rsity o f Ke la niya Em a il: ne e la c ksha 911@ g m a o m A b stra c t Mainly, due to new scientific inquiries and technological advancements Knowledge becomes obsolete. So it creates a dilemma where the applicability of so called theories and models which we learnt in class can still be applied to solve problems?

2 Thus, the scholars bring the notion of Research as a definite solution which enriches the existing understanding of a phenomenon. This can be either a theory testing or a theory extension (theory building) approach. In fact, gap identification and formulating a Research Problem are vital for a Research project. The note details two approaches to identify Research gap and thereby to formulate a Research Problem . Wha t is Re se a rc h? We a s c o m m e rc e a nd m a na g e m e nt stud e nts, w e o fte n ta lk a b o ut La w o f De m a nd , The o ry o f ve nture g ro w th, The o ry o f Re so urc e Ba se d Vie w , Inno va tio n The o ry, Big Five The o ry, so o n a nd so fo rth. The se m o d e ls, the o rie s a nd la ws a re c re a te d a s a re sult o f RESEARC H.

3 As a c a d e m ic s w e d isse m ina te kno wle d g e utilizing tho se so c a lle d the o rie s o r m o d e ls. But, tho se the o rie s a nd m o d e ls turn o ut to b e o utd a te d o r o b so le te . The re fo re , the a p p lic a b ility c a n b e p ro b le m a tic . Thus w e ne e d a so lutio n. Tha t is RESEARC H. Sim p ly p ut, re se a rc h a tte m p ts to c re a te ne w kno wle dg e . It c a n b e e ithe r a the o ry te sting a p p ro a c h o r a the o ry e xte nsio n a p p ro a c h (the o ry b uild ing a p p ro a c h). By m e a ns o f a the o ry te sting o r a the o ry e xte nsio n a p p ro a c he s ne w kno wle d g e is c re a te d . Also , re se a rc h is no t a ll a b o ut c o lle c ting , c la ssifying , a nd a rra ng ing m e re d a ta a nd info rm a tio n.

4 It is a b o ut inte rp re ta tio n o f d a ta a nd info rm a tio n. In fa c t, the o ry d e fine s p a ra m e te rs a nd p o ssib ilitie s o f inte rp re ta tio n, (Uya ng o d a , 2011). Pe rha p s m o st no ta b ly, the se inte rp re ta tio ns c a n le ad to e ithe r the o ry b uild ing o r the o ry te sting . This is te rm e d a s the va lid a tio n o f re se a rc h b a se d kno w le d g e , (Uya ng o d a , 2011). To b e m o re c o nc ise , le t s ta ke a n e xa m p le . Ba rne y (1991) p o stula te d the no tio n o f Re so urc e Ba se d The o ry, w hic h is o ne o f the se mina l w o rks in the c o nte mp o ra ry stra te g ic ma na g e me nt. He sta te d tha t, [f]o ur e mp iric a l indic a to rs o f the p o te ntia l o f firm re so urc e s to g e ne ra te susta ine d c o mp e titive a dva nta g e va lue , ra re ne ss, imita b ility, a nd susta ina b ility a re d isc usse d (p.)

5 99). Thus a p a rtic ula r re se a rc he r ma y te st this the o ry in a d iffe re nt c o nte xt. He ma y a d d mo re va ria b le s o r c o nc e p ts to te st the the o ry. Imp o rta ntly, he ma y b uild ra tio na l re latio nship s a mo ng va ria b le s. The se Research , Research Gap and the Research Problem | 2 re la tio nship s a re a c tua lly the o rist s g ue sse s a b o ut the re a lity. Suc h g ue sse s a re c a lle d a s Re se a rc h Hyp o the sis o r Pro p o sitio ns . Fina lly, the re se a rc he r ma y te st the re se a rc h hyp o the sis a nd c o nc lud e the va lid ity o f the the o ry. Thus, this is a n e xa mp le o f the o ry te sting a p p ro a c h. In c o ntra c t to the o ry te sting , the o ry b uild ing c a n b e d e p ic te d a s fo llo w s.

6 Num b e r o f sc ho la rs e xte nsive ly use s the The o ry o f Re so urc e Base d Vie w in o rd e r to d isc uss ve nture g ro wth. In fa c t, this g ro wth va ria b le is me a sure d in te rms o f sa le s a nd e mp lo yme nt g ro wth o f the ve nture . Re c e ntly, G a yle n e t a l., (2009) c o ntrib ute d a no the r se mina l p a p e r a d d ing Tra nsa c tio n C o st Ec o no mie s The o ry to p re d ic t w he n sa le s g ro wth will b e o r will no t b e a c c o mp a nie d b y e mp lo yme nt g ro w th. The se tw o e xp la na tio ns (Re so urc e Ba se d Vie w The o ry a nd Tra nsac tio n C o st Ec o no mie s The o ry) d e p ic t a n o rig ina l re se a rc h g a p w hic h e ve ntua lly lea d s to the o ry e xte nsio n, (.)

