DEFINING THE PROBLEM: LITERATURE REVIEWS

1. DEFINING THE PROBLEM: LITERATURE REVIEWS

2. The Problem Definition Process Can the problem become an opportunity? Recognize the problem or opportunity Examine cultural & Understand the decision making environment bureaucracy issues Determine cause & effect relationships Use the symptoms to clarify the problem Mgt. support? Translate mgt. problem to marketing research problem Have you researched other research? Determine whether the information already exists Are the objectives Determine whether the question can be answered doable or realistic? Include timetable and responsible party State the research objectives

3. The Decision Making Environment Exploratory Studies Preliminary research conducted to increase understanding of a concept, to clarify the exact nature of the problem to be solved, or to identify important variables to be studied. • Pilot Studies • Focus Groups • Case Analyses • Secondary Data • Concept Testing • Depth Interviews • Taste Tests • Experience Surveys • Define Terms • Clarify Problems • Develop Theories • Establish Priorities • Gain General Information Purpose Key Methods

4. LITERATURE REVIEW: What is it? • Theoretical base for your research • Evaluative report of existing literature • Critical assessment of the current state of knowledge

5. What do I do? • Find out what has already been done • Discover what has not yet been addressed • Position your research • Identify gaps or flaws in existing research • Suggest methods you should use • Provide support for your chosen methods

6. Where to start? • Select topic • Achievable, interesting, focused, important • Determine what you want to know • Break down into topic areas • e.g. Student drinking: current behaviour, effects on health, effects on functioning, motivations, etc.

7. How to do it? • Identify key search words and synonyms • e.g. Charity advertisements, charity appeals, nonprofit advertising, not-for-profit advertising • Identify information sources • Books, academic journals, popular press articles, government documents, conference proceedings. • Google SCHOLAR • http://scholar.google.ca/ • ABI Inform is an important management database

8. What to use? • Use general and specific information • e.g. Recycling: • Overall recycling trends, • general consumer motivations for recycling, • specific local programs. • Use peer-reviewed academic articles when possible • other (gov’t reports, popular press, stats, etc.)

9. What questions should it answer? • REVIEW • What is the current state of knowledge in the area? • How have others approached the research area? • What are the key concepts and theories? • MOVING FORWARD • What do we still need to find out? • What is the best way to find that out? • What would be the importance of your research?

10. Assignment • Literature review for your group topic • Determine what you want to know • Identify search terms • Find several relevant articles • Summarize these • Write the lit review with references • Submit via email to prof. and all group members

11. The End