Analysis of Thinking and Problem Solving Skills: A Case Study Report

This report delves into the crucial skills of thinking and problem-solving within an organizational context, utilizing a case study of a single parent facing potential downsizing. The report begins by identifying the key issues, including the lack of authenticated information regarding the downsizing ru...Read More

THINKING AND
PROBLEM
SOLVING

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
Identification of issues/problems of the case..............................................................................1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................2
Explanation of how to judge to accept or reject the reasons and claims by colleagues..............2
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................4
Six-Step Conceptions of Problem Solving..................................................................................4
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................6
Elaboration of solution to the problem........................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Thinking skills refer to the capability within individuals to acquire, assess, interpret and
analyse data effectively and apply a series of concepts and theories about a particular subject
matter (Schoenfeld and Sloane, 2016). Problem solving on the other hand refers to the ability
within people which is associated with effectively solving several problems which prevail within
an organisation. These are crucial skills which help an employee in enhancing their competence
within the workplace as well as ensure a smooth functioning within the organisation. The report
below is based on enhancing thinking skills along with application of several problem solving
strategies. It applies a case study approach and covers identification of problem, its effective
judging, application as well as elaboration of several problem-solving techniques.
TASK 1
Identification of issues/problems of the case
The case surrounds a single parent in an organisation which is rumoured to be
downsizing. Downsizing refers to the procedure which companies adopt in which employees
who are within operating payroll are reduced. Organisations adopt such a procedure in order to
save the money for other operations (Liljedahl, 2016).
There are several problems and issues which are experienced by the parent within this
case study. Some of the most evident problems/issues are described below:
 The first and the foremost issue of the case is that there is no authentication to the
information that is being circulated. There are several employees which are informing
about the organisation being downsized, while other colleagues strictly deny this claim
and inform that the company is in a good shape. This rises quite a big problem which is
associated with authentication of information which is being circulated. This means, that
there is no backing up of information and no official of the organisation involved within
facilitation of this process. However, a bigger problem which prevails is the supporting
factor of the firm being in debts, which somehow enhances the chances of the rumours to
be true.
 Another problem of the case study is that there is no sense of security within the
organisation. This reflects to the fact that such rumours that employees will have to
resign are spread within the company. This enhances mental stress within employees like
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the single parent within the organisation, who require such security to cope up with their
condition and handle their personal and professional lives with ease. In addition to this,
such absence of security also reduces the employee engagement which is a drawback for
the personal career of such employees as well as the company (Baker, 2017).
 Improper management is another problem which is prevailing within the case. This is
because, there is no official information which is circulated regarding the rumours of the
firm being in debt and adopting downsizing as a strategy to cope up with the same. This
enhances the feeling of confusion and uncertainty within the employees working within
the workplace. In addition to this, while there are rumours being spread within the
company, no such information is circulated to the upper management so they could
clarify that whether the organisation actually framing such a strategy or is it a hoax.
Thus, there are several problems of the case, which is very crucial to be dealt with by
individuals within the organisation, which would allow them to plan their career accordingly and
deal with their professional problems effectively. Furthermore, these barriers would also restrict
individuals in managing their personal lives in an effective manner. Thus, the single parent
would not be able to manage his personal life, cope with the disease of their spouse and take
effective care of children in case such situations rise within their organisation (Funke and
Frensch, 2017).
TASK 2
Explanation of how to judge to accept or reject the reasons and claims by colleagues
It is very important for an individual to effectively interpret the distinct information in
order to judge the overall aspect and all the different perception which is being communicated to
them. Furthermore, doing so would help them to clear their mind set and take necessary actions
to deal with the problems more effectively. Moreover, judging claims by the colleagues would
also assist the parent in planning their own career more effectively which would help them in
reducing stress as well as risk associated within the workplace.
