Been in this situation before??? As a Master or PhD students... Problem Statement is the main thing of your research. Before you could develop your research proposal, you should have concrete Problem Statement. In simple words..... why you want to proceed your research.
The problem statement should be just in one concise sentence. Its sound easy and logical but how to find it is the main problem... I will share with you what i had learn through my journey. This is my steps of finding problem statements...
1. Identify your main area key word. Main area will be very broad like leadership, knowledge management, strategic management or islamic finance. Choose the main area that you feel near to your interest either through working experience or personal preference... remember you will have to spend at least 3 years with this key word... so make sure you love it.
2. Identify your specific area keyword. Through general reading you will find more keywords under this main area. identify as many keyword as possible by reading latest journal article about main area. Choose one specific area as your field of research for example under strategic management, you choose strategic planning. or under knowledge management, you choose knowledge sharing.
3. Now be more focus in finding material about your specific field. Find latest articles (shall less than 5 years) in that field and search for any issues or problem arise. Find as much issues as you can and note it down in one simple table that concise of citation, issues/problem, keywords.
4. After collecting list of issues, start analyzing it to try to find relation between the issues.
It could be because :
a. Problem exist that could affect future survival of organization
b. Current policy or method is not suitable anymore
c. Have issues arise and need close attention to solve it
d. New technology, trend or need are required to adapt changes
5. Try to find any solution for it and if you not found any solution, then it might be your problem statement.
6.Start construct your PS. Support your PS with citations why that area is important, why that specific field is important, what is the research gap and why the gap is important. Then at final paragraph, compress your problem statement in one sentence and stress the important of the solution and how it could benefit other.
Hope this will give you some guide. Last but not lease, dont forget to duaa, God are the best guidance. May Allah make it easy for all of us in our journey....
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