Research aims, objectives, problem statement

Learn about problem statement, research aims, objectives, research question and hypothesis.

Once you have the research hypothesis or research question, you can define the aims and objectives of the research.

Research Aims & Objectives

Research aims and objectives summarizes what a researcher wishes to achieve/accomplish through the project and provides direction to the study.

Writing clear research objectives: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely

Aims:

• Are broad statements of desired outcomes, or the general intentions of the research, i.e. they should reflect the aspirations and expectations of the research topic.
• They ‘paint the picture’ of your research intentions
• Emphasize what is to be accomplished, not how it is to be accomplished
• ‘Purpose of the study’
• ‘Aim of this dissertation’
• May be used in place of a ‘research question’.

Objectives:

• Address the more immediate project outcomes.
• Are the steps you are going to take to answer your research questions and accomplish the goals of the project
• They emphasize how your aim(s) are to be accomplished
• Must be highly focused and feasible
• For each specific objective you must have a method to attempt to achieve it.

Aims and Objectives:

• Be presented concisely and briefly and are interrelated.

  The aim is what you want to achieve, and the objective describes how you are going to achieve that aim i.e. make sure that each aim is matched with specific objectives.

• Will help guide your structure and process to ensure you address your RQ.
• Are the signposts on which you will base your conclusions

Example of Research Questions:

What is the impact of digital media on consumers purchase behavior of luxury goods in the UAE?

Does Instagram have an affect on the purchase intention of people at restaurants in the GCC?

What factors have an effect on peoples purchase intention at restaurants when using Instagram?

Example of Aim:

To examine the extent to which fast food advertising influences parents buying behavior in the UAE

Example of Aim & Objectives

Aim:
To understand the perceptions of Indian Millennials with regards to digital connectivity and disconnection motivations during travel.

Objectives:

• To determine the presence and causes of smartphone dependency among Indian Millennials
• To explore the motivations of Indian Millennials to stay connected during travel
• To understand what would motivate Indian Millennials to disconnect during travel
• To determine the causes of connectivity and disconnection motivations.

Examples: Research Question and Research Aim

RQ: In what ways does the issue of coupons at supermarket checkouts affect buyer behaviour?
Research aim: The aim of this research is to explore how the issue of coupons at supermarket checkouts affects buyer behaviour.

RQ: How has the emergence of challenger banks impacted upon small businesses’ financing and why?
Research aim: The aim of this research is to explore how the emergence of challenger banks has impacted upon small businesses’ financing and why.

Example- Research Questions & Objectives

RQ:
What are the characteristics of the Japanese consumer’s purchasing gifts?

Objectives:

• To determine the type of customers interested in gifts and other novelties in the Japanese market
• To analyze the trends and patterns in this market
• To identify what kind of designs or Japanese icons are appealing to the market.

RQ, AIM, Objectives:

The main aim of this paper is to investigate the perception of UK consumers towards the sustainability efforts of fashion fast brands Zara and H&M.

To fulfil this aim, the research focuses on the addressing the research question of “What are the attitudes of UK consumers towards fast fashion brands efforts to create a sustainable supply chain?” In this process, the research pursues the following objectives:

• To identify attributes influencing purchase of fashion products to determine fast fashion preferences;
• To explore factors motivating purchase of sustainable fashion products;
• To discovering consumers’ perceptions about sustainable fashion programme of fast fashion brands and the influence of these perceptions on shopping preferences; and
• To analyse possible associations between fast fashion shopping preferences, factors motivating purchase of fast fashion products, and consumer preferences about sustainability efforts of fast fashion brands and related shopping preferences.

Introduction:

• Introduction to your topic, context, key concepts/theory (with citations)
• Clear definition of the ‘problem’, ‘opportunity’, ‘gap’ that your research will address…. The Justification of Research

Research Question:

• 1 or 2 Research questions or Aim statements
• 3-4 objectives aligned to each