www.wileyeurope.com/college/sekaran Stage 1: The Broad Problem Area Examples of broad problem areas that researchers (economists) could observe: 1- Government expenditures on health are improving medical equality. 2- The government subsidies of a product are not helping to reduce the inflation. 3- The introduction of flexible work hours has created more problems than it has solved in many government units. 4- Reduction in oil prices creates budget deficit in Kuwait. 5- Reducing tariffs among GCC states are not enhancing bilateral trade among them.
www.wileyeurope.com/college/sekaran Step Two: Literature Review A good literature survey: – Ensures that important variables are not left out of the study. – Helps the development of the theoretical framework and hypotheses for testing. – Ensures that the problem statement is precise and clear. – Enhances testability and replicability of the findings. – Reduces the risk of “reinventing the wheel”. – Confirms that the problem is perceived as relevant and significant.
www.wileyeurope.com/college/sekaran The Research Proposal Key elements: – Purpose of the study – Specific problem to be investigated. – Scope of the study – Relevance of the study – Research design: • Sampling design • Data collection methods • Data analysis – Time frame – Budget – Selected Bibliography