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Business Research Topics For Students

When pursuing business programs in colleges and universities, students are required to write papers or do my thesis on business research topics. The major challenge for most students is choosing topics for their papers. A vast majority of them are stuck in this step because they fear choosing a topic that is not interesting or too broad and end up with poor grades.

Nevertheless, many inspirations in the contemporary can guide you when choosing business topics for a research paper. Whether you are pursuing a bachelor’s degree or preparing for your Ph.D. defense, there are many topics that you can write about. You just need to choose a topic that you will be interested in researching and writing a paper about.

How to Find Business Research Topics

Best business research paper topics, examples of business-related research topics, business management research topics, business law topics for research paper, international business research paper, business administration topics, argumentative business topics, business communication topics for presentation, business persuasive and informative speech topics, business debate topics, qualitative research titles about business for your dissertation, mba research paper topics, entrepreneurial research topics, business intelligence topics, the most asked business research paper questions, where to get help with business research topics.

There are many factors to consider when choosing a topic for a research paper about business. They include the following:

Whether your professor provides the topic scope and if you are permitted to change it.
Whether you have been given a thematic area within which to choose a topic.
Whether you have specialized in a specific subject.
If you have the total freedom to choose your topic

If you have complete freedom to choose your topic, start with a little research. For instance, you can read news websites, analyze successful companies and corporations, or track problems that other people write about. If you still don’t find a topic after doing this, consider the examples of business research topics provided here.

Your choice of the best topic for your business paper should depend on the field you are interested in. Additionally, your topic should be engaging and related to your study program. It should also enable you to conduct extensive research and come up with facts to back up your argument. What’s more, the best business topics for research papers grab the readers’ attention.

This explains why many students get nervous or struggle when required to choose topics for their business papers. Nevertheless, students cover many topics and subjects during their studies. What you learn in class can, therefore, be your inspiration when choosing topics for business research papers. But, if you find it hard to come up with a topic for your research paper, the internet has many samples that you can consider.

Though there are many sample topics to consider when writing a business research paper, your choice should depend on your study level, the field of interest, and assignment requirements. Here are different categories of business research topics for college students and their examples.

Business Ethics Research Paper Topics

Business ethics is a study field that gives students the freedom to choose from different topics. For instance, a student can choose a topic in this field around duties, morality, integrity, and business behavior. The increasing business ethics issues widen the range of the topics students can choose from in this category. What’s more, business ethics cover ethical conflicts between individuals and groups of employers, employees, customers, and the surrounding. Here are examples of topics for research papers in this category.

Effects of Moral Principles on Business Decisions
Causes of Unethical Conducts in Workplaces
Should Businesses Be Honest with their Customers All the Time?
The Psychology and History of Business Ethics
Examples of Moral Judgment that Doesn’t Work in Business
How Ethical Mistakes can Lead to Business Bankruptcy
Are Business Ethics the Same for the Manager and the Personnel?
How to Avoid Sexual Harassment at the Workplace
Why is an Ethical Code Important for Companies?
Taking Responsibility for the Corporate Ethics of a Company

The fact that people engage in different businesses creates a chance to research common topics like workplace honesty and general topics like environmental protection.

When writing a business management research paper, it’s important to come up with a researchable and interesting question. This can be a challenging task because there are many facets and resources in the business management field. Nevertheless, it’s still possible to find a focused, narrow question that forms the topic of a research paper. Here are examples of topics for business management research papers.

Conflict Management in a Work Team
The Role of Women in Business Management
Issues that Affect Management of Business Startups
Consequences of Excessive Work in Business
Why You Should Start a New Business After One Fails
Importance of Inter-organizational Leadership and Networks
How to Manage Organizational Crisis in Business
Product and Service Development in a Strategic Alliance
Innovation and Network Markets as a Business Strategy
Social Enterprise and Entrepreneurship

Business management research paper topics should not be too narrow or too broad. Nevertheless, there are many topics on enterprise, trade, commerce, and other subjects that you can explore because they all require extensive research.

A business law topic is not easy to find. That’s because your topic should attract the attention of your reader and relate to the broad field of business law. As such, you should narrow down your topic to something more focused. Here are examples of topics for business law papers.

How Do You Define Authority Before You Start Business Negotiations?
Insider Trading- What Does it Mean in the Contemporary World?
Are Alcohol Consumption and Sale Laws Beneficial to the Public’s Wellbeing?
Should Some Corporate Crimes Warrant Death Penalty?
Can State Officials Succeed when Dismissed for their Implication in Corruption Cases?
How Marijuana-Based Businesses Interact with the Federal and State Law
What Should a Business Do to Ensure that Its Former Employees Do Not Join Its Rival Firm?
Should Author Protection for Written Work Be Done with Nom de Plumes or Legal Names?
How can Non-Disclosure Agreements save a Company from Disgruntled former Employees?
How is Copyright Law Favorable to an Artist or a Singer when the Recording Company represents it?

Though there are many business law research topics , it’s important to choose a topic that you are personally interested in to make writing your paper an interesting task.

International topics allow students to explore global business subjects. These topics can be more complex though lucrative. It’s not surprising that this category comprises mostly of business research topics for MBA students. Here are examples of international topics for research papers.

Is Social Media Presence Important for Companies Around the World?
How Does War between Countries Affect Businesses?
Examples of Companies that Have Failed in the International Markets and Why How Do You Spot a Small Business that is Likely to Become a Successful Multi-National?
What Languages are Likely to Be International Business Languages in the Future?
Should international companies be forced to supply healthcare services to full-time employees?
Should maternity leave in international business be increased?
Should recruiters be allowed to ask questions about an applicant’s personal life?
Should we attempt for an equal representation of male and feminine leaders within the workplace?
Should social media sites be blocked at work?
Casual dress codes and the corporate world.
International businesses and their influence on national businesses.

International topics for research papers should be current. They can’t be too general or too narrow. If your topic is too general or too narrow, you will be writing a paper that won’t delve deep or say much. This won’t earn you the grade you desire.

Topics on business administration give students a chance to explore something innovative. However, choosing a topic in this category can frustrating because there are many options available. Here are examples of business administration topics.

How Advertisement Affects Consumer Behavior
How Wages Affect Employees’ Productivity
How Staff Motivation Affects Productivity
How to Measure Employee Retention Rate
Customer follow-up techniques as after-sales methods.
Why business will harden you
Emotional intelligence
Equal opportunities for both sexes
Good governance ethics and social responsibility.
The way to cope with a breach of contract.
The various external factors affecting employee retention.

When writing a business administration research paper, it’s important to choose an effective topic that you can research and present properly. It’s also important to consider the field you are interested in and the goal of writing your paper. An ideal business administration topic is one that you are interested to learn more about.

Argumentative business papers use the existing, published materials and literature. So, when choosing business research proposal topics in this category, students should explore the existing information first. This will enable them to use the existing data when presenting their understanding of the topics argumentatively. The major challenge is to choose a topic that relates to your field of business study. Here are examples of argumentative business topics.

Acquisition vs. merger- Which one is better?
Businesses that Focus on Market Vs. Businesses that Focus on Products
Is Offering Better Value to New Employees a Wise Move?
Can Business Develop Leadership through Practice and Learning?
Is it Wise for a Company to Exploit Labor in Maximizing Profits?
Investing in Digital Marketing and Social Media Campaigns- Does it Capture the Audience Attention?
Monetary Incentives Versus Personal Acknowledgement and Fringe Benefits
Is having a crypto investment risk for businesses?
Is there a bias against the workplace?
Is it possible to work while stressed?
Why are there corporate loans and special grants for females’ start-ups?

Before you decide to write a paper on an argumentative business topic, it’s important to establish your position. Make sure that you have evidence or you can find facts to support your position. Your idea should be put on a pedestal when making your argument.

Business communication is solely the act of sharing and distributing information between people within and outdoors a corporation and how the staff and management communicate to assist out organizational problems. The best researchable business communication topics for presentation include:

Social media usage
Non-verbal communication
Giving proper feedback
Communicating decisions during an issue or crisis
Business and email etiquettes and manners
Usage of company blogs
Role of influencers for building a brand
Impact of social media for workers
Differences between qualitative and quantitative data analysis
Secrets of advertising and marketing

You would have to note that these are two different things; informative speeches support educating and training. In persuasive speeches, you’re imploring that they participate in something or buy something. Some business persuasive and informative speech topics include:

Ergonomics in the workspace
Standards in creative and financial accounting
Understanding business copyright protection
What are the categories of insurance?
How to develop healthy work skills
How safety programs and dealing conditions relate to productivity
Conflict Management Strategies
How to create a comprehensive and viable business plan
Opportunities of internet advertising.
Internal control of resources.
What is a career break?
What impact do oil price fluctuations have on businesses?
Ways to draw in customer attention.
Time management
New fathers’ paternity leave.

Debate may be a valuable way of communicating and also persuading people. Interesting business debate topics for you include:

Can companies be trusted?
Are our casual dress codes beneficial for the company?
Employee drug test: yes, or no?
Should dating within the workplace be allowed?
Should companies spy on employees on social media?
Companies should be forced to produce health care for full-time employees.
Are employees that employment from home productive?
Does job satisfaction help in productivity?
Men should stay longer off for paternity leave.
Non-financial incentives and financial incentives – which is better?
How to put in place strict work policies.

Qualitative business research has to do with the creative and investigative analysis of intangible and inexact data. Here are some qualitative research titles about business for your dissertation.

Handling backlash during a project program
Ways to relieve pressure for strict work deadlines
Time management essence in goal setting
Managers should be flexible in their decisions.
How to manage an organizational crisis in business and work
What is a product development and how to do it the right way?
Major types of business insurance
Ways to enhance short and long run career plans
Networking for a successful manager
Harassment within the workplace.
Telemarketing ideas for tiny companies.

MBA is a prestigious postgraduate qualification outlining key business practices and is valued by top employers. Great MBA research paper topics include:

Gender representation in advertising
Impact of workplace diversity on company culture
Result of emotional branding on customer loyalty
Steps to run a successful retail business.
Molestation should be taken more seriously within the workplace.
Should business strikers be fired?
Strong unions are necessary for the economic process.
How do team-building events foster unity in the workplace?
To be a business owner, you need to learn to be organized.
Top ten strategic e-marketing issues.
Business and politics: should they be mixed?

This develops methods and tools for founders, which are given to start-up companies. To go in-depth, here are some entrepreneurial research topics:

Entrepreneurship skills acquisition and product innovation
Determining the impact of technological advancement on entrepreneurship in a company
Determinants of entrepreneurial innovation in an organization
Role of entrepreneurship in solving unemployment
To be a good business owner, you must learn to be well-organized
A way to promote the business without a marketing budget?
The right technique to write effective business letters
Important business ethics for running a startup
Negotiation techniques every manager must-have.
Recruitment and staffing decisions are crucial to the success of any business.
How performance-related pay can enhance motivation in the workplace.

Business intelligence ensures business owners and employees are at the top of their game at all times. Business intelligence topics worthy of consideration include:

Role of human resources in company development
Impact of organizational culture on employee performance
Evaluating the impact of strategy and leadership for organizational development
Factors influencing employee motivation.
SMEs and their risk management approach.
Ageism within the workplace
Impact of advertisement strategy on consumer behavior.
Data analysis implementation for business intelligence
Knowledge management for organizational knowledge generation
Research on knowledge extraction using data processing for business operations
How poor leadership can bankrupt a business.

A great business research paper requires a relevant subject and one that may distinguish it from other papers. Frequently asked business research paper questions include:

Repackaging a product: is it possible to avoid copyright infringement?
Is it possible for a father to require paternity leave at work?
What are the best methods of identifying bankruptcy and fraud?
Can discrimination affect the work environment?
Should companies provide penalties for smoking employers?
How does piracy influence the gaming business?
Is there anything like the law of molestation at the workplace?
What causes favoritism in the workplace?
15 Ways to start an e-business successfully
How is the worldwide pandemic changing international business strategies concerning different sectors?
What are the best training and development tactics in the office?

Topics for business papers fall into different categories. The choice of your topic should reflect your subject area or study field. But, above all, your topic should capture the readers’ attention from the moment they come across it. It should also be straightforward, original, and specific. That means you should understand your study field well to select a good topic. Therefore, conduct some research before you choose a topic for your business thesis or research paper. Besides, providing good topics for you, we can also help you with your business research paper topics.

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Business research is an essential aspect of the modern corporate world. The ability to understand the latest trends, consumer behavior, and market dynamics is crucial for any firm looking to stay competitive. With this in mind, we've compiled a list of 250 business research topics that can serve as an inspiration for your next paper. From the impact of technology on the workforce to the rise of sustainable firm practices, these research topics in business cover a wide range of subjects that are relevant to today's business climate. Whether you're a student or a researcher, this list of topics related to business is sure to provide you with ideas for your next work or thesis. Stay with our business essay writing service to discover amazing ideas.

What Are Business Research Topics?

Business research topics are areas of study that pertain to the various aspects of running an organization, such as marketing, management, finance, as well as operations. These topics can cover a wide range of subjects. They also focus on specific industries or geographic regions. Business related topics can be studied using various methods, such as quantitative or qualitative ones.It is important to note that business topics for a research paper are frequently evolving and adapting to the current business environment, which makes them very dynamic. As a crucial part of the corporate world, they provide insights and understanding of various aspects of such an environment. These insights can help firms make informed decisions, develop new strategies, and stay competitive in the marketplace.

Characteristics of Good Business Research Topics

There are several characteristics that make business research paper topics good. Here are a few examples:

Relevance The chosen topic should be relevant to the present business environment. Therefore, it seeks to solve issues that are essential to both researchers and practitioners.
Feasibility Good research topics in business should be feasible to research. It means that there are readily available resources and information necessary for the project.
Significance: the topic should have practical implications for practitioners and companies.
Clarity It must be specific and clearly defined.
Originality It should contribute new perspectives or insights to the existing body of knowledge.

All of these characteristics together will make a good research topic, one that is valuable, informative, and useful for the corporate industry.

How to Choose a Business Topic for Research?

When writing your research, you should get your foundation right, which starts with choosing a good business related topic. Here are the steps you can use to select a business topic for research:

Identify your research area Find out the broad area of enterprise that you want to focus on.
Review the literature Conduct a literature review to identify current research trends, gaps, and issues in your chosen area.
Narrow down your focus Based on the literature review, narrow down your focus to a specific topic that is relevant, feasible, and original.
Assess feasibility Consider the time frame, resources, and data availability for the topic. Make sure that you have access to the necessary data and materials to conduct the research.
Finalize the topic Choose a topic that aligns with your interests and that you are passionate about. This will make the research process more enjoyable.
Consult with experts Seek advice from professionals in the field to get feedback on your topic and to make sure that it is relevant.

Business Research Topics List

A well-curated business research paper topics list can help researchers identify current trends, gaps in the literature, and emerging issues in the field. Here are some top business topics that are very useful.

How sustainable business practices affect a company’s financial performance.
Blockchain technology’s role in business.
Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on global supply chain management.
Impact of fintech on traditional financial institutions.
How digital transformation affects organizational culture.
Consequences of social media marketing for customer engagement.
Data analytics’ role in company performance and decision-making.
Impact of the gig economy on traditional employment model.
Abuse experienced by women in the workplace.
Revolution of firm operations and strategy due to artificial intelligence.

Interesting Business Topics for a Research Paper

We’ve compiled an interesting business topic list that can be helpful in your work. Before choosing research topics on business, you should understand the requirements, then select one that matches your interest from the list below.

Growth in tourism and its impact on the economy.
Limitations of global sanctions.
Determinants of consumer behavior.
Current changes in global labor unions.
History of economic thoughts.
Exploring trade embargo.
Comparative analysis of property rights.
Ways to maximize product profits.
Differences between tax bracket rates and fixed tax rate.
Factors to consider when choosing countries to invest in.
Relevant leadership styles for family-owned organizations.
Ways in which an organization can enter a foreign market.
Challenges of remote employment.
Advantages of franchising for the franchisee.
Languages used in international ventures.

These are just a few examples of the many topics that can be explored through research. The goal is to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that influence organizational performance and to develop strategies for addressing any challenges that arise.

Easy Business Research Paper Topics

Business research is an important aspect of understanding various factors that drive organizational success. However, some business research topics can be complex and time-consuming to investigate. Here are 15 great research paper business topics that may be researched quickly.

Storytelling’s role in marketing.
Impact of online communication tools on team productivity.
COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts on consumer buying behavior.
How virtual meetings enhance team collaboration.
Workplace diversity and employee satisfaction.
Telecommunications effects on employee morale.
Artificial intelligence’s role in personalization of marketing efforts.
Impact of gamification on employee training.
Green initiative’s impact on customer loyalty.
How branding affects consumer purchasing power.
How does mobile technology enhance customer service?
Customer reviews’ role in enhancing online sales.
How digital marketing drives sales for small businesses.
Importance of flexible working hours for employee productivity.
Characteristics of monopolistic markets.

>> View more: Marketing Research Topics

Unique Business Research Topics

Business paper topics listed below are unique and challenging in the sense that they offer new perspectives and angles on the research, and they are not widely studied. It's also important to note that this category of research topic about business can cover ideas in any sector related to corporate world.

Virtual reality’s role in enhancing customer experience in luxury retail.
Artificial intelligence and human resources recruitment.
Using virtual and augmented reality in real estate.
LMS software for small businesses .
Greenwashing’s effect on consumer purchasing behavior.
Applying Internet of Things in predictive maintenance.
Virtual reality’s application in team building.
How mindfulness practices impact decision-making and productivity.
Application of augmented reality in e-commerce and retail.
Using blockchain technology in supply chain management.
Barriers to entering monopolistic markets.
How chatbots lead to employee satisfaction.
Emotional intelligence’s impact on effectiveness of leadership.
Impact of AI-generated content on company sales.
Effective advertising techniques for SMEs.

Controversial Business Research Topics

There are some research topics related to business that are controversial and can challenge widely held beliefs or societal norms. We’ve created a list of controversial business topic ideas below. You can choose any that interests you.

Automation’s impact on job displacement.
Corporate social responsibility’s role in addressing social issues.
Income inequality’s effects on firm performance.
Influence of Artificial Intelligence on privacy and ethical concerns.
Big data’s role in decision-making and potential biases.
Multinational companies’ impact on developing countries.
Sharing economy’s consequences on traditional industries and regulations.
Using blockchain technology in financial privacy and security.
How companies can be responsible for political lobbying.
Cannabis industry’s role in Canada’s economic development.
Ethical implication of AI in corporate world.
How surveillance affects employee privacy.
Effects of automation on the future of work.
Digital currency’s role in financial inclusion.
Social media’s impact on political polarization.

Business Research Proposal Topics

Whether you are an investor or a customer at a local grocery store, everyone is involved in some form of venture that prompts them to develop business research proposal ideas. Students in different academic levels may also be required to write a proposal before their research. Below are some business proposal topics to research that can help you explore your ideas.

Reducing workplace stress using virtual reality.
AI's potential impact on organizations venturing in healthcare.
How the current digital revolution has affected the corporate world.
Importance of video surveillance to organizations.
Potential solutions that private firms can implement to be economically secure.
Reasons why low self-esteem is detrimental at workplace.
Small independent organizations: lifelines in a world of giant franchises.
Solutions to the world's joblessness problem and how to implement them.
How workers’ motivation affects productivity.
A social problem: how altering consumer behavior affects retail sales.
Factors that determine the length of paternity leave given to employees.
The present-day world's environmental problems and their implications for business management.
Importance of leadership abilities in maintaining authority.
A methodical survey of investment approaches in real estate industry.
Comparing direct marketing with other types of advertisement .

Business Research Paper Topics for Students

Research topic ideas for business students can cover a wide range of areas, including management, marketing, finance, and operations. These themes are meant to be used as inspiration for students to conduct research on the business field and can be tailored to meet the specific requirements of the assignment. Research paper topics related to business may also be chosen from areas of interest such as customer service, digital marketing, e-commerce, and green business practices.

Business Research Topics for College Students

Business topics for college students provide an opportunity to conduct research and gain a deeper understanding of the various factors that drive organizational success. Here are 15 potential business topics to write about.

Ways to ensure diversity in the workplace.
Virtual and augmented reality’s role in enhancing customer experience.
Effectiveness of various quality leadership styles in different industries.
Corporate governance’s impact on organizational performance.
Digitalization and its influence on the news industry.
Effectiveness of Artificial Intelligence in personalization of marketing efforts.
How virtual teams affect productivity and communication of employees in an organization.
How does the sharing economy affect traditional industries and regulations?
Ways in which privacy concerns influence consumer purchase behavior.
How the Internet of Things impacts supply chain management.
Digital currency’s role in financial inclusion and inequality.
Different insurance forms for a company.
Benefits of personalizing a firm website.
The future of virtual reality in organizations.
How greenwashing affects consumer purchasing behavior.

Business Research Topics for MBA Students

Business research project topics cover a wide range of areas and can be tailored to meet the specific requirements of the assignment or the student's area of interest. These topics are also relevant to the current business environment and can provide MBA students with a chance to explore the various challenges and opportunities that companies face today. Highlighted below is a list of business research paper ideas that you can consider.

Digitalization’s impact on the financial industry and its regulation.
Artificial Intelligence’s role in the healthcare industry.
How corporate social responsibility affects financial performance and reputation.
E-commerce’s effect on brick-and-mortar retail firms.
Big data’s role in marketing.
COVID-19 pandemic on global trade and investment.
Importance of time management in an organization.
Using virtual and augmented reality in real estate and construction.
Digital transformation’s impact on the public sector and government.
Applying blockchain technology in logistics and transportation.
What are the sustainable firm practices that an organization should adopt?
How social media affects consumer behavior and decision-making.
Digital marketing’s role in the B2B industry.
Artificial Intelligence’s impact on human resources management.
The impact of political and economic changes on renewable energy.

Research Topics on Business in Different Fields

Business research topics cover various industries and sectors, including finance, healthcare, marketing, as well as logistics. They can provide insight into the different business challenges and opportunities that different industries face today. Researchers dive deeper into specific fields to understand how business practices and strategies differ, as well as how they can be improved. These research business ideas can also be tailored to match the specific requirements of the assignment or the student's area of interest.

International Business Research Paper Topics

International business topics for research can encompass various aspects of cross-border trade as well as investment, including market entry strategies, cultural differences, and global supply chain management. Listed here are 15 potential research paper topics on international business.

How cultural differences affect international business negotiations.
An examination of the challenges and opportunities of international franchising.
The impact of currency fluctuations on international business performance.
Different forms of international business ownership.
Role of international trade agreements and their impact on companies.
Brexit’s impact on international business .
Corporate social responsibility and its effect on international business reputation.
Impact of language barriers on international business communication.
How international organizations promote sustainable development.
Most effective market entry strategies for emerging markets.
Political and economic instability’s role in international trade.
Role of technology in facilitating cross-border e-commerce.
Impact of international enterprise on host-country workers.
Influence of international ventures on environmental sustainability.
International business’ influence on local cultures and traditions.

Business Law Topics for a Research Paper

Business law research paper topic ideas can encompass various legal issues that organizations face, including contract law, intellectual property law, and corporate governance. Here are 15 potential research paper topics for business law class.

Effectiveness of different forms of alternative dispute resolution in business disputes.
Consumer protection laws.
Challenges and opportunities of cross-border litigation in international business.
The effects of corporate governance on organizational performance and accountability.
Securities laws on initial public offerings and capital raising.
The role of intellectual property law in protecting innovation and creativity in the digital age.
Challenges and opportunities of merger and acquisition regulation.
The impact of labor laws on human resources management and recruitment.
Effectiveness of different forms of corporate social responsibility in addressing social and environmental issues.
The role of competition law in promoting fair competition and protecting consumer welfare.
Limitations of international trade law and its impact on firms.
Data privacy laws on company operations and decision-making.
Contract law on e-commerce and online business.
The role of property law in real estate and construction enterprises.
Limitations and opportunities of corporate governance in family-owned firms.

Research Topics in Business Administration

Business administration research topics can encompass various aspects of organizational management, including leadership, strategy, and operations. They are also relevant to the current business environment and provide an opportunity to explore challenges that companies face in the field of business administration. We’ve compiled a list of business administration topics for a research paper that can be helpful to you.

Effective leadership styles for different types of organizations.
The impact of organizational culture on employee engagement and performance.
Opportunities and limitations of virtual teams and remote work.
The effects of innovation management on organizational performance.
Digitalization’s impact on organizational structure and processes.
The role of project management in driving organizational success.
Reasons to implement mergers and acquisitions.
The impact of corporate social responsibility on organizational reputation and brand image.
Automation and machine learning influence organizational processes and decision-making.
Human resources management’s role in promoting a healthy and inclusive work environment.
Limitations of international expansion.
The impact of data analytics and big data on organizational decision-making and performance.
Effectiveness of different organizational change management forms.
Operations management’s role in driving efficiency and productivity.
Sustainable firm practices and their impact on organizational performance.

Business Management Research Topics

Are you specialized in management and looking for related business management research paper topics? This article lists business report topics below that can be useful to you.

Applying artificial intelligence in business management.
Gig economy and its impact on workforce management.
Innovative Human Resource practices to improve employee resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ways to promote sustainable development in an organization.
How virtual reality impacts human behavior and well-being.
The use of technology in strategic management.
Gender disparity and discrimination in wages.
Strategies to encourage more women leaders in organizations.
Team building strategies.
Connection between labor productivity and salary.
Enhancing employee retention rate.
Conflict management in a company.
Ways to motivate employees.
Social media’s impact on business.
How do you ensure diversity in leadership?

These topics cover a wide range of areas and can be tailored to meet the specific requirements of the assignment or the student's area of interest. They provide insight into the field of business management and can help equip you with necessary skills needed in that study area.

Business Ethics Topics for a Research Paper

Business ethics research paper topics can encompass various issues related to moral and ethical principles in the business world, such as corporate social responsibility, diversity and inclusion, and integrity in decision-making. Highlighted below are topics for a business ethics essay or paper that you can consider.

Corporate social responsibility and consumer trust.
Forms of corruption in private sector organizations.
Ways to promote sustainable development.
Diversity and inclusion policies.
How corporate governance impacts organizational integrity.
Forms of whistle-blower protection.
Organization’s role in addressing social and environmental issues.
Challenges of implementing a code of conduct.
Ways to enhance organizational reputation and brand image.
Different forms of corporate social responsibility reporting.
Principles of ethical management.
The impact of ethics on employee engagement and motivation.
How to address issues of social and environmental justice.
Business ethics’ impact on the financial performance of a company.
How do companies address human rights issues?

Business Communication Research Topics

The success of a business depends significantly on the communication between stakeholders. Business communication topics can include different aspects within and between organizations, including cross-cultural, digital, and crisis communication. If you want to study it, here are some business research topics ideas to consider.

Essential digital tools used in business communication.
Forms of multimedia communication in organizations.
Communication’s role in promoting a healthy and inclusive work environment.
Cross-functional communication in organizations.
Communication technology’s impact on networking and relationship building.
Forms of internal communication in different industries.
How communication promotes transparency and trust.
Ways of communicating during mergers and acquisitions.
How communication technology impacts the financial industry .
Nonverbal communication in firm interactions.
Using social media in organizational communication.
Enhancing team dynamics and collaboration through communication.
Crisis communication in the digital age.
Language barriers in international organizations.
Intergenerational communication in the workplace.

>> View more: Communication Research Paper Topics

Business Speech Research Topics

Research topics in business include various aspects of oral communication in the corporate world, such as public speaking, presentations, as well as pitch deliveries. Do you have a speech that you want to deliver related to enterprise and still not sure of the topic to choose? Here are general business research topic ideas you can use.

Types of corporate crimes you should look out for as our employees.
Never be afraid of your competitors.
How to deliberately think and plan for your success.
Moving your company a generation ahead.
How to ensure effective leadership in your company.
How to reward your employees.
Ways to motivate your employees.
Encouraging innovation in your firm.
Why should everyone have a business plan before starting one?
How we can deal with breach of contract.
Types of insurance cover we should consider for a company.
Ways to improve our company’s reputation in public.
How to write effective business letters.
Why we should actively participate in corporate social responsibilities.
How to increase our sales.

