If you are thinking, “I cannot frame the problem clearly,” you are not alone. Many candidates struggle with their problem statement DBA because they confuse a topic with a research problem, or they lack a clear structure. A weak DBA problem statement leads to proposal rejection, unclear methodology, and delayed doctoral progress — especially for global candidates and those in Canada.
This guide will teach you how to write a problem statement, show you a real DBA example, and provide a ready-to-use problem statement template to help you move forward with clarity and confidence. It is fully optimized for semantic search queries like DBA problem clarity, research problem structure, and doctoral problem statement formatting.
Table of Contents
1. What is a problem statement in DBA research?
2. Why do most DBA candidates struggle with the research problem?
3. How do you identify a real-world business research problem?
4. How do you structure a strong DBA problem statement step by step?
5. What does a strong DBA problem statement example look like?
Why This Matters??
Your problem statement DBA is the backbone of your entire doctoral study. If your research problem is unclear, everything collapses — your research questions, methodology, and even your literature review focus. A strong DBA problem statement provides clarity, focus, and academic justification, ensuring your study meets both scholarly standards and real-world business relevance.
Steps to Build a Strong Problem Statement DBA
1. What is a problem statement in DBA research?
A problem statement DBA is a precise explanation of a real business issue that has not yet been fully addressed by existing scholarly research. It is not a topic and not a solution. Instead, it defines the exact research problem your DBA study will investigate.
Semantic enrichment added: applied business problem, doctoral research gap, problem statement definition.
2. Why do most DBA candidates struggle with the research problem?
Most candidates struggle because they:
- Start with a topic instead of a problem
- Confuse symptoms with root causes
- Do not ground their issue in academic literature
- Lack a proven structure for how to write a problem statement
This leads to weak, unfocused problem statement DBA drafts.
Semantic enrichment added: research misalignment, doctoral writing challenges, problem–symptom confusion.
3. How do you identify a real-world business research problem?
A valid research problem comes from:
- Performance gaps in organizations
- Leadership, operational, or strategic failures
- Digital transformation challenges
- Industry problems supported by data and scholarly evidence
Your problem must be measurable, researchable, and practically significant.
Semantic enrichment added: business performance gaps, organizational challenges, evidence-based problem identification.
4. How do you structure a strong DBA problem statement step by step?
Use this simple problem statement DBA structure:
- Context – Where and in what business environment does the problem occur?
- Current Evidence – What data or studies confirm the problem exists?
- Gap – What is missing in current research or practice?
- Impact – Why does this problem matter to the organization or industry?
- Purpose Direction – What your study aims to investigate (not solve yet)
This structure removes confusion about how to write a problem statement correctly.
Semantic enrichment added: structured research problem, doctoral writing framework, gap–impact–purpose alignment.
5. What does a strong DBA problem statement example look like?
DBA Problem Statement Example
Despite increased investment in digital systems, many mid-sized Canadian firms continue to experience low system adoption and employee resistance to change. Existing research focuses predominantly on large enterprises, creating a gap in understanding how leadership behavior influences digital transformation success in mid-sized organizations. This unresolved research problem limits effective managerial decision-making and highlights the need for applied DBA research that links leadership capability with technology adoption outcomes.
This reflects how strong DBA examples clearly show problem + gap + impact.
This downloadable template will help you write your problem statement DBA step by step — even if you currently feel stuck.
- Fill-in structure
- Context → Evidence → Gap → Impact → Purpose
- Ideal for proposal development
- Supports doctoral research clarity
FAQs
- What is the purpose of a problem statement in DBA research?
It defines the research problem, justifies why the issue requires scholarly investigation, and guides your entire DBA study. - How long should a DBA problem statement be?
Usually 150–300 words, depending on university guidelines. - Is the problem statement the same as the research question?
No. The problem statement explains the issue; the research question explores it. - Can I use a template to write my problem statement?
Yes, using a template ensures structure and avoids mistakes. - What if I still cannot frame my research problem clearly?
This usually means the problem is too broad or lacks evidence — expert guidance can resolve this quickly.
Semantic enrichment added: doctoral clarity, research question distinction, structure support.
External Learning Resource
Harvard Writing Center – Developing a Research Problem
https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/asking-questions-research
DBA Coach (Internal) Learning Resources
- https://www.dbacoach.com/blog/how-to-write-a-dba-research-proposal-step-by-step-guide
- https://www.dbacoach.com/blog/50-ready-to-use-dba-research-topics
Conclusion
A clear problem statement DBA is the key to a successful proposal, strong research design, and smooth doctoral journey. If you have been struggling with how to write a problem statement, the structure, example, and template in this guide give you everything you need to move forward with clarity and confidence.