Chapter 4

CHAPTER SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 4

In this chapter, we learned about the first three steps in the research process: Identification of the broad problem area to be researched, preliminary data gathering through interviews and literature survey, and problem definition. In particular, we discussed how managers could identify the broad problem area through observation, how preliminary data can be collected through unstructured and structured interviews and literature survey, and how the problem can be honed. We defined the term problem as any situation where a gap exists between the actual and desired states. We also touched on the ethical issues confronting researchers.

For me, the first and I absolutely believe that is the most important and crucial step, is the problem definition stage. If the problem is not clearly identified and defined, the manager will end up chasing shadows. We can end up treating and correcting the symptoms while the real problem will persist. For instance, there was a mail box designated as a helpdesk in my department where all queries and inquiries, plus transaction request can go to. The volume of mails that hit the box was astronomical. The staff attending to the box was being overwhelmed. The problem was not really the volume of mails but that the person on the desk was saddle with other function that distracts him form the box. Instead of addressing that, our departmental heads were attacking his was ethics, performance, the delayed responses to mails, etc. I was able to identify this problem and made a case for it, when it was applied and the helpdesk staff was stripped of other secondary responsibilities, of course, the efficiency of the helpdesk was greatly improved.

It is also very important that the reports generated from our researches have proper citations to avoid rejection of the work and to give it credibility. Also to avoid legal action against the writer as the original author can invoke the copy right laws.