7 The o ry Build ing ). Simp ly p ut the re is a re se a rc h g ap to a ma lg a ma te Re so urc e Ba se d Vie w The o ry a nd Tra nsa c tio n C o st Ec o no mie s The o ry to g e the r. Thus, this is a n e xa mp le o f the o ry b uild ing a p p ro a c h. In the se g ro und s a w o rd a b o ut Ac tio n Re se a rc h w o uld b e ne fic ia l. This is b e c a use , c o m m e rc e a nd m a na g e m e nt stud e nts, w he n the y b e c o m e g ra d ua te d the y o p t to w o rk in m a na g e ria l p o sitio ns. The y turn o ut to b e pro b le m so lve rs in c o m p a nie s. G ive n tha t, Ac tio n re se a rc h c a n b e d e fine d a s a n a pp ro a c h w he re a re fle c tive p ro c e ss o f p ro g re ssive p ro b le m so lving le d b y ind ivid ua ls w o rking w ith o the rs in te a m s o r p a rt o f a c o m m unity o f p ra c tic e to im p ro ve the w a y the y a d d re ss issue s a nd so lve p ro b le m s.

8 This is a lso c a lle d a s p a rtic ipa to ry a c tio n re se a rc h. A p e rso n w ho b uild s ne w kno wle d g e is kno wn a s a sc ho la r. Wha t the y a re d o ing is, the y a tte m p t to e nric h o r a d just the e xisting und e rsta nd ing o f a p he no m e no n ( . the y e xte nd o r te st the o ry). Sim p ly sta te d the y up d a te the kno wle d g e . The re b y, a b o ve m e ntio ne d p ro b le m o f a p p lic a b ility c a n b e e lim ina te d . Re se a rc h G a p a nd the Re se a rc h Pro b le m A w e ll d e fine d a nd a struc ture d re se a rc h p ro b le m is the he a rt o f the re se a rc h p ro je c t. Va g ue re se a rc h p ro b le m is the w e a ke st p o int in yo ur re se a rc h. Whe n yo u sub m itting yo ur re se a rc h p ro p o sa l fo r a p ro p o sa l p re se nta tio n o r g ra nt a p p lic a tio ns, the e va lua to rs m ig ht a sk, yo ur w ha t yo u trying to inve stig a te ?

9 Yo u sho uld b e in a p o sitio n o f c o nvinc ing yo ur re se a rc h p ro b le m to e xam ine rs. The n ho w yo u b uild yo ur re se a rc h p ro b le m p ro p e rly? Uya ng o d a (2011) p ro p o se p uzzling is use ful to b uild yo ur re se a rc h p ro b le m . Le t s ta ke the e xa m p le o f Sa fe Driving Ha b its in Sri La nka . This is b e c a use , so m e d rive rs c o nsum e liq uo r b e fo re d riving , the y d o n t kno w ho w to p a rk e ve n tho ug h a se p a ra te p a rking slo t ha s b e e n g ive n, the y use to thro w tra sh o ut o f the c a r w ind o w , so m e d o no t o b e y d riving rule s, tra ffic lig hts e tc . Eve ntua lly, unsa fe d riving ha b its inc re a se a uto -a c c id e nts. This is a ve ry g o o d e xa m p le o f a re se a rc h p uzzle.

10 Ha ving a p uzzle yo u c a n sim p ly c o nve rt the sc e na rio into a re se a rc h p ro b le m . So lving this kind o f a p uzzle will ine vita b ly a d d va lue , a nd p e rha p s m o st no ta b ly it w ill p ro vid e a na tio na l im p o rta nc e a s w e ll. Research , Research Gap and the Research Problem | 3 Ne xt, I w ill d e ta ils m y o b se rva tio ns o n ho w to fo rmula te a re se a rc h p ro b le m b y fo rm ing a re se a rc h g a p . First, the re se a rc he r sho uld ha ve to ha ve a Pra c tic a l Pro b le m a nd a C o ntra d ic tio n in Lite ra ture . Pra c tic a l p ro b le m is m o re o r le ss e q ua l to the re se a rc h p uzzle w hic h Uya ng o d a m e ntio ne d . In c o ntra st, the c o ntra d ic tio n in lite ra ture is a p he no m e no n w hic h ne e d s a sc ho la rly inq uiry.