Business Debate Research Topics

Business research questions for debate involve various aspects of public discourse as well as arguments in the corporate world, such as ethical dilemmas, industry trends, and policy decisions. These themes can provide an opportunity to explore different perspectives and arguments on a particular issue and to evaluate their strengths as well as weaknesses. Some of the debatable business research project ideas include the following:

Is investing in stocks like taking a chance on the lottery?
Do you think cryptocurrencies should power the corporate world?
Is it true that men account for more successful company owners?
Do women fare better than men in the corporate world?
When it comes to commerce, how trustworthy are cryptocurrencies, and how does advertising them increase their customer base?
Are corporations with a global reach causing more harm than good?
If a company invests in advertisements, do they see a return on its investment?
Do jobs in cooperation constitute a new form of slavery?
Should it be possible to blend politics with corporations?
Do you think getting an MBA is worth the cost?
Does technology make people less productive?
Are companies overlooking the issue of cybersecurity?
Has the introduction of emails improved communication within companies?
Is artificial intelligence bad for the corporate world?
Unlike theft, infringing on copyright does not deprive the victim of the original product.

>> Read more: Political Science Research Questions

Bottom Line on Business Research Paper Topics

There are numerous categories of topics for business research paper. The chosen topic should be a reflection of your expertise. Before deciding on the research paper topic about business to write on, you must first establish your specialty besides ensuring you have the necessary facts as well as resources. Provided in this article are 250 business research ideas. Feel free to choose from any category depending on your area of interest. Don't forget to proofread as well as modify your final paper several times before submission. All the best! Just in case you need to conduct a study in another field, remember that we have a huge arsenal of topics in various disciplines. From psychology research topics to sociology research paper topics , you can spot any title idea for an A-grade work.

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The Top 10 Most Interesting Business Research Topics

Interesting and relevant business research topics are vital for students pursuing an MBA or an undergraduate degree in business . Aside from helping you get excellent grades in school, they can help you understand business problems and come up with solutions to vital business research questions.

Choosing a single business research paper topic can be daunting. There are tons of exciting topics to choose from. This article provides several examples of business research paper topics that can inspire your next paper or research project.

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What makes a strong business research topic.

A strong business research paper topic is clear, concise, well-phrased, and easy to understand. It is devoid of unnecessary jargon and may contain relevant business terms and widely known abbreviations. It also lays the foundation for the entire paper, summarizing the scope and aim of the business research project.

Tips for Choosing a Business Research Topic

Brainstorm: When choosing a research topic, begin by brainstorming topics that strike your interest or that you have substantial knowledge about. Make a list of ideas as you go.
Consider keywords and hot topics: Think about trends and hot topics in your field and academic network. Skimming the table of contents in a recently published business journal can be very helpful in this regard.
Research: Next, read up on your keywords to help you form possible topics for your research paper. Conduct a literature review to see what other researchers have discovered and how your research can add to the existing body of knowledge.
Sort your ideas: After your preliminary research, take your ideas and sort them into categories. For instance, keep topics on business law separate from international business topics.
Narrow down: Finally, narrow down your options. At this stage, consider the cost of running the project, your level of expertise, your interest, and the availability of research materials. Eventually, you’ll arrive at a single ideal research topic.

What’s the Difference Between a Research Topic and a Research Question?

A research topic is a subject that forms the foundation of your research paper—for example, the impact of gender discrimination. Your topic scope here may be fairly broad.

By contrast, a research question articulates a specific problem that your research aims to solve. Answering research questions should be the objective of your study or thesis. One example of a strong research question is “How do cultural contexts affect the impact of gender discrimination in privately owned companies?”

How to Create Strong Business Research Questions

Creating strong business research questions follows the same rules as choosing strong business research topics. However, this time you have to ask the following questions: how, why, and who? Research questions should relate to your topic of study. They should be clear, straightforward, and answerable.

2. Modern Methods of Increasing Employee Productivity

Monetary incentives, healthy work environments, and excellent work-life balance keep workers motivated and improve productivity. This research can explore the pros and cons of each method and its potential implications on employee motivation and morale. You can use data analytics methods to assess the effectiveness of these strategies.

3. Brand Influencing and Social Media Marketing Strategies

The International Chamber of Commerce formulated the international code of conduct on direct selling to guide local and international business marketing operations to ensure fairness in highly competitive business environments. Such online marketing operations include social media marketing and brand influencing.

4. Analyzing the Role of Copyrights and Trademarks in Business Transactions

Copyright, patent, and trademark policy are essential legal doctrines that prevent business people from unfairly profiting from others’ creations. When two businesses enter into a transaction, several potential issues could arise. One such issue is the protection of intellectual property. The purpose of this research is to explore the role copyrights and trademarks play in maintaining fair business transactions.

5. Analyzing the Structure of Transactions and the Role of a Director’s Guarantee in Business Law

Transactions, specifically in business law, play a significant role in the stability of companies. This paper on business law aims to analyze business laws and the structure of transactions. It will also recognize the role of a director’s guarantee in ensuring these aspects function to maintain the stability of companies in the American business sector.

6. Challenges to Transforming Small Local Businesses into Global Business Brands

Scaling a start-up or a small family business into a global brand involves several factors, including financing and financial management , technology, management, and the business environment. By studying international brands like Walmart and Spanx, you can identify core challenges that impede scaling and suggest solutions ranging from innovation management and technological innovation to a possible change in government policies.

7. Ethical Issues in Modern Business Management

Business ethics is a core aspect of business management . It defines the right and wrong ways of conducting business and guides business managers in the day-to-day running of their enterprises. With this research topic, you can explore ethical issues a business leader faces in the modern era, such as business corruption, harassment, and discrimination.

8. The Economic Development of Developing Economies in the Emerging Digital Economy

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s 2021 report revealed a fast-rising global data-driven digital economy. It also sparked several questions regarding the divide between developing economies and their developed counterparts. Some areas of focus were poor internet connection and lack of technological infrastructure.

9. The Role of Business Negotiation in Driving Sales Performance

With this topic, you can focus on the role of different negotiation tactics in achieving desired outcomes for both the organization and the customer. Managers can use these findings to help their team members negotiate more effectively and achieve better results.

10. The Role of Social Entrepreneurship in Societal Transformation

Social entrepreneurs are business start-ups formed with the primary aim of solving a societal problem and upholding moral principles, turning profit-making into a lower priority than it might be otherwise. You can study the business plans and business models of these kinds of ventures and highlight their roles in bringing about sustainable development and other forms of positive social change.

Business Research Questions

Do employee diversity and internal business communication play an essential role in productivity?
How can small companies impact global change?
What are effective strategies for maintaining vastly diversified organizations?
What role does human resource management play in ensuring proper crisis management in small businesses?
What is the role of start-ups in global business?

Choosing the Right Business Research Topic

Choosing the right business topic can be challenging, but it is essential to writing a compelling paper. Make sure to pick a topic that interests you. Also, ensure that your topic meets your professor’s requirements for the assignment.

Having a good research topic is the first step to writing an excellent research paper because it lays the foundation for the entire piece. Conduct in-depth research and take advantage of any resources available to you to facilitate the process.

Business Research Topics FAQ

The difference between quantitative research and qualitative research is that quantitative research uses numerical data to analyze problems, and it relies on statistical sampling and mathematical models to arrive at conclusions. On the other hand, qualitative business research collects data through interviews, focus groups, and observations.

You can find strong business communication research paper topics on research websites like Google Scholar and ResearchGate. You can also check many other online resources for suggestions on dissertation topics in business communication.

When starting a business, you should research your industry, target market, and competitors. It is also necessary to study business law, organizational behavior, and financial management.

Some examples of business research questions on racial and gender discrimination in the workplace include:

How does implicit bias impact employees and businesses?
What can companies do to prevent or mitigate discrimination in the workplace?
How can we create a more inclusive workplace for all employees?
What are the best practices for handling discrimination complaints?

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Business Research Paper Topics – Complete List

Table of contents

1 What are good business topics for a research paper?
2 Interesting business-related topics
3 Business management topics
4 Current topics in international business
5 Business ethics topics
6 Business intelligence topics
7 Topics On Business Communication
8 Other good business research topics

What are good business topics for a research paper?

To narrow down the field of business research topics for college students, consider the goals of your course and pay particular attention to the curriculum of your course. For an MBA program, you’ll likely need to explore undiscovered territory and report on your findings. In this case, you can find inspiration from the local corporate news on Television or online and derive a relevant topic. For the undergrad student, demonstrating a strong understanding of course material will go a long way to motivate your professors to give you a high grade. Whichever academic level you study, there is an abundance of areas to explore. But a common issue is often, students are deeply interested in a subject but just don’t know how to write about it. This is where a writing service comes into play. You can leverage the help of seasoned professionals who are up-to-date on contemporary corporate affairs. They will write a paper for you and guarantee the quality of their work. So if you’re concerned about your GPA, leverage these services to get the job done for you.

Interesting business-related topics

At times, the courses you take are important but may not jump off your page and capture the reader with interest. Such is the reality of some research papers topics . But there are some strategies you could take, for instance, using argumentative business essay topics is a great way to draw in readers to appreciate your work more. You can use any of the following and turn your research paper into an issue of debate that will have your teachers thinking of the effort you put forth to make a compelling paper. For sure, you’ll also be rewarded with a high grade.

Business management topics

Positive Effects of Diversity in the Workplace
Methods of Reducing Overhead with Enterprise Planning
Using Typology for Better Team Management
Influence of Corporate Culture on Employee Retention
Valuating Enterprise Priorities for Optimal Outcomes
Using Incentive Programs to Meet Objectives
Results of Agile Project Management in Traditional Companies
Lean Operational Structures – Results Without Bureaucracy
ABC Costing to Build Efficient Budgets
Practical Methods of Delivering Concepts to Production
Managing Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace
Evaluating Human Capital for Optimization
Risk Management and Contingency Planning
Negotiation Strategies of Effective Leaders
Formulating a Product Personality that Speaks to Consumers

Current topics in international business

Methods of Effective Remote Management
Navigating Tariffs and Taxation
Assurance services to control waste
International Supply Chain and Inventory Management
Developing a Corporate Structure in an Offshore Company
Doing Business in Countries with High Corruption
Enforcing International Contracts
Assessing an Offshore Labor Pool
Establishing a Competitive Advantage in the Global Market
How to avoid Currency Risk with International Trade
Risk Management in Developing Countries
Using Time Zones for 24 Hour Productivity
Overcoming Cultural Differences
International Compliance and Taxation
Environmental Issues With a Global Business

Business ethics topics

Maintaining Compliance with Independent Contractors
Consumer Rights to Privacy and Confidentiality
Monitoring Employees in the Office
Affirmative Action with Recruitment
Building an Inclusive Company
Roles and Responsibilities of Teen Employees
Corporate Impacts on the Environment
Insider Trading and the Rights of Shareholders
Establishing Positive Community Relations
Managing a Socially Responsible Enterprise

Business intelligence topics

Automation of Routine Practices
Evaluating the Cost versus Reward of AI
How Big Data can Work for any Company
Contemporary Predictive Analysis
Validating Data Quality
Market Intelligence to Find Your Niche
Using Case Studies to Solve Problems in the Corporate World
Real-Time Intelligence and the Business Cycle
Setting the Right KPIs
Data Security To Safeguard Against Hackers

Topics On Business Communication

Communicating with International Teams
Designing a Communications Document
Setting Meeting Agendas
Benefits of a RACI Matrix
Developing Soft Skills with Employees
Expressing Empathy for Better Relations
Methods of Constructive Mentoring
Modern applications of the Customer eXperience
Motivational Speaking Strategies
Finding Team Players Through Interviewing
Enterprise Investigative Techniques
Recognizing Identity in Communication
Streamlined Change Management
Working with Aggressive Individuals
Documenting Interactions for Better Performance

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International business research: The real challenges are data and theory

Counterpoint
Open access
Published: 30 October 2022
Volume 53 , pages 2068–2087, ( 2022 )

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Jean-François Hennart 1 , 2 &
Dylan Sutherland 3

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We agree with Aguinis and Gabriel that, contrary to Eden and Nielsen, international business (IB) is not uniquely complex, but argue that it faces two unique challenges. First, because it deals with cross-country phenomena, IB data are less plentiful and reliable. Second, because IB uses many imported theories, and they tend to be influenced by the national environment of their authors, they often have, taken as is, limited applicability in many of the contexts IB studies. We illustrate our twin points by examining the secondary data used in IB to measure the economic activities of multinational enterprises outside their home country, both at the country level, using foreign direct investment (FDI) data from balance of payments statistics, and at the firm level, using firm-level databases such as Orbis. We document the serious shortcomings of FDI data and the problems encountered in using firm-level data. We then highlight some of the cultural biases inherent in Williamson’s version of transaction cost theory (TCT) but show how they can be overcome to arrive at a richer and more general theory that is applicable to a wider variety of contexts.

The rise of techno-geopolitical uncertainty: Implications of the United States CHIPS and Science Act

Resource Dependence Theory

The theoretical evolution and use of the Uppsala Model of internationalization in the international business ecosystem

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

INTRODUCTION

In a recent article in the Journal of International Business Studies, Eden and Nielsen ( 2020 : 1610) write that “complexity is the underlying cause of the unique methodological problems facing international business research.” For them, international business (IB) research is uniquely complex because of its multiplicity, multiplexity, and dynamism: IB researchers need to take into account multiple actors, engaged in multiple relationships, which unfold over time. Aguinis and Gabriel ( 2021 ) counter that organizational behavior, strategic management, and entrepreneurship deal with similar complexity. We agree with them that research in IB is not necessarily more complex than that in other disciplines. Nonetheless, we believe that it is uniquely challenging for two main reasons. First, accessing reliable data on the questions IB researchers address, for example those related to MNE activity, is difficult. Second, IB scholars study contexts which often differ from those in which the theories they borrow have been elaborated. They must therefore modify or replace them to ensure local relevance and, even more challenging, greater generalizability. We first address some of the data issues faced by IB researchers and then discuss the challenges posed by theory.

IB scholars use primary data obtained through interviews and surveys, and secondary data from national statistical offices, international organizations, industry associations, commercial data providers, and firms via their annual reports and other regulatory filings.

Primary Data

Comparing primary data across countries, as IB must, is challenging because cultural factors make international comparison of responses to interviews and surveys difficult. Cross-national data equivalence requires that respondents of different cultures, often speaking different languages, understand and score survey questions the same way. This is problematic because respondents live and work in different contexts and hence might well be expected to interpret questions differently. The frequent need for translation also opens the door to variations in the way questions are understood. In addition, respondents in different countries are likely to also score differently. Japanese survey respondents are known to cluster their answers in the center of Likert scales, perhaps because Japanese culture values harmony and discourages extreme positions. This can lead to erroneous inferences (Hult et al., 2008 ). Yet data equivalence is imperative if one is to draw solid conclusions from studies that compare results across countries. Hult et al. ( 2008 ) concluded from a review of 167 studies using cross-cultural data between 1995 and 2005 that that challenge had not been taken as seriously by IB scholars as it should have been.

Secondary Data

Secondary data are increasingly used in empirical IB research (Cerar, Nell & Reiche, 2021 ). The availability and reliability of such data poses its own challenges for IB scholars. Much of the data generated by national statistical offices has a national focus. IB phenomena are by definition international and hence at best partially covered by these data sources. Space constraints do not allow for a complete treatment here of all the problems caused by the use of secondary data in IB, so we focus instead on the measurement of just one IB construct, though undoubtedly a central one (Wilkins, 1997 ), the multinational enterprise (MNE), and more specifically, its activities outside its home country.

Measuring MNE foreign activity at the country level

Many IB research questions require data on the amount of economic activity (sales, value added, employment, investments) generated in a given host country by all the subsidiaries of MNEs based in another country. Dunning ( 1993 ), for example, attempts to determine the extent to which firms based in a given country have set up operations abroad, and where they have done it. Buckley et al. ( 2007 ) test a number of hypotheses on the factors that determine in which foreign countries Chinese firms operate. Researchers have also investigated which host-country characteristics affect their attractiveness to foreign investors (Habib & Zurawicki, 2002 ), and the effect of foreign-owned economic activity on various facets of host-country development (e.g., Kwok & Tadesse, 2006 ; Li & Liu, 2005 ).

Flows and stocks of foreign direct investment obtained from Balance of Payments statistics (hereafter FDI flow and stock data) have often, one could say predominantly, been used to measure the economic activity in a country of all the foreign subsidiaries of MNEs based in another country. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)’s yearly World Investment Report uses such data to document the level and evolution of the value of the activities of foreign firms in a host country. FDI flows and stocks have been used as dependent variables (e.g., Bruno, Campos & Estrin, 2021 ; Buckley et al., 2007 ; Mariotti & Marzano, 2021 ) as well as main independent variables (e.g., Kwok & Tadesse, 2006 ). As in the case of data equivalence in surveys on which we touched earlier, the IB literature has overlooked the serious problems inherent in using this type of data to measure the economic activities of MNE subsidiaries. 1 This is why we chose this as an example of the difficulty that IB researchers have in obtaining reliable data on the constructs they study.

FDI flow and stock data are collected by central banks to build their country’s balance of payments. FDI flows record the net value of financial transactions between two countries when the investor has control of the foreign investment (typically when it owns 10% or more of the equity of the foreign investment). FDI stocks record the value of the stake held in domestic firms by firms based in a foreign country. FDI flow and stock data are attractive as they are readily available for a large number of countries and can be downloaded for free from the websites of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations Commission for Trade and Development (UNCTAD), as well as those of national statistical offices. While ease of access is clearly a plus point, there are significant limitations to their use. Three of them apply to both flow and stock measures: FDI statistics only (1) record the immediate origin and destination of the flows, not the ultimate ones (see below recent efforts to remedy this); (2) show sums directly sent by parents to their subsidiaries, not those borrowed locally; (3) measure financial flows, not the economic value created with them. Additionally, most published figures of FDI inflows and outflows are on a net basis, which makes interpretation difficult, and FDI stocks are reported using a variety of methodologies, thus hampering their comparability. Let us now look at each of these points.

Until 2014, all FDI flows and stocks were recorded on the basis of their immediate origin and destination. Recently the OECD has started to push countries to publish data on both the immediate and ultimate owners of FDI flows and stocks coming into their country. So far, however, only 19 developed countries have collected such data, and some of it has not been made public. The extensive past and current use of FDI flows and stocks measured on the basis of the immediate investor poses a number of problems. First, it often leads to misclassifying the owner of the investment. For example, when in 1998 General Motors set up an auto assembly plant in Poland, the National Bank of Poland classified it in its FDI statistics as a German investment into Poland because the immediate investor was Opel, General Motors’ wholly-owned German subsidiary, even though the ultimate one was its US parent, General Motors. Likewise Deutsche Telekom invested in Macedonia through its majority-owned subsidiary Magyar Telekom so the investment was registered as a Hungarian one into Macedonia (Kalotay, 2012 ). Such “indirect investments” have been estimated to make up around 30% of global FDI flows (Aykut, Sanghi & Kosmidou, 2017 ). In the cases shown above, the ultimate owner is relatively easy to uncover, but this is not always the case. UNCTAD ( 2016 ) notes that the 100 MNEs with the highest transnationality index have on average seven hierarchical levels in their ownership structure and more than 500 subsidiaries each, located in more than 50 countries, and almost 70 of them are in offshore financial centers (OFCs) – countries that offer some or all of the following: low or zero taxation, moderate or light financial regulation, and banking secrecy or anonymity (Aykut et al., 2017 ). Many manufacturing subsidiaries are owned by special-purpose entities (SPEs) located in OFCs, which themselves are owned by other SPEs (SPEs are foreign subsidiaries established to pursue specific and temporary objectives such as the financing of other foreign subsidiaries and that have few or no local employees) (OECD, 2000 ). 2 This can pose problems when using subsidiary counts to, for example, calculate the extent of a firm’s multinationality, as we discuss below in the section on firm-level data. For BRIC countries the number of indirect investments dwarfs that of direct ones, with between 50 and 80% of their outward FDI flows channeled through SPEs located in OFCs (Sauvant, 2017 ). In 2008, 60% of the outward FDI flows of Brazil went to SPEs based in six countries, four Caribbean OFCs – the British Virgin Islands (BVI), the Cayman Islands, the Bahamas, and the Netherlands Antilles – as well as the Netherlands and Luxembourg, while in 2014 70% of Russia’s inward and outward FDI flows originated from, and went to, OFCs based in Cyprus, the Netherlands, the BVI, Bermuda, Luxembourg, the Bahamas, and Switzerland (Aykut et al., 2017 ). Part of the flows going to OFCs may return to the investing country, a phenomenon called round-tripping, while the rest may be forwarded to other host countries, what Sutherland and Anderson ( 2015 ) call “onward-journey FDI” and the OECD “capital in transit”. Round tripping is a widespread phenomenon, undertaken by firms of every country, but especially prevalent in the case of China, Russia, Canada, and Indonesia, for which it accounts for more than 15% of inward FDI (Damgaard, Elkjaer & Johannessen, 2019 ). Round-tripping is undertaken to minimize tax, to hide the identity of the ultimate owners, and to reduce home-country political risk and capital controls (Borga & Caliandro, 2018 ; Karhunen, Ledyaeva, & Brouthers, 2021 ). It results in over-estimating the amount of investment, since funds sent from a country to an OFC and then round-tripped back to that country are counted twice, leading to volume biases.

Taking into account the sums that transit through OFCs can have a dramatic impact on the amount and geographic distribution of FDI flows and stocks. In 2013, for example, 70% of Chinese FDI outflows went to OFCs – Hong Kong, the BVI, and the Cayman Islands – with Hong Kong receiving 60% of these flows. Figures for 2016 are 71.4%, with 58.2% going to Hong Kong (Sutherland, Hennart & Anderson, 2019 , Table 2). Based on Xiao’s ( 2004 ) research, Casanova, Garcia-Herrera and Xia ( 2015 ) estimate that only 30% of the sums recorded as being sent to Hong Kong actually remained there, while 40% went back to China (round-tripping), and 30% were forwarded to other countries (onward-journey FDI). They assume that the final geographical destination of onward-journey flows was proportional to those directly sent from China. They also redistribute the sums sent to the BVI based on the share of direct flows received by each country (with Hong Kong excluded), while the sums sent to the Cayman Islands are redistributed to North America, Latin America, and Europe using the same formula. The results of this exercise are dramatic. The stock of Chinese investment abroad falls by 25% (from US $660 billion to $498 billion), while that in North America and Europe doubles. Recent estimates by the OECD that report both immediate and ultimate investors highlight the full extent of the problems caused by using FDI flow and stock data based on immediate rather than ultimate destinations: taking into account onward-journey Chinese investment flows increased the 2015 Chinese stock of FDI in Hungary by a factor of eight, in Italy by a factor of six, and in France by a factor of three (Sutherland et al., 2019 , Table 3).

As well as having huge impacts on the measured amount and geographic distribution of MNE activity, leading to volume and geographical biases, conventional FDI reporting results in industrial composition biases (i.e., biases towards services) because most SPEs are registered as providing business services. FDI statistics show that in 2012 only 6% of Chinese outward FDI stock was in manufacturing, while 33% was in business services (Zhou & Leung, 2015 ). These figures clearly understate the share of Chinese overseas activity in manufacturing and overstate that in services, since in China manufacturing was that year the recipient of 27% of private domestic loans while that going to business services was negligible. SPEs are the cause of a similar bias towards services in US FDI statistics. Because their MNE parents describe the activity of the large number of SPEs they own as services, US data show manufacturing accounting for only 21% of the US stock of outward FDI when reported by the industry of the subsidiary, but 59% when reported by that of the parent (Whichard, 2008 ). In short, the omission of round-tripping and onward-journey FDI flows in published FDI statistics leads to very serious inaccuracies.

The existence of volume, geographical, and industrial composition biases in FDI data owing to onward-journey capital flows has been known for at least three decades (Cantwell, 1992 ). Strangely, they have not been properly acknowledged or dealt with – most likely because of the considerable challenge of doing so. Buckley et al., ( 2007 ), for example, the most cited study of Chinese outward foreign direct investment and the 2017 winner of a Journal of International Business Studies Decade Award, study the geographical distribution of annual outflows of Chinese FDI to 49 countries, including Hong Kong (but excluding the BVI and the Cayman Islands). They do not address the fact that part of the funds going to Hong Kong and sent onwards to the other countries in their sample are not counted since these flows are not registered as coming out of China, but out of Hong Kong. The omission of these onward-journey flows from Hong Kong is likely to have seriously distorted their results (as is the omission of onward-journey flows from the Cayman Islands and BVI). To their credit, in their retrospective on the decade award prize, they acknowledge some of these data issues (Buckley et al., 2017 ). Sutherland et al. ( 2019 ) documents similar problems in other articles on Chinese FDI published in the Journal of International Business Studies over the past decade, further highlighting the scale and nature of these measurement problems. 3

A second problem with FDI flows is that they only measure funds coming from a parent to its subsidiary, not the total amount of investment made by the subsidiary in the host country. Yet, we know that a significant share of the financing of foreign subsidiaries is obtained from local sources. Lehman, Sayek and Kang ( 2004 ) found that in 1999 US majority-owned foreign subsidiaries (MOFAs) obtained 29.4% of their financing from such sources. One would expect the MNE preference for local financing to be greater the more competitive local financial markets, and it is therefore not surprising that the authors find the proportion of funds sourced locally to be higher in economically developed countries (39.6%) than in developing ones (30%). Taking advantage of the fact that the US publishes data on both the sales and value added of US subsidiaries (of MOFAs for value added) in a given host country, as well as on the stock of inward US FDI in that country, Beugelsdijk, Hennart, Slangen and Smeets ( 2010 ) look at the factors that affect the difference between the value of inward FDI and the value added and sales of all subsidiaries of a given country in a host country. They find that the underestimation by FDI stocks of subsidiary sales and value added is greater in countries with more developed financial markets, presumably because MNEs use more local financing in those countries.

A third limitation of FDI data lies in their recording only financial resources, yet the economic activity generated by a subsidiary also depends on the contribution of its employees, with labor productivity affected by the industry of the subsidiary and by country-specific factors. Everything else constant, the higher a host country’s labor productivity, the greater the extent to which inward FDI stocks will underestimate subsidiary activity. Since we would expect the use of local financing and labor’s contribution to sales and value added to be greater in more economically developed countries, the underestimation of economic activity by FDI stocks is therefore also likely to be greater in those countries than in less economically developed ones. This implies that using FDI stocks as a proxy for the amount of aggregate subsidiary activity introduces a systematic bias if that amount is correlated with the study’s dependent variable. Habib and Zurawiki ( 2002 ), for example, attempt to determine if a country’s level of corruption deters inward investment by foreign MNEs. They proxy that investment by FDI inflows. Because of the greater possibility of borrowing locally to finance the subsidiary, FDI inflows will cover a smaller part of the total investment made by a foreign subsidiary when that investment is made in a more economically developed country than when made in a developing country. Consequently, the FDI figures they use in their regressions systematically underestimate the real value of the investment made by subsidiaries located in more developed countries. Because a country’s level of corruption is likely to be inversely correlated with its level of economic development, the results of studies that use FDI inflows to look at the relationship between a country’s level of corruption and its ability to attract foreign economic activity will be biased as the measured level of inward foreign investment in developed countries will be systematically lower than the actual one. Habib and Zurawiki’s findings may then be an underestimate of the negative relationship between a country’s extent of corruption and the level of foreign economic activity it attracts.

