How to Identify the Meaningful Applied Research Areas?

How to Identify the Meaningful Applied Research Area?

By:

VIJAY SARDANA

Techno-legal & IPR expert

Arbitrator, Negotator and

Advocate, Supreme Court of India

YouTube: @VijaySardana.INSIGHTS


"All that we are is the result of what we have thought".
Bhagavad Gita


Identifying the Meaningful Applied Research Agenda is extremely vital considering that resources are always limited and required should be met within the given timeframe. Delayed outcome leads to wastage because the potential buyer or user of the technology will move to alternate options. 

Why do we do research in business?

In the business world, it is important to undertake and conduct research for multiple reasons. These may include:

  • Research as service: Attempting to solve a problem faced by the stakeholders and that you have identified in the client organisation

  • Research as in-house need: Research is an attempt to answer the identified question that you, or perhaps your colleagues, have asked within your organisation

How do we identify research topics?

Identifying a research topic is the first step in the research cycle. Precise identification of the research topic is vital for better outcomes at the least cost. 

There are a few different ways that you can do this, you may consider the following approaches.

Step -1: Reviewing literature to identify an industrial research gap

There are many advantages to researchers and organisations reviewing the literature.

By conducting a literature review and reviewing trade journals to identify issues in the sector, such as a systematic review, you can identify gaps in the market needs that need to be addressed by research.

The Internet is the best option and once you identify, do a critical analysis and make a list of why this idea will not work relook into the proposal and refine it.

Step 2: Reflecting on Experiences

Considering your experience and the problems you face can highlight numerous research topics. For example, you may see that there are many litigations from court orders to address some issues related to environment, safety or performance. You may help in better understanding ways to improve this. 

By conducting such research, you may be able to inform on ways to positively influence practice. Stakeholders may be keen to work with you. There can be many other reasons to undertake research but ensure there are stakeholders to take your work forward for commercialization. 

Step 3: Using existing research and existing issues in the industry:

It may be that you have read a theory or a study and thought of ways to build on it,  or you may have disagreed with elements of a theory or study and thought about how you could improve it or extend it to a different population or new applications.

While examining current research needs, do not ignore changes in society related to social, political and legal aspects to ensure the sustainability of your research agenda. 

Step-4: Using stakeholders' inputs will be vital before finalising the proposal

You should have interaction with those who represent those you would want to participate in research or use your research. You could then ask them about potential issues or what they would want to find out more about.

Important: Considering personal interests in research

  1. When thinking of research questions, you may also be inspired by interests that are personal to you. It may be that you have recently read something that you found so fascinating that you want to research it further. 

  2. While doing so, you must ensure that your area of interest must meet the organisation's objective as well. Otherwise, resource allocation may not be feasible. To ensure the sustainability of the organisation, return on investment is a must criterion. 

    1. You must have deliverables which are measurable and where stakeholders will be willing to join at an early stage. 

    2. Long-term research projects are a huge risk because researchers may leave in between for green pastures and all the efforts go to waste, if not documented, delegated and planned properly. 

Action Point: 

My suggestion to the researchers is to review the literature of the last 3 years, make notes and discuss with your team. Shortlist a workable minimum of three ideas at your end.  Then brainstorm with stakeholders who are progressive and willing to associate and also keen to use such research and refine the ideas. 

You will need a lot of data from the field and if you create your own it will be costly, so better to associate with some industrial houses. 

Unless you get input from the user industry, do not assume things are acceptable, because many things may appear logical on paper but may not be useful due to various legal restrictions and commercial reasons.

It is better to kill the wrong idea in the beginning in place of wasting resources and coming to the same conclusion. This needs a very deep understanding and maturity. Do not get involved emotionally with any idea, till you come to the right path.

Now, Your task

Now that we have looked at some of the ways that you can identify a research topic which can offer solutions to existing or emerging problems, think of other possible sources of research topics and share them with your fellow learners in the comments.

Please feel free to contact the author in case any inputs are required to refine your research or training needs for research management.

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