Separate problems from symptoms. Remember, problems cause symptoms. Symptoms and problems are usually discovered by the employees directly affected by the problem. Serious problems may not cause immediate symptoms
1).See attached Ipremier Case study that the section 1 assigment will use.
Recognize the Problem
This seems obvious but it can be very difficult. It is the recognition that a problem exists; it is not the process of clearly defining the problem. People involved in a situation are sometimes so close to the problem that they cannot see it. They literally cannot see the forest because of the trees. An unbiased observer may recognize the signs of a problem that elude the people that work with the problem day after day.
How do you become aware that a problem exists? Unfortunately, many times a problem is not recognized until it has become so great that it is a catastrophe. Knowing that problems can be hard to detect, we should try to build systems that send signals when problems occur. Cars have a light and buzzer to signal when a door is ajar. Some computer programs test data as it is entered and signal the user if invalid values are entered. These precautions help keep small problems from growing into large ones.
Business problems tend to be large before an outsider is called to help. You can expect that most problems in this course are severe, if they were not then the people in the case would have already solved the problem.
Symptoms are generally the first indication that a problem exists. There is a distinction between problems and symptoms; symptoms are the observable consequences of a problem. We use symptoms as indicators of what the true problem is but it is the problem that must be solved. If you are trying to distinguish whether something is a symptom or a problem, remember that eliminating a symptom does not eliminate the problem. Eliminating the problem will eliminate the symptom.
For example, a crumpled bumper is a symptom while bad driving habits constitute the problem. You can take the car to a repair shop and the symptom is cured. But it will happen again unless you take action against the problem. When bad driving habits are corrected, the crumpled bumper symptom will stop.
Problem recognition generally begins with the people who are closest to the daily operations. They see the symptoms caused by the problem. The managers of the people who have the problem are generally removed from the actual place where the problem is recognized. They are in their offices, in another part of the building, in another city, or even another country. Today’s managers manage from a distance and generally through reports instead of direct observation.
The people who recognize a problem exists may not be the people who cause the problem or who are directly affected by the problem. Symptoms are the first signs of a problem. The person with bad driving habits may have had them for years before the first accident occurred. They may deny that they have a problem since the recognition of a problem did not occur until a symptom appeared. If your car was hit by someone with bad driving habits you would be able to report the symptom but it would require investigation to determine the problem.
Some serious problems do not cause immediate symptoms. Eating fatty foods, long exposure to direct sunlight, smoking, and other bad health habits do not create symptoms until the problem is serious. Poor quality cars were a problem over an extended amount of time, but the symptom that woke up the automobile industry was the rapid increase in sales of imported cars. Toxins and hazardous materials have been routinely dumped in landfills but the symptom of unclean drinking water took years to occur.
The symptom can be compared to a flower blooming at the end of a plant. It is what you notice. It consumes most of the initial attention. But cutting off the bloom leaves the plant healthy and it will grow more blooms later. Unless you follow the plant back from the bloom to the stem and ultimately to the root problem you will not be able to stop the recurrence of the symptom.
• Title Page( It should be titled around the subject matter not the class number)
• Introduction in the form of a Professional Business Letter. Include the problem statement and the recommended solution. If you do not know how to write a professional business letter, use a Word template.
• Executive Summary / Summary of Facts (The Executive Summary or Summary of Facts are synonymous)
• Problem statement. One paragraph(use the first assigment problem statement).
• 3 Alternatives
o 3 Pros
o 3 Cons
Please use the attached Case Study Methodology document attached here for your convenience.
• Conclusion
• Double Space
• Times New Roman 12 point
• Spelling/Grammar/Punctuation
1. Recognize the problem:
Separate problems from symptoms. Remember, problems cause symptoms. Symptoms and problems are usually discovered by the employees directly affected by the problem. Serious problems may not cause immediate symptoms
2. Gather information
Start where the symptoms were discovered; obtain an overview of the problem, not just details; look at the organization as a system; describe how information connects the subunits of the organization
3. Define the problem:
This is a critical step; the definition should relate to the objectives of the organization; it may be necessary to go back and gather more information
4. Generate alternative solutions:
Each alternative must be able to solve the problem; brainstorm for alternatives and do not stifle creativity; “do nothing” is not an acceptable alternative.
5. Evaluate the alternatives:
Alternatives must be economically, technically, and organizationally feasible; evaluate tangible and intangible aspects of alternatives; give advantages and disadvantages for each alternative
6. Recommend and justify a solution to the problem:
Objectively review your chosen alternative for possible flaws; consider strengths and weaknesses; the proposal does not have to be elegant but it must effectively solve the problem.
Use these steps to guide your search for a solution. You should try to follow the steps in the order they are presented but you should jump to different steps as good judgment dictates. For example, one step is to evaluate alternative solutions. One alternative may be of a nature that is very difficult to evaluate. You may anticipate a later step, evaluating the design and implementation plan, and therefore reject the alternative.
Plan to read the case more than once before you try to solve the problem. Most cases are full of facts; some of them may not be pertinent to the problem. Read the case one time through without looking for answers but only to get the “feel” of the case. The case will orient you to the people involved and the circumstances that led to the case. If you take notes during the first reading, keep them brief.
During the second reading take notes and compile facts. Keep focused on the steps of recognizing the problem and gathering information. Look for inconsistent data or for evidence that people in the case may not tell the truth or only part of the truth. Unless the case gives evidence that a character in the case might lie, do not assume that the character will lie.
It may require a third reading of the case before you feel knowledgeable enough about the case to propose a solution. If necessary, read the case a final time to see if the solution you propose will work with the facts in the case. Sometimes a fact that you have not written in your notes can invalidate your solution. It is better to find out your solution is flawed by rereading the case than by having your professor discover the error when grading the case.