Characteristics of a Problem - Essay Example

28 September 2008 Characteristics of a Problem What are the characteristics of a problem? How might a problem present itself? Keeping in mind problems are ethics, mission, vision and leadership, provide an example of a problem at work or home which allows us to see it through the characteristics. Also show how it presented itself. (200 words) The huge number of problems which can arise in various circumstances in our lives have common characteristics. First of all, there always seems to be a lack of transparency in the situation making us question of what is really happening.

Next, problems are often characterized by factions where there are multiple goals which need to be addressed. Problems are always complex dealing with the interrelation of variables and not solely focused on one entity. And lastly, problems deals with time consideration as there is a certain time frame which they should be solved before they get worse. In our workplace, there has been a problem of motivation in the sales department. This problem presented itself in unmet sales quotas and the prevalent absenteeism among account executives.

Inefficient motivation strategies were firs unclear as the sales manager was unaware of what is really happening with his sales team. Secondly, she knew that there is a certain goal which should be met—high profitability—yet was unsure whether to change compensation scheme in order to provide higher benefits to employees. This option might have motivated the sales team but will cause ballooning of costs. This shows the complexity which underlies the problem. Lastly, as the level of sales was monitored monthly, there is a pressure for the manager to act immediately to solve the situation. 2. How should a problem be investigated and identified?

What are five steps to be considered while framing a problem? Provide us a problem which you could apply this process to. Be specific. (200 words)There are five steps which should be considered in solving problems: identify the problem; evaluate alternatives; select alternatives; implement the solution; and evaluate the results. This systematic way of framing a problem is commonly considered whether in business organizations, home or school. An application of this approach can be seen in a company which is contemplating in bringing its product into the global market instead of just selling them in the local market.

Suppose that the problem is where to take the product considering the slowdown in stable economies like US and Europe. The company then evaluates available alternatives by looking at market attractiveness. It can opt to capture the huge Chinese market, the fast growing Southern Americas, or the rapidly developing Indian market. Then, the company selects which of these markets it can best serve and which has the highest profit potential. After selection is execution but it is not yet the end of the process.

In order to make sure that the company has taken the most efficient solution, it should also evaluate how t is performing in its chosen market. This should be done in order to make sure that it made the best possible decision.