To attain this, it is very important that decision which is being taken to accept or reject
the claims must be backed up by the reason. Reasoning for accepting or rejecting the claims
made by colleagues are mentioned below:
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Evidence Supporting Claims by Rita, Shidi and Janet:
According to these three employees, the information about the organisation adopting
downsizing as a strategy is true (Hesse and et. al., 2015). The reason for which they claim this
information to be correct is that according to them, the firm is currently in a lot of debt. This
raises the odds of this information to be correct if this rumoured is to be believed. In addition to
this, companies, in order to save money, lay off or completely downscale some of their operating
employees during times when debts in the market are rising for the company. This is a strong
evidence for supporting the claims and reasoning of these employees. However, they do not have
any effective and authenticated source of information to support their claim.
Evidence Supporting Claims by Zana, Ramli and Jamil:
In context with this claim, these staff members provide reasoning about downsizing
information that such information is nothing but a gossip material which is being spread within
the organisation. This reasoning is backed up by the unsaid fact that there is no upper
management employee or official involved within the whole scenario. With such a big
managerial decision, none of the senior managers within the employees communicated the same
to their subordinates, which could increase the chances of their claims being actually true.
Both these reasoning are quite effective in backing up the claims of various colleagues
within the company. However, it is very important for the parent to effectively accept or reject
the claims on the basis of information which was provided to them. For this, the parent must
indulge into acquiring authenticated information and using methods like calculation of
profitability of the company. However, there are very low chances that accurate figures are
derived before the year end. There are strong odds, that claims by Rita, Shidi and Janet might be
true, however, there is no crucial piece of evidence to back this up. For instance, since the
organisation is in debts, it is highly likely that he firm would adopt some major and drastic steps
to sail the whole company out from the same. In addition to this, management of the organisation
does not admit instantly of planning a downsize, before actually implementing it. Thus, this
claim must be accepted by the parent and must consider alternative career option to achieve a
consistency in career growth. Furthermore, this choice of acceptance would also be quite safe for
the parent as there is no certainty that if these claims are true, there is a chance that even the
parent is asked to resign. Thus, acceptance of this claim would allow them to take necessary
steps in order to secure their professional career (Savery, 2015).
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TASK 3
Six-Step Conceptions of Problem Solving
After determination of problems and identifying the reasons to take necessary actions, it
is very essential that certain steps are undertaken in order to solve the problem. As per the case
study, the problem which prevails within the situation is that there is no certainty that
organisation would not ask the parent to resign in case they implement their downsizing strategy.
Moreover, being with three kids makes it all the more important for them to take necessary steps
in order to ensure a consistent and contributing future for them.
To achieve this, there are several conceptions of problem solving which were provided by
Hayes (1981), which would help in solving the problem (The Six Step Problem Solving Model,
2019). These conceptions are discussed below:
 Identification of problem:
The very first step layered out by Hayes states that problem is required to be identified. In
relation with the case, it is very crucial that problem is determined by the parent in order to reach
to a solution of the same. The problem which is identified in relation to this case is that there is a
high level of uncertainty as well as the parent is quite unsure that what steps are required to be
taken in order to reduce the risk of uncertainty. In addition to this, another problem which is
prevailed within the situation is the confusion faced by the parent to stay within the company or
to apply in other organisation.
 Root Cause of the issue:
The very next step requires an individual to find out the root cause of the problem, on
which, the solution would be directed to. In addition to this, it is perhaps the most effective and
essential aspect which is associated with the overall process (Bruner, 2017). This is because there
are chances that even if the problem is solved, it might arise again as its root cause is in effect.
Thus, it is important that root cause of the problem is identified in order to determine solutions
which would help in treating the root cause of the prevailing issue. In the case study context, the
root cause of the problem is the uncertainty and improper management which prevails within the
overall organisation. Such management induces the level of uncertainty among employees.
Moreover, this also raise the level of rumours within the company. Moreover, this is the real
cause of confusion where the parent is under the dilemma of staying within the organisation or
applying in another company.
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 Development of alternative solutions:
Another effective step in these conceptions calls out for deriving meaningful and relevant
solutions, which would provide opportunities to individuals to deal with the problem effectively
(Meichenbaum, 2017). In addition, deriving effective alternatives enable an individual's
capability of enhancing chances of coming on an effective outcome. In relation to the case, there
are certain solutions which could be derived with respect to solve the problem.
