Selection of the Problem pg 13 One of the most difficult tasks confronting the beginner is to select a researchable problem. More often than not, the newcomer has a proclivity to tackle an exotic issue, thus making the problem either too broad or too narrow in scope. Some factors that should be involved in the ultimate selection are listed here (Bailey, 1994): 1. Interest: The researcher should be interested in pursuing the problem area. The problem should be related to the background and career interests of the student, and in pursuing the problem the student should develop useful skills for the future. 2. Operability: The nature of the problem should be such that the researcher has both the resources and the time available to complete the subject. 3. Scope: While the research problem should not attempt to solve all the health dilemmas of the world, neither should it be so small as to negate the variables necessary for adequate results. 4. Theoretical and practical values: The research should contribute to the health field, perhaps through publication, and be of benefit to health practitioners. 5. Health paradigm: This is the school of thought or model employed by the researcher as discussed in an earlier chapter (Chapter 1). 6. Values of the researcher: The myth of value-free research is just that, a myth. The student of research should be aware that in addition to being unstable, values may prejudice the research effort to the degree that all objectivity is lost. Note that even the selection of a problem is value-laden. 7. Research methodology: Every researcher has a philosophy of research that affects procedure. Thus, the student must be certain that hypotheses are well written and that appropriate criteria are used to interpret the data to reach conclusions. 8. Reactivity: The method of data collection should be scrutinized for reactivity. That is, a reactive technique brings about a reaction on the part of those being studied in a way that affects that data. The reactive effect is commonly labeled the “Hawthorne effect” from the study of the Hawthorne Plant of the Western Electric Company in Chicago, where it was found that worker productivity increased simply because the personnel were being observed. 9. Unit of analysis: In health research, the unit of analysis may be an individual (such as the health habits of a single anorexic patient) or an entire population (patterns among the hospital anorexic population). The researcher must ascertain which is most appropriate and whether resources are available to collect data. 10. Time frame: This is particularly important to the student because only a limited amount of time is usually available. In a cross-sectional study aparticular population is involved at a single point in time; in a longitudinal time frame, data are gathered over an extended period of time (such as months or years). 11. Budget: To ensure that your proposal is feasible, write up a budget for expensive items. These items m.

1. Selection of the Problem pg 13
One of the most difficult tasks confronting the beginner is to
select a researchable problem. More often than not, the
newcomer has a proclivity to tackle an exotic issue, thus making
the problem either too broad or too narrow in scope. Some
factors that should be involved in the ultimate selection are
listed here (Bailey, 1994):
1. Interest: The researcher should be interested in pursuing
the problem area. The problem should be related to the
background and career interests of the student, and in pursuing
the problem the student should develop useful skills for the
future.
2. Operability: The nature of the problem should be such that
the researcher has both the resources and the time available to
complete the subject.
3. Scope: While the research problem should not attempt to
solve all the health dilemmas of the world, neither should it be
so small as to negate the variables necessary for adequate
results.
4. Theoretical and practical values: The research should
contribute to the health field, perhaps through publication, and
be of benefit to health practitioners.
5. Health paradigm: This is the school of thought or model
employed by the researcher as discussed in an earlier chapter
(Chapter 1).
6. Values of the researcher: The myth of value-free research is
just that, a myth. The student of research should be aware that
in addition to being unstable, values may prejudice the research
effort to the degree that all objectivity is lost. Note that even
the selection of a problem is value-laden.
7. Research methodology: Every researcher has a philosophy of
research that affects procedure. Thus, the student must be
certain that hypotheses are well written and that appropriate
criteria are used to interpret the data to reach conclusions.

