research proposal introduction

research proposal introduction

The Importance of Research in Solving Real-World Problems

1. Introduction

Research plays a critical role in addressing the world’s problems. The importance of research in solving problems has been accentuated through the use of a problem-solving cycle. This cycle identifies the elements of defining a problem, devising a strategy, implementing a strategy, and evaluating it to identify what went wrong. This kind of thinking, combined with funding, has provided an increase in research and research-related fields. The result has been a vast improvement in the world. An important thing to realize is that research can be done in the form of any action, policy, or project designed to ameliorate a problematic situation. In this role, good research has been equated to that which is reliable, valid, and credible. This is important to keep in mind when considering how research can solve problems. In this essay, I will be addressing the importance of research in solving the world’s problems both in the natural sciences and in the social sciences. This will be done through an examination of case studies conducted in the fields of environmental conservation, humanitarian aid, and social policy.

2. Problem Statement

The cause for choosing a particular route is often based on past experiences or “what has worked in the past”. Although this may sound acceptable, it often leads to “trial and error” solutions which tend to consume great amounts of time and money. Another reason why people choose certain courses of action is because there is pressure from peers or an employer to act in a certain way. In these cases, it is often difficult to determine the best course of action and it is difficult to determine whether the action was effective. In these kinds of situations, the time and effort invested into finding a long-term effective solution is the best alternative. This is where research comes in. Research has shown to be the most effective and efficient means of solving a problem. It is a methodical and time-consuming process which is aimed at increasing the solver’s knowledge. Research can be the best means of action in finding a solution that is long-lasting and effective.

Virtually, professionals are paid to solve problems. Whether the problem is relatively “trivial” (such as a malfunctioning air conditioner in a high school) or more complex (such as reducing famine in Africa), the approach is relatively the same. Depending on the scope of the problem, professionals tend to follow certain steps in order to find a solution. One of the first steps is to define the problem and determine its cause. Then the professional must identify possible solutions, and finally select the best course of action that is most likely to solve the problem.

3. Objectives and Research Questions

The objective of a paper is to assure a proper research carried out in order to solve a real-world problem by using statistical tools and a dataset. This is the task given, which is based on a certain article whereby a consultancy project is being carried out by a team of students from the Faculty of Industrial Sciences & Technology, on a real-world account. They were asked to find a solution and produce a model aimed at improving a problem related to public transportation from one place to another. The case study data was obtained from a publishing article, which was taken from a survey data of a rail user in Klang Valley done by Mohamed Rehan Karim & Raja Noriza Raja Ariffin, School of Mathematical Sciences. The survey data of 2002/2003 was taken for the purpose of providing information in improving the quality of KTM commuting service done by people who are working and have experience in using the service. The findings from the survey data showed that the existence of parking rate did not give much impact towards the KTM user and also the cost of parking was reasonably low. This suggests that the team has to improve the service from the parking place to the KTM station. After studying the given case, we have come up with several objectives and research questions to ensure a better understanding and the improvement made by it. The first objective is to identify the pattern of the rail commuters in making their journey from the house to the destination and also to identify a group of people who have parked at the KTM station. From this objective, we have a few questions to be answered. How to recognize a commuter? This can be done by finding a commuter who has to walk from the house to the parking place then to the KTM station using a multi-stage sampling method found in the survey data. Then we can build the model for him. By the model, it is referring to the commuter’s movement from the parking place to the KTM station. We can make an assumption that a parking user has paid a higher parking rate which can be seen using a dummy variable. The next objective is to see whether the present KTM service is feasible in terms of KTM cost incurred by the parking user. It is most likely a psychological inference, but we can confirm it by comparing a parking user and a non-parking user using a simple method known as cost and benefit analysis. The next step is weighing the opportunity cost, but in the model perspective, we skip this step because it is a very vast and complex task. Then we have to look for the variation of KTM parking cost and in this step, we can directly model it using a multiple linear regression analysis. Last but not least, the best objective and research questions that can be made are for the improvement to the KTM user and its services with minimum cost incurred by KTM. This is the same as giving an optimum solution to a linear programming problem. The question here is too broad and it will take quite a long time to answer it. Because of that, we will leave it for a while and suggest that we can have a meeting with KTM management to get their feedback after our project is being implemented on the KTM model.

4. Methodology

Step one in the process of conducting a research project for a transnational firm is identifying problems or areas where in-depth research is required in order to ensure success given current or future trends towards globalization in business and the economy. In Google’s case, they are two-fold incidents of addressing the same issues.

A significant example of a transnational firm is Google Inc., which exists to amass and organize an ever-expanding amount of information online and then make it accessible to the global online community. This is a firm that not only collects and organizes global information but does so with the intention of making it accessible to a global audience of internet users. Google’s multifarious tools and services are specifically designed or adapted to fit and address the needs of different geographic regions to ensure that they are globally accessible. An example of this would be Google.com and Google.com.au. The former is the URL for Google’s search engine, and its tools and services are tuned to primarily cater to an American audience.

Any form of business, organization, or company that exists within the global sphere is eligible for transformation into a transnational firm. This can include small businesses, multinational corporations, and firms that may change to suit the requirements of increased globalization. In order to ensure these firms exist and function successfully in a transnational capacity, they will require research and the addressing of real-world problems.

5. Expected Results and Conclusion

Cognitive science research aims to solve problems in the real world. At present, the tools necessary to do so often involve the development of new technology. By examining the path from basic research to the technology it can inspire, we can gain insight into how cognitive science research can contribute to solving real-world problems. The expected results sections in research proposals need to be more fully developed. This can be facilitated by an increased dialogue between researchers and the relevant stakeholders who stand to benefit from particular research. This can result in changes to the research so that it more directly addresses real-world issues as well as helping stakeholders to better understand how the research can benefit them. In some situations, it may even be possible for stakeholders to provide alternative means of support for the research. An example of this was a research project in which we are attempting to use evolutionary algorithms to develop an airborne network. The project originally had purely military applications, but through a discussion between the research team and the software developers, it was discovered that the results would be directly applicable to provide a better and cheaper means of internet access in developing countries. This would not have been discovered without direct contact between the researchers and stakeholders. Currently, it is more common for researchers to predict the expected implications of their work to the point that comprehensive means of application are developed. While this is useful in some situations, the rapidly changing nature of technology often makes these means outdated. It would be more useful in many cases to develop the relevant technology in small steps, periodically checking with stakeholders to evaluate the usefulness of the current state of the technology and if changes need to be made. If technology is the end result, the research needs to be conducted in a way that the findings can be successfully implemented. The development of new technology is an expensive undertaking, often with high risk. As a result, most companies are hesitant to invest in anything but the most tried and true methods. This can leave groundbreaking new research with nowhere to go. For cognitive research in general, a common method of implementation is through work with student groups. This can be an effective means of testing new methods but can also result in the situation described in the previous paragraph, in which the technology is forsaken for the tried and true. An alternative method is to involve the technology developers as participants in the research. This will increase the likelihood of implementation but may steer the research in a direction more directly beneficial to the developer and away from its original goal.