The use of FDI flows and stocks has still further limitations. FDI inward and outward flows are the sum of net equity flows from MNE parents to their subsidiaries, the reinvested earnings of those subsidiaries, and net intracompany loans between parents and subsidiaries. Both inward and outward flows can be negative, for example when loan repayments by the subsidiaries of MNEs located in the country offset new equity coming into the country. While data on these three components of inward and outward flows are published separately by the OECD and the IMF, most researchers have used aggregate figures calculated on a net basis. 4 Yet without looking at the disaggregated figures one is unable to tell whether an outward flow of zero corresponds to the case of no investment flow or to that of outflows matching inflows. Kerner ( 2014 ) provides an interesting example. In 2010, US FDI outflows to Moldova were close to zero. That year, US MOFAs had only US $2 million in fixed capital and about 100 employees in that country. That same year, FDI flows to Poland were also approximately zero. Between 2004 and 2005, however, the 193 non-bank US MOFAs in Poland added 13,000 employees and produced $679 million in added value. The zero FDI inflows figure for Poland was due to the fact that equity outflows (minus US $30 million) and intercompany debt outflows (minus US $163 million) netted out reinvested earnings (plus US $194 million) but one would not have been able to know that when using aggregated figures – those published by UNCTAD, for example. Instead, one might have concluded that US MNEs made no new investments in Poland. The fact that both inflows and outflows are calculated on a net basis causes problems for studies that use aggregate FDI flows as a proxy for the economic activity of MNE subsidiaries in a country. Bruno et al. ( 2021 ), for example, investigate how much additional incoming direct investment a country receives if it joins a custom union such as the European Union. They measure new investment using UNCTAD data on aggregated FDI inflows, that is the sum of equity flows, reinvested earnings, and intercompany debt. When faced with negative values for these flows, the authors treat them as zero (Bruno et al., 2021 , footnote 7). This is problematic as a negative net value, caused for example by the repayment of intracompany loans by subsidiaries already in the country, may mask positive new investment into the country by new and/or incumbent firms.

The measurement of FDI stocks is also tricky. They should be estimated at market value, but often are at historical cost, or are obtained by cumulating flows. Databases of FDI stocks include estimates obtained from all three methods, making cross-country comparisons hazardous (UNCTAD, 2013 ). 5 The United States provides FDI stock data on both an historical and a market value basis, so we can get an idea of the size of the gap between these two estimation methods. On a market value basis, foreign FDI stock in the US in 2016, US $6.6 trillion, was almost double that on a historical cost basis, US $3.7 trillion (Sauvant, 2017 ).

All this said, it is easy to understand the attractiveness of FDI data. FDI datasets can be downloaded for free from public databases and purport to measure the sum of the activities of all subsidiaries of a given country into a host country; they cover many countries and are available for long periods – Mariotti and Marzano’s ( 2021 ) UNCTAD dataset covers 63 countries over 37 years. The potential alternatives pale in comparison. Recent attempts have been made to obtain better estimates of the final ultimate destinations and origins of FDI flows by stripping out onward journey flows from aggregate FDI figures (Damgaard et al., 2019 ; Borga & Callandro, 2018 ). These estimates, however, are obtained by marrying firm-level data (from Orbis) with newly published OECD data that report FDI by immediate and ultimate destination and by instrument (i.e., SPE or not), and require making fairly strong assumptions. Moreover, they only attempt to account for the problem of onward-journey flows, and do not address the other issues we have mentioned. Ideally, one would like to use data such as the value added generated by all subsidiaries of foreign MNEs in a given host country, or their sales, or even their employment. With some exceptions such as the United States, countries do not collect, or do not make public, such figures for inward subsidiary activity, or for the outward economic activity of the subsidiaries of their own MNEs. Some of the most comprehensive firm-level databases, such as Toyo Keizai ( 2022 ) which covers the foreign subsidiaries of Japanese MNEs, do not provide systematic data on subsidiary sales. Collecting such data from national firm-level databases requires a significant effort. In fact, as we see in the next section, some of the same problems present in country-level FDI data also afflict firm-level data.

Table 1 summarizes the problems identified in this section and makes some suggestions on how to alleviate some of them. Geographical and volume biases due to the classification of FDI flows based on immediate origin and destination can be partially remedied using databases that classify flows based on ultimate source (i.e., Germany rather than Hungary in our Deutsche Telekom example) and destination. Such data has been published by the OECD for 19 countries ( https://stats.oecd.org ). Damgaard et al. ( 2019 ) have made available at https://nielsjohnnessen.net/FDIdatabase their estimates for the countries not covered by the OECD database. Industrial composition biases can be minimized by classifying foreign subsidiaries by the industry of the parent rather than by that of the subsidiary. The best measures of the economic activity of foreign subsidiaries in a host country are its value added, followed by its sales, and then its employment. These measures avoid the biases caused by local financing, but are unfortunately only available for a few countries. The OECD and IMF (but not UNCTAD) break down FDI flows into their three components, net equity flows, reinvested earnings, and intracompany loans. Lastly, one can obtain very rough estimates of FDI stock at market value for countries that only provide values at historical cost by looking at the relationship between the two in countries that report both.

Measuring MNE activity at the firm level

IB scholars are increasingly using secondary data taken from firm-level datasets. These datasets are of many types. Some are produced from surveys undertaken by national statistical offices. The most complete are the censuses and surveys of foreign direct investment abroad and foreign investment in the United States produced by the US Department of Commerce. One drawback of such data is that firm-level information has to remain confidential, so statistical analyses at the firm level can only be made using the agency’s computers at its premises.

Scholars can also use country-specific commercial databases, for example CSMAR (China), Prowess (India), NEEDS (Japan), and Compustat (United States). These databases provide balance-sheet items for all firms based in one country. Their coverage of a firm’s foreign activities is uneven. Compustat, for example, publishes data on foreign sales extracted from firm 10K reports to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). However, the SEC lets firms define how they want to report their geographic segments, so firms vary on how they define them. Compustat only reports four geographic segments, including the home market, so it is difficult to make detailed comparisons of geographic reach across firms (Wieserma & Bowen, 2011 ). The national focus of these databases makes it also difficult to make international comparisons.

IB scholars can also tap global commercial databases of foreign entries, be it greenfield investments (Financial Times fDi Markets) or mergers and acquisitions (Thompson Financial Security Data Corporation; Bureau van Dijk Zephyr). However, these databases usually lack detailed firm-level data, and thus matching is often required. Orbis, a commercial database that provides a variety of financial information on parents (assets, sales, profitability) as well as on their subsidiaries and ownership chains (immediate and ultimate owners) for more than 300 million firms worldwide, has proved to be particularly attractive to IB researchers – a search of leading IB journals returns 120 recent articles using data drawn from that database. Orbis makes it possible to obtain large samples of foreign subsidiaries from different parts of the world. However, some of the problems identified in the previous section on country-level data arise also when dealing with firm-level data such as those provided by Orbis. Specifically, the presence of SPEs, and the difficulty of separating them from bona fide subsidiaries (i.e., subsidiaries engaged in value-adding economic activity), is likely to cause problems. Those problems manifest themselves in various ways, from how to identify MNEs to how to measure the extent and speed of their foreign expansion. Below we provide a few examples.

Estrin, Meyer and Pelletier ( 2018 ) use Orbis to compare the pattern of foreign countries entered by developed economy MNEs with that of their emerging market counterparts. They count the number of subsidiaries the MNEs in the two groups have established in target countries. In doing so, they do not seem to have distinguished between bona fide subsidiaries and SPEs, as indicated by their Table 2 which shows in which of 30 developed countries the emerging market MNEs in their sample located their subsidiaries. That table indicates that almost 40% of the subsidiaries of Brazilian MNEs were in the Netherlands, a surprising number given the relatively small economic size of that country. A hint of what is really going on is given by recent OECD data which breaks FDI stock down by “instrument” (i.e., whether it was in SPEs or bona fide subsidiaries), and which shows that 65% of the US $4.37 trillion FDI stock in the Netherlands was SPE-related. 8 This opens the possibility that many of the Brazilian subsidiaries in the Netherlands listed in Orbis might be SPEs. We looked in Orbis at the 173 Brazilian subsidiaries in the Netherlands in 2020 and found that 62 of them, or 35.8%, were investment holding companies (NACE code 6420) – the most common type of SPE – with very few employees or none at all. In Luxembourg, which Meyer and Pelletier’s Table 2 shows was host to 2.3% of all Brazilian subsidiaries, almost half of them were SPEs. SPEs, on the other hand, made up only 2.5% of all Brazilian subsidiaries in the UK and 6.1% of those in Germany. Given the large number of SPEs and their uneven distribution across host countries, not distinguishing them from bona fide subsidiaries is likely to affect the result of studies which, like Estrin et al., proxy the level of foreign investment by the number of subsidiaries. 9 We would expect the presence of SPEs to also contaminate the results of studies that rely on subsidiary counts to analyze the distribution of foreign investment over time and across industries.

One way to define an MNE is as a firm that owns at least one fully-controlled foreign subsidiary (Bruno et al., 2021 ; De Jong & van Houten, 2014 ). A significant number of MNEs, however, are only multinational by virtue of having SPE subsidiaries. This is quite common in the case of Chinese firms because of the use of such SPEs for round-tripping. Counting SPEs as bona fide subsidiaries will result in the inclusion of purely domestic firms in MNE samples (Sutherland et al., 2019 ).

Some authors have also measured a firm’s degree of internationalization by the number of its foreign subsidiaries, or the ratio of the number of foreign subsidiaries over all subsidiaries. Liang, Ren and Sun ( 2015 ) construct a degree of globalization index for Chinese MNEs as the average of their foreign sales to total sales, foreign assets to total assets, and number of foreign branches and subsidiaries over total number of branches and subsidiaries. One difficulty with this measure is the large number of SPEs among the foreign subsidiaries of Chinese firms. As of November 2021, there were 138,118 subsidiaries incorporated outside of China that had a Chinese ultimate owner. Of these, 10,653, or 7.7% of the total, are likely to be SPEs. 10 Hence, any major differences between firms in their use of SPEs is likely to bias the results. The same issue arises in, for example, Yang, Martins and Driffield ( 2013 ).

A common way to measure a firm’s internationalization breadth has also been to count the number of countries in which it has subsidiaries (e.g., Lu & Beamish, 2004 ; Tallman & Li, 1996 ; Zahra, 2003 ). The presence of SPEs, however, makes this an imperfect measure. This is because in some countries the only subsidiaries a firm has are SPEs. Orbis shows that China’s Fosun International, for example, had subsidiaries in 12 different countries. In four of these, however, i.e., Hong Kong, the Cayman Islands, Luxembourg and the US, the firm had no bona fide subsidiaries, its subsidiaries there being labeled as “investment holding companies” or being active in “business and other management consultancy activities”, “advertising” (in the Cayman Islands) and performing “other financial service activities” (in Hong Kong). Counting foreign subsidiaries that are most likely SPEs as bona fide ones will thus lead to an overestimation of the true breadth of an MNE’s internationalization. 11

The presence of SPEs is also likely to affect the results of studies that rely on subsidiary count to measure internationalization speed. This is the case with Kim, Wu, Schuler and Hoskisson ( 2020 ) who use data from 767 publicly listed Chinese MNEs to look at how speed of intra-regional internationalization versus inter-regional internationalization affects performance, with speed measured by the number of new subsidiaries created per year. They counted all foreign subsidiaries, “irrespective of where they were located” (Kim et al., 2020 : 1086). Yet not all subsidiaries are created equal: we have seen that many of those established by Chinese MNEs in Hong Kong, Singapore, the Cayman Islands, and the BVI are SPEs (Anderson & Sutherland, 2015 ), but this is also increasingly the case with those in the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The presence of SPEs thus contaminate measures of internationalization speed based on subsidiary counts because adding an SPE can be done at the stroke of a pen, considerably faster than setting up or acquiring a manufacturing plant.

Lastly, studies using secondary firm-level databases to compare MNEs originating from different countries assign country of origin, for example whether the MNE is based in a developed or emerging market, by identifying their global ultimate owner (Estrin et al., 2018 ; Jindra, Hassan, & Cantner, 2016 ; Jones & Temouri, 2016 ). This is problematic, however, as some MNEs may establish their legal domicile in a country that is not the one where they conduct most of their business, a phenomenon called corporate inversion (Whichard, 2008 ). Inversions became a hot political issue in the US when some US firms acquired foreign firms in low-tax countries (such as Ireland) and had the acquisition acquire the parents back so as to shift their legal domicile to the lower-tax country. They are, however, even more common outside the US. Chinese MNEs, for example, owing to the practice of round-tripping, have long been comfortable with inverting to OFCs such as the Cayman Islands (De Jong, Greeven, & Ebbers, 2017 ). The number of inverted Chinese MNEs is quite large: using Orbis, we identified 1087 MNEs (i.e., defined as owning at least one foreign subsidiary) with ultimate owners (using a 50% plus ownership stake) based in the Cayman Islands that were majority owner of at least one subsidiary in China. The business of these firms (which include major firms such as Alibaba Group Holding Limited, Tencent Holdings, Kingsoft Corporation Limited, Mengniu Dairy, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, China Special Steel Wire Rod Group Ltd, Dynasty Fine Wines Group Ltd, and China Shanshui Cement Group Ltd.) was primarily in China so, for all intent and purposes, they are Chinese firms (though some may have bona fide , i.e., non-SPE, foreign subsidiaries). Scholars generating samples of MNEs from a given country based on ultimate ownership criteria, an approach most often employed by empirical studies using the Orbis database, need therefore to be mindful not to exclude inverted firms, which are sometimes a significant percentage of MNEs from that country. 12 While the full extent of inversions and their impact on studies using Orbis is unknown, Sigler, Martinus, Iacopini and Derudder ( 2020 ) found that 3% of MNEs they sampled using Orbis had been inverted. Their sample, however, did not include many emerging market countries, like China, in which the share of inverted firms is likely to be far higher.

As mentioned above, nearly one-third of global FDI transits through OFCs, well-known tax havens such as the BVI and the Cayman Islands, but also countries such as the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Ireland (Haberly & Wójcik, 2015 ). Authors of studies that identify foreign subsidiaries using firm-level databases need therefore to be very careful when building their samples. Yet very few studies explicitly attempt to exclude all SPEs. We suspect that this is not solely because it is difficult and time-consuming to do so, but also because there is a general lack of awareness of how pervasive SPEs are within MNE ownership and control chains. 13 To compound the problem, recent research (Borga & Callandro, 2018 ) shows that MNEs are increasingly transiting capital not only through SPEs but also through various kinds of other less obvious foreign subsidiaries – vastly complicating the process of tracking genuine MNE investments. Excluding SPEs may therefore not be sufficient to eliminate all onward-journey subsidiaries.

Table 2 summarizes some of the problems discussed here and possible remedies. SPEs should be removed when assessing whether a firm is an MNE, when calculating the overall level of economic activity by firms of country A in country B, and when counting the number of foreign countries in which a firm operates and the speed at which it creates new subsidiaries. One solution might be to eliminate all subsidiaries domiciled in known OFCs, such as the Cayman Islands, the BVI, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The problem is that some OFCs, like the last two countries mentioned, are also home to bona fide subsidiaries. A better way is to look at the industrial classification of the subsidiary given by Orbis and at their employee count. Subsidiaries with NACE code 6420 (investment holding companies) are likely to be SPEs. However, in some subsidiaries NACE 6420 is only listed as a secondary code, while the primary code might be something else, like “transmission of other information service activities” (NACE 6399) or “other information technology and computer service activities” (NACE 6209), for example. This again complicates the challenge of identifying SPEs. Whenever Orbis provides subsidiary employment data, SPEs can be identified as those having no or very few employees. The omission of inverted firms from country samples can be avoided by looking at a country’s most common inversion destination, for example Hong Kong, the Cayman Islands, and the BVI in the Chinese case, and then adding to the sample inverted firms registered there.

As we said at the outset, availability and reliability of data are a major challenge for IB researchers. A look at how IB scholars measure the foreign activities of a central actor in the field, the MNE, shows the extent of the challenge. We could have given other examples. 14 Our point is that IB scholars face additional data challenges compared to researchers in fields that study purely national phenomena, as the latter can rely on extensive domestic databases that provide the data they need. Theory poses a second challenge for those conducting IB research. Just as we have concentrated on one issue, the measurement of MNE activity using country-level and firm-level data, to illustrate data challenges, we focus on one theory, transaction cost theory, to highlight theory challenges.

It is generally agreed that concepts and theories are developed within the context of a particular culture. As Hofstede ( 1993 : 82) puts it, “management scientists, theorists, and writers are human too: they grew up in a particular society in a particular period, and their ideas cannot help but reflect the constraints of their environment”. Problems arise when theorists and their followers claim universal applicability for their theories when in fact there is not. Uncovering the hidden culturally-based assumptions behind many of our existing theories so as to correctly apply them to different contexts is a major challenge facing the IB field, one not faced by scholars who apply domestically developed theories to domestic issues.

There is overwhelming evidence that the field of management, including IB, is dominated by scholars from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, i.e., Anglo-Saxon countries. Between 1971 and 2015, three-quarters of the articles on IB topics in 14 top-rated journals (the three top-rated IB journals plus 11 top disciplinary journals) were written by scholars based in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Australia (Aïssaoui, Geringer & Livanis, 2020 ). 15 Harzing and Metz ( 2013 ) looked at the geographical location of the editors and editorial board members of 57 journals in five areas of management (operations management, international business, general management and strategy, human resource management/organizational behavior/industrial relations, and marketing) at 5-year intervals between 1989 and 2009. In 2009, 52 journal editors out of 57 were based in an Anglo-Saxon country (38 in the United States alone). The proportion of editorial board members based in those countries was 84.5% in 1989 and, in 2009, two decades later, still high at 77% (see also Meyer, 2006 ). While some of these scholars were born in non-Anglo-Saxon countries, many obtained their doctorates from Anglo-Saxon universities, and one can surmise that they have been influenced by their Anglo-Saxon training. 16 Note also that the percentage of Anglo-Saxons on the board of professional journals constitutes a lower bound on the influence of Anglo-Saxon ideas and beliefs in management – and on the IB field – given that many researchers outside the US and UK have been trained in Anglo-Saxon countries and that many European and Asian universities host visiting scholars from the US and the UK and encourage their faculty to co-author with them (Aïssaoui et al., 2020 ; Shenkar, 2004 ).

Boyacigiller and Adler ( 1988 ) note, citing Triandis ( 1972 ), that identifying the impact of culture on the development of theories is difficult, but they convincingly show that American cultural values have influenced the particular ways some US scholars have thought about organizational commitment, individual motivation, and leadership. 17 Hofstede found that Anglo-Saxon countries scored high on individualism – 91 for the US, 90 for Australia, 89 for the UK, and 80 for Canada, vs. 20 for China and 48 for India. 18 He describes individualism as “the degree to which people in a country prefer to act as individuals rather than as members of groups” (Hofstede, 1993 : 89). One would expect scholars living in countries that rank high in individualism to emphasize the free will of actors while downplaying the influence of the social group to which they belong.

One would therefore expect Anglo-Saxon authors to over-emphasize individual action and to under-emphasize social processes. 18 We think it is possible to discern these biases in one of the dominant theories in IB, transaction cost theory (TCT). In the following paragraphs we give a few examples of this by looking at the way TCT has been used by IB scholars, and show that these cultural biases can be remedied without damaging the theory’s core. Indeed, by explicitly identifying these biases, scholars can arrive at a richer and more comprehensive version of TCT which, as we will show, retains strong predictive power in contexts that are significantly different from the Anglo-Saxon one in which it was principally developed.

Individualistic cultures stress the ability of individuals to unilaterally control their environment. Triandis ( 1993 : 158) notes that “The most important facet of collectivism is an interdependent self… the most important facet of individualism is an independent self.” It is therefore not surprising that early applications of TCT to the foreign entry mode choice (Anderson & Gatignon, 1986 ) assumed that, when it came to entering a foreign market, the MNE was always in the catbird seat and could, unless constrained by host governments, unilaterally choose whatever entry mode it wanted. In the words of Padmanabhan and Cho ( 1996 : 47), the entry mode choice for an MNE “involves tradeoffs related to the [MNE’s] level of resource commitment, the degree of control, the specification and assumption of risks and returns, and the degree of global rationalization.” Researchers with a less individualistic outlook have realized, however, that entry into a foreign country is a cooperative endeavor because the MNE almost always requires complementary inputs to exploit its intangibles there. These complementary inputs – labor, utilities, land, logistics, and access to local customers – are typically controlled by local parties, firms, and individuals. Ignoring these local suppliers of complementary inputs limits the explanatory power of the theory. First, it erroneously suggests that the entry mode decision is unilaterally taken by the foreign investor. In reality, MNEs have the liberty to choose between a wholly-owned subsidiary and a joint venture only when complementary inputs can be obtained on efficient markets. When they cannot, the only efficient way to access such inputs is to enlist the cooperation of their owners by offering them a share of the profits of the venture. In other words, MNEs do not always joint venture because they want to, as suggested by Anderson and Gatignon, but often because they have to. Understanding that MNEs need the cooperation of owners of local factors of production makes it possible to analyze how the transactional characteristics of these factors combine with those of the intangibles contributed by the MNE to determine the optimal entry mode (Hennart, 2009 ). Taking into account local owners of complementary inputs also explains why some local firms have been able to leverage control of these inputs to offset their initial technological handicap and successfully compete with large foreign MNEs in their home market (Hennart, 2012 ).

The Williamsonian version of TCT can also be criticized for its over-emphasis on the determinants of market efficiency relative to those of firm efficiency. This focus on markets is not surprising, given that, as Triandis ( 1993 : 160) notes, “the prototypical individualistic social relationship is the market.” The core argument of TCT is generally presented as follows: the chosen governance structure (market, hierarchy, or hybrid) is the one that is aligned with the attributes of the transaction, which are asset specificity, uncertainty, and frequency (Cuypers, Hennart, Silverman, & Ertug, 2021 ; David & Han, 2004 ). When these are high, markets will fail, and this failure will lead to hierarchical governance (i.e., firms) being selected. Hence the prediction that firms will be the chosen governance structure is based on the extent of market efficiency. However, there are no reasons why market failure should guarantee firm success. A governance structure (market or firm) is chosen if the benefits that arise from the organization of interdependences are higher than the costs of doing so. In some circumstances, these costs may be higher than the benefits for both markets and firms. Consequently, market failure is not a sufficient condition for the existence of firms. Consider the following example used by Hennart ( 1982 ). In the first 80 years of the 19th century, UK firms had a technological lead over their continental European and American rivals that can only be compared to that enjoyed by US firms after the Second World War. But while the US technological lead was exploited through the establishment of foreign subsidiaries by US MNEs, that did not happen in the UK case until the very end of the period (Jones, 1996 , 2000 ). Instead, UK technological advances were transferred overseas through other means: the sale of products, the smuggling of machinery, the hiring of skilled UK workers by foreign firms, and the emigration of UK entrepreneurs. The absence of UK MNEs cannot be explained by the superiority of the market processes used to transfer knowledge at that time since the licensing market was even more imperfect then than later in the 20th century when US technology was exploited abroad by US MNEs. The simplified version of TCT under which the choice of organizational form depends on market failure, itself a function of the levels of asset specificity, uncertainty, and frequency, is therefore only half of a comprehensive theory of governance choice. A full theory simultaneously considers the factors that affect the efficiency of markets and those that affect the efficiency of firms, and assess for each transaction their absolute and relative efficiency. Williamson was aware of that when he wrote that “one of the tasks of transaction cost economics is to assess purported bureaucratic failures in comparative institutional terms” (Williamson, 1993b :119) and indeed he addresses the issue in both his 1975 (Williamson, 1975 ) and 1985 books (Williamson, 1985 ). But he does not systematically develop the variables driving these hierarchical failures as he does those responsible for market failures.

TCT allows us to do that. TCT scholars recognize that to yield benefits interdependencies must be organized: parties must be apprised of the potential benefits of organizing the interdependence, and a way must be found to avoid excessive bargaining over the distribution of the potential gains and to make sure that promises are kept. This incurs costs because of the existence of two basic human characteristics – bounded rationality and opportunism. These two characteristics imply that it is costly to efficiently inform parties of what needs to be done and to reward them for their contribution. Hennart ( 1982 , 1993 ) has argued that there are two generic ways to perform these two tasks: one can decentralize information gathering and provide output-based incentives, i.e., use the price system, or one can centralize information and control behavior, i.e., use hierarchy. While all institutions use a mix of these two generic methods of organization, firms mostly use hierarchy. In firms, bosses centralize information and direct worker behavior. Output is generated through the control of behavior, either directly through real time direct observation or indirectly through bureaucratic control techniques, such as accounting. While we lack space here to go into details, one can show that the techniques available for directing employees and monitoring their behavior were just too crude in the 19th century to support the profitable operations of UK MNEs. Consequently, knowledge was transferred through other ways. By the 20th century, management techniques had improved sufficiently to make knowledge exploitation through MNEs possible, even though the market for knowledge had improved in the meantime (Hennart, 1982 ).

Williamson has used the term “high-powered incentives” to describe those used in markets, and “low-powered incentives” to describe those used in firms (see for example Williamson, 1985 : 140). This wording can be interpreted as suggesting that firms cannot use the strong incentives used in markets, and are thus at some inherent disadvantage. That Williamson sees markets as providing unique (and superior) incentives is reinforced by his writing a few pages later that “the market is a marvel… because of its remarkable capacity to present and preserve high-powered incentives” (Williamson, 1985 : 161). Such a stance neglects the fact that while the price system provides incentives to market actors to exert effort and show initiative by rewarding them based on their output, i.e., it offers output-based incentives, firms reward employees based on their behavior. Employees who do not follow managerial guidelines will be sanctioned, and there is no reason to expect that being docked one day of pay will be less effective in influencing their behavior than losing one day’s revenues will be to self-employed individuals. Williamson’s ( 1985 : 140) argument that “firms cannot mimic the high-powered incentives of markets without experiencing added costs” seems to overlook the fact that firms do not need to use output-based high-powered incentives because they can exert high-powered constraints on behavior. Providing high-powered output incentives stimulates high output, but often also the generation of negative externalities. For instance, the literature has shown that franchisees, who are subject to output-based high-powered incentives because they get to keep all of the income they produce minus the franchise fee, are tempted to reduce quality to maximize their income (Brickley & Dark, 1987 ). Trademark owners for whom consistent quality is important may prefer to use the high-powered behavior incentives provided by employment contracts and have their own employees run the outlets. Michael ( 2000 ), for example, shows that product quality in chains that run their outlets with employees is higher than in those that do it with franchisees.

Williamson’s distinction between personal interactions and business transactions, and his under-emphasis of the role social constraints can play in enforcing the latter, seems also to reflect the relatively greater focus that US culture puts on individuals than on the social context in which they operate. In an article where he discusses the notion of trust, Williamson argues that the word trust should be reserved for non-calculative relationships that are characterized by “(1) the absence of monitoring, (2) favorable or forgiving predilections, and (3) discreteness” (Williamson, 1993a : 484). For him, such trust “is warranted only for very special personal relations that would be seriously degraded if a calculative orientation were permitted. Commercial relations do not qualify” (ibid, 486). This suggests a strict separation between business transactions and personal relations, where the former are strictly calculative while the latter are not. This separation is not universal. In many – perhaps most – parts of the world, business is done with persons with whom one has close relationships, so trust, in the Williamsonian sense, is a feature of both personal and business relationships. 20 Why is this the case? Because, consistent with the TCT idea that governance needs to be aligned with the characteristics of transactions, and that these characteristics are influenced by the institutional environment, the absence of formal market-supporting institutions such as courts increases the attractiveness of doing business with family and close friends over that of dealing with outsiders. This in turn has important theoretical and practical implications for foreign market entry, as it explains the considerable advantage held by incumbents over new entrants in countries characterized by underdeveloped formal market institutions.

TCT scholars see the choice of governance as being influenced by the institutional environment which defines the rules of the games, i.e., property rights, contract laws, norms, customs, and the like (Williamson, 1993b , 2000 ). They have been interested in working out the mechanisms by which different rules of the game yield different types of optimal governance. With few exceptions (Williamson, 1991 ), Williamson’s research has mostly focused on market transactions and their enforcement in the US context. Some of these transactions are self-enforcing because of low asset specificity, while others require safeguards which usually take the form of contracts. Contracts are formal, usually written, legal documents by which parties enter into mutual obligations enforceable by courts or arbitrators based on a set of laws. Specifying ex ante these mutual obligations reduces the chance of ex post opportunism, which is especially useful to parties who have to make investments which are specific to their partners. Williamson has focused on the limits of such contracts (leading to vertical integration) and on the ways to make them more efficient, for example by making credible commitments (Williamson, 1985 , chapters 5, 7 and 8). 21 In this environment, found in the United States and in a few other – primarily Anglo-Saxon – countries, individuals contract with a wide range of partners, some known and some unknown, with dispute settlement handled by third parties, generally courts and arbitrators, a system that has been called “rule-based” governance. In many other countries, transactions are embedded in relationships, and their enforcement is effected through bilateral or multilateral social constraints – a system of relation-based governance (Li, 2003 ; Li, Park & Li, 2004 ). In China, for example, business transactions are conducted through guanxi, which Standiford and Marshall ( 2000 : 21), quoting Yang ( 1994 ), describe as “cultivating personal relationships through the exchange of favors and gifts for the purpose of obtaining goods and services, developing networks of mutual dependence, and creating a sense of obligation and indebtedness.” Guanxi has equivalents in many other countries, for example wa in Japan, inmaek in Korea, blat in Russia, and wasta in Arab countries (Michailova & Worm, 2003 ; Velez-Calle, Robeldo-Arialla & Rodriguez-Rios, 2015 ). In the countries listed above, and in many others, contracts and courts play a very limited role, an institutional environment very different from the one on which Williamson has mostly focused.