2. 8. Reactivity: The method of data collection should be
scrutinized for reactivity. That is, a reactive technique brings
about a reaction on the part of those being studied in a way that
affects that data. The reactive effect is commonly labeled the
“Hawthorne effect” from the study of the Hawthorne Plant of
the Western Electric Company in Chicago, where it was found
that worker productivity increased simply because the personnel
were being observed.
9. Unit of analysis: In health research, the unit of analysis may
be an individual (such as the health habits of a single anorexic
patient) or an entire population (patterns among the hospital
anorexic population). The researcher must ascertain which is
most appropriate and whether resources are available to collect
data.
10. Time frame: This is particularly important to the student
because only a limited amount of time is usually available.
In a cross-sectional study aparticular population is involved
at a single point in time; in a longitudinal time frame, data are
gathered over an extended period of time (such as months or
years).
11. Budget: To ensure that your proposal is feasible, write
up a budget for expensive items. These items may include
duplicating costs, travel, and postage. Some universities provide
modest financial support for research projects, and you should
inquire about these sources.
The student should apply all of these criteria to the
potential problem to determine the feasibility of the research
effort.
Sources of Problems pg 14
Now that we have developed some criteria for
selecting a problem, the next step is to commence the hunt. At
the outset, the beginner should look around at the immediate
environment; it teems with researchable problems. Many
problems in the clinic, the hospital, or the community lend
themselves to investigation. Which technique is most likely to
bring about a change in smoking behavior? How does the

3. community feel about the establishment of a wellness clinic at
the hospital? Does presurgical education reduce the use of
analgesics and the number of days of hospitalization? Should
contraception costs be underwritten with government funds?
Technological advances in medicine require continual revision
in patient education, as do studies to measure their
effectiveness. Similarly, in school health education, the advent
of specialized curricula demands research into presentation
format, teacher usage, cost benefits, and evaluation. The
community health educator can turn in almost any direction to
find new drugs, industrial hazards, environmental pollutants,
and health fads that need investigation.
The academic experience of college juniors and seniors and of
graduate students should serve as a catalyst for a research
project. Textbooks, periodicals, seminar reports, and conference
proceedings can inaugurate the mind into the research world.
Indices and abstracts such as the Cumulative Index to Nursing
and Allied Health Literature, Social Sciences Index, Hospital
Literature Index, and Dissertation Abstracts provide valuable
sources for research ideas.
PG 15
If possible, the student should attend workshops, national and
state conventions, and government-sponsored programs to
gather ideas, and more importantly, to meet current researchers
in the field. Closer to home, university faculty can be the
impetus for health research. Although topics themselves may be
provided, consultation with experienced faculty is desirable to
check operability, significance, and value.
To stimulate your thinking in the direction of health research,
read the following list. It is important to realize that this is
simply a list of ideas, not of properly expressed research
problems.
1. Educational program for parents of newborns to reduce infant
mortality

4. 2. Implementation of a comprehensive tobacco control program
at a local industrial plant
3. Community action plan to overcome barriers to childhood
immunization
4. Surgical intervention for patients with morbid obesity to see
if the weight loss is retained
5. The effectiveness of a new pharmaceutical agent in reducing
the frequency and intensity of headaches
6. Opinion of school officials regarding removal of soft drink
and snack vending machines from the school grounds
7. Using grant funding to install a walking path in the park to
encourage citizens to walk and reduce weight
8. A dental health needs assessment for uninsured children
9. Quality improvement initiative to improve the clinical care to
meet the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program
guidelines
10. Determining the effect of taking a nutritional supplement on
body builders
11. Ascertaining the outcome of changing the C-section
protocol at a local hospital to reduce the number of C-sections
12. The role of cultural values in implementing a nutritional
program
13. The role of the school in reducing bullying
14. Explaining how physician–patient interaction improves
patient compliance
15. How peer-group attitudes influence ideas about masculinity,
gay friendships, and inequality
16. Student ideas about what contributes to school shootings
and other violence
17. The attitudes of selected health care professionals toward
specific insurance carriers
18. The level of job satisfaction among emergency medical
personnel
19. Meeting the Council for Education in Public Health
accreditation requirements for a school of public health
20. Investigating the cause of skin cancer of patients who all

