Problem Solving and Decision Making Report: A Business Case Analysis

This report delves into the critical aspects of problem-solving and decision-making within a business environment, using a case study of Poor Jane, a company facing computer downtime issues. The report defines the problem, analyzes its scope and impact on the company's operations, employees, and customer satisfaction. Through a SWOT analysis and a Fishbone diagram, the root causes of the computer downtime are explored, revealing associated problems such as reduced employee productivity, software issues, and decline in profitability. Several alternative solutions are proposed, including the implementation of rigid software, hiring computer expertise, and installing a good antivirus. The report evaluates these solutions using the PMI tool, concluding that rigid software offers the most significant benefits. Finally, a plan for implementing the chosen solution, including training and monitoring, is outlined, emphasizing the importance of effective problem-solving and decision-making for achieving organizational goals and objectives. The report concludes that computer downtime is a major issue that requires effective and long-term solutions, such as the use of rigid software.

Problem Solving and
Decision Making

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Define the problem..........................................................................................................................3
Its Scope and Impact........................................................................................................................4
Analysis of the problem...................................................................................................................4
Propose alternative solutions...........................................................................................................6
Evaluation........................................................................................................................................7
Plan for implementation solution, monitoring and review process.................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Problem solving refers to the initiative of individual in order to identify solution for specific
issue. It is also seen as the skill owned by business managers that helps them in managing and
dealing with different organisational situation. Decision making refers to the procedure of
selecting alternative method of taking action. In context to business scenario, it can be said that it
is essential for business managers to make all decisions related to problems by analysing all
situations so that appropriate solution for the same problem can be obtained by them in effective
manner.
The current report is based on the case study of Jane Silverbird, the director of Poor Jane
which mainly offers publishing and training services to its customers in effective manner.
Effective level of services offered by this company have made it market leader among whole
industry. At present point of time main issue offered by this company is related to computer
downtime problem. This problem has given rise to other associated problems. This report will
provide description on specified problem, its nature, scope and impact. Furthermore,
interpretation on the given problem is made with the gathered data. Also, evaluation has been
made on the available options in order to take right decision. At last, planning, monitoring,
reviewing and communication of decision have been made.
Define the problem
Computer downtime problem has given rise to various kinds of problems at workplace. The
problems are not only related to customers but they are also associated with the customers as due
to computer breakdown managers of company were not able to serve customers in effective
manner. Along with this, it has also reduced control of company over employees because they
were unable to update manual training programs. This has also lead to wrong installation of
software used for organising customer’s information. Consequently turn off of computer at
temporary basis has also raised issues because they might not be able to trust different antivirus
package due to negative past experience with the similar company. Due to all these problems
related to computer breakdown employees have also faced problems as because they were
getting training from company for recently changed software’s. This had made them confused
and also wasted their time as well. Apart from this some of the common problems received by
the company includes poor internet connections, hard drive failure and insufficient printers. This

has overall affected working hours i.e. 15% lesser in department’s hours in comparison to past
years. This has automatically resulted in decline of profitability.
Its Scope and Impact
The identified problem seems to look small but it is wider in size. Impact of the problem
have been identified in the company for long period of time as it has affected functioning of
company, its operational activities, working capability of employees, satisfaction level of
customers gets affected due to this in negative manner. Affects of computer is different on
different range of associated people. For instance: While talking about impact on company, it is
seen in delay of its operational activities. The affect are also seen on its financial position too as
if work is not completed on time then it would not higher level satisfaction to its customers. At
social level, it can be said decline in profitability of company directly develops negative image of
company among society. This simply means that in front of society name of company is declined
in negative manner which also reduced trust of customers over the company reliability and its
sustainability.
Analysis of the problem
Strength Weakness
 Strong brand image of company at
marketplace has made it market leader
within the industry.
 Innovative services and experienced
directors have provided it global
networks which in growing business in
quicker manner.
 Computer downtime is identified as
major problem within this company that
have declined functioning of company
in rapid manner. This can also be seen
as the core weakness of this company.
Opportunity Threat
 Past experience with computer
downtime issue have developed
capability of company as well as its
employees in order to deal with the
same in appropriate manner. this
develops opportunity for them in future
 Increasing number of competitors in the
same industry are major threat for this
company.
 Regular based updating in software due
to computer downtime directly affects
working capability of employees. This