There is a temptation to ignore such differences, and to blindly apply the Anglo-Saxon version of TCT to East Asian contexts. Another one is to see guanxi as a uniquely Chinese phenomenon, a product of its Confucian philosophy (e.g., Chen, Chen & Huang, 2013 ). A more demanding, but also more promising, way to proceed is to attempt to see how the disconnect between the prediction of the theory and the empirical evidence can be used to modify and extend existing theories, making them more general (Shenkar, 2004 ). This is possible in the case of TCT because the theory posits that the chosen governance structure will be the one whose properties align with the characteristics of the transaction, with these characteristics in turn influenced by the institutional environment (Williamson, 2000 ). Hence applying TCT to different settings, especially non-Western ones, has the potential to enrich it and make it more robust. In our case, the task is to identify which features of the institutional environment make relation-based governance more efficient than rule-based governance (Hennart, 2015 ; Li, 2003 ; Li et al., 2004 ). Hennart ( 2015 ), for example, looks at how the characteristics of the networks in which transactions are embedded affect the costs of enforcing them. He notes that relational governance can be either bilateral or multilateral. Bilateral relational governance relies on mutual enforcement, and is based on appeals to friendship and on threats of discontinuing the relationship. One advantage of this solution over market contracts and multilateral relational governance is that one does not need to prove the existence of dishonest behavior to third parties. But this enforcement mechanism does require relationships to be long term, and hence works best when one can rely for a long period of time on a small number of geographically close partners. Multilateral relational governance relies on group reputation effects. These effects are stronger in closed networks of homogeneous members for which exit is costly. These considerations can be shown to explain not only the practice of guanxi in China, but also the use of bilateral and multilateral governance in countries such as the United States. Verbeke and Kano ( 2013 ) look at the wider, but related, phenomenon of “trading favors” and show how TCT can explain its occurrence, the form it takes, and its likely impact.

What is unique about IB research? Eden and Nielsen ( 2020 ) have argued that the field is particularly complex. Aguinis and Gabriel ( 2021 ) have responded that it is not necessarily any more complex than a number of other fields. We agree that differences in complexity between IB and domestic topics may have been overstated, but we also believe that IB researchers face some unique challenges, perhaps not due to complexity, but instead to the inadequate quantity and quality of data available and to the need to rethink the applicability of many of its imported theories in contexts that differ from the ones where they were originally elaborated.

We do not have the space to provide an extensive treatment of all the data problems faced by IB scholars. Instead, we point out to the serious issue of data equivalence in the collection of primary data. We briefly discuss how this affects interviews and surveys. We then turn to secondary data. In a recent article documenting their increasing importance in IB research, Cerar et al., ( 2021 : 1365) argue that such data needs to “be treated with the same healthy skepticism and quality checks as primary data” so as to mitigate ‘‘IB’s increasing exposure to the risks inherent in secondary data”. They note that a degree of complacency has crept into the use of such data: “references to the biases and weaknesses of such data are conspicuously absent in much of the literature. …. editors and reviewers do not consider the weaknesses and lack of mitigation possibilities inherent in secondary data as critical” (Cerar et al., 2021 : 1371). Our quick review of the pitfalls encountered in measuring just one IB construct – though a key one – the size of MNE activities outside their own country, certainly confirm their assessment. FDI flows and stocks (as epitomized by UNCTAD’s annual World Investment Report ) have been used to measure that activity at the country level without their authors seemingly aware of the limitations of such data. 22 We document the pitfalls involved and make some suggestions on how to avoid some of them.

Recently a number of firm-level databases, such as Orbis, have become available. While their broad coverage and user-friendly web interface hold out the promise of significantly improving our understanding of MNEs, we show that they are subject to some of the same problems that affect the use of FDI flow and stock data, and that the literature has not always recognized them. We suggest some partial fixes. The unavoidable conclusion from our brief foray into the use of both country-level FDI flow and stock data and firm-level data extracted from large databases is that data are a major challenge in IB.

IB researchers study phenomena in multiple contexts. Yet some of the theories they borrow were conceived by scholars working in specific environments and inevitably reflect those contexts. Often, they cannot be applied “as is” to the specific contexts being researched. Most theories used in IB were developed by scholars working in the United States and, to a lesser extent, the UK, Canada, and Australia, and hence reflect the cultural, economic, and social conditions of those countries. For that reason, their explanatory power is not always high when applied “as is” to other country contexts. In contrast to researchers in domestic fields trying to explain local phenomena with local theories, i.e., typically US phenomena with US theories, IB scholars have the challenging task of identifying the possible cultural biases of the theories they have borrowed and of extending them to fit other institutional contexts. Confronting theories to environments that differ from the ones in which they were originally developed offers the chance to enrich them by uncovering their hidden assumptions and boundary conditions, and to develop higher level, broader theories. Unfortunately, not all scholars have the confidence to tackle this challenge. Instead, some ignore the issue and simply try to apply, without modification, theories developed in Boston or San Francisco to Beijing or Singaporean contexts (see the discussion in Meyer, 2006 ). Others develop “indigenous theories” (Bruton, Zahra, Van de Ven, & Hitt, 2022). For example, some scholars have explained the relation-based governance prevalent in East Asia by Confucian philosophy, even though the use of this type of governance varies within the region and is also prevalent outside it (Li, 2013 ). Such indigenous theories fit the specific circumstances of their environment but remain unconnected to more general ones, resulting in a patchwork of incompatible theories. We have tried to show that identifying possible cultural biases in the theories we use and confronting them to diverse institutional environments can open new perspectives and enrich theories. IB scholars, who study different institutional environments, have unique opportunities to do so. But for this to happen a theory must have a built-in sensitivity to contextual differences (Muzio, 2021 ). We have shown that TCT is such a theory because it posits that the optimal governance structure depends on the specificities of the institutional environment and studies how this works out. It is therefore well equipped to accommodate different contexts. The result of the exercise, as we have attempted to show, is a version of TCT that is more general while remaining context-rich.

Is it fair to generalize from the specific data problems discussed in this article and argue that they are particularly daunting in IB? Are other theories used in IB less susceptible to cultural biases than our example of the Williamsonian version of TCT, or are those biases widespread? Is our unconscious use of theories that do not fit the varied contexts we study as big a limitation in IB as we argue it is? Are there other examples where IB researchers have used the disconnect between the empirical evidence and the predictions of borrowed theories as a lever to build more generalizable ones? Can all IB theories be leveraged in that way, as we have shown TCT can, or are other Western theories more context-specific, hence justifying an emphasis on indigenous theories, as advocated by Bruton et al. ( 2022 )? We hope our counterpoint will stimulate further debate on those issues.

We are not questioning the use of FDI data to measure equity flows between MNE parents and their subsidiaries, but only their use to measure the aggregate value added generated by these subsidiaries.

Enron’s 2000 10K filing provides a good example of that complexity. Dabhol, its ill-fated Indian power plant, was owned by a Mauritius SPE, itself owned by a Dutch SPE, itself owned by a Cayman Island SPE, which was then owned by a Delaware SPE, Enron India, LLC. So an observer looking at the first immediate owner could conclude that Dabhol was a domestic operation.

For a recent example, see Mariotti and Marzano’s ( 2021 ) study of the impact of changes in competition policy on the attractiveness of a country to foreign direct investors. They acknowledge the problems of using FDI data, but like Buckley et al. ( 2007 ), attempt to remedy them by omitting OFCs from their sample. This fix excludes genuine investments going to some of their omitted OFC (Hong Kong for example) but more importantly onward-journey investments from the eliminated OFCs to the countries that remain in their sample.

Available at https://stats.oecd.org/ and https://data.imf.org .

As an example, in the UNCTAD database Finnish FDI stocks were reported in 2013 on an historical-cost basis while US FDI stocks were on a market-value basis. Valuing FDI stocks on a historical cost basis results in an underestimation of the FDI stock of countries that are old investors relative to that of more recent investors (Bellak & Cantwell, 1996 ).

Zephyr also covers initial public offerings (IPOs), private equity, and venture capital deals.

Yang, Martins and Driffield ( 2013 ), for example, are able to build a sample of 16,000 MNEs operating in 46 countries over a 10-year period.

Over 95% of the US $3.5 trillion FDI stock in Luxembourg, 21% of US$1.45 trillion FDI stock in Switzerland, and 40% of US $1.97 trillion in the UK was sent to SPEs.

A search for subsidiaries active in NACE 6420, the most common code for SPEs, returned 23,908 subsidiaries in the Netherlands, 31,387 in Luxembourg, 1526 in Switzerland, and 21,589 in the UK, for a total of 78,440 SPE subsidiaries. For the 31 developed host countries included in Estrin et al. ( 2018 ), the total number of this type of SPE comes to 131,709. Limiting the number of such SPEs to those owned by the MNEs of the 14 advanced and emerging economy countries in the Estrin et al. ( 2018 ) sample does reduce the number of this type of SPE to 49,907, but this is still 3.1% of the total number of subsidiaries. On the other hand, if we choose a broader definition of SPEs as subsidiaries engaged in financial service activities (NACE 64) and insurance, reinsurance and pension funding (NACE 65), their number rises to 96,188, or 6% of all subsidiaries in their sample. This is too large a number to be overlooked.

Our estimation is based on the number of subsidiaries whose main activity is NACE 64 (financial service activities, except insurance and pension funding), NACE 65 (insurance and pension funding), NACE 66 (activities auxiliary to financial services and insurance activities), NACE 69 (legal and accounting activities) and NACE 77 (rental and leasing activities). It makes sense to include the latter category since many SPEs lease intellectual property to onshore Chinese operations.

As above, we define SPEs as subsidiaries whose main activity is in NACE 6420, investment holding companies. Looking at Orbis, we identified 5387 Chinese SPEs located in 49 different countries. The 1909 SPEs that were registered in 18 countries, including Singapore (1104), Luxembourg (489), the BVI (263), the Cayman Islands (11) and a few others, had a combined employee count of zero.

We searched recent articles that used Orbis to develop samples of MNEs by country of origin with ultimate ownership as a criterion and did not find any mention of special steps taken by their authors to account for inverted firms.

SPEs are not randomly distributed among all subsidiaries, so their inclusion causes more than noise: it may lead to bias. SPEs also make up a large share of all subsidiaries so the bias is not likely to disappear with an increase in sample size.

Linsi and Mügge ( 2019 ) document the poor quality of international statistics on merchandise and service trade and on portfolio investments. While accounting measures of firm profitability are fairly straightforward in a domestic context, they are problematic in IB because the published financial performance of a foreign subsidiary is affected by the firm’s internal transfer rules.

Adjusted means that in the case of jointly authored articles, the score attributed to an author is divided by the number of authors of the article. The dominance of scholars in those four countries lessened slightly to 63.8% in the 2001–2015 period, but is still high. The non-adjusted percentages for authors in the Journal of International Business Studies is similar – 74.9% in 1995–2004 and 63.9 in 2004–2014 (Cantwell, Piepenbrink, Shukla, & Vo, 2016 ).

We thank an anonymous referee for raising this point.

The topic has been recently the subject of a point-counterpoint in the Journal of Management Studies . See Filatotchev, Ireland, & Stahl ( 2022 ) and Bruton, Zahra, Van de Ven & Hitt (2022).

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There are some exceptions. Social exchange theory is attributed to George Homans, an American sociologist. We thank an anonymous referee for this insight.

This dichotomy between personal and business transactions seems rooted in the US culture with its emphasis on separation. Boyacigiller and Adler (1991: 276) note that “Americans low context orientation also underlies their concept of separation, for example, separation of church and state”.

Williamson was aware of the existence of social constraints. In Williamson ( 1985 : 120–122) he briefly describes Toyota subcontracting practices and concludes that “the hazards of trading are less severe in Japan than in the United States because of cultural and institutional checks on opportunism”. But he did not incorporate such constraints in his model.

In unpublished work, Beugelsdijk, Hennart, Slangen and Smeets surveyed the empirical articles published in main IB journals between 1981 and 2008 that use FDI data to measure MNE subsidiary activity. Only three of the 47 articles surveyed mention some of the data limitations we identify in this article. None of them mention them all.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank the editor, Alain Verbeke, and the anonymous reviewers for their stimulating comments.

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Jean-François Hennart

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Dylan Sutherland

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Hennart, JF., Sutherland, D. International business research: The real challenges are data and theory. J Int Bus Stud 53 , 2068–2087 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41267-022-00566-y

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191+ Business Research Topics for College Students

In today’s dynamic business landscape, staying ahead requires a keen understanding of emerging trends and challenges. For college students aspiring to enter the business world, engaging in research is a valuable way to develop critical thinking skills and gain insights into the ever-evolving industry. This blog aims to provide compelling business research topics for college students that not only align with academic interests but also offer practical implications for the real world.

Importance of Business Research for College Students

Table of Contents

Business research plays a pivotal role in shaping the academic and professional journey of college students. It is a vehicle through which theoretical concepts are tested against real-world scenarios, allowing students to develop a deeper understanding of their chosen field.

Moreover, the skills acquired through conducting business research—such as analytical thinking, data interpretation, and problem-solving—are highly transferable and invaluable in the competitive business environment.

The impact of digital marketing on consumer behavior.
Sustainability practices and their effects on corporate reputation.
Analysis of successful business models in the sharing economy.
The role of corporate social responsibility in brand image.
Strategies for managing workplace diversity and inclusion.
The influence of social media on brand loyalty.
Factors affecting employee job satisfaction in the modern workplace.
Impact of artificial intelligence on business operations.
The effectiveness of e-commerce strategies in different industries.
Assessing the challenges and opportunities of international business expansion.
Innovation and its impact on business growth.
The role of emotional intelligence in effective leadership.
Analyzing the effects of cultural differences on international business negotiations.
Strategies for managing organizational change.
The impact of data analytics on decision-making in business.
Ethical considerations in business: A case study approach.
The role of entrepreneurship in economic development.
Analysis of the gig economy and its implications for workers.
Corporate governance and its influence on firm performance.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on business continuity planning.
The role of branding in small business success.
The role of emotional marketing in consumer decision-making.
Analyzing the effectiveness of employee training programs.
Strategies for managing a remote workforce.
The influence of celebrity endorsements on consumer behavior.
The impact of green marketing on consumer purchasing decisions.
Assessing the effectiveness of employee wellness programs.
The role of blockchain technology in supply chain management.
Analyzing the success factors of family-owned businesses.
The impact of cultural differences on negotiation outcomes in international business.
Corporate fraud: Causes, consequences, and preventive measures.
The role of corporate culture in attracting and retaining talent.
Assessing the economic impact of trade wars on global business.
The role of emotional intelligence in customer service.
E-commerce security: Challenges and solutions.
The impact of social media influencers on brand perception.
Strategies for managing a crisis in corporate communication.
The role of big data in predicting market trends.
Workplace harassment: Causes, consequences, and prevention.
Analyzing the impact of globalization on small businesses.
The effectiveness of gamification in employee training programs.
The role of technology in reshaping the retail industry.
Strategies for managing talent in a competitive business environment.
The impact of political instability on international business.
Corporate entrepreneurship: Fostering innovation within established companies.
The role of emotional intelligence in negotiation success.
Assessing the impact of employee engagement on organizational performance.
Strategies for effective crisis management in public relations.
The influence of online reviews on consumer purchasing decisions.
The role of corporate philanthropy in community development.
The impact of trade policies on international business.
The effectiveness of loyalty programs in retaining customers.
The role of emotional intelligence in team collaboration.
Analyzing the success factors of start-ups in emerging industries.
The impact of climate change on business sustainability.
Corporate social responsibility in the fashion industry.
Strategies for managing cultural diversity in global teams.
The role of innovation in sustainable business practices.
Analyzing the effects of economic recessions on consumer behavior.
The impact of e-commerce on traditional brick-and-mortar retail.
Strategies for building a strong employer brand.
The role of technology in enhancing customer experiences.
Assessing the impact of workplace flexibility on employee satisfaction.
The effectiveness of influencer marketing in different industries.
The influence of corporate ethics on customer loyalty.
The impact of automation on job satisfaction in the manufacturing sector.
Strategies for managing intellectual property in the digital age.
The role of emotional intelligence in conflict resolution.
Analyzing the effects of cultural intelligence on international business success.
The impact of employee well-being programs on productivity.
Corporate governance and financial performance: A meta-analysis.
The role of corporate branding in mergers and acquisitions.
Assessing the impact of corporate social responsibility on financial performance.
The effectiveness of green supply chain management practices.
The influence of cultural factors on consumer decision-making.
Strategies for managing customer complaints in the age of social media.
The impact of employee empowerment on organizational innovation.
The role of emotional intelligence in customer relationship management.
Analyzing the effects of the gig economy on traditional employment.
Strategies for managing organizational conflict.
The impact of technology on the future of work.
The effectiveness of corporate training programs in developing leadership skills.
The role of emotional intelligence in project management.
Analyzing the success factors of online marketplaces.
The impact of corporate social responsibility on investor perceptions.
Strategies for building a sustainable competitive advantage.
The influence of cultural intelligence on global marketing strategies.
The role of emotional intelligence in talent acquisition.
Assessing the impact of employee engagement on customer satisfaction.
The effectiveness of digital advertising in reaching target audiences.
The impact of workplace diversity on organizational creativity.
Strategies for managing cross-cultural teams in multinational corporations.
The role of emotional intelligence in customer retention.
Analyzing the effects of artificial intelligence on job displacement.
The influence of organizational culture on employee well-being.
The impact of corporate sustainability practices on shareholder value.
Strategies for managing organizational stress.
The role of emotional intelligence in organizational change.
Assessing the impact of ethical leadership on employee performance.
The effectiveness of virtual teams in global organizations.
The influence of corporate governance on financial reporting quality.
The impact of digital transformation on business models.
Strategies for managing cybersecurity risks in business.
The role of emotional intelligence in crisis communication.
Analyzing the effects of corporate wellness programs on healthcare costs.
The impact of social media on employee productivity.
The influence of leadership communication styles on organizational culture.
Strategies for managing cultural diversity in customer service.
The role of emotional intelligence in supply chain management.
Assessing the impact of employee recognition programs on motivation.
The effectiveness of corporate training in promoting diversity and inclusion.
The impact of blockchain technology on financial services.
Strategies for managing virtual teams in the digital age.
The role of emotional intelligence in organizational resilience.
Analyzing the effects of corporate social responsibility on employee engagement.
The influence of leadership styles on team performance.
The impact of technology on customer service in the hospitality industry.
Strategies for managing organizational change in a dynamic environment.
The role of emotional intelligence in talent retention.
Assessing the impact of corporate culture on innovation.
The effectiveness of customer loyalty programs in the airline industry.
The impact of employee well-being on organizational performance.
Strategies for managing cultural differences in global marketing campaigns.
The role of emotional intelligence in strategic decision-making.
Analyzing the effects of automation on job satisfaction in the service sector.
The influence of organizational culture on employee turnover.
The impact of corporate sustainability practices on employee morale.
Strategies for managing workplace conflict in virtual teams.
The role of emotional intelligence in customer feedback management.
Assessing the impact of corporate governance on shareholder activism.
The effectiveness of social media marketing in B2B industries.
The impact of technology on employee training and development.
Strategies for managing cultural diversity in project teams.
The role of emotional intelligence in corporate entrepreneurship.
Analyzing the effects of corporate social responsibility on employee well-being.
The influence of leadership styles on organizational agility.
The impact of workplace design on employee productivity.
Strategies for managing cross-functional teams in project management.
The role of emotional intelligence in customer service excellence.
Assessing the impact of corporate sustainability practices on customer loyalty.
The effectiveness of employee assistance programs in managing workplace stress.
The impact of technology on employee communication in remote teams.
Strategies for managing cultural diversity in innovation teams.
The role of emotional intelligence in organizational learning.
Analyzing the effects of corporate social responsibility on investor decision-making.
The influence of leadership communication on employee engagement.
The impact of technology on talent acquisition and recruitment.
Strategies for managing organizational change in the healthcare industry.
The role of emotional intelligence in employee feedback and performance appraisal.
Assessing the impact of corporate governance on corporate social responsibility.
The effectiveness of employee wellness programs in reducing absenteeism.
The impact of social media on organizational knowledge sharing.
Strategies for managing cultural diversity in customer relationship management.
The role of emotional intelligence in organizational conflict resolution.
Analyzing the effects of corporate social responsibility on brand equity.
The influence of leadership styles on organizational innovation.
The impact of technology on employee onboarding and orientation.
Strategies for managing cross-cultural communication in global teams.
The role of emotional intelligence in organizational trust.
Assessing the impact of corporate governance on corporate performance.
The effectiveness of employee recognition programs in enhancing morale.
The impact of workplace diversity on organizational performance.
Strategies for managing cultural diversity in sales teams.
The role of emotional intelligence in organizational decision-making.
Analyzing the effects of corporate social responsibility on employee motivation.
The influence of leadership styles on organizational change management.
The impact of technology on employee performance evaluation.
Strategies for managing cross-functional collaboration in organizations.
The role of emotional intelligence in customer experience management.
Assessing the impact of corporate governance on corporate ethics.
The effectiveness of employee wellness programs in reducing healthcare costs.
The impact of social media on organizational innovation.
Strategies for managing cultural diversity in leadership teams.
The role of emotional intelligence in organizational communication.
Analyzing the effects of corporate social responsibility on customer satisfaction.
The impact of technology on employee satisfaction and engagement.
Strategies for managing organizational change in the technology industry.
The role of emotional intelligence in employee training and development.
Assessing the impact of corporate governance on corporate social responsibility reporting.
The effectiveness of employee recognition programs in improving job performance.
The impact of workplace diversity on organizational culture.
Strategies for managing cultural diversity in technology teams.
Analyzing the effects of corporate social responsibility on employee retention.
The influence of leadership communication on organizational learning.
The impact of technology on talent retention and turnover.
Strategies for managing cross-functional teams in organizational projects.
The role of emotional intelligence in customer relationship building.
Assessing the impact of corporate governance on corporate reputation.
The effectiveness of employee wellness programs in promoting work-life balance.
The impact of social media on organizational communication.
Strategies for managing cultural diversity in project management teams.

Key Points To Consider For Business Research Topics for College Students

When selecting business research topics for college students, it’s important to consider various factors to ensure the relevance, feasibility, and academic rigor of the research. Here are key points to consider:

Relevance to Coursework or Program

Choose a topic that aligns with the goals and objectives of your business program or coursework.
Ensure that the topic is relevant to current trends, issues, or challenges in the business world.

Personal Interest

Select a topic that genuinely interests you. This will keep you motivated and engaged throughout the research process.

Feasibility

Assess the feasibility of your chosen topic in terms of data availability, access, and the resources required for research.
Consider the timeframe available for your research project.

Originality and Uniqueness

Aim for a topic that allows you to make a unique contribution to existing knowledge in the field.
Avoid overly broad or generic topics; instead, focus on a specific aspect of the business domain.

Practical Significance

Consider the practical implications of your research. How might the findings be applied in real-world business scenarios?
Think about how your research can contribute to solving practical business problems.

Ethical Considerations

Ensure that your research topic is ethically sound. Consider any potential ethical concerns related to data collection, analysis, and reporting.

Research Design

Think about the research methodology you will use to investigate your chosen topic.
Consider whether a quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods approach is most appropriate.

Availability of Data

Check whether there is existing data relevant to your topic, or if you need to collect new data.
Consider the availability of primary and secondary data sources.

Academic Resources

Ensure there is a sufficient body of academic literature and research articles related to your topic.
Access to relevant journals, books, and databases is crucial for a comprehensive literature review.

Practical Constraints

Consider any practical constraints, such as the availability of participants for surveys or interviews.
Evaluate whether you have the necessary skills or resources for specific research methods.

Alignment with Career Goals

If possible, choose a topic that aligns with your future career goals. This can make your research experience more valuable in the long run.

Faculty Expertise

Check if there are faculty members with expertise in your chosen research area. Their guidance can be invaluable throughout the research process.

Scope of the Research

Define the scope of your research clearly. Avoid overly ambitious topics that may be difficult to cover within the given timeframe.

Accessibility of Participants

If your research involves participants, consider the ease of access to them. Ensure you can reach the target audience without significant challenges.

Research Questions or Hypotheses

Clearly articulate the research questions or hypotheses your study aims to address.
Ensure that these questions are focused and researchable.

By carefully considering these key points, you can choose a business research topic that not only meets academic requirements but also allows you to make a meaningful contribution to the field. Remember to consult with your instructors or advisors during the topic selection process for additional guidance.

Final Thought

In conclusion, selecting appropriate business research topics for college students is a crucial step that demands careful consideration of various factors. The chosen topic should align with the academic program’s objectives, reflect current trends in the business landscape, and resonate with the researcher’s interests.

Additionally, feasibility, ethical considerations, and the availability of data and academic resources are essential aspects to evaluate. A well-chosen research topic not only contributes to academic knowledge but also offers practical insights with real-world applications.

Ultimately, students should aim for topics that are original, relevant, and have the potential to make a meaningful impact in the field of business. Through thoughtful consideration of these factors, students can embark on a research journey that is both academically enriching and personally fulfilling.

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Business Research Topics | Best Ideas For Your Papers

What is a business research? Business research is the method of obtaining factual information in all areas of business and the use of such information to maximize sales and profit. You can do business-related research for almost anything. It is, however, vital that you aim the research at helping people or organizations make wise and informed decisions.

This article focuses on the various aspects of business research, such as business law, business ethics, business proposal, international business, business management, business speech, business debate, and controversial business topics.

Why This List of Business Research Topics?

Writing a successful business research paper starts with getting the basics right. While many think they are ready for a business research project, they somehow always get stuck at the very first step: choosing business topics. Even after trying the conventional techniques of preliminary research and brainstorming, many are still unable to come up with great business research topics. This article aims to help you find exciting business topics. The exciting thing is that we don’t just give you a small range of business-related topics to choose from – we have 100!

Here is a list of some hot business essay topics to set the ball rolling. Our list of interesting business topics makes this not just a typical list, but one to give you an outstanding business research paper. This list contains 100 examples of business research topics and will be of great help!

So if you need some business topics for a research paper or presentation, be assured that you’re in the right place!

Controversial Business Topics

Free Market Capitalism
Lower minimum wage and job creation.
Would a minimum wage trap people in poverty?
Is outsourcing an Ethical Practice?
Outsourcing: Theories versus findings.

International Business Topics

Students offering business courses should endeavour to do some international business research that addresses critical issues affecting international trade. Here are some international business research topics which will come in handy.

Surviving International Competition: A Critical Analysis of the Strategic Measures Employed by Local Companies.
International Investment: The Importance of Educating the Public on the benefits of international investment.
Business at Sea: The Importance of Instituting and Implementing Environmentally-friendly Approaches.
Transforming Small Local Businesses into widely Recognized International Brands.
Human Resources: Effective Strategies for Maintaining Largely Diversified Organizations.
Branding: Effective Strategies to Provide a Competitive Advantage for International Businesses.

Business Proposal Topics

The business culture is taking over the world today, and with it comes quite a lot of issues and concerns in how we go about our daily activity. Whether you are a business tycoon or a customer at a grocery shop, everyone is involved in some form of business. Below are some business proposal topics to help you pitch that business idea.

Economic Problems: Possible initiatives to protect small businesses.
American Business Sector: Possible solutions to the decline of trust.
Local Businesses: Providing necessary support to avoid suffocation by huge chains.
Global Unemployment: Strategies and solutions to the problem of unemployment.
Stakeholders: Their impact on the success of a business.
Employee motivation and its effect on employee performance.