5. worked at the same facility
Statement of the Problem and Research Questions pg 16
The statement of the problem offers focus and direction in the
research proposal. The problem statement can be written either
as a question or as adeclarative statement. In either case, it must
be written clearly and concisely. Each word of
the statement should be definitive, indispensable, and
expressive. On completion, the statement of the problem should
be such that it can be read and understood by anyone without
the researcher’s presence.
Listed here are some examples of poorly written statements that
only imply the actual problem:
· Physician assistants personal and teaching practices regarding
wellness
· Health promotion program for better eating habits
· Generic versus brand name drugs for hypercholesterolemia
· Causes of violence in the school
This indicates to the student that the researcher does not have
the problem clearly in mind or at least has not expressed it
completely. Needless to say, this would be an inappropriate way
to start a research report.
These four statements could be refined as a research question to
illustrate the problem.
· How do the personal wellness practices of Knox County
Hospital physician assistants compare to the wellness practices
of the patients they taught?
· Does a health promotion program for junior high school
students increase nutritional food selection in the school
cafeteria?
· Does generic drug “X” reduce LDL cholesterol levels more
than brand name “Y” in patients with an LDL level of 170
mg/dL or more?
· What do parents of high school students believe are the major
factors contributing to shootings in the nation’s high schools?
These questions are specific as to topic and population. In other

6. words, the parameters have been established within
the statement of the problem. The ideas of the researcher must
be clearly stated. Clichés, colloquialisms, slang, and
professional jargon obscure thought and should be avoided
when research is edited.
Sometimes the use of research questions indicates that the
research project is not experimental and does not lend itself to
the formulation of hypotheses. The latter is particularly true in
qualitative research.
Running head: ASPECTS OF DESIGN THINKING
1
ASPECTS OF DESIGN THINKING
2
Aspects of Design Thinking: Coca Cola
Jamie Evans
MGT/426
September 2, 2017
Kevin McPhee
Aspects of Design Thinking: Coca Cola
Overview
Design thinking ranks among the most commonly cited phrases
in the world of business. It relates to a novel technique of
creating discovery for innovation. On top of this, it aids in the
promotion of greater performance collaboration. Furthermore,

7. this concept helps in the location of new opportunities and
equally helps in the solution of challenges. The five principal
components of design thinking comprise the definition of the
issue (as well as what the issue entails), the development of
alternatives, making a decision regarding the direction to take,
choosing the most appropriate solution, and putting the plan
into practice. Coca-Cola is one of the most successful
organizations that make use of design thinking regularly with
the intention of ascertaining problems and coming up with
solutions (Armus, 2014). Thus, this paper seeks to expound on
the principal five components of design thinking for Coca-Cola,
ascertain where the company does well in design thinking, and
come up with suggestions with regard to improvements for
design thinking and innovation.
Discussion
Applying the Five Key Elements of Design Thinking
The status of Coca-Cola as the number one beverage company
in the globe has been acknowledged by many. The company’s
rise to the top of the industry has been aided by its belief in
great innovation, something that many of its competitors have
been unable to match for a long time. Additionally, the
organization deals with the sale of soft drinks and has over five
hundred beverage brands all through the globe (Coca-Cola Co.,
2017). The corporation subscribes to the notion that innovation
is vital for the creation of value and in supporting its mission
statement. David Butler (Coca-Cola’s VP of Innovation and
Entrepreneurship) is tasked with the responsibility of designing
and executing a strategic plan with the intention of guiding
innovation all through the organization. Butler’s other
responsibilities include building the organization’s innovation
culture as well as co-creating novel corporate endeavors with a
view to driving inorganic growth at an international level.
Coca-Cola has always sought to become an organization that is
design-driven (Hisrich & Kearney, 2014). In other words, the
corporation’s strategies have been aimed at leveraging the full

