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.

2 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? 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 .

3 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. 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.

4 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.

5 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.

6 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 .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.

7 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. 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.

8 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, (.)

9 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.

10 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. 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.