What is a Research Background?
A Research Background is the introductory narrative in a research paper, thesis, or proposal that explains the context, scope, and foundation of the research. It gives the reader a clear understanding of the topic’s origin, current state, and significance, while leading them toward the problem statement and objectives. The background provides a logical and evidence-based path showing why the study is important and what gap it seeks to fill.
5 Reasons Why the Research Background Is Important in Academic Research
- It orients the reader by explaining the broader and specific context of the research topic.
- It highlights key historical developments, theories, and existing knowledge that underpin the study.
- It identifies research gaps, unresolved debates, or underexplored areas.
- It justifies the relevance and necessity of the study in the current academic or real-world setting.
- It builds a logical foundation for the formulation of research questions, objectives, and hypotheses.
Two Common Types of Research Background Structures
1️⃣ The Funnel-Shaped Background Structure (Geographical Hierarchy)
This approach organizes the background by moving from a global to a local perspective, making it ideal for studies with a strong contextual or geographic focus. It typically includes:
Lets use an example topic; “The impact of Employee motivation on Employee performance”
🔹 a) Global Overview
Begin with the global importance of the topic.
Example: Globally, employee motivation is recognized as a key driver of organizational productivity, innovation, and workforce retention. In competitive economies, organizations invest heavily in motivational strategies to enhance performance and remain agile.
🔹 b) Continental Perspective (Africa)
Zoom into the continental trends or challenges.
Example: Across Africa, many organizations—especially in the private sector—struggle with low productivity and high turnover. Studies in South Africa and Kenya reveal that lack of career growth, inadequate recognition, and poor leadership contribute significantly to low employee motivation.
🔹 c) Regional Context (East Africa)
Narrow the focus to a sub-regional context, if relevant.
Example: In East Africa, SMEs and public institutions face challenges in motivating employees due to limited resources and weak HR systems. There is growing concern about staff disengagement, absenteeism, and low morale.
🔹 d) National Context (Uganda)
Conclude with the national situation—your study context.
Example: In Uganda, organizations continue to report poor performance outcomes and rising employee dissatisfaction, especially in SMEs and public agencies. Despite HR reforms and incentive programs, many firms struggle to retain skilled workers or foster productivity. There is limited empirical research exploring how motivation directly impacts performance in Uganda’s unique socio-economic environment.
2️⃣ The Standard Background Structure (Conceptual Hierarchy)
This is a more academic structure focusing on knowledge development. It follows a logical path from the general academic base to the specific research setting, including:
🔹 a) Historical Background
Outlines how the topic has evolved over time.
Example: The study of employee motivation has evolved over the last century, with early contributions from theorists like Frederick Taylor, followed by psychological models such as Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (1943) and Herzberg’s two-factor theory (1959).
🔹 b) Theoretical Background
Introduces key theories or models that explain the phenomenon.
Example: Several theories explain the motivation-performance link. Vroom’s Expectancy Theory suggests that employees are more likely to perform well if they believe their efforts will lead to desirable outcomes. Similarly, Herzberg distinguishes between hygiene factors and motivators in shaping employee behavior.
🔹 c) Conceptual Background
Clarifies how the study defines key terms and how they relate.
Example: In this study, motivation is conceptualized as the internal and external forces that initiate, direct, and sustain employee efforts toward organizational goals. Performance refers to the effectiveness, efficiency, and quality of an employee’s job outcomes.
🔹 d) Contextual Background
Explains the specific situation, institution, industry, or location being studied.
Example: Uganda’s labor market is characterized by a young population, rising employment expectations, and economic pressures. Yet many organizations operate without structured motivational policies, which contributes to low staff morale and underperformance. Despite this, there is limited localized research linking motivation strategies to actual performance outcomes.
Example Paragraph Combining Both Approaches
Research Topic: The Impact of Employee Motivation on Employee Performance in Uganda
Employee motivation is a global concern in human resource management, recognized for its influence on productivity, job satisfaction, and organizational competitiveness. Internationally, firms adopt both intrinsic and extrinsic strategies to maintain a motivated workforce. Across Africa, however, employee disengagement and underperformance persist as major HR challenges, often exacerbated by economic instability and limited career advancement opportunities. In East Africa, the situation is compounded by high labor turnover and poorly funded HR departments, particularly in SMEs. Uganda reflects similar trends, where organizations struggle to foster motivation amid constrained resources. Although some firms have introduced incentive schemes, many fail to address deeper motivational needs such as autonomy, recognition, and personal growth. Historically, theories like Maslow’s and Herzberg’s provide frameworks to understand motivation, yet empirical studies in Uganda remain scarce. This study, therefore, seeks to fill this gap by examining how different motivational factors affect employee performance in Ugandan enterprises, aiming to contribute actionable insights to the field of organizational behavior.