Business Speech Topics

Do you have a business speech to deliver and still not sure of the topic to focus on? Here is are some general business speech topics for you!

How to think and plan strategically.
Interpersonal and Family Relations.
How to make a sales pitch.
How to Move Your Business A Generation Ahead.
Reducing and resolving conflicts in family businesses.
Leadership Development and its importance.

Business Law Topics

Business law is a thriving area of business which grabs the interest of many people. Business law helps to govern the dealings in the commercial world. We thought you might need some business law paper topics ; hence this list of current juicy research topics on business law.

Bankruptcy Fraud: Legal identification methods.
Sexual Harassment Lawsuits: Its Avoidance within the company.
Trade secrets: When does it become “too secretive”?
UK Business Laws: A Review of the Legal Standing and Protection of Creditors.
Foreign Entity Registration: A comparative review of legal guidelines and implications for foreign businesses in the UK and Europe.
Trademark infringement: Possible defences to this offence.
E-commerce Practices: US legal implications on the workforce.
Data Privacy Laws: Their impact on business operations.

Business Ethics Topics

Another exciting area of business research is business ethics. With some excellent business ethics research paper topics, you’re well on your way to writing a unique paper. Here are some juicy business ethics paper topics/business research topic examples to get the ball rolling!

Gender Discrimination: A close investigation of its impact on employee performance in an organization.
Organizational Environmental Pollution: A critical look at its effects on consumer trust levels.
Labourer Abuse: Analyzing its repercussions in the construction sector.
Profit Seeking: A critical evaluation of its impact on product quality.
Advertisements: An Expository Study of the effects of misleading advertisements on consumer trust.
Gift-giving by Pharmaceutical Representatives: Any strings attached?
Business ethics: A Philosophical approach.
Ethical issues in governing a corporation.
Ethical conflicts: Avoiding religious, political, and cultural arguments at work.

Business Communication Topics

To be successful in business, one must be able to communicate effectively in areas such as selling ideas, persuading potential customers, communicating with employees, etc. In business, communication may as well be everything! Here are ten fantastic topics for your business communication research paper!

The effect of internal business communication on the external image of a business.
The Impact of Interactive online communication on public relations outcomes.
Interpersonal Communication: The Influence of Culture on interpersonal dialogue.
The impact of Computer-mediated Interaction.
Business Communication: Exploring different mediums and channels for effective communication in business.
The effect of intercultural information exchange on closing business deals.
Business Negotiation: A language-centred activity.
Symmetrical Dialogue: A critical look at the processes involved.
Business Negotiation: Styles in intercultural dialogue.
Exploring the differences between business communication and general communication.

Business Research Topics for MBA Students

Are you an MBA student in need of business research paper topics? Here are some hot ones just for you!

Organizational Culture and its influence on innovation management.
Environmental issues and their effect on business management in the world today.
Leadership Skills and its impact on organizational control.
An analytical overview of investment strategies.
The influence of online marketing on start-ups.
Direct Marketing versus Creative Marketing.
The power of advertising on consumer behaviour.
The impact of employee turnover on Organizational profit.
Globalization and its impact on small scale industries.
The e-commerce industry and its effect on the world today.

Business Management Research Topics

With the many facets of business management, finding a hot topic could be very challenging. Here are ten great ideas for research topics in business management.

Employee benefits and its effect on employee productivity.
The intricacies of managing conflict in the work team.
Start-ups: A look into the issues that occur during business start-ups.
Excessive work: Business consequences.
The evolving nature of work teams in meeting the requirements of the future.
Leadership strategies and Inter-organizational networks.
Product and service improvement in a strategic partnership.
How to manage crises in an organization.
Impact of total quality management practices on customer retention and satisfaction.
Effective time management as a tool for organizational survival.

Business Informative Speech Topics

Are you in particular need of business informative speech topics? Then you’re in the right place! Here are ten business topics which are full of juice!

Ergonomics in the workspace: How desks, chairs, and tables affect physical poses for sedentary workers.
Why there are corporate loans and special grants for women start-ups.
Standards in Creative and Financial Accounting: What is right or wrong?
Copyright protection: The what, the why and the when.
Outsourcing to third parties: When, why and how.
Why you have to back up trade secrets with a signed confidentiality agreement.
What are the types of insurance?
The 24-hour economy: How to manage risk under pressure.
Benefits of human resources and how to develop social skills.
How safety programs and working conditions relate to productivity.

Business Persuasive Speech Topics

A persuasive speech is a speech delivered with the intent of bringing about a change in the ideas or viewpoints of others. Here are ten business compelling speech topics to wow your audience.

Your business will fail if you lack social intelligence.
Why you need both short and long-term goals in business.
Why Introverts could make better entrepreneurs.
Why you must have a business plan.
Business Mentors: why every business person needs one.
The secret in sending past clients thoughtful gifts.
Social Media: Why you should take full advantage of it for your business.
Placing higher values on experience than qualifications.
Parenting: why new fathers should also get paid time off to help with the baby.
Why gut instinct is still essential in hiring.

Business Debate Topics

It is usually challenging to choose business debate topics because you must select a business debate topic which you find interesting. We have prepared some hot business debate topics to help you in your essay.

Multinationals: Doing more harm than good?
Corporate jobs: A new form of slavery.
Stock market: is it related to gambling?
An MBA will not make you a good business leader.
An MBA is worth the cost.
Business and Politics: Should they be mixed?
Should the world run on a cashless economy?
Cryptocurrencies: Are they reliable in business?
Advertisements: Profitable to business?
Women: Better business managers than men?

So here we are! One hundred business topics which cover different areas in business. Are you ready to take your writing to a whole new level? These topics will set you on the right path faster. Don’t forget to proofread and edit your paper thoroughly before turning it in. Good luck!

Make PhD experience your own

Business Problem Research: Problem Statement Research

Start with a broad topic.

To keep your sanity, it's best to start with a general area of interest. Once you've reviewed the literature on your general area of interest, it'll be easier to create a problem statement from what you've found. Basing your business problem off of the literature is going to save you a lot time and energy further down the road.

Students run into two major problems when they choose a business problem without looking at the literature first .

There is no or limited literature containing the data or statistics to support your problem statement.
The literature may not support your assumption.

Example research topic & search strategies

If you work for a company that has high employee turnover and you'd like to find more information about how to retain employees, these are the steps you could take.

Research whether high employee turnover is an actual problem in the industry your company falls under.
Determine if there is enough literature to support your topic and that the literature supports your business problem.
Now you can locate articles that support a more specific research topic.

Keep an open mind while reviewing the literature

Trying to locate data or statistics based on what you'd like see instead of what's available can be tricky. Your preconceived ideas for data or statistics may or may not exist. If they do exist, they may not exist in the way you expect.

Review the literature for gaps and business problems

The easiest way to locate a gap in the literature is to review the literature related to a topic you're interested in. While reviewing the literature, do you notice any themes, industries, or groups that aren't being addressed? Below are instructions for locating a gap in the literature.

Quick Answer: How do I find articles on my topic?
Geographic location
Business size
Demographics (Age, Gender, Ethnicity, Disability, Veterans)
Review relevant studies for opportunities for future research. Many authors will discuss what research could be done based of the work they have done.
Include any of these subtopics in to your search to help you limit your results and to locate a gap in the literature.

Look at completed dissertations

Most dissertations will have a section discussing opportunities for further research. Those students have already done the leg work and have insight into the literature. If their idea for further study intrigues you, go out and research to confirm that there is still a gap in research.

Quick Answer: How do I find Walden PhD dissertations?
Quick Answer: How do I find Walden DBA (Doctor of Business Administration) studies?
Quick Answer: How do I find Walden DIT (Doctor of Information Technology) studies?
Quick Answer: How do I find dissertations on a topic?

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Academic Experience

How to identify and resolve research problems

Updated July 12, 2023

In this article, we’re going to take you through one of the most pertinent parts of conducting research: a research problem (also known as a research problem statement).

When trying to formulate a good research statement, and understand how to solve it for complex projects, it can be difficult to know where to start.

Not only are there multiple perspectives (from stakeholders to project marketers who want answers), you have to consider the particular context of the research topic: is it timely, is it relevant and most importantly of all, is it valuable?

In other words: are you looking at a research worthy problem?

The fact is, a well-defined, precise, and goal-centric research problem will keep your researchers, stakeholders, and business-focused and your results actionable.

And when it works well, it's a powerful tool to identify practical solutions that can drive change and secure buy-in from your workforce.

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What is a research problem?

In social research methodology and behavioral sciences , a research problem establishes the direction of research, often relating to a specific topic or opportunity for discussion.

For example: climate change and sustainability, analyzing moral dilemmas or wage disparity amongst classes could all be areas that the research problem focuses on.

As well as outlining the topic and/or opportunity, a research problem will explain:

why the area/issue needs to be addressed,
why the area/issue is of importance,
the parameters of the research study
the research objective
the reporting framework for the results and
what the overall benefit of doing so will provide (whether to society as a whole or other researchers and projects).

Having identified the main topic or opportunity for discussion, you can then narrow it down into one or several specific questions that can be scrutinized and answered through the research process.

What are research questions?

Generating research questions underpinning your study usually starts with problems that require further research and understanding while fulfilling the objectives of the study.

A good problem statement begins by asking deeper questions to gain insights about a specific topic.

For example, using the problems above, our questions could be:

"How will climate change policies influence sustainability standards across specific geographies?"

"What measures can be taken to address wage disparity without increasing inflation?"

Developing a research worthy problem is the first step - and one of the most important - in any kind of research.

It’s also a task that will come up again and again because any business research process is cyclical. New questions arise as you iterate and progress through discovering, refining, and improving your products and processes. A research question can also be referred to as a "problem statement".

Note: good research supports multiple perspectives through empirical data. It’s focused on key concepts rather than a broad area, providing readily actionable insight and areas for further research.

Research question or research problem?

As we've highlighted, the terms “research question” and “research problem” are often used interchangeably, becoming a vague or broad proposition for many.

The term "problem statement" is far more representative, but finds little use among academics.

Instead, some researchers think in terms of a single research problem and several research questions that arise from it.

As mentioned above, the questions are lines of inquiry to explore in trying to solve the overarching research problem.

Ultimately, this provides a more meaningful understanding of a topic area.

It may be useful to think of questions and problems as coming out of your business data – that’s the O-data (otherwise known as operational data) like sales figures and website metrics.

What's an example of a research problem?

Your overall research problem could be: "How do we improve sales across EMEA and reduce lost deals?"

This research problem then has a subset of questions, such as:

"Why do sales peak at certain times of the day?"

"Why are customers abandoning their online carts at the point of sale?"

As well as helping you to solve business problems, research problems (and associated questions) help you to think critically about topics and/or issues (business or otherwise). You can also use your old research to aid future research -- a good example is laying the foundation for comparative trend reports or a complex research project.

(Also, if you want to see the bigger picture when it comes to research problems, why not check out our ultimate guide to market research? In it you'll find out: what effective market research looks like, the use cases for market research, carrying out a research study, and how to examine and action research findings).

The research process: why are research problems important?

A research problem has two essential roles in setting your research project on a course for success.

1. They set the scope

The research problem defines what problem or opportunity you’re looking at and what your research goals are. It stops you from getting side-tracked or allowing the scope of research to creep off-course .

Without a strong research problem or problem statement, your team could end up spending resources unnecessarily, or coming up with results that aren’t actionable - or worse, harmful to your business - because the field of study is too broad.

2. They tie your work to business goals and actions

To formulate a research problem in terms of business decisions means you always have clarity on what’s needed to make those decisions. You can show the effects of what you’ve studied using real outcomes.

Then, by focusing your research problem statement on a series of questions tied to business objectives, you can reduce the risk of the research being unactionable or inaccurate.

It's also worth examining research or other scholarly literature (you’ll find plenty of similar, pertinent research online) to see how others have explored specific topics and noting implications that could have for your research.

Four steps to defining your research problem

Image credit: http://myfreeschooltanzania.blogspot.com/2014/11/defining-research-problem.html

1. Observe and identify

Businesses today have so much data that it can be difficult to know which problems to address first. Researchers also have business stakeholders who come to them with problems they would like to have explored. A researcher’s job is to sift through these inputs and discover exactly what higher-level trends and key concepts are worth investing in.

This often means asking questions and doing some initial investigation to decide which avenues to pursue. This could mean gathering interdisciplinary perspectives identifying additional expertise and contextual information.

Sometimes, a small-scale preliminary study might be worth doing to help get a more comprehensive understanding of the business context and needs, and to make sure your research problem addresses the most critical questions.

This could take the form of qualitative research using a few in-depth interviews , an environmental scan, or reviewing relevant literature.

The sales manager of a sportswear company has a problem: sales of trail running shoes are down year-on-year and she isn’t sure why. She approaches the company’s research team for input and they begin asking questions within the company and reviewing their knowledge of the wider market.

2. Review the key factors involved

As a marketing researcher, you must work closely with your team of researchers to define and test the influencing factors and the wider context involved in your study. These might include demographic and economic trends or the business environment affecting the question at hand. This is referred to as a relational research problem.

To do this, you have to identify the factors that will affect the research and begin formulating different methods to control them.

You also need to consider the relationships between factors and the degree of control you have over them. For example, you may be able to control the loading speed of your website but you can’t control the fluctuations of the stock market.

Doing this will help you determine whether the findings of your project will produce enough information to be worth the cost.

You need to determine:

which factors affect the solution to the research proposal.
which ones can be controlled and used for the purposes of the company, and to what extent.
the functional relationships between the factors.
which ones are critical to the solution of the research study.

The research team at the running shoe company is hard at work. They explore the factors involved and the context of why YoY sales are down for trail shoes, including things like what the company’s competitors are doing, what the weather has been like – affecting outdoor exercise – and the relative spend on marketing for the brand from year to year.

The final factor is within the company’s control, although the first two are not. They check the figures and determine marketing spend has a significant impact on the company.

3. Prioritize

Once you and your research team have a few observations, prioritize them based on their business impact and importance. It may be that you can answer more than one question with a single study, but don’t do it at the risk of losing focus on your overarching research problem.

Questions to ask:

Who? Who are the people with the problem? Are they end-users, stakeholders, teams within your business? Have you validated the information to see what the scale of the problem is?
What? What is its nature and what is the supporting evidence?
Why? What is the business case for solving the problem? How will it help?
Where? How does the problem manifest and where is it observed?

To help you understand all dimensions, you might want to consider focus groups or preliminary interviews with external (including consumers and existing customers) and internal (salespeople, managers, and other stakeholders) parties to provide what is sometimes much-needed insight into a particular set of questions or problems.

After observing and investigating, the running shoe researchers come up with a few candidate questions, including:

What is the relationship between US average temperatures and sales of our products year on year?
At present, how does our customer base rank Competitor X and Competitor Y’s trail running shoe compared to our brand?
What is the relationship between marketing spend and trail shoe product sales over the last 12 months?

They opt for the final question, because the variables involved are fully within the company’s control, and based on their initial research and stakeholder input, seem the most likely cause of the dive in sales. The research question is specific enough to keep the work on course towards an actionable result, but it allows for a few different avenues to be explored, such as the different budget allocations of offline and online marketing and the kinds of messaging used.

Get feedback from the key teams within your business to make sure everyone is aligned and has the same understanding of the research problem and questions, and the actions you hope to take based on the results. Now is also a good time to demonstrate the ROI of your research and lay out its potential benefits to your stakeholders.

Different groups may have different goals and perspectives on the issue. This step is vital for getting the necessary buy-in and pushing the project forward.

The running shoe company researchers now have everything they need to begin. They call a meeting with the sales manager and consult with the product team, marketing team, and C-suite to make sure everyone is aligned and has bought into the direction of the research topic. They identify and agree that the likely course of action will be a rethink of how marketing resources are allocated, and potentially testing out some new channels and messaging strategies .

Can you explore a broad area and is it practical to do so?

A broader research problem or report can be a great way to bring attention to prevalent issues, societal or otherwise, but are often undertaken by those with the resources to do so.

Take a typical government cybersecurity breach survey, for example. Most of these reports raise awareness of cybercrime, from the day-to-day threats businesses face to what security measures some organizations are taking. What these reports don't do, however, is provide actionable advice - mostly because every organization is different.

The point here is that while some researchers will explore a very complex issue in detail, others will provide only a snapshot to maintain interest and encourage further investigation. The "value" of the data is wholly determined by the recipients of it - and what information you choose to include.

To summarize, it can be practical to undertake a broader research problem, certainly, but it may not be possible to cover everything or provide the detail your audience needs. Likewise, a more systematic investigation of an issue or topic will be more valuable, but you may also find that you cover far less ground.

It's important to think about your research objectives and expected findings before going ahead.

Ensuring your research project is a success

A complex research project can be made significantly easier with clear research objectives, a descriptive research problem, and a central focus. All of which we've outlined in this article.

If you have previous research, even better. Use it as a benchmark

Remember: what separates a good research paper from an average one is actually very simple: valuable, empirical data that explores a prevalent societal or business issue and provides actionable insights.

And we can help.

Sophisticated research made simple with Qualtrics

Trusted by the world's best brands, our platform enables researchers from academic to corporate to tackle the hardest challenges and deliver the results that matter.

Our CoreXM platform supports the methods that define superior research and delivers insights in real-time. It's easy to use (thanks to drag-and-drop functionality) and requires no coding, meaning you'll be capturing data and gleaning insights in no time.

It also excels in flexibility; you can track consumer behavior across segments , benchmark your company versus competitors , carry out complex academic research, and do much more, all from one system.

It's one platform with endless applications, so no matter your research problem, we've got the tools to help you solve it. And if you don't have a team of research experts in-house, our market research team has the practical knowledge and tools to help design the surveys and find the respondents you need.

Of course, you may want to know where to begin with your own market research . If you're struggling, make sure to download our ultimate guide using the link below.

It's got everything you need and there’s always information in our research methods knowledge base.

Scott Smith

Scott Smith, Ph.D. is a contributor to the Qualtrics blog.

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The Research Problem & Statement

What they are & how to write them (with examples)

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Expert Reviewed By: Eunice Rautenbach (DTech) | March 2023

If you’re new to academic research, you’re bound to encounter the concept of a “ research problem ” or “ problem statement ” fairly early in your learning journey. Having a good research problem is essential, as it provides a foundation for developing high-quality research, from relatively small research papers to a full-length PhD dissertations and theses.

In this post, we’ll unpack what a research problem is and how it’s related to a problem statement . We’ll also share some examples and provide a step-by-step process you can follow to identify and evaluate study-worthy research problems for your own project.

Overview: Research Problem 101

What is a research problem.

What is a problem statement?

Where do research problems come from?

How to find a suitable research problem
Key takeaways

A research problem is, at the simplest level, the core issue that a study will try to solve or (at least) examine. In other words, it’s an explicit declaration about the problem that your dissertation, thesis or research paper will address. More technically, it identifies the research gap that the study will attempt to fill (more on that later).

Let’s look at an example to make the research problem a little more tangible.

To justify a hypothetical study, you might argue that there’s currently a lack of research regarding the challenges experienced by first-generation college students when writing their dissertations [ PROBLEM ] . As a result, these students struggle to successfully complete their dissertations, leading to higher-than-average dropout rates [ CONSEQUENCE ]. Therefore, your study will aim to address this lack of research – i.e., this research problem [ SOLUTION ].

A research problem can be theoretical in nature, focusing on an area of academic research that is lacking in some way. Alternatively, a research problem can be more applied in nature, focused on finding a practical solution to an established problem within an industry or an organisation. In other words, theoretical research problems are motivated by the desire to grow the overall body of knowledge , while applied research problems are motivated by the need to find practical solutions to current real-world problems (such as the one in the example above).

As you can probably see, the research problem acts as the driving force behind any study , as it directly shapes the research aims, objectives and research questions , as well as the research approach. Therefore, it’s really important to develop a very clearly articulated research problem before you even start your research proposal . A vague research problem will lead to unfocused, potentially conflicting research aims, objectives and research questions .

Free Webinar: How To Find A Dissertation Research Topic

What is a research problem statement?

As the name suggests, a problem statement (within a research context, at least) is an explicit statement that clearly and concisely articulates the specific research problem your study will address. While your research problem can span over multiple paragraphs, your problem statement should be brief , ideally no longer than one paragraph . Importantly, it must clearly state what the problem is (whether theoretical or practical in nature) and how the study will address it.

Here’s an example of a statement of the problem in a research context:

Rural communities across Ghana lack access to clean water, leading to high rates of waterborne illnesses and infant mortality. Despite this, there is little research investigating the effectiveness of community-led water supply projects within the Ghanaian context. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effectiveness of such projects in improving access to clean water and reducing rates of waterborne illnesses in these communities.

As you can see, this problem statement clearly and concisely identifies the issue that needs to be addressed (i.e., a lack of research regarding the effectiveness of community-led water supply projects) and the research question that the study aims to answer (i.e., are community-led water supply projects effective in reducing waterborne illnesses?), all within one short paragraph.

Need a helping hand?

Wherever there is a lack of well-established and agreed-upon academic literature , there is an opportunity for research problems to arise, since there is a paucity of (credible) knowledge. In other words, research problems are derived from research gaps . These gaps can arise from various sources, including the emergence of new frontiers or new contexts, as well as disagreements within the existing research.

Let’s look at each of these scenarios:

New frontiers – new technologies, discoveries or breakthroughs can open up entirely new frontiers where there is very little existing research, thereby creating fresh research gaps. For example, as generative AI technology became accessible to the general public in 2023, the full implications and knock-on effects of this were (or perhaps, still are) largely unknown and therefore present multiple avenues for researchers to explore.

New contexts – very often, existing research tends to be concentrated on specific contexts and geographies. Therefore, even within well-studied fields, there is often a lack of research within niche contexts. For example, just because a study finds certain results within a western context doesn’t mean that it would necessarily find the same within an eastern context. If there’s reason to believe that results may vary across these geographies, a potential research gap emerges.

Disagreements – within many areas of existing research, there are (quite naturally) conflicting views between researchers, where each side presents strong points that pull in opposing directions. In such cases, it’s still somewhat uncertain as to which viewpoint (if any) is more accurate. As a result, there is room for further research in an attempt to “settle” the debate.

Of course, many other potential scenarios can give rise to research gaps, and consequently, research problems, but these common ones are a useful starting point. If you’re interested in research gaps, you can learn more here .

How to find a research problem

Given that research problems flow from research gaps , finding a strong research problem for your research project means that you’ll need to first identify a clear research gap. Below, we’ll present a four-step process to help you find and evaluate potential research problems.

If you’ve read our other articles about finding a research topic , you’ll find the process below very familiar as the research problem is the foundation of any study . In other words, finding a research problem is much the same as finding a research topic.

Step 1 – Identify your area of interest

Naturally, the starting point is to first identify a general area of interest . Chances are you already have something in mind, but if not, have a look at past dissertations and theses within your institution to get some inspiration. These present a goldmine of information as they’ll not only give you ideas for your own research, but they’ll also help you see exactly what the norms and expectations are for these types of projects.

At this stage, you don’t need to get super specific. The objective is simply to identify a couple of potential research areas that interest you. For example, if you’re undertaking research as part of a business degree, you may be interested in social media marketing strategies for small businesses, leadership strategies for multinational companies, etc.

Depending on the type of project you’re undertaking, there may also be restrictions or requirements regarding what topic areas you’re allowed to investigate, what type of methodology you can utilise, etc. So, be sure to first familiarise yourself with your institution’s specific requirements and keep these front of mind as you explore potential research ideas.

Step 2 – Review the literature and develop a shortlist

Once you’ve decided on an area that interests you, it’s time to sink your teeth into the literature . In other words, you’ll need to familiarise yourself with the existing research regarding your interest area. Google Scholar is a good starting point for this, as you can simply enter a few keywords and quickly get a feel for what’s out there. Keep an eye out for recent literature reviews and systematic review-type journal articles, as these will provide a good overview of the current state of research.

At this stage, you don’t need to read every journal article from start to finish . A good strategy is to pay attention to the abstract, intro and conclusion , as together these provide a snapshot of the key takeaways. As you work your way through the literature, keep an eye out for what’s missing – in other words, what questions does the current research not answer adequately (or at all)? Importantly, pay attention to the section titled “ further research is needed ”, typically found towards the very end of each journal article. This section will specifically outline potential research gaps that you can explore, based on the current state of knowledge (provided the article you’re looking at is recent).

Take the time to engage with the literature and develop a big-picture understanding of the current state of knowledge. Reviewing the literature takes time and is an iterative process , but it’s an essential part of the research process, so don’t cut corners at this stage.

As you work through the review process, take note of any potential research gaps that are of interest to you. From there, develop a shortlist of potential research gaps (and resultant research problems) – ideally 3 – 5 options that interest you.

The relationship between the research problem and research gap

Step 3 – Evaluate your potential options

Once you’ve developed your shortlist, you’ll need to evaluate your options to identify a winner. There are many potential evaluation criteria that you can use, but we’ll outline three common ones here: value, practicality and personal appeal.

Value – a good research problem needs to create value when successfully addressed. Ask yourself:

Who will this study benefit (e.g., practitioners, researchers, academia)?
How will it benefit them specifically?
How much will it benefit them?

Practicality – a good research problem needs to be manageable in light of your resources. Ask yourself:

What data will I need access to?
What knowledge and skills will I need to undertake the analysis?
What equipment or software will I need to process and/or analyse the data?
How much time will I need?
What costs might I incur?

Personal appeal – a research project is a commitment, so the research problem that you choose needs to be genuinely attractive and interesting to you. Ask yourself:

How appealing is the prospect of solving this research problem (on a scale of 1 – 10)?
Why, specifically, is it attractive (or unattractive) to me?
Does the research align with my longer-term goals (e.g., career goals, educational path, etc)?

Depending on how many potential options you have, you may want to consider creating a spreadsheet where you numerically rate each of the options in terms of these criteria. Remember to also include any criteria specified by your institution . From there, tally up the numbers and pick a winner.

Step 4 – Craft your problem statement

Once you’ve selected your research problem, the final step is to craft a problem statement. Remember, your problem statement needs to be a concise outline of what the core issue is and how your study will address it. Aim to fit this within one paragraph – don’t waffle on. Have a look at the problem statement example we mentioned earlier if you need some inspiration.

Key Takeaways

We’ve covered a lot of ground. Let’s do a quick recap of the key takeaways:

A research problem is an explanation of the issue that your study will try to solve. This explanation needs to highlight the problem , the consequence and the solution or response.
A problem statement is a clear and concise summary of the research problem , typically contained within one paragraph.
Research problems emerge from research gaps , which themselves can emerge from multiple potential sources, including new frontiers, new contexts or disagreements within the existing literature.
To find a research problem, you need to first identify your area of interest , then review the literature and develop a shortlist, after which you’ll evaluate your options, select a winner and craft a problem statement .

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

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417 Business Topics & Research Titles about Business

The corporate world is the world of the future – there’s no doubt about that. And education in ABM will help you conquer it!

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What is ABM strand, exactly?

ABM stands for Accountancy, Business, and Management. Future leaders and entrepreneurs pursue education in this field to learn the skills essential for their careers. They study how to run a business. How to talk to clients. And, of course, how to come up with strategies to earn money.

Looking for exciting business topics to write about in a paper or dissertation? Here you’ll find a list of research titles about business, as well as ABM qualitative and quantitative research ideas collected by Custom-writing.org experts. We hope that these business and management research topics will inspire you for your own project or for a heated discussion.

❣️ Choosing an ABM Qualitative or Quantitative Research Topic

👔 business topics to write about, 💸 business topics on marketing, 📈 accounting research titles about business, 💫 business management research topics, 👷 business topics on hr, 🤔 abm strand research faq, 🔍 references.

The key part of acquiring any education is writing a research paper . Why do it? First, it’s a test of a student’s analytical, writing, and research skills. Second, being able to conduct business research is paramount to its success.

It helps you communicate with customers.
It helps you scan the marketplace for threats and opportunities.
It helps you understand how to minimize risks.
It helps you plan your investments effectively.
It helps you keep your hand on the pulse of the current trends in the market.

The obtained skills will guide you through the entirety of your professional career. It’s an experience that can’t be skipped. We’ve hand-picked 417 research topics related to the ABM strand, just for you. Here, you will find the best ideas for your future ABM research paper masterpiece.

