Overview of Problem-solving Approach

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Overview of Problem-solving Approach

• Define the problem
• Identify the factors of the problem
• Determine the means of transforming and
  interpreting data
• Develop conclusion criteria
• Gather data
• Interpret data
• Draw conclusion(s)
• Make recommendation(s) if requested

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Defining the Problem

• Identify the factors of the problem
• The factors of a problem are the areas or topics
  that will be researched to provide data to answer
  the problem statement.
• The factors are determined through preliminary
  research
• Two key elements to developing the problem
  statement are
• To explore or analyze
• To determine

Example The purpose of this study is to explore
the bagel and coffee food industry and to
determine if a fast food bagel/coffee shop would
be successful in terms of time and money in Costa
Mesa, California.
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Factors of the problem

• In the example stated earlier, Bagel Mania Inc.
  wants to determine if a new location in Costa
  Mesa would be profitable, the factors of the
  problem might be
• Other competitors
• Location of other competitors
• Demographic food interests
• Consumer traffic
• Personnel
• Hours
• Costs

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Research Questions

• The researcher might develop a research question
  for each factor and each research questions
  contains a unit of measurement.

1. How many competitors are in the area? 2.
Where are the competitors located? How many sell
bagels and coffee? 3. What types of fast food
breakfast items are popular? 4. Is there a
trainable and available personnel workforce in
the area? 5. What are the normal hours of
operation forsimilar businesses located in
specific areas in Costa Mesa? 6. Is there a
substantial consumer traffic activity to warrant
the opening of a bagel and coffee shop? 7. What
percentage of consumers are satisfied with the
price they must pay for bagels and coffee at
other shops in the area?
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Transforming and Interpreting Data

• The researcher transforms most data in order to
  interpret it easily
• During the planning process, the researcher
  anticipates the type of collected data and
  determines the method for transforming it to be
  more meaningful to the reader.
• Data can be computed as percentages, measures of
  central tendency, measures of dispersion, through
  relationships such as correlations and
  regressions, through inferences such as Chi
  square.
• Two other means of transforming data are ranking
  and rating systems.
• A ranking system places solutions in order of
  preference.
• A rating system places an estimated value on each
  system

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Drawing Conclusions and Making Recommendations

• The last step in the analytical process are
  drawing conclusions and making recommendations.
• Conclusions serve to interpret the data, and
  recommendations provide an answer to the problem
  statement.

7
Justification Statement

• A justification statement provides the basis for
  undertaking the study. The statement further
  substantiates the need for the study.

Example The bagel industry is still in its
infancy and the potential for a combination
bagel/collee shop is worth investigating.
Several bagel companies are considering possible
sites in Costa Mesa and the surrounding area. A
possible bagel/coffee franchise or independent
operation needs to be explored as well as the
specialty bagel/coffee houses.
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Findings

• Soft data Qualitative data
• Hard data Quantitative data
• Findings must be presented in objective,
  unbiased, and an accurate manner
• Findings are based on primary and secondary
  research.
• Findings lend credibility to a study
• The citing of research is crucial to the
  reliability and validity of a study.
• Whose work is this????? Who said it????

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Developing a Proposal

• Problem Statement
• Justification Statement
• Scope of the Problem
• Limitations
• Delimitations
• Methods and Techniques
• Audience
• Qualifications
• Anticipated Needs
• Projected Time Frame(s)
• Estimated cost of project

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Report Steps

• Plan, organize, and collect your data
• Develop an outline
• Interpret your data findings
• Begin the writing process

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Formal Reports

• Formal Reports are categorized in three specific
  parts
• The Preliminary or Prefatory Part
• The Report Body
• The Supplementary Part

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The Preliminary Part

• Cover
• Title Fly
• Title Page
• Letter of Transmittal
• Letter of Authorization
• Executive Summary (Abstract)
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables, Figures

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Report Body

• Introductory Section
• Background/history
• Purpose and problem statements
• Scope
• Research procedures (methods and techniques)
• Findings Section
• Primary research
• Secondary research
• Terminal Section
• Summary of the findings
• Conclusions
• Recommendation(s)

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Supplementary Part

• Endnotes or business citation source in report
  body
• References (bibliography)
• Appendixes
• All full-page tables, figures, illustrations are
  placed in this section. All primary data
  instruments such as questionnaires, surveys, and
  related forms are placed in this section.

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Identifying the Factors

• What are the factors of the problem?
• Develop research questions or hypotheses for each
  factor--these guide the researcher in gathering
  data
• The research questions should be specific and
  contain a unit of measurement whenever possible
• After preparing research questions, the
  researcher determines the method(s) of
  transforming and interpreting the data.