Owen James Thinks He Has a Researchable Problem

Owen James thinks he has a researchable problem. During the last three years demand for his company's brand of lawn furniture has declined in the Midwest. He wants to know why. His first step should be to:

A) conduct an informal investigation by looking at temperature trends in Iowa and Indiana.
B) clearly define the problem.
C) gather secondary data from his company's competitors.
D) perform a situation analysis.
E) gather primary data from his company's salespeople and former customers.