Just in 1 hour! We will write you a plagiarism-free paper in hardly more than 1 hour

The first step in writing an ABM research paper is choosing a topic. With the abundance of ABM research topics ideas on the Internet, it’s not an easy task. Simply picking one won’t do the trick. You will need to juggle relevance, applicability, and your own personal interest in the subject.

There are two main types of AMB research methods: qualitative and quantitative.

Qualitative research answers the why and the how questions. It tests customers’ reaction to new products and studies consumer behaviors. Case studies, interviews, and focus groups are the common methods of collecting such data.
Quantitative research collects numerical data and analyzes stats. The common methods include various surveys in target groups.

What ABM fields to explore are out there?

Financial accounting (aka accountancy) is creating financial statements to be distributed within and outside of a company.
Management accounting is creating operational reports to be distributed only within a company.
Banking and finance are all about financial services provided to customers, and the laws of investment.
Business administration is supervising and overseeing various business operations.
Marketing is all about the promotion of buying and selling services and products.
Entrepreneurship is all about the process of coming up with, starting and managing a new business.
Human resource development management is all about reaching the top potential of the employees.
Hospitality management is overseeing and supervising various administrative tasks of a resort or hotel.
Tourism is all about attracting, housing, and entertaining tourists, and organizing tours for them.

Getting lost in this embarrassment of riches? Let’s single out the five of the trendiest areas of ABM research. They are: business, marketing, accounting, project management, and human resources. Want to see more examples of research titles about ABM strand? More on them down below!

Decided to go with a business-related topic for your ABM research paper?

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We have you covered!

Here are some of the freshest ideas for a relevant business research paper. Enjoy our selection of business research topics and research titles for ABM students. Choose one and prove that your finger is on the pulse of the modern market world!

Is poverty a concern of a corporation? How can corporations contribute to social development? Should they concern themselves with it in the first place, and to what degree? How can corporate social responsibility result in the betterment of the market? How can a corporation’s perceived awareness produce a positive image for the customers?
Labor relations : the latest tendencies and the predictions for the future. Analyze the contemporary trends in the labor-corporate relationship. What issues are likely to emerge in 2025-2030? Back up your conclusion with real-life examples.
Diversity as a contemporary working reality. Due to globalization, people of various backgrounds tend to work together, more and more so. Does it influence the working process at all? Does the difference between genders, ages, and ethnicities hinder or facilitate business? Should the companies ensure that there’s diversity among their employees, and why? How should the work environments be organized to maximize efficiency?
Personal networking : labor-corporate communication tool. How does the number of people you know correlate with the chances of finding the best partners, workers, and customers? Is it an exponential or a sine curve? Produce real-life examples.
E-business: the world-wide globalization process. Some of the most successful modern businesses operate almost exclusively online. What are the examples? Assess the role of integration in their workflow. What are the overall perspectives of SCM (supply-chain management) in the realities of e-business?
Leadership and business in the modern world. Is there a significant difference in the styles and strategies implemented by the leaders in the 21 century as compared to the earlier eras? How do modern leaders adjust to contemporary business realia? What are the challenges and opportunities? What are the global trends? Produce real-life examples.
Copyright law: is it on the side of the artist or the company representing them? How has copyright law evolved through the times? What drove it so? To what extent does it protect modern artists? How can a copyright corporation exploit it, and to what degree? Produce real-life examples. Are there any court precedents?
Advertisement and consumer behavior . What types of advertisements prove to be the most effective? Back up your data with research results. What are the latest trends in the world of advertisement? What are the advantages and disadvantages of online and offline advertising? What mistakes can be made by a brand that is trying to produce a positive image through advertisement?
Apple : how to turn your brand into a religion. What are the factors behind the success of the Apple corporation? Is it just clever advertising, or is there something more to that? How does Apple build a following of brand loyalists? Does Apple face any difficulties in the realities of the modern harsh brand competition? What are your predictions for the nearest future of Apple corporation?
Word of mouth: a fossil or a gem? Who usually relies on this form of advertisement the most? How can an already well-established corporation benefit from it? How does word of mouth differ from other types of advertisement? What are the advantages and disadvantages? Produce real-life examples of a brand’s or organization’s success due to word of mouth.
Facebook and business . How can Facebook be used as a modern platform for conducting business? Does it have any advantages as compared to other online platforms? What are the disadvantages? What successful companies use Facebook as a business platform?

Pay for performance: a source of loyalty or displeasure ? What’s the best strategy for an employer to link pay and performance? Should pay increases be dependent on just the performance of an employee, or should other factors also be considered? Back up your reasoning with research results.
Local customization vs. global standardization. What are the pros and cons of each of the approaches? What companies are known to implement both strategies successfully? Give examples.
External recruiting vs. Internal promotions . What are the pros and cons of each of the approaches? How can a company implement both strategies successfully? Which is a more cost-effective approach? Why is it impossible to stick to just one of the strategies?
Does a multinational corporation have a motherland? Is it obligatory for a multinational corporation to have a strong presence in its home country? What are the economic benefits or downsides of it? Produce real-life examples.
Management by walking around (MBWA). What is the reasoning behind it, and how is it implemented? Is it a boost for productivity or a stress for employees? Who needs it more – the employees or the manager? Is it effective? Illustrate your point with research results.
The AIDA formula in advertising. What exactly is the AIDA formula? Why is it popular nowadays, and how does it compare to the other formulas for creating advertisements? Is it the key to a successful message broadcasting or a hindrance to creativity?
Free market: an achievable goal or a utopia? What exactly is the concept of a free market? What are the advantages of such a system? What are the disadvantages? Are there any real-life examples, and what can be learned from them?
Family business : pros and cons. Are there any modern examples of a successful family business? What might be the downsides of such a business model? What are the advantages? What can be learned from the examples of exercising interpersonal relations in business?
Franchises vs. “from scratch” businesses. Why having a franchise is a go-to option for a lot of corporations? What benefits does it produce? Are there any downsides? Which business model is easier to maintain? Which business model is more cost-effective?
Marijuana business in the US: state law vs. federal law. What is the current stand of federal law on the issue? What about state law? What is your prediction for the marijuana-based businesses for the nearest future?
Governments vs. private businesses. How does the government manage private businesses in your country? What is the best strategy for a government-private business relationship? How does this relationship reflect on the economy of the country?
The Internet and consumer behavior . How does the Internet shape consumer behavior in modern days? Are there any drastic changes in consumer behavior as compared to ten years ago? Is the Internet just a new platform for advertising, or is there more to that? Produce real-life examples.
The culture of consumerism. What exactly is this phenomenon? Is it really a thing or just a popular penny dreadful? Is it a natural occurrence or an artificial design created by the major companies for increasing profit? What proofs of the latter can be produced?
The best countries to invest into in 2020. How can a country be invested into? Why would some corporations choose to do it? What are the criteria? Is it cost-effective? What are the real-life examples?

Here are some more business research topics to explore:

Outsourcing: its advantages and disadvantages for a business. Is it ethical?
Authors and copyright: which works better, legal names or nom de plumes?
Negotiation tactics : understanding authority.
Oil prices impacts on consumer behavior in Turkey .
Corruption cases: do state officials have a higher chance of succeeding with a request for dismissal?
Juicy Fruit: business strategies and product promotion .
Insider trading : how the nature of the offence and the punishment for it has changed through the decades.
American Airlines: the secret of success .
Alcohol: the advantages of the sale and consumption laws for the society’s well-being.
Organizational change capacity concept .
Death penalty: should it apply for the most severe corporate crimes?
The correlation between wages and employee productivity.
The correlation between strategic management and employee productivity .
The impact of staff motivation on employee productivity.
Managing employee retention .
Low-cost economy: companies benefits and drawbacks .
Sales letter vs. waste bin: how to avoid spam folder?
Startups: how to.
L’Oreal and Procter & Gamble: financial analysis .
Teenagers vs. business: the phenomenon of teenage business.
Logistical system: private and public warehouses combining .
Small business : the basis of economics.
Coca-Cola and PepsiCo: Comparative Analysis .
Third-world countries: how is business done there?
Taxes: types and uses.
The role of corporate lobbyists in American future .
Business ethics: is there a difference from general ethics? What are the laws?
What are the cultural differences of doing business in different countries?
Roadrunner Sport: social and digital media strategies .
The target audience: how to define it and how to attract it?
Crisis management in business.
Call centers outside the US: pros & cons .
Risks: how to calculate them in your business endeavor.
Monopolies : how do they impact the market?
Business dynasties: how does family business operate?
Copyright law : how does it operate?
A gaming lounge: business plan .
Services: what are the most and least popular in the market?
Dell Company: global strategies .
Charity: is it a good advertisement strategy for a business?
How to balance ecology and increasing production.
SunTrust: business strategies in banking industry .
Corporate culture : what company rituals are common in business?
Negotiation and diplomacy in business.
TransGlobal Airlines as a monopoly .
A healthy working environment and its importance in business
Google’s success: a case study .
Brands: what’s their place in the modern market?
American Airlines’ and US Airways merger .
Military crisis: a hindrance or a boost for business?
Small enterprises: what are the challenges?
British Petroleum: the corruption case .
Internet advertisement: is it overtaking the world of advertising?

The psychology behind people’s decision to buy a more expensive product or a higher quantity of it.
Feminism: how does it influence the way women consume?
Hilton’s investments into the Italian tourism sector: causes and effects .
Teenagers and brands: what brands are the most popular among modern teenagers?
Mandatory recycling: how would it affect the prices? Would it be cost-effective in the long term?
Advertising in schools: is it acceptable?
Social media: what marketing strategies are used there? Does it influence offline advertisement?
Tariffs on car imports in Ukraine.
Employee stress : does every company need to offer services of a psychologist?
Sports and art: do corporate extracurricular classes enhance employees’ creativity and result in a healthy work environment?
Walmart company: environmental sustainability .
Eco-friendliness: how can more eco-friendly policies be encouraged in companies and businesses?
The concept of perfect competition .
Personal guns: does the successful handgun production industry depend on their free distribution?
BMW group sustainability plan .
Minimum wage: should it be canceled? Why?
Starbucks, Toyota and Google: missions comparison .
Commerce and retail: what is the future? Will shopping activity move completely to the Internet?
Toyota and Plexus: pricing strategies .
Internet advertising: is it more effective than other types of advertisement?
Tobacco production: should higher taxes apply to the tobacco companies? Should they be obliged to donate to cancer treatment centers?
Alcohol production: should higher taxes apply to alcohol companies? Should they be obliged to donate to alcohol treatment centers?
Xerox: company profile and overview .
Business ethics: how does it influence important decisions made by a company?
Ethics and morality in a business-oriented world.
The rise and fall of Eastman Kodak .
A museum exhibition: how can it be made marketable?
The business guide to sustainability.
Mobile phones: what has facilitated their high sales rates in recent years?
Under Armour: company analysis and strategic alternatives .
International human resources : what are the major challenges and pitfalls?
Corporate rituals: what are the oldest and most rigid ones that are still practiced in companies?
Brainstorming: how effective is it in producing ideas and business solutions?
Healthy work environment: what does it look like, and how can it be created?
Financial crisis: how does it affect business in the US and worldwide?
Famous brands: what are the associated advantages of owning a product of a recognizable and respectable brand? Why are consumers often willing to pay for it more than for a less well-known alternative?
Image: how does it affect the modern business culture and consumer behavior?
Gender: does it influence the ability to manage small and large teams?
Hiring youth: why certain niche companies prefer to employ young people? What are the examples?
Differences in ethnic cultures: how do they influence team-building?
Differences in ages: do they create difficulties in departmental cross-functional cooperation?
Gender: why certain companies prefer to employ more women than men and vice versa? Are efficiency stereotypes empirically and numerically confirmed?
Fitness franchises: why are they more and more popular?
Franchise models: what types are out there? Which would you choose for a coffee house? Other examples are welcome.
Franchise promotion: is it the responsibility of the franchisee or of the franchise holder?
Franchise agreement: which items should be included to save from excessive spending with no reward?
What factors must be considered when choosing the market for business expansion?
Globalization and consumer behavior: how does one affect the other?
Chinese market: how does it benefit from globalization?
Globalization: will it continue to spread, or will it cease to decrease?
Business clusters: how do they move globalization?
Bank mergers : a wise strategy or a result of failure? When should a bank consider this move?
Bankruptcy : what are the most common reasons for it? Does it necessarily spell the end for a business?
Big-box stores : how to ensure the success of a big-box retailer?
Brand awareness: how to make people remember and recognize your brand?
Competitive intelligence: what are the best ways to gather and analyze information about the business environment?
Consumer loyalty: how to make a consumer develop a behavioral tendency of favoring one brand’s products over the other?
Consumer risk management: what are the best ways to minimize the potential risk of a product not meeting quality standards entering the marketplace? How to make it cost-effective?
Copycat products: why do they enter the market so easily, and what are the ways for a brand to fight for its copyright?
Corporate crime : how is it best for a company to redeem its reputation after being compromised?
Corporate social responsibility : how does this business model help make a company be socially accountable?
People Water: corporate social responsibility .
Customer competencies: how to enable your customers to learn and engage in an active dialogue?
Data security : how to protect data from unauthorized access and data corruption?
Downtown revitalization: how can it be beneficial for a business?
Ruth’s Chris restaurants: SWOT analysis .
Employee coaching: how is it different from managing? How is it best to organize employee coaching in a big/small company?
The “Do no harm” ethical principle in business.
Green products: are they good for a business? How can a company use less packaging, and reduce the amount of disposed toxics?
Industry disruptor: what is a disruptive innovation in business?
Intellectual capital: what are the components and what is the best way to unlock their potential?
Job sculpting: what is the best way to match a person to a job that unlocks their potential to the fullest degree?
Marketing ethics : what are the moral principles behind the regulation and operation of marketing in your country?
Mergers : what are the types, and why do businesses do it?
Organigraphs: how to graphically represent a company’s structure and processes? How are organigraphs different from a traditional organizational chart?
Philanthropy: what are the competitive advantages of corporate philanthropy?
Quality circles: how does it influence business positively?
Regional planning: how to place infrastructure across a large area of land efficiently?
Customer service initiatives: how to learn what your customers dislike, tolerate, and actively appreciate?
Bagel Store vs. Subway: comparative analysis .
Shared services model: why are they cost-efficient?
Short-term financing: in what types of businesses does it apply best?
Starbucks Effect: how does a Starbucks store affect home and property values?
Groupon: daily deal or lasting success ?
Strategic planning : how to establish the direction of a small business?
IBM Corporation: business strategies .
Labour strikes: what causes them? What are the consequences for a business in particular and for the economy in general?
Companies’ ethics: concepts and cases.
Subliminal advertising: how do they work?
Telemarketing: a thing from the past or a relevant method of advertising?
Underage workers: how does employment of minors work?
Underwriting: who provides underwriting services and who receives them?
Undocumented workers: do they have rights, and what are the risks?
Unions: what is their stand in your country?
Whistle blowing: is it regarded ethical in modern business practice?
Work ethic: what kind of belief system is that? Does it have any downsides?
Work-life balance : what are the ways of encouraging and maintaining it?
Business leadership: is it a skill that can be learned?
Stakeholders : what is their impact on the success of a business?
Global unemployment: why is it a worldwide phenomenon? What are the solutions to the problem?
International investment : why is it important to educate the public on its benefits?
International competition: what are the strategic measures of survival for local companies?
Job creation : how can big and small businesses create jobs?
Businesses and oceans: why is it crucial to institute and implement environmentally-friendly approaches?
Ethical conflicts: how to avoid cultural, religious, and political arguments at work?
Organizational environmental pollution: how does it affect consumer trust levels?
Business negotiation: what are the styles of intercultural dialogue?
Excessive work: what are the consequences of overworking ?

Marketing is one of the most prominent entities that govern our world. It’s the cornerstone of business, serving to identify and satisfy customers’ wants and needs. Without marketing, there is no business!

Here are some of the most relevant marketing research paper topics and ideas. Choose one, and you are bound to impress your professor!

Get an originally-written paper according to your instructions!

Coronavirus: a case study. How has COVID-19 affected consumer behavior worldwide ? What about your own country? Are there any glaring examples of inadequate consumer behavior? What are the reasons behind them? How do different businesses deal with the consequences of quarantine? Produce examples of marketing centered around Coronavirus.
Zoom: a case study. How did Zoom manage to become a go-to platform during the Coronavirus outbreak ? Was it the brand’s clever marketing, or did something else influence the consumer choice? How did Zoom manage to outperform the dozens of rival video conferencing services? What are the numbers? Make your predictions on whether the company will be able to sustain its success after quarantine is over.
Gillette #MeToo commercial: a case study. How did the brand express its political stand on a pressing social subject? Did the campaign ultimately succeed in its goal? Did the backlash harm Gillette’s reputation, or was it a sign of successful branding? How did it ultimately reflect on sales? What can be learned from the data?
Xbox Series X: a case study. The Xbox Series X is the successor of the popular Xbox One home video game console. It is scheduled for release in late 2020. How is it advertised? How does its marketing campaign impact user behavior? Is it a fast process? Analyze the concept and the marketing campaign of the product.
Colin Kaepernick in a Nike commercial: a case study. How did the brand use an existing political situation to its advantage? Did the campaign ultimately succeed in its goal, or did it merely taint Nike’s reputation? Was it marketing genius or brand failure? What do the numbers say? What can be learned from the data?
Brexit and consumer behavior. How has Brexit affected consumer buying behavior in the UK? What about the EU? How did it impact currency exchange rate? What businesses benefited from it? What can be learned from the data?
Same product, different branding: a comparison. Two companies are selling the same product – only branding and packaging are different. What influences customers’ choice? Is the price relevant in this equation? What can be learned from the data?
Addictive consumer behavior. What brands are known to inspire addictive consumer behavior? What marketing tools do they employ? Are there any downsides for a business? Should companies be held liable for maniacal consumer behavior?
Corporate social responsibility as a brand marketing tool. How effective is it? Produce examples of brands whose sales increased after a charity or awareness campaign. What can be learned from the data? What are the pitfalls of the CPR approach?
The ROI in athletics. What exactly is return on investment? How is it calculated? Why is there close public attention to the ROI factor in athletics? How can ROI be used as a marketing tool? Produce real-life examples.

Slack: a case study. How popular is Slack as compared to rival platforms offering similar services? How much of its success can be attributed to marketing? Is its success currently on the rise or on the decline?
Uber : a case study. How has Uber become the leading company in its field? Analyze its history. What role did marketing play in its success? Analyze the company’s exit from the Chinese, Russian, and South Asian markets. Why did the company choose to do it? What benefits did it gain by doing so? What’s the current stand of the company?
Facebook: a case study. Facebook has faced a lot of backlash in recent years. How did the company manage it? What are the examples of Facebook’s different takes on marketing influenced by the company’s negative publicity?
Marketing in recession: a case study. The 2008 global financial crisis took a great toll on the markets worldwide. Nevertheless, there are stories of success for new products introduced to the market at the time. What companies managed to successfully roll out a product in the time following the 2008 global financial crisis? Give a case study of such a company.
Microsoft : a case study. How does Microsoft advertise its products? How are traditional storefronts doing market-wise as compared to the recent advertising trend, mobile phone marketing? What choices does the IT giant make concerning mobile ad targeting? Is it successful?
Black Friday : what’s the secret behind the phenomenon? Does it offer real value for money or is it simply a psychological trick of clever marketing?
Digital transformation: how to create an effective digital marketing budget?
Production expenditure: how does marketing affect it?
Jeep company’s marketing .
The Internet of things : what exactly is IoT? What are the examples? How can marketing be incorporated into it?
Volkswagen company’s information technology .
Volkswagen in America: managing IT priorities .
Relationship banking: how has it been influenced by digital promotion and mobile money accessibility? How is mobile banking redefining the customer-bank relationship?
Apple Computer Inc.: maintaining the music business .
Credit card responsibility: how to limit compulsive buying behaviors for credit card holders?
Corporate social responsibility: how do organizations use CSR to reinforce brand equity?
Servus Credit Union Ltd: marketing strategies.
Marketing manipulation tactics: what do brands do to get more customers?
Herfy’s marketing strategy in India .
Social media marketing as an image builder: different ways of communicating your brand image on the YouTube, Tik Tok, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram platforms.
Consumer motivation on the BevCo example.
Influencers: how can Internet-famous people impact the buying choices of consumers ?

Marketing strategy connting digital devices.

A Coffee shop marketing strategy .
Direct marketing strategies: are consumers equipped enough to shield themselves from it?
The “Do no harm” ethical principle in business .
Maternity: what is the best way to market baby products?
Family orientation: how does it affect marketing in general?
Online shopping : what do buyers look for when shopping online? What attributes do they compare when choosing the product?
Harley Davidson, Naked Juice, and Tropicana Juice: brand perception analysis .
Global marketing: how does it incorporate standardization?
Social class differentiation: how do financial institutions market their products and services differently on the basis of social class?
Snapple Juice: marketing strategies .
Internet marketing: what trends can be expected to dominate the online world in the future?
Marketing and culture : how do advertising strategies vary across different cultures?
The Green Motor Car Company: marketing strategy .
Political campaigns: how can they impact advertising? Produce real-life examples.
Impulsive buying : how does it occur, and how do brands exploit it?
American Marketing Association: promotion strategy .
Loyalty cards: do they boost sales and encourage customer loyalty?
Brand trust: is it possible for well-marketed brands to get away with selling products of substandard quality?
Trust as the way to develop proper company-clients relationships.
Globalization: what is its impact on consumer behavior?
Customer loyalty : what brand attributes result in it?
Market monopoly: what are some of the successful marketing approaches that can help break through it?
Cause marketing : how does it impact a brand’s affinity with its target audience?
Brand equity : what is the effect of discount offerings and consumer promotions on it?
The outcomes of advertising in a recession
Top-of-mind awareness: how is it best achieved in modern times? Produce real-life data.
Event sponsorships and customer perceptions: how to?
Mobile ad targeting: pros and cons of mobile ad targeting based on users’ browser and app history.
Mortgage marketing: how to make customers be able to differentiate between various mortgage options offered by competing banks?
Drones production company marketing plan .
Click baiting: a promising novelty in sponsored posts promotion or a brand-compromising nuisance, best to be avoided for fear of bad associations with the brand?
Who are the consumers of Nivea?
Celebrity endorsement : what’s its impact on ROI for CPG brands?
Roadrunner Sport: social and digital media strategies.
Comparison advertising: is it effective in building brand equity?
Do consumers prefer purchasing routine grocery products online?
Is earned media perceived to be as important as it appears to be?
Word of mouth: what makes people want to forward content to their friends?
Viral content: how to?
Evolving family structures: what has changed and how to address it with marketing?
Augmented reality : how is it enhancing marketing experiences?
Artificial intelligence: what role does it play in modern marketing?
Advertising to children : how to? What are the pitfalls?
Brand salience: how to?
Humour in advertising: what’s the impact, and what’s the customer response?

As you are very well aware, accounting is all about numbers and measurements. It’s even been called the language of business! That’s why writing a research paper on one of the accounting research paper topics is such a good idea. You are going to master it in no time!

What are the main fields of accounting?

Financial Accounting
Management Accounting
Accounting Information Systems
Tax Accounting

There are carefully selected topics down below that explore each of those fields. Just go there and choose one – it’s that easy!

Taxes and politics. How do organizations fight for the reduction of the taxes they have to pay? How can politicians influence the tax rate in different spheres? Are there any real-life examples of that? How can this situation be curbed?
Financial markets. What are commodities and stocks? What is the role of financial markets in the global economy? Why are there few people who understand financial markets? What issues does it raise? What can be done about it?
Accounting information systems . What are the most popular accounting systems used by businesses nowadays? What are the most modern ones? How rapid is the flow of information today? How does it influence modern accounting? What can be done to advance it even further?
Managing and accounting. How can managerial accounting help a company make better decisions? How does it work? What are the possible examples of successful and unsuccessful decisions made in a company based on the managerial accounting reports?
Personal finances. Why should individuals hire personal accountants? How can this practice be systematized? What are the alternatives? Produce examples of modern mobile accounting applications and free online services. What are the pitfalls to be aware of?
Debt management. Why does such a serious issue exist in the modern world? Produce the current numbers of people for whom debt is a life-governing factor. What is the reason behind the prevalence of this problem? Who may benefit from this situation? How can this be fixed?
Auditing collusion. What is employee / auditing collusion? How can it result in an unfair marketing advantage? Why is it illegal? Produce real-life examples of auditing collusion disrupting marketing equilibrium. What can be done to anticipate and prevent such occurrences in companies?

Below are some other accounting research topics to explore:

Accounting decisions: what are the criteria for making them correctly?
General principles of accounting .

Forensic accounting : how does the investigation process go? What are the role and essential skills of forensic accountants?
Accounting theory: how is it influenced by culture?
Tax assessment: how to correctly assess the tax on organizational earnings?
The 2008 global financial crisis : what factors were the primary cause?
What are the steps on the way to becoming a certified accountant?
Accounting ethics: what are the modern dilemmas?
Accounting history : what are the historical prospects for the best accounting practices?
Accounting systems: what are the risks in the process of developing their design?
Earnings management: what are the perspectives?
Tax reduction: what are the most effective ways of doing it for organizations?
Managerial accounting: what are the effects of financial markets on management accounting?
Financial fraud: what are the ways to escape it?
Accounting theories: what is their meaning for business?
Nortel Networks Corporation Accounting Theory .
Normative theories: what are the issues with normative theorizing in accounting?
Theoretical concepts: how to implement them in practical accounting?
Earnings management: how to best organize it in a company?
Cash flow: what is the effect of external factors on cash flow in an organization?
Online accounting: can accountancy be effectively based on the Internet?
Offshore accounting: how does it work? What are the pros and cons?
Accounting systems: which are the most effective for accountants?
Tax code: how to?
Islamic banking: how is it different from the European approach?
Financial markets: what are the known commodities?
Financial markets: what is their role in the global economy?
Financial transparency: what are the strategies to make organizational finances transparent?
Cloud computing : what is its role in data management for accounting information systems?
Personal investment: important factors.
The ideal framework for AIS: what does an ideal framework for an accounting information system in multinational cooperatives look like?
Food production company: a financial plan .
Decision-making process: what is the role of AIS in the decision making process for medium / large economic enterprises?
Accounting frauds: analyze three major accounting frauds of the last decade in detail. Why is ethical judgment needed in accounting at all times?
Intellectual capital: how do two major business companies (of your choice) build a relationship between their financial statements and their intellectual capital?
Education for senior executives: how can business education for senior executives influence hedging behavior?
Non-profit accounting: what are its financial reporting requirements?

Project management is the cornerstone of doing business. After all, how can you do anything without organizing it first? You may think, “Oh, but that’s easy… I just do it!” But that’s not how it works in modern business.

In big corporations, the way you organize a project is often synonymous with its eventual success or failure. Project managers need all of their knowledge, skills, and techniques to make projects meet the requirements. Want to look deeper into the processes and secrets behind project management? The idea for your perfect project management research paper is waiting for you down below!

Project management software. Which project management tools dominate the market today? Are they cost-effective? What do they primarily focus on (e.g., cost, scheduling time, etc.)? Analyze different project management software and find out whether they really lead to project success and increase productivity or not.
Humanitarian logistics. How do system dynamics and project management principles affect logistics operations? The need for humanitarian logistics has increased around the world due to the rise in environmental disasters (earthquakes, tsunamis, etc.). How can the sustained damages be reduced? Analyze the collaboration between system dynamics and humanitarian logistics. How does it impact flows in the supply chain, stakeholders, and responses? What are the best adaptations of project management theories?
Project delay causes. Identify the leading symptoms and causes of project delays. How does it impact the project life cycle? How do global construction companies cope with it? What strategies have they devised to deal with the issue?
Factors of project selection. What are the primary factors that affect selecting a project? Analyze the shift of project benefits approach towards customer-centricity. What is the reason for it? What is the difference between the two approaches? Which is more effective in modern business?
IT industry and agile project management . What is the impact of agile project management on productivity in IT companies? Analyze it using quantitative research techniques. Measure improvement of productivity, customer satisfaction, and employee satisfaction. Analyze and report the outputs of the data using empirical hypothesis testing methods.
Implementation of project management practices . What is the impact of an organization on how project management practices are implemented? Analyze the more informal and people-focused project management practices that are used in small and medium-sized enterprises. Use mixed methods research techniques such as interviews and surveys. Choose companies from a specific sphere to collect data. Examine the size of the company and how it impacts project management practices.
Communication and quality. How significant is communication in maintaining timely delivery and quality of project activities? Analyze the importance of communication between the organization of a project and its stakeholders (external and internal). How does efficient communication help an organization meet the expectations?
Team conflict dynamics model: what conflict types and team conflict profiles are there? How can they produce resolutions that can lead a project to success?
Culture and conflict management: how different cultures of project managers may influence the methods of conflict resolution they implement? How does a project manager’s background affect the way they identify misdeeds and the way they try to deal with conflicts that arise in their project?
Project misalignment with business objectives: how does it affect the overall project performance?
Project management soft skills : how important are they in the context of project success rates? What is the cost of training, and what are the benefits? How do they help the project achieve the desired outcome?
Psychosocial stressors: how do they impact project manager performance? What types of psychosocial stressors are there? Does organizational culture have any mediating effect? Use real-life data.