8. potential of design all through the business with an eye on
driving growth. The acquisition of David Butler has helped
Coca-Cola to attain unmatched growth through design thinking.
Butler set up a cross-functional, systems-based method across
over two hundred nations, which contributed to eighteen
successive quarters of progress while at the same time the
company managed to save more than half a billion dollars
(Coca-Cola Co., 2017). It is little wonder that Butler ended up
receiving various accolades for his ingenuity, for instance,
“Executive Dream Team” (given by Forbes) and “Master of
Design” (given by Fast Company). Butler supervises a group of
fifty designers within the organization while another three
hundred agencies spread all over the world also work with him
to develop the best products that can satisfy customers.
Succinctly, Butler’s design thinking skills have enabled Coca-
Cola to develop a much-loved brand identity (some of the most
noteworthy brands of the organization take in Coke, Fruitopia,
Fanta, Powerade, Sprite, Lift, and Dasani water) that continues
to attract more and more customers.
Excellence in Design Thinking
Coca-Coca Co. has undoubtedly excelled in design thinking in
more ways than one, which has allowed the company to cement
its position as one of the most successful companies in the
globe today (Dhar et al., 2012). Coca-Cola’s excellence in
design thinking is most visible through its unique brand equity.
Back in 2011, the organization was given the utmost brand
equity award by Interbrand. The company has a massive global
presence and an inimitable brand identity, which places it
among the most expensive brands with the uppermost brand
equity (Coca-Cola Co., 2017). Apart from brand equity, Coca-
Cola’s excellence in design thinking can be seen in its fantastic
marketing approaches. Unlike its competitors, Coca-Cola
always makes an attempt to win individuals’ hearts. Just to cite
an instance, while Pepsi’s target appears to be constantly
transforming (with young people increasingly targeted), Coca-
Cola’s target has continually been individuals of all ages. The

9. use of well-liked celebrities in targeting has also aided Coca-
Cola to reach persons of all ages. Additionally, the fact that
Butler ended up receiving various accolades for his ingenuity,
for instance, “Executive Dream Team” (given by Forbes) and
“Master of Design” (given by Fast Company) also goes some
way to demonstrate that Coca-Cola has greatly excelled in
design thinking.
Areas that Need Improvement
Even though Coca-Cola has attained great success in design
thinking, it still needs to improve on certain fronts (Dhar et al.,
2012). In essence, despite an organization’s best efforts,
attaining perfect outcomes is usually extremely difficult, hence
the need to improve on areas that demonstrate flaws. To begin
with, product diversification at Coca-Cola remains low. Just to
mention an example, while Pepsi has made an ingenuous
decision and expanded into the snacks business after coming up
with products such as Kurkure and Lays, Coca-Cola continues
to lag behind in that area. Indeed, the snacks realm has been a
noteworthy revenue driver for Pepsi. As such, in case Coca-
Cola decides to diversify into said area, the products can end up
bringing extra income for the company. On top of this, the
absence of Coca-Cola in health beverages is another area that
calls for improvement. These days, issues in obesity continue to
be discussed at length in the media. In a few words, obesity
ranks among the most pervasive issues that afflict the society.
The corporate atmosphere is transforming and individuals are
adopting measures to see to it that they do not become obese.
One of the main explanations for fat consumption relates to
carbonated beverages. Of course, Coca-Cola is known to be the
number one producer of carbonated drinks. The implication here
is that the intake of carbonated drinks in developed nations may
end up plunging, as individuals will go for healthy alternatives.
As such, it is important that Coca-Cola improve on said areas in
order that it can attain even greater success.
Recommendations to Improve Design Thinking and Innovation
Various ways can be used by Coca-Cola with the intention of

10. improving design thinking and innovation. Nevertheless, two of
the most practical strategies to that end include the conduction
of research and the enhancement of creativity. First off, it is
only through research that an organization can gain a better
understanding of the needs of its customers (Hisrich & Kearney,
2014). Research can enable an organization to get accurate
feedback from customers regarding what they feel needs to
improve. On the other hand, the enhancement of creativity is
equally important given that customers are generally pleased
with highly creative products and services. As such, Coca-Cola
needs to ensure that its offerings are in line with the
expectations of customers. In this way, the organization will
certainly improve its design thinking and innovation.
References
Armus, S. (2014). Coca-Cola Company. France and the
Americas: culture, politics, and history: a multidisciplinary
encyclopedia, 1, 273-289.
Coca-Cola Co. (2017). Coca-Cola Journey Homepage. The
Coca-Cola Company. Retrieved 2 September 2017, from
http://www.coca-colacompany.com/
Dhar, T., Chavas, J. P., Cotterill, R. W., & Gould, B. W. (2012).
An Econometric Analysis of Brand‐Level Strategic Pricing
Between Coca‐Cola Company and PepsiCo. Journal of
Economics & Management Strategy, 14(4), 905-931.
Hisrich, R. D., & Kearney, C. (2014). Managing Innovation and
Entrepreneurship.