as whenever the industry will face
similar kind of issue they will be able
to resolve it more quicker than their
rival companies.
might provide opportunities to
competitors and become threat for Host
Company because they remain
backward in the industry.
Fishbone diagram is considered as the effective tool basically used for categorising potential
causes of the range of problems that could be faced by companies due single root issue. This is
seen as the effective framework which allows company to develop their understanding over
different issues which might be faced by them due to single problem. With reference to present
case study, it has been identified that the main issue faced by Poor Jane is computer timedown.
These issues have further developed path for other small issues like losing control of company
from several business function, decline in satisfaction level of customers as they are not getting
effective services like earlier. Employees of this company were not able to perform well as

regular based updating in existing software’s wastes their time and also confuses them a lot
towards usage of software. As a result, they were not able to perform well in effective manner.
All of these issues collaboratively become major reason for the decline of organisational
performance which has also reduced their profitability level too. Some of the other issues
identified from this fishbone diagram are associated with organizational policies, methods,
technology (Antivirus software issues, system bugs etc.) and other issues like overloaded web
server, improper handling and management of server etc.
Propose alternative solutions
As per the overall developed information from the case study and other conducted analysis, it
has been identified that the problem is really critical but it can reduced or handled with the
passing time in effective manner. According to overall analysis, some of the core identified
solutions for this computer time down problem are described as below:
Rigid software: At first, it is advised to company to go specific rigid software that does not
get affected because of computer time down. Adoption of rigid software will allow company in
executing their all organisational at computer without any kind of errors associated with
computer breakdown. This will directly help company in appropriate executing of their
operational activities which will lead to attainment of organisational goals and objectives.
Hire computer expertise: Another solution for the similar problem is computer expertise
that has better understanding on this kind of issue. Since the overall work of company relies
upon computer thus it is essential for them to go for hiring effective expertise who easily
understands computer associated issue at the start level and address them effectively without
allowing them to become bigger with the passing time.
Good antivirus- The managerial level of this company can also go for effective antivirus.
This antivirus is required to install in the main server as well as all connected devices so that they
can be secured from any kind of cyber issue in future. This should be done at the starting level
only so that work of company could not get affected in future due to computer breakdown issue
in future.
By taking help from the above stated solutions, Jane could easily reduce impact of
computer breakdown problem in the company. This will also help them out in securing them
from future occurrence of these sort of issues again within the company.

Evaluation
All of the above described alternative solutions are good Jane’s company but it would be
feasible for this enterprise to implement all these issues effectively. In order to choose best
solution among them all to address this issue, manager of this company have chosen PMI tool in
order to find out effective one among all. PMI tool stands for plus, minus and interesting. This is
kind of braining storming, critical thinking and decision making tool that is basically used
examining all related aspects of the situation with more than one perspective so that better
understanding on the same can be developed effectively on it. The framework is supportive in
brain storming of ideas, making quick decisions according to its pros and cons, identification
core strength and weaknesses of situations for future improvements. On the basis of this tool, it
has been identified that adoption of rigid software is identified as the main solution that will
provide maximum benefits to the company. This is because; the plus points of this solution are
vast in number. Whereas, weakness associated with the same solution is only two that is
installation of this software will be expensive for company and management of the company is
also required to provide training to the same staff in order to help them out in using the same
software without any error. Interesting fact about this solution is that it is identified as the yearly
expense for company as once they install it would be required by them to install again and again
the same software. They only have to renew it every year and update it for maintaining its quality
of services for long term.
Plan for implementation solution, monitoring and review process
In order to implement the chosen solution within the company, it is essential for the manager
to develop effective plan that will support them in addressing this issue effectively without any
kind of error. The initiation of plan starts with the selection of right software that is valuable and
cost effective for their company. After selection of software, manager of this company is
required to provide appropriate training to associated staff members so that they can develop
their understanding over the same and become capable of using it in the near future that is after
its installation. The work of manager does not wind up after just providence of training but they
are also required to monitor and review it after its execution. This monitoring will allow
managers in identifying any kind of issue which might faced by company at the time of its usage.

CONCLUSION
On the basis of above described report, it has been concluded that problem solving and
decision making is identified as two main aspect of every company as they supports business
organisations in attaining their organisational goals and objective in effective manner. It has been
later identified that computer time down looks like smaller issue but in actuality it is the major
one as it brings many more issues along with it to the company that affects its performance too.
Also, it also analysed that usage of effective software is the only solution that could address this
issue for long term as the solutions might not be able to provide long term benefit to the
company.
.

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