Project management research trends: how do they influence project success? What is the relationship between project management research trends and social-economic trends?
Project management maturity factors: how do they influence project success in large enterprises? How come the role of projects has increased worldwide, but the overall number of successful projects hasn’t changed? What is the relationship between project performance factors and organizational project management maturity?
Agile-scrum beyond IT: how can it bring managerial benefits to other sectors? Analyze its potential for the healthcare industry. Illustrate how it may be applied to develop frameworks for quality and timeliness improvement. How can it help deliver healthcare in a large-scale patient setting?
Project completion rate: how do organizational characteristics influence it in the construction industry? Analyze data on project performance using key performance indicators (KPIs). Use social network analysis tools to document organizational characteristics.
Leadership style as a mediator: how to connect collaboration satisfaction and emotional intelligence? What leadership styles are there? What are their roles as mediators between emotional intelligence and collaboration satisfaction?
Effective project scheduling system: what are the effects of the application of this planning and scheduling style in construction projects? Use the critical path method (CPM) in the analysis of drafting and subsequent implementation of an effective project scheduling system for manufacturing renewable energy plants.
Effective project manager appointment guidelines: how to design and implement them for construction companies in XYZ? How do two types of leadership styles, person-centered and team-centered, differ when used by project managers? How can one balance them? What does Archer say on the topic in her Realist social theory? Use the data from your analysis for designing effective project manager appointment guidelines to be implemented in XYZ construction companies.
Controlling costs in project management: a systems approach. Analyze the work of the research and development departments for a US-based consumer goods manufacturer.
Management: power, authority, and influence .
Culture, project performance, and IT industry: what might be the causes of delay and failure due to cultural factors?
CISCO Systems Inc: strategies and management .
Initiation stage of a project: a review. Analyze the work of the US medicine sector.
Similar but different: review the similarities and differences in how people practice project management across the world.
Effective teamwork role for organizations performance .
Competitive advantage: does a company gain a competitive advantage by implementing expert management in a project?
Canbide Corporation: operations management tools .
Critical path analysis: how do project managers plan for it and assess it?
Diversity: management practices and principles .
The uncertainty: how valid is it in lengthy and difficult projects in the US construction industry?
Transformational and transactional leadership models.
The history: investigate and analyze the development and evolution of project management across the past 20 years.
The qualities of an efficient leader.
Understanding the intricacies: how important is the grasp of the project’s intricate nature for its effective management?
McDonalds: management effectiveness .
Benchmarking project management maturity: analyze the benchmark standard of measuring maturity in project management.
Shangri-La Hotels: company management .
Agile project management: how does academic literature help develop its understanding?
The organization of international business .
The PMBOK guidelines: do they prepare managers for handling project risks successfully?
Information management system: practical solutions .
Project management methodologies: how do various prevailing project management methodologies correspond with efficacy? Review the US market.
Subway in the US: management strategies in food industry .
Software development methodologies: how do organizations justify their choices?
Teamwork on project management: how important is it in the US healthcare system?
The concept of change in management .
Software tools: how do different project management software tools correspond with efficacy in the developed world?
Establishment of Ruth’s Chris Steak House in London: how to make a restaurant chain international?
Attitude towards risk: how does project management handle possible risks in the US oil and gas sector?

Package role in design and planning process .
Public procurement: what are the associated challenges for project management in the US IT sector?
Humility and its impact in leadership .
The stakeholder approach: how does a global perspective picture its overall success in adoption and completion of projects?
Management: Holistic Response to Client Issues .
Captiva Conglomerate: management strategies.
Best project management practices: what does the European financial sector tell us about them?
Hewlett-Packard: global supply chain management .
Leadership qualities: does successful project management need them?

Human resource management is one of the most interesting spheres of business. After all, it’s all about people!

There are three major areas of a human resource manager’s responsibilities. They are: staffing, allocating compensation and benefits for employees, and administrating work.

There’s so much you can do as an HR specialist. It’s as people-oriented as a profession can get. It’s always a continuous process, too. You’ll never get bored!

There are a number of questions an HR specialist needs to know the answer to. How to select the best recruits? How to encourage team spirit and teamwork among the employees? How to motivate people? How to appraise and how to punish? All of those questions and more are raised in our selection of human resources research topics!

Training of employees as a performance enhancer. How does training of employees correspond with their performance? Produce real-life data. Use a questionnaire to identify and determine the workforce needs in an organization. Analyze the data by calculating a simple percentage analysis. How much did employee training influence their performance? Was it cost-effective?
Performance evaluation and its impact on productivity. How does performance evaluation impact employee productivity? What is its purpose? What is the difference between formal and informal evaluations? How should a performance evaluation be carried out? Describe each of the steps. What is the influence of a poor evaluation on an employee’s morale and their absenteeism rate? Produce real-life data.
Motivation and its impact on morale. What motivation theories are there? Which are the most popular to utilize in organizations today? What does the process of staff motivation look like? Does it influence employee performance? Produce real-life data. Analyze the data by calculating a simple percentage analysis.
Performance appraisal and its impact on productivity. What is performance appraisal, and how is it different from performance evaluation / employee motivation? Why is it considered to be crucial for the growth and survival of an organization? What is the role of performance appraisal as a strategic factor? Describe what performance appraisal techniques are used in an organization. How does it impact employee productivity? Produce real-life data.
Human resource and its relevance in modern business. Why are the effective acquisition, utilization, and maintenance of human resources considered to be central to the growth of an organization? How can executive initiative utilize human resources profitably for an organization? What are the techniques of sustaining and developing human resources in an organization? How to achieve maximum cooperation between staff and management?
Stress and its impact on the employee performance. What is the effect of stress on workers’ performance? Produce real-life data. Collect data using questionnaires and descriptive survey research design. Present the collected data in tables. Analyze it using simple percentages and frequencies.
Staff training in business organizations. How to identify the training needs of an organization? What is the role of management in staff training and development? What types of training methods are there? What are the effects of training on employee performance? Produce real-life data.

Here are some of the simpler human resources topics to explore:

Employee loyalty: what are the main factors that can increase it?
The cost of prejudice and discrimination on the wprkplace .
Conflicts in the workplace : how to resolve them? What are the most typical ones?
Cultural differences: how can human resource managers work around cultural differences in an international company?

Recruiting students: what are the pros and cons?
Compensation and benefits are the parts of employment relationship .
Employees’ education: should a company pay for it?
Harmful outsourcing of United States jobs .
Outsourcing and freelance workers: what are the pros and cons?
Recruitment : what are the opportunities and risks of recruiting new team members?
How to motivate employees effectively?
HR managers: how to select, recruit, hire, and educate human resource managers?
Legal aspects of human resource management .
Overqualified employees: how should an HR manager deal with an overqualified employee?
Google company: workforce diversity policy .
Talent hunting and management: what’s the human resource manager’s role in this process?
Character types: what character types are there, and how do they affect the team-building process in a company?
Workplace harassment and bullying: how should a human resource manager deal with such challenges? What strategies of prevention are to be employed?
Diversity : how can a company encourage it? What is its impact on the dynamics in the workplace?
Communication: how to make it effective? How does it affect a company’s success?
Wages : do they affect employee productivity? How to increase employees’ motivation and make it cost-effective?
Assessing employee performance : what are the best ways to do it? What tools and criteria are there?
The role of diversity in the workplace .
Labor laws : what are the most critical issues to be resolved?
Company data: how to protect it in the age of technology?
Equal pay: are staff members paid equally, and how can HR managers address this issue?
Leadership styles.
Health problems: how can they affect employees’ productivity, and how can HR managers address this issue?
Riordan Manufacturing: HR marketing services.
Workplace motivation: what motivates people to work more?
Mergers and acquisitions: what is the role of an HR specialist in these processes?
Managing a diverse workforce.
Employee loyalty: how can HR specialists encourage employee loyalty through developing the job satisfaction factor?
Organizational burnout of employees .
Employee retention: which factors contribute to it?
Salary bonuses: what are their additional benefits? How can an HR specialist identify who is eligible for getting them?
Strategic human resources : is there global competitiveness on it, and why?
Human resources market: describe its demand and supply circle.
Daily childcare: how can it enhance the performance of employees in the company?
Compensation packages : what are they and what is their function? How can an HR specialist identify who is eligible for getting them?
Career planning : should it be more people-oriented, or is it to be centered around companies?
Professional qualities vs. fitting personality: which is more important?
Performance tests: how are they to be conducted?
Do remote interviews match in their effectiveness with personal ones?

The Accountancy , Business , and Management (ABM) research focuses on the basic concepts of financial, marketing, and business management. ABM research explores various strategies employed in the business, marketing, and accounting spheres. It helps specialists in the sphere discern which business theories work best when put to practice.

Qualitative research gathers non-numerical data used to uncover customers’ opinions, thoughts, and trends. ABM qualitative studies use focus groups, observations, and interviews. The importance of the qualitative method have been increasingly recognized in the ABM field as a rich in detail and insightful way of analyzing the current market situation.

The nature of business research is the collection, study, and analysis of various business-related data to acquire detailed information and use it to maximize sales and profit of a business. The employed research methods include qualitative and quantitative types. The importance and benefits of business research can’t be overrated.

A marketing research topic is an issue that a researcher is investigating in their marketing research paper. The topic needs to be specific and well-defined to ensure the success of a research project on market and marketing. Selecting a topic is a challenging part of the marketing research.

Learn more on this topic:

280 Good Nursing Research Topics & Questions
256 Research Topics on Criminal Justice & Criminology
224 Research Topics on Technology & Computer Science
178 Best Research Titles about Cookery & Food
507 Interesting History Topics to Research
193 Best Education Research Topics & Ideas
120+ Micro- & Macroeconomics Research Topics
201 Research Topics on Psychology & Communication
512 Research Topics on HumSS
301 Best Health & Medical Research Topics
521 Research Questions & Titles about Science
A List of Research Topics for Students. Unique and Interesting
Good Research Topics, Titles and Ideas for Your Paper
Gale Databases: Gale
Writing a Research Paper: Purdue OWL
What are the Topics used in Research Starters – Business? EBSCO Connect
What should be a good topic for research related to Accountancy, Business, and Management? Quora
The difference between quantitative vs. qualitative research: SurveyMonkey
Understanding Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research: Medium.com
PhDs in Business & Management: Five Hot Research Topics (TopUniversities)
All Topics: Harvard Business Review
Research topics and projects: QUIT Business School
Browse All Topics: Harvard Business School
Market Research: Entrepreneur
Management Accounting Research: Elsevier
Accounting Research Tutorial: UF Libraries
What Is Management Research Actually Good For? Harvard Business Review
What is Management Research? University of Toronto
The value of management research to managers: The Conversation
Human Resources: Harvard Business School
Research & Surveys: SHRM
Human Resources in Research: UOttawa
BA (Hons) Business Studies: University of Stirling
BA Research: University of Newcastle
Education Studies BA: UCL Institute of Education
Areas of Research: PhD in Management, Michigan State University
Research focus areas in business and government: Victoria University of Wellington
PhD Subject Groups: Business School, University of Edinburgh
Research areas: The University of Sydney Business School
Research topics: Leeds University Business School
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RESEARCH TITLE ABOUT BUSINESS

45 Research Problem Examples & Inspiration

research problems examples and definition, explained below

A research problem is an issue of concern that is the catalyst for your research. It demonstrates why the research problem needs to take place in the first place.

Generally, you will write your research problem as a clear, concise, and focused statement that identifies an issue or gap in current knowledge that requires investigation.

The problem will likely also guide the direction and purpose of a study. Depending on the problem, you will identify a suitable methodology that will help address the problem and bring solutions to light.

Research Problem Examples

In the following examples, I’ll present some problems worth addressing, and some suggested theoretical frameworks and research methodologies that might fit with the study. Note, however, that these aren’t the only ways to approach the problems. Keep an open mind and consult with your dissertation supervisor!

Psychology Problems

1. Social Media and Self-Esteem: “How does prolonged exposure to social media platforms influence the self-esteem of adolescents?”

Theoretical Framework : Social Comparison Theory
Methodology : Longitudinal study tracking adolescents’ social media usage and self-esteem measures over time, combined with qualitative interviews.

2. Sleep and Cognitive Performance: “How does sleep quality and duration impact cognitive performance in adults?”

Theoretical Framework : Cognitive Psychology
Methodology : Experimental design with controlled sleep conditions, followed by cognitive tests. Participant sleep patterns can also be monitored using actigraphy.

3. Childhood Trauma and Adult Relationships: “How does unresolved childhood trauma influence attachment styles and relationship dynamics in adulthood?

Theoretical Framework : Attachment Theory
Methodology : Mixed methods, combining quantitative measures of attachment styles with qualitative in-depth interviews exploring past trauma and current relationship dynamics.

4. Mindfulness and Stress Reduction: “How effective is mindfulness meditation in reducing perceived stress and physiological markers of stress in working professionals?”

Theoretical Framework : Humanist Psychology
Methodology : Randomized controlled trial comparing a group practicing mindfulness meditation to a control group, measuring both self-reported stress and physiological markers (e.g., cortisol levels).

5. Implicit Bias and Decision Making: “To what extent do implicit biases influence decision-making processes in hiring practices?

Theoretical Framework : Cognitive Dissonance Theory
Methodology : Experimental design using Implicit Association Tests (IAT) to measure implicit biases, followed by simulated hiring tasks to observe decision-making behaviors.

6. Emotional Regulation and Academic Performance: “How does the ability to regulate emotions impact academic performance in college students?”

Theoretical Framework : Cognitive Theory of Emotion
Methodology : Quantitative surveys measuring emotional regulation strategies, combined with academic performance metrics (e.g., GPA).

7. Nature Exposure and Mental Well-being: “Does regular exposure to natural environments improve mental well-being and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression?”

Theoretical Framework : Biophilia Hypothesis
Methodology : Longitudinal study comparing mental health measures of individuals with regular nature exposure to those without, possibly using ecological momentary assessment for real-time data collection.

8. Video Games and Cognitive Skills: “How do action video games influence cognitive skills such as attention, spatial reasoning, and problem-solving?”

Theoretical Framework : Cognitive Load Theory
Methodology : Experimental design with pre- and post-tests, comparing cognitive skills of participants before and after a period of action video game play.

9. Parenting Styles and Child Resilience: “How do different parenting styles influence the development of resilience in children facing adversities?”

Theoretical Framework : Baumrind’s Parenting Styles Inventory
Methodology : Mixed methods, combining quantitative measures of resilience and parenting styles with qualitative interviews exploring children’s experiences and perceptions.

10. Memory and Aging: “How does the aging process impact episodic memory , and what strategies can mitigate age-related memory decline?

Theoretical Framework : Information Processing Theory
Methodology : Cross-sectional study comparing episodic memory performance across different age groups, combined with interventions like memory training or mnemonic strategies to assess potential improvements.

Education Problems

11. Equity and Access : “How do socioeconomic factors influence students’ access to quality education, and what interventions can bridge the gap?

Theoretical Framework : Critical Pedagogy
Methodology : Mixed methods, combining quantitative data on student outcomes with qualitative interviews and focus groups with students, parents, and educators.

12. Digital Divide : How does the lack of access to technology and the internet affect remote learning outcomes, and how can this divide be addressed?

Theoretical Framework : Social Construction of Technology Theory
Methodology : Survey research to gather data on access to technology, followed by case studies in selected areas.

13. Teacher Efficacy : “What factors contribute to teacher self-efficacy, and how does it impact student achievement?”

Theoretical Framework : Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory
Methodology : Quantitative surveys to measure teacher self-efficacy, combined with qualitative interviews to explore factors affecting it.

14. Curriculum Relevance : “How can curricula be made more relevant to diverse student populations, incorporating cultural and local contexts?”

Theoretical Framework : Sociocultural Theory
Methodology : Content analysis of curricula, combined with focus groups with students and teachers.

15. Special Education : “What are the most effective instructional strategies for students with specific learning disabilities?

Theoretical Framework : Social Learning Theory
Methodology : Experimental design comparing different instructional strategies, with pre- and post-tests to measure student achievement.

16. Dropout Rates : “What factors contribute to high school dropout rates, and what interventions can help retain students?”

Methodology : Longitudinal study tracking students over time, combined with interviews with dropouts.

17. Bilingual Education : “How does bilingual education impact cognitive development and academic achievement?

Methodology : Comparative study of students in bilingual vs. monolingual programs, using standardized tests and qualitative interviews.

18. Classroom Management: “What reward strategies are most effective in managing diverse classrooms and promoting a positive learning environment?

Theoretical Framework : Behaviorism (e.g., Skinner’s Operant Conditioning)
Methodology : Observational research in classrooms , combined with teacher interviews.

19. Standardized Testing : “How do standardized tests affect student motivation, learning, and curriculum design?”

Theoretical Framework : Critical Theory
Methodology : Quantitative analysis of test scores and student outcomes, combined with qualitative interviews with educators and students.

20. STEM Education : “What methods can be employed to increase interest and proficiency in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields among underrepresented student groups?”

Theoretical Framework : Constructivist Learning Theory
Methodology : Experimental design comparing different instructional methods, with pre- and post-tests.

21. Social-Emotional Learning : “How can social-emotional learning be effectively integrated into the curriculum, and what are its impacts on student well-being and academic outcomes?”

Theoretical Framework : Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence Theory
Methodology : Mixed methods, combining quantitative measures of student well-being with qualitative interviews.

22. Parental Involvement : “How does parental involvement influence student achievement, and what strategies can schools use to increase it?”

Theoretical Framework : Reggio Emilia’s Model (Community Engagement Focus)
Methodology : Survey research with parents and teachers, combined with case studies in selected schools.

23. Early Childhood Education : “What are the long-term impacts of quality early childhood education on academic and life outcomes?”

Theoretical Framework : Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development
Methodology : Longitudinal study comparing students with and without early childhood education, combined with observational research.

24. Teacher Training and Professional Development : “How can teacher training programs be improved to address the evolving needs of the 21st-century classroom?”

Theoretical Framework : Adult Learning Theory (Andragogy)
Methodology : Pre- and post-assessments of teacher competencies, combined with focus groups.

25. Educational Technology : “How can technology be effectively integrated into the classroom to enhance learning, and what are the potential drawbacks or challenges?”

Theoretical Framework : Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK)
Methodology : Experimental design comparing classrooms with and without specific technologies, combined with teacher and student interviews.

Sociology Problems

26. Urbanization and Social Ties: “How does rapid urbanization impact the strength and nature of social ties in communities?”

Theoretical Framework : Structural Functionalism
Methodology : Mixed methods, combining quantitative surveys on social ties with qualitative interviews in urbanizing areas.

27. Gender Roles in Modern Families: “How have traditional gender roles evolved in families with dual-income households?”

Theoretical Framework : Gender Schema Theory
Methodology : Qualitative interviews with dual-income families, combined with historical data analysis.

28. Social Media and Collective Behavior: “How does social media influence collective behaviors and the formation of social movements?”

Theoretical Framework : Emergent Norm Theory
Methodology : Content analysis of social media platforms, combined with quantitative surveys on participation in social movements.

29. Education and Social Mobility: “To what extent does access to quality education influence social mobility in socioeconomically diverse settings?”

Methodology : Longitudinal study tracking educational access and subsequent socioeconomic status, combined with qualitative interviews.

30. Religion and Social Cohesion: “How do religious beliefs and practices contribute to social cohesion in multicultural societies?”

Methodology : Quantitative surveys on religious beliefs and perceptions of social cohesion, combined with ethnographic studies.

31. Consumer Culture and Identity Formation: “How does consumer culture influence individual identity formation and personal values?”

Theoretical Framework : Social Identity Theory
Methodology : Mixed methods, combining content analysis of advertising with qualitative interviews on identity and values.

32. Migration and Cultural Assimilation: “How do migrants negotiate cultural assimilation and preservation of their original cultural identities in their host countries?”

Theoretical Framework : Post-Structuralism
Methodology : Qualitative interviews with migrants, combined with observational studies in multicultural communities.

33. Social Networks and Mental Health: “How do social networks, both online and offline, impact mental health and well-being?”

Theoretical Framework : Social Network Theory
Methodology : Quantitative surveys assessing social network characteristics and mental health metrics, combined with qualitative interviews.

34. Crime, Deviance, and Social Control: “How do societal norms and values shape definitions of crime and deviance, and how are these definitions enforced?”

Theoretical Framework : Labeling Theory
Methodology : Content analysis of legal documents and media, combined with ethnographic studies in diverse communities.

35. Technology and Social Interaction: “How has the proliferation of digital technology influenced face-to-face social interactions and community building?”

Theoretical Framework : Technological Determinism
Methodology : Mixed methods, combining quantitative surveys on technology use with qualitative observations of social interactions in various settings.

Nursing Problems

36. Patient Communication and Recovery: “How does effective nurse-patient communication influence patient recovery rates and overall satisfaction with care?”

Methodology : Quantitative surveys assessing patient satisfaction and recovery metrics, combined with observational studies on nurse-patient interactions.

37. Stress Management in Nursing: “What are the primary sources of occupational stress for nurses, and how can they be effectively managed to prevent burnout?”

Methodology : Mixed methods, combining quantitative measures of stress and burnout with qualitative interviews exploring personal experiences and coping mechanisms.

38. Hand Hygiene Compliance: “How effective are different interventions in improving hand hygiene compliance among nursing staff, and what are the barriers to consistent hand hygiene?”

Methodology : Experimental design comparing hand hygiene rates before and after specific interventions, combined with focus groups to understand barriers.

39. Nurse-Patient Ratios and Patient Outcomes: “How do nurse-patient ratios impact patient outcomes, including recovery rates, complications, and hospital readmissions?”

Methodology : Quantitative study analyzing patient outcomes in relation to staffing levels, possibly using retrospective chart reviews.

40. Continuing Education and Clinical Competence: “How does regular continuing education influence clinical competence and confidence among nurses?”

Methodology : Longitudinal study tracking nurses’ clinical skills and confidence over time as they engage in continuing education, combined with patient outcome measures to assess potential impacts on care quality.

Communication Studies Problems

41. Media Representation and Public Perception: “How does media representation of minority groups influence public perceptions and biases?”

Theoretical Framework : Cultivation Theory
Methodology : Content analysis of media representations combined with quantitative surveys assessing public perceptions and attitudes.

42. Digital Communication and Relationship Building: “How has the rise of digital communication platforms impacted the way individuals build and maintain personal relationships?”

Theoretical Framework : Social Penetration Theory
Methodology : Mixed methods, combining quantitative surveys on digital communication habits with qualitative interviews exploring personal relationship dynamics.

43. Crisis Communication Effectiveness: “What strategies are most effective in managing public relations during organizational crises, and how do they influence public trust?”

Theoretical Framework : Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT)
Methodology : Case study analysis of past organizational crises, assessing communication strategies used and subsequent public trust metrics.

44. Nonverbal Cues in Virtual Communication: “How do nonverbal cues, such as facial expressions and gestures, influence message interpretation in virtual communication platforms?”

Theoretical Framework : Social Semiotics
Methodology : Experimental design using video conferencing tools, analyzing participants’ interpretations of messages with varying nonverbal cues.

45. Influence of Social Media on Political Engagement: “How does exposure to political content on social media platforms influence individuals’ political engagement and activism?”

Theoretical Framework : Uses and Gratifications Theory
Methodology : Quantitative surveys assessing social media habits and political engagement levels, combined with content analysis of political posts on popular platforms.

Before you Go: Tips and Tricks for Writing a Research Problem

This is an incredibly stressful time for research students. The research problem is going to lock you into a specific line of inquiry for the rest of your studies.

So, here’s what I tend to suggest to my students:

Start with something you find intellectually stimulating – Too many students choose projects because they think it hasn’t been studies or they’ve found a research gap. Don’t over-estimate the importance of finding a research gap. There are gaps in every line of inquiry. For now, just find a topic you think you can really sink your teeth into and will enjoy learning about.
Take 5 ideas to your supervisor – Approach your research supervisor, professor, lecturer, TA, our course leader with 5 research problem ideas and run each by them. The supervisor will have valuable insights that you didn’t consider that will help you narrow-down and refine your problem even more.
Trust your supervisor – The supervisor-student relationship is often very strained and stressful. While of course this is your project, your supervisor knows the internal politics and conventions of academic research. The depth of knowledge about how to navigate academia and get you out the other end with your degree is invaluable. Don’t underestimate their advice.

I’ve got a full article on all my tips and tricks for doing research projects right here – I recommend reading it:

9 Tips on How to Choose a Dissertation Topic

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ Social-Emotional Learning (Definition, Examples, Pros & Cons)
Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ What is Educational Psychology?
Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ What is IQ? (Intelligence Quotient)
Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University

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Research Guides

Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper

The Research Problem/Question
Purpose of Guide
Design Flaws to Avoid
Independent and Dependent Variables
Glossary of Research Terms
Reading Research Effectively
Narrowing a Topic Idea
Broadening a Topic Idea
Extending the Timeliness of a Topic Idea
Academic Writing Style
Applying Critical Thinking
Choosing a Title
Making an Outline
Paragraph Development
Research Process Video Series
Executive Summary
The C.A.R.S. Model
Background Information
Theoretical Framework
Citation Tracking
Content Alert Services
Evaluating Sources
Primary Sources
Secondary Sources
Tiertiary Sources
Scholarly vs. Popular Publications
Qualitative Methods
Quantitative Methods
Insiderness
Using Non-Textual Elements
Limitations of the Study
Common Grammar Mistakes
Writing Concisely
Avoiding Plagiarism
Footnotes or Endnotes?
Further Readings
Generative AI and Writing
USC Libraries Tutorials and Other Guides
Bibliography

A research problem is a definite or clear expression [statement] about an area of concern, a condition to be improved upon, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or within existing practice that points to a need for meaningful understanding and deliberate investigation. A research problem does not state how to do something, offer a vague or broad proposition, or present a value question. In the social and behavioral sciences, studies are most often framed around examining a problem that needs to be understood and resolved in order to improve society and the human condition.

Bryman, Alan. “The Research Question in Social Research: What is its Role?” International Journal of Social Research Methodology 10 (2007): 5-20; Guba, Egon G., and Yvonna S. Lincoln. “Competing Paradigms in Qualitative Research.” In Handbook of Qualitative Research . Norman K. Denzin and Yvonna S. Lincoln, editors. (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1994), pp. 105-117; Pardede, Parlindungan. “Identifying and Formulating the Research Problem." Research in ELT: Module 4 (October 2018): 1-13; Li, Yanmei, and Sumei Zhang. "Identifying the Research Problem." In Applied Research Methods in Urban and Regional Planning . (Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2022), pp. 13-21.

Importance of...

The purpose of a problem statement is to:

Introduce the reader to the importance of the topic being studied . The reader is oriented to the significance of the study.
Anchors the research questions, hypotheses, or assumptions to follow . It offers a concise statement about the purpose of your paper.
Place the topic into a particular context that defines the parameters of what is to be investigated.
Provide the framework for reporting the results and indicates what is probably necessary to conduct the study and explain how the findings will present this information.

In the social sciences, the research problem establishes the means by which you must answer the "So What?" question. This declarative question refers to a research problem surviving the relevancy test [the quality of a measurement procedure that provides repeatability and accuracy]. Note that answering the "So What?" question requires a commitment on your part to not only show that you have reviewed the literature, but that you have thoroughly considered the significance of the research problem and its implications applied to creating new knowledge and understanding or informing practice.

