Problem Solving: Techniques and Models

Running head: PROBLEM SOLVING
Problem Solving
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1
PROBLEM SOLVING
Part A:
Answer 1:
Part a.
Multinational companies today market and sell their products online which leads to
interdependent problems which is termed as Ackoff’s mess. These companies in order to sell
their products online acquire and maintain immense amount of sensitive data like customers’
financial information and their payment gateway information, all of which reveal information
about the financial strength of these companies and their customers. This gives opportunities to
illegal groups hack their data bases, thus intruding into the marketing data of the company (Irani
and Sharif 2018). The payment gateway records could also lead them to financial databases of
the company. Moreover, these hacking and loss of sensitive information often drag the
companies into legal cases filed by the customers affected due to data leakage. This problem
concerning several departments like marketing, accounts and legal creates Ackoff’s mess.

2
PROBLEM SOLVING
Data theft
Loss of customer trusts
Loss of sensitive financial data of the
company
Loss of
marketing
data and
hampers
future
business
Legal cases
filed by
affected
customers
Business
loss
Financial loss, loss of goodwill
Figure 1. Figure showing Ackoff's mess due to data theft
(Source: Author)

3
PROBLEM SOLVING
Part b.
Solving, resolving and dissolving are are three ways Ackoffs problem solving techniques.
Resolution is the first process and consist of two parts. The first approach consists of using
remedies used in the past to solve present problems while the second method consists of
cancelling the changes which led to the problem. Solving consist of studying and analyzing the
problem to find out the remedy to it. Dissolution is process of solving problems by redesigning
the situation which renders the problem ineffective (Yen and Salmon 2017).
Part c.
The following is the diagram of dissolving problems:
Answer 2:
Thinking skills are extremely important in problem solving because they enable finding
out long term and sustainable solution to problems. The people like the upper level managers
Identifying the
causes of the
problem
Identifying the
factors or
arrangement of
factors causing
the problem
Changing the
setting of the
factors to
mitigate the
problem
Finding long
term solution