Business Research Methods
(MBA -611)
Writing Thesis Proposal Problem Statement
Instructor’s name: Mekuria Abera
Dear all,
Writing an effective research problem statement is not a simple matter,
even to practitioners who face serious problems and challenges on a daily
basis. Because it needs to justify the needed research with respect to other
agency or national priorities and quantify how the problem is serious to
themselves, the policy -makers and the community. Therefore, read the
following basic issues in relation to writing thesis proposal problem
statement and practice to develop a problem statement.
Once an initial literature review is completed, it’s time to write up a clear statement of
the problem that explains why the study is important. This statement of the problem serves a
number of roles, three of which are emphasized: forces us to organize our knowledge of the
problem and our initial insights, justifies our project by explaining how it will help to solve the
problem we are addressing, serves as an introduction to our final communication, whatever
form that may take.
When writing a statement of the problem, it often helps to move from the general to
the specific – describe the big picture then gradually narrow down to the specific problem we
are tackling. Our literature review can guide us here, and should in fact be incorporated into
our statement of the problem. We should finish with an explicit statement of our goal for the
project.
To justify why we are doing this project, tell about the community we will be dealing
with and make it clear why our project will be useful. Use facts to back up our assertions. Try
and find any examples of past projects done by other individuals or groups that our group can
use as a guide, and describe the resources we will use to address our problem. The
introduction should incorporate our review of the relevant literature, and MUST contain
adequate references.
Following our statement of the problem, we should describe the final format you expect
our project communication to take. Our goal is to contribute to the formation of
public/business policies that serve the community interest, and to do this we will need to
communicate our results in the most effective way possible to the people who can use those
results. We should definitely consult our advisor on this.
In our final communication, good grammar and spelling will be essential to help establish
our credibility. If we have any concerns about our writing, it would be an excellent idea to take
our problem statement or ask someone you trust to proofread it.
In summary:
1. Describe the general problem we will address;
2. Describe the specific problem we will try to help solve, including a description of
the specific community affected;
3. Justify and explain what you’re doing-- how will our project contribute to solving
this problem?
4. Tell the audience if we have found any similar projects we can use as a model, and
describe the resources you’ll be using;
5. Explain how we will communicate our research results in a way that contributes to
solving the problem.
6. Double check to make sure we’ve completed each item on this list, and have proper
references.