To survive the "So What" question, problem statements should possess the following attributes:

Clarity and precision [a well-written statement does not make sweeping generalizations and irresponsible pronouncements; it also does include unspecific determinates like "very" or "giant"],
Demonstrate a researchable topic or issue [i.e., feasibility of conducting the study is based upon access to information that can be effectively acquired, gathered, interpreted, synthesized, and understood],
Identification of what would be studied, while avoiding the use of value-laden words and terms,
Identification of an overarching question or small set of questions accompanied by key factors or variables,
Identification of key concepts and terms,
Articulation of the study's conceptual boundaries or parameters or limitations,
Some generalizability in regards to applicability and bringing results into general use,
Conveyance of the study's importance, benefits, and justification [i.e., regardless of the type of research, it is important to demonstrate that the research is not trivial],
Does not have unnecessary jargon or overly complex sentence constructions; and,
Conveyance of more than the mere gathering of descriptive data providing only a snapshot of the issue or phenomenon under investigation.

Bryman, Alan. “The Research Question in Social Research: What is its Role?” International Journal of Social Research Methodology 10 (2007): 5-20; Brown, Perry J., Allen Dyer, and Ross S. Whaley. "Recreation Research—So What?" Journal of Leisure Research 5 (1973): 16-24; Castellanos, Susie. Critical Writing and Thinking. The Writing Center. Dean of the College. Brown University; Ellis, Timothy J. and Yair Levy Nova. "Framework of Problem-Based Research: A Guide for Novice Researchers on the Development of a Research-Worthy Problem." Informing Science: the International Journal of an Emerging Transdiscipline 11 (2008); Thesis and Purpose Statements. The Writer’s Handbook. Writing Center. University of Wisconsin, Madison; Thesis Statements. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Selwyn, Neil. "‘So What?’…A Question that Every Journal Article Needs to Answer." Learning, Media, and Technology 39 (2014): 1-5; Shoket, Mohd. "Research Problem: Identification and Formulation." International Journal of Research 1 (May 2014): 512-518.

Structure and Writing Style

I. Types and Content

There are four general conceptualizations of a research problem in the social sciences:

Casuist Research Problem -- this type of problem relates to the determination of right and wrong in questions of conduct or conscience by analyzing moral dilemmas through the application of general rules and the careful distinction of special cases.
Difference Research Problem -- typically asks the question, “Is there a difference between two or more groups or treatments?” This type of problem statement is used when the researcher compares or contrasts two or more phenomena. This a common approach to defining a problem in the clinical social sciences or behavioral sciences.
Descriptive Research Problem -- typically asks the question, "what is...?" with the underlying purpose to describe the significance of a situation, state, or existence of a specific phenomenon. This problem is often associated with revealing hidden or understudied issues.
Relational Research Problem -- suggests a relationship of some sort between two or more variables to be investigated. The underlying purpose is to investigate specific qualities or characteristics that may be connected in some way.

A problem statement in the social sciences should contain :

A lead-in that helps ensure the reader will maintain interest over the study,
A declaration of originality [e.g., mentioning a knowledge void or a lack of clarity about a topic that will be revealed in the literature review of prior research],
An indication of the central focus of the study [establishing the boundaries of analysis], and
An explanation of the study's significance or the benefits to be derived from investigating the research problem.

NOTE : A statement describing the research problem of your paper should not be viewed as a thesis statement that you may be familiar with from high school. Given the content listed above, a description of the research problem is usually a short paragraph in length.

II. Sources of Problems for Investigation

The identification of a problem to study can be challenging, not because there's a lack of issues that could be investigated, but due to the challenge of formulating an academically relevant and researchable problem which is unique and does not simply duplicate the work of others. To facilitate how you might select a problem from which to build a research study, consider these sources of inspiration:

Deductions from Theory This relates to deductions made from social philosophy or generalizations embodied in life and in society that the researcher is familiar with. These deductions from human behavior are then placed within an empirical frame of reference through research. From a theory, the researcher can formulate a research problem or hypothesis stating the expected findings in certain empirical situations. The research asks the question: “What relationship between variables will be observed if theory aptly summarizes the state of affairs?” One can then design and carry out a systematic investigation to assess whether empirical data confirm or reject the hypothesis, and hence, the theory.

Interdisciplinary Perspectives Identifying a problem that forms the basis for a research study can come from academic movements and scholarship originating in disciplines outside of your primary area of study. This can be an intellectually stimulating exercise. A review of pertinent literature should include examining research from related disciplines that can reveal new avenues of exploration and analysis. An interdisciplinary approach to selecting a research problem offers an opportunity to construct a more comprehensive understanding of a very complex issue that any single discipline may be able to provide.

Interviewing Practitioners The identification of research problems about particular topics can arise from formal interviews or informal discussions with practitioners who provide insight into new directions for future research and how to make research findings more relevant to practice. Discussions with experts in the field, such as, teachers, social workers, health care providers, lawyers, business leaders, etc., offers the chance to identify practical, “real world” problems that may be understudied or ignored within academic circles. This approach also provides some practical knowledge which may help in the process of designing and conducting your study.

Personal Experience Don't undervalue your everyday experiences or encounters as worthwhile problems for investigation. Think critically about your own experiences and/or frustrations with an issue facing society or related to your community, your neighborhood, your family, or your personal life. This can be derived, for example, from deliberate observations of certain relationships for which there is no clear explanation or witnessing an event that appears harmful to a person or group or that is out of the ordinary.

Relevant Literature The selection of a research problem can be derived from a thorough review of pertinent research associated with your overall area of interest. This may reveal where gaps exist in understanding a topic or where an issue has been understudied. Research may be conducted to: 1) fill such gaps in knowledge; 2) evaluate if the methodologies employed in prior studies can be adapted to solve other problems; or, 3) determine if a similar study could be conducted in a different subject area or applied in a different context or to different study sample [i.e., different setting or different group of people]. Also, authors frequently conclude their studies by noting implications for further research; read the conclusion of pertinent studies because statements about further research can be a valuable source for identifying new problems to investigate. The fact that a researcher has identified a topic worthy of further exploration validates the fact it is worth pursuing.

III. What Makes a Good Research Statement?

A good problem statement begins by introducing the broad area in which your research is centered, gradually leading the reader to the more specific issues you are investigating. The statement need not be lengthy, but a good research problem should incorporate the following features:

1. Compelling Topic The problem chosen should be one that motivates you to address it but simple curiosity is not a good enough reason to pursue a research study because this does not indicate significance. The problem that you choose to explore must be important to you, but it must also be viewed as important by your readers and to a the larger academic and/or social community that could be impacted by the results of your study. 2. Supports Multiple Perspectives The problem must be phrased in a way that avoids dichotomies and instead supports the generation and exploration of multiple perspectives. A general rule of thumb in the social sciences is that a good research problem is one that would generate a variety of viewpoints from a composite audience made up of reasonable people. 3. Researchability This isn't a real word but it represents an important aspect of creating a good research statement. It seems a bit obvious, but you don't want to find yourself in the midst of investigating a complex research project and realize that you don't have enough prior research to draw from for your analysis. There's nothing inherently wrong with original research, but you must choose research problems that can be supported, in some way, by the resources available to you. If you are not sure if something is researchable, don't assume that it isn't if you don't find information right away--seek help from a librarian !

NOTE: Do not confuse a research problem with a research topic. A topic is something to read and obtain information about, whereas a problem is something to be solved or framed as a question raised for inquiry, consideration, or solution, or explained as a source of perplexity, distress, or vexation. In short, a research topic is something to be understood; a research problem is something that needs to be investigated.

IV. Asking Analytical Questions about the Research Problem

Research problems in the social and behavioral sciences are often analyzed around critical questions that must be investigated. These questions can be explicitly listed in the introduction [i.e., "This study addresses three research questions about women's psychological recovery from domestic abuse in multi-generational home settings..."], or, the questions are implied in the text as specific areas of study related to the research problem. Explicitly listing your research questions at the end of your introduction can help in designing a clear roadmap of what you plan to address in your study, whereas, implicitly integrating them into the text of the introduction allows you to create a more compelling narrative around the key issues under investigation. Either approach is appropriate.

The number of questions you attempt to address should be based on the complexity of the problem you are investigating and what areas of inquiry you find most critical to study. Practical considerations, such as, the length of the paper you are writing or the availability of resources to analyze the issue can also factor in how many questions to ask. In general, however, there should be no more than four research questions underpinning a single research problem.

Given this, well-developed analytical questions can focus on any of the following:

Highlights a genuine dilemma, area of ambiguity, or point of confusion about a topic open to interpretation by your readers;
Yields an answer that is unexpected and not obvious rather than inevitable and self-evident;
Provokes meaningful thought or discussion;
Raises the visibility of the key ideas or concepts that may be understudied or hidden;
Suggests the need for complex analysis or argument rather than a basic description or summary; and,
Offers a specific path of inquiry that avoids eliciting generalizations about the problem.

NOTE: Questions of how and why concerning a research problem often require more analysis than questions about who, what, where, and when. You should still ask yourself these latter questions, however. Thinking introspectively about the who, what, where, and when of a research problem can help ensure that you have thoroughly considered all aspects of the problem under investigation and helps define the scope of the study in relation to the problem.

V. Mistakes to Avoid

Beware of circular reasoning! Do not state the research problem as simply the absence of the thing you are suggesting. For example, if you propose the following, "The problem in this community is that there is no hospital," this only leads to a research problem where:

The need is for a hospital
The objective is to create a hospital
The method is to plan for building a hospital, and
The evaluation is to measure if there is a hospital or not.

This is an example of a research problem that fails the "So What?" test . In this example, the problem does not reveal the relevance of why you are investigating the fact there is no hospital in the community [e.g., perhaps there's a hospital in the community ten miles away]; it does not elucidate the significance of why one should study the fact there is no hospital in the community [e.g., that hospital in the community ten miles away has no emergency room]; the research problem does not offer an intellectual pathway towards adding new knowledge or clarifying prior knowledge [e.g., the county in which there is no hospital already conducted a study about the need for a hospital, but it was conducted ten years ago]; and, the problem does not offer meaningful outcomes that lead to recommendations that can be generalized for other situations or that could suggest areas for further research [e.g., the challenges of building a new hospital serves as a case study for other communities].

Alvesson, Mats and Jörgen Sandberg. “Generating Research Questions Through Problematization.” Academy of Management Review 36 (April 2011): 247-271 ; Choosing and Refining Topics. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; D'Souza, Victor S. "Use of Induction and Deduction in Research in Social Sciences: An Illustration." Journal of the Indian Law Institute 24 (1982): 655-661; Ellis, Timothy J. and Yair Levy Nova. "Framework of Problem-Based Research: A Guide for Novice Researchers on the Development of a Research-Worthy Problem." Informing Science: the International Journal of an Emerging Transdiscipline 11 (2008); How to Write a Research Question. The Writing Center. George Mason University; Invention: Developing a Thesis Statement. The Reading/Writing Center. Hunter College; Problem Statements PowerPoint Presentation. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Procter, Margaret. Using Thesis Statements. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Shoket, Mohd. "Research Problem: Identification and Formulation." International Journal of Research 1 (May 2014): 512-518; Trochim, William M.K. Problem Formulation. Research Methods Knowledge Base. 2006; Thesis and Purpose Statements. The Writer’s Handbook. Writing Center. University of Wisconsin, Madison; Thesis Statements. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Pardede, Parlindungan. “Identifying and Formulating the Research Problem." Research in ELT: Module 4 (October 2018): 1-13; Walk, Kerry. Asking an Analytical Question. [Class handout or worksheet]. Princeton University; White, Patrick. Developing Research Questions: A Guide for Social Scientists . New York: Palgrave McMillan, 2009; Li, Yanmei, and Sumei Zhang. "Identifying the Research Problem." In Applied Research Methods in Urban and Regional Planning . (Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2022), pp. 13-21.

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Why businesses need explainable AI—and how to deliver it

Businesses increasingly rely on artificial intelligence (AI) systems to make decisions that can significantly affect individual rights, human safety, and critical business operations. But how do these models derive their conclusions? What data do they use? And can we trust the results?

Addressing these questions is the essence of “explainability,” and getting it right is becoming essential. While many companies have begun adopting basic tools to understand how and why AI models render their insights, unlocking the full value of AI requires a comprehensive strategy. Our research finds that companies seeing the biggest bottom-line returns from AI —those that attribute at least 20 percent of EBIT to their use of AI—are more likely than others to follow best practices that enable explainability. 1 “ The state of AI in 2021 ,” McKinsey, December 8, 2021. Further, organizations that establish digital trust among consumers through practices such as making AI explainable are more likely to see their annual revenue and EBIT grow at rates of 10 percent or more. 2 Jim Boehm, Liz Grennan, Alex Singla, and Kate Smaje, “ Why digital trust truly matters ,” McKinsey, September 12, 2022.

Even as explainability gains importance, it is becoming significantly harder. Modeling techniques that today power many AI applications, such as deep learning and neural networks, are inherently more difficult for humans to understand. For all the predictive insights AI can deliver, advanced machine learning engines often remain a black box. The solution isn’t simply finding better ways to convey how a system works; rather, it’s about creating tools and processes that can help even the deep expert understand the outcome and then explain it to others.

To shed light on these systems and meet the needs of customers, employees, and regulators, organizations need to master the fundamentals of explainability. Gaining that mastery requires establishing a governance framework, putting in place the right practices, and investing in the right set of tools.

What makes explainability challenging

Explainability is the capacity to express why an AI system reached a particular decision, recommendation, or prediction. Developing this capability requires understanding how the AI model operates and the types of data used to train it. That sounds simple enough, but the more sophisticated an AI system becomes, the harder it is to pinpoint exactly how it derived a particular insight. AI engines get “smarter” over time by continually ingesting data, gauging the predictive power of different algorithmic combinations, and updating the resulting model. They do all this at blazing speeds, sometimes delivering outputs within fractions of a second.

Disentangling a first-order insight and explaining how the AI went from A to B might be relatively easy. But as AI engines interpolate and reinterpolate data, the insight audit trail becomes harder to follow.

Complicating matters, different consumers of the AI system’s data have different explainability needs. A bank that uses an AI engine to support credit decisions will need to provide consumers who are denied a loan with a reason for that outcome. Loan officers and AI practitioners might need even more granular information to help them understand the risk factors and weightings used in rendering the decision to ensure the model is tuned optimally. And the risk function or diversity office may need to confirm that the data used in the AI engine are not biased against certain applicants. Regulators and other stakeholders also will have specific needs and interests.

Would you like to learn more about QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey ?

Five ways explainable ai can benefit organizations.

Mastering explainability helps technology, business, and risk professionals in at least five ways (exhibit):

Increasing productivity. Techniques that enable explainability can more quickly reveal errors or areas for improvement, making it easier for machine learning operations (MLOps) teams tasked with supervising AI systems to monitor and maintain AI systems efficiently. As an example, understanding the specific features that lead to the model output helps technical teams confirm whether patterns identified by the model are broadly applicable and relevant to future predictions or instead reflect one-off or anomalous historical data.
Building trust and adoption. Explainability is also crucial to building trust. Customers, regulators, and the public at large all need to feel confident that the AI models rendering consequential decisions are doing so in an accurate and fair way. Likewise, even the most cutting-edge AI systems will gather dust if intended users don’t understand the basis for the recommendations being supplied. Sales teams, for instance, are more apt to trust their gut over an AI application whose suggested next-best actions seem to come from a black box. Knowing why an AI application made its recommendation increases sales professionals’ confidence in following it.
Surfacing new, value-generating interventions. Unpacking how a model works can also help companies surface business interventions that would otherwise remain hidden. In some cases, the deeper understanding into the why of a prediction can lead to even more value than the prediction or recommendation itself. For example, a prediction of customer churn in a certain segment can be helpful by itself, but an explanation of why the churn is likely can reveal the most effective ways for the business to intervene. For one auto insurer, using explainability tools such as SHAP values revealed how greater risk was associated with certain interactions between vehicle and driver attributes. The company used these insights to adjust its risk models, after which its performance improved significantly.
Ensuring AI provides business value. When the technical team can explain how an AI system functions, the business team can confirm that the intended business objective is being met and spot situations where something was lost in translation. This ensures that an AI application is set up to deliver its expected value.
Mitigating regulatory and other risks. Explainability helps organizations mitigate risks. AI systems that run afoul of ethical norms, even if inadvertently, can ignite intense public, media, and regulatory scrutiny. Legal and risk teams can use the explanation provided by the technical team, along with the intended business use case, to confirm the system complies with applicable laws and regulations and is aligned with internal company policies and values. In some sectors, explainability is a requirement. For example, a recent bulletin issued by the California Department of Insurance requires insurers to explain adverse actions taken based on complex algorithms. 3 California Insurance Commission, “Allegations of racial bias and unfair discrimination in marketing, rating, underwriting, and claims practices by the insurance industry,” Bulletin 2022-5, June 30, 2022. As use of AI grows, organizations can expect more rules concerning explainability. New regulations, such as the draft EU AI regulation , may contain specific explainability compliance steps. Even when not specifically mandated, companies will need to confirm that any tool used to render actions such as credit determinations comply with applicable antidiscrimination laws, as well as laws prohibiting unfair or deceptive practices.

Why digital trust truly matters

How businesses can make ai explainable.

Organizations that build a framework for explainability and acquire the right enabling tools will be better positioned to capture the full value of deep learning and other AI advances. We suggest organizations start by including explainability as one of the key principles within their responsible AI guidelines. Then organizations can operationalize this principle by establishing an AI governance committee to set standards and guidance for AI development teams, including guidelines for use-case-specific review processes, and by investing in the right talent, technology, research, and training.

Establish an AI governance committee to guide AI development teams

Establishment of an AI governance committee includes recruiting its members and defining the scope of work. The explainability and risk assessment of AI use cases may be complex, requiring an understanding of the business objective, the intended users, the technology, and any applicable legal requirements. For this reason, organizations will want to convene a cross-functional set of experienced professionals, including business leaders, technical experts, and legal and risk professionals. Bringing in diverse points of view internally and externally can also help the company test whether the explanations developed to support an AI model are intuitive and effective for different audiences.

A key function of the committee will be setting standards for AI explainability. As part of the standards-setting process, effective AI governance committees often establish a risk taxonomy that can be used to classify the sensitivity of different AI use cases. The taxonomy links to guidance that outlines expectations and standards with respect to different use cases. For example, is an explanation necessary to comply with regulatory requirements, or is the goal simply to provide an overview of functionality to aid adoption? The taxonomy also clarifies when escalation to a review board or legal may be required.

Because each AI use case can present a different set of risks and legal requirements related to explainability, organizations should establish a process for model development teams to assess each use case. This process better positions the organization to manage these risks and capture value from AI. Tracking the outcome of these assessments within a central inventory helps ensure the organization can monitor the use of AI systems for compliance with law and adherence to responsible AI principles.

As part of the review process, teams will need to consider whether to go beyond the basic explainability requirements, based on the potential value resulting from, for example, greater trust, adoption, or productivity. In some cases, a trade-off may exist between explainability and accuracy. For example, simplifying an AI model’s mechanics might improve user trust, but in some—not all—cases, a shift might make the model less accurate. When trade-offs exist, teams will need to weigh the competing considerations, including any regulatory requirements, and escalate to leadership as necessary.

Teams may be able to address these trade-offs themselves. Sometimes they can reverse-engineer the factors driving predictive outcomes for advanced AI models by tracking model performance and discerning patterns. They can then try to replicate the complex model using simpler and better-understood statistical methods such as logistic regression. In some cases, the result will be an equally high-performing model with outputs that are inherently explainable.

Invest in the right talent, explainability technology, research, and training

The rapid pace of technological and legal change within the area of explainability makes it urgent for companies to hire the right talent, invest in the right set of tools, engage in active research, and conduct ongoing training.

High-performing organizations develop a talent strategy to support AI governance across the enterprise. These companies seek to retain legal and risk colleagues who can actively and meaningfully engage with both the business and technologists to navigate applicable regulations, meet consumer expectations, and “future-proof” core products (including features and data sets) as the law evolves. Similarly, companies are well served to hire technologists familiar with legal issues or focused on technology ethics.

Investment in explainability technology should aim to acquire appropriate tools for meeting the needs identified by development teams during the review process. For example, more advanced tooling may provide a robust explanation in a context that would otherwise require teams to sacrifice accuracy. Although the up-front cost of bespoke solutions may be higher, it sometimes pays off in the long run because they can take into account the context in which the model is being deployed, including the intended users and any legal or regulatory requirements. Companies considering off-the-shelf and open-source tools should understand any limitations of these options. For example, some explainability tools rely on post-hoc explanations that deduce the relevant factors based only on a review of the system output. If this limited approach yields a less-than-accurate explanation of the causal factors driving the outcome, users’ confidence in the system output might be unwarranted.

Research is an ongoing requirement because legal and regulatory requirements, as well as consumer expectations and industry norms, are changing rapidly. AI governance committees will want to actively monitor and, where possible, conduct their own research in this space to ensure continual learning and knowledge development. The committee should also establish a training program to ensure employees across the organization understand and are able to apply the latest developments in this space.

People use what they understand and trust. This is especially true of AI. The businesses that make it easy to show how their AI insights and recommendations are derived will come out ahead, not only with their organization’s AI users, but also with regulators and consumers—and in terms of their bottom lines.

Liz Grennan is an associate partner in McKinsey’s Stamford office, Andreas Kremer is a partner in the Berlin office, Alex Singla is a senior partner in the Chicago office, and Peter Zipparo is associate general counsel, based in the New York office.

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With this research topic, you can explore ethical issues a business leader faces in the modern era, such as business corruption, harassment, and discrimination. 8. The Economic Development of Developing Economies in the Emerging Digital Economy.
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1 What are good business topics for a research paper? 2 Interesting business-related topics. 3 Business management topics. 4 Current topics in international business. 5 Business ethics topics. 6 Business intelligence topics. 7 Topics On Business Communication. 8 Other good business research topics.
Finance Articles, Research Topics, & Case Studies
by Kasandra Brabaw. One in 10 people in America lack health insurance, resulting in $40 billion of care that goes unpaid each year. Amitabh Chandra and colleagues say ensuring basic coverage for all residents, as other wealthy nations do, could address the most acute needs and unlock efficiency. 23 Mar 2023.
Management Articles, Research, & Case Studies
Professor Ashley Whillans and her co-author Hawken Lord (MBA 2023) discuss Serhant's time management techniques and consider the lessons we can all learn about making time our most valuable commodity in the case, "Ryan Serhant: Time Management for Repeatable Success.". 08 Aug 2023. Research & Ideas.
Case Study Method: A Step-by-Step Guide for Business Researchers
This article addresses key issues and challenges faced by the research students (i.e., up to PhD level) from these disciplines. The objective of this article is to present a step-by-step guide that research students may follow to save their valuable time reading through plethora of books on business research.
A Roadmap to Business Research
As stated, business research requires a problem to be solved, ... may also apply in business-related research (Vom Brocke et al., 2020). Table 1 Research paradigm comparison. Full size table. From Table 1, it is clear that the aims and criticisms of each paradigm are unique. The following is a brief further explanation of the paradigms:
International business research: The real challenges are data and
In a recent article in the Journal of International Business Studies, Eden and Nielsen (2020: 1610) write that "complexity is the underlying cause of the unique methodological problems facing international business research."For them, international business (IB) research is uniquely complex because of its multiplicity, multiplexity, and dynamism: IB researchers need to take into account ...
191+ Business Research Topics for College Students
Think about how your research can contribute to solving practical business problems. Ethical Considerations. Ensure that your research topic is ethically sound. Consider any potential ethical concerns related to data collection, analysis, and reporting. Research Design. Think about the research methodology you will use to investigate your ...
Business or Company Management
New research on business or company management from Harvard Business School faculty on issues including the relationship between corporate purpose and financial performance, the downsides of self-interest on businesses, government, and the economy, and advice for new CEOs.
100 Business Research Topics
Here are ten great ideas for research topics in business management. Employee benefits and its effect on employee productivity. The intricacies of managing conflict in the work team. Start-ups: A look into the issues that occur during business start-ups. Excessive work: Business consequences.
Research challenges and opportunities in business analytics
Research in business analytics typically uses quantitative methods such as statistics, econometrics, machine learning, and network science. Today's business world consists of very complex systems and such systems play an important part in our daily life, in science, and in economy.
Problem Statement Research
Basing your business problem off of the literature is going to save you a lot time and energy further down the road. Students run into two major problems when they choose a business problem without looking at the literature first. There is no or limited literature containing the data or statistics to support your problem statement.
How to Define a Research Problem
A research problem is a specific issue or gap in existing knowledge that you aim to address in your research. You may choose to look for practical problems aimed at contributing to change, or theoretical problems aimed at expanding knowledge. Some research will do both of these things, but usually the research problem focuses on one or the other.
PDF An Introduction to Business Research
related decision-making. Business research is defined as 'the systematic and objective process of collecting, recording, analyzing and interpreting data for aid in solving managerial problems'. These managerial problems can be linked to any business function, e.g. human resources, finance, marketing or research and development. Your ...
Research Problems: How to Identify & Resolve
2. Review the key factors involved. As a marketing researcher, you must work closely with your team of researchers to define and test the influencing factors and the wider context involved in your study. These might include demographic and economic trends or the business environment affecting the question at hand.
The Research Problem & Problem Statement
A research problem can be theoretical in nature, focusing on an area of academic research that is lacking in some way. Alternatively, a research problem can be more applied in nature, focused on finding a practical solution to an established problem within an industry or an organisation. In other words, theoretical research problems are motivated by the desire to grow the overall body of ...
417 Business Topics & Research Titles about Business
There are two main types of AMB research methods: qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative research answers the why and the how questions. It tests customers' reaction to new products and studies consumer behaviors. Case studies, interviews, and focus groups are the common methods of collecting such data.
45 Research Problem Examples & Inspiration (2024)
45 Research Problem Examples & Inspiration. A research problem is an issue of concern that is the catalyst for your research. It demonstrates why the research problem needs to take place in the first place. Generally, you will write your research problem as a clear, concise, and focused statement that identifies an issue or gap in current ...
Ethics and international business research ...
Best ethical practices. 4.3.1. Research design. Research ethics starts with a sound research design. Knight, Chidlow and Minbaeva assert that the research design "sets out the research plan for empirically addressing a research question (s) that aims to develop theory in a feasible way" (2022: 45).
Entrepreneurship Articles, Research, & Case Studies
Harvard Business School senior lecturer Jeffrey Bussgang and Estrella discuss her unique founder's journey - from immigrating to the U.S. to building both of her businesses in Lawrence, Massachusetts despite the specific challenges she faced as a minority entrepreneur. The related case is "Wendy Estrella: Scaling Multiple Businesses."
The Research Problem/Question
A research problem is a definite or clear expression [statement] about an area of concern, a condition to be improved upon, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or within existing practice that points to a need for meaningful understanding and deliberate investigation.
The Top 8 Business Problems That Market Research Solves
1. Brand image: how your customer perceives your brand. Business practice shows that it is extremely important to be aware of how customers view your company and what their opinion about your solution is. You can determine easily which strategies to use in order to positively influence your brand image. 2.
Explainable AI: Getting it right in business
What makes explainability challenging. Explainability is the capacity to express why an AI system reached a particular decision, recommendation, or prediction. Developing this capability requires understanding how the AI model operates and the types of data used to train it. That sounds simple enough, but the more sophisticated an AI system ...

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Top 10 Business Research Paper Topics

2. Modern Methods of Increasing Employee Productivity

3. Brand Influencing and Social Media Marketing Strategies

4. Analyzing the Role of Copyrights and Trademarks in Business Transactions

5. Analyzing the Structure of Transactions and the Role of a Director’s Guarantee in Business Law

6. Challenges to Transforming Small Local Businesses into Global Business Brands

7. Ethical Issues in Modern Business Management

8. The Economic Development of Developing Economies in the Emerging Digital Economy

9. The Role of Business Negotiation in Driving Sales Performance

10. The Role of Social Entrepreneurship in Societal Transformation

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Business Research Paper Topics – Complete List

What are good business topics for a research paper?

Interesting business-related topics

Business management topics

Current topics in international business

Business ethics topics

Business intelligence topics

Topics On Business Communication

Other good business research topics

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