The first solution is to apply for job within another company, regardless of the
confirmation of the authentication of rumour. This is because with improper management and the
firm being in debts, the firm is likely to take actions which would be having negative impacts on
the employees. This is a safer option for the parent to secure himself from any sort of monetary
stress and discomfort.
Another solution which could be applied by the parent is to wait for any sort of official
announcement by the senior management before taking any drastic steps. This is purely a chance
of luck which the parent would providing themselves of. This is because, there is no certainty tat
they would be asked to resign. Moreover, shifting to another job requires time and patience to
adjust as well as adapt a new working environment, which could be problematic to the parent.
Communication is another solution, where the parent must effectively communicate the
rumours about the company to members of the senior management who would have given them
appropriate insight related to the problem. Opting for another job would be dependant upon the
response which the parent would have received from the members to whom the information was
communicated (Rawlinson, 2017).
 Selection of a solution:
The next step calls for effective selection of the solution out of the all the alternatives
which were suggested. This would be needed to implement an effective solution to the problem
that would cause ease to the individual involved within the same. As per the case study, out of all
the suggested solution, the most effective one would be communication. The most prominent
reason which effectively backs up the decision is that taking a drastic step without acquiring a
concrete information would just be an impulsive act and might not be fruitful for the individual
and his family within the future. In addition to this, if they are not required to resign from the
company, then there are higher chances of their future growth with lower internal competition.
Thus, this solution could be best alternative to be chosen by the individual.
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 Implementation of a solution:
Another step is related to the implementation of the solution. The parent must use several
communication strategies such as E-Mails or one-on-one conversation to communicate the query
about the rumour and could ask for a suggestion of how best to deal with this situation. In
addition to this, apart from strategies, related and authentic information must also be acquired in
return to ensure complete certainty of their long term engagement with the company (Kirmizi,
Saygi and Yurdakal, 2015).
 Evaluation of the result:
To evaluate the result of the solution implemented above, the individual must effectively
evaluate the response which they receive from the senior management. This would help in
making the perception clear that whether the company is actually planning something of this sort
or not. This would also assist them in handling the situation effectively and ensure consistency
within their professional career.
TASK 4
Elaboration of solution to the problem
After identification of problem and determining desired solution, it is very much
important that the presented solution be effectively elaborated to witness its implementation
using relevant problem solving techniques and processes. As for the solution of communication,
The 5 Whys Technique is being utilised which requires the individual to ask “Why” five times to
come to a solution. This technique is elaborated below:
 Why did the confusion of leaving or staying the firm arise?
The reason for which this confusion arose was that a rumour spread within the firm
which emphasised on the fact that the company was willing to adopt downsizing, thus, rising
threats for employees to get downscaled or lay off.
 Why are there distinct claims about the problem?
There is always a leak of information about such aspects until an official announcement
is made. In this case, some of the employees might got access to the plans which the firm is
planning to implement. Or maybe, it could all be a strategy to drive out competition by spreading
information about debts and downsizing (Stephens and Boland, 2015).
 Why did the upper management did not communicate anything related to the issue?
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There are different perceptions of the same. The first and foremost reason is that there is
no such scenario prevailing within the company and all of it is merely gossip. However, another
reason might be that management does not want to disclose this step or might be unsure about
the same.
 Why is there a need to clarify the rumours?
There is a need for the same as no authentic information is being provided by the
colleagues and without the same, it is very risky to look up for other jobs.
 Why is communication the best solution to the problem?
It would help the individual in appropriately clarifying the situation with the upper
management directly and ensuring a complete certainty about the problem and whether or not the
rumours are true (Rahman and Ahmar, 2016).
Thus, through this technique, the parent could come on an effective solution.
According to the above case study, there is different issues which have been faced by an
organisation such as authentication to the information, no sense of security and Improper
management. All these are major issues which will negatively impact on business success and
growth. In order to overcome above mentioned issues, there are some problem solving tools such
as Brainstorming, Benchmarking, SWOT analysis, prioritisation matrix , flow chart, cause and
effect diagrams. All these are consider most essential and effective tools for solving above issues
in most effective and systematic. Along with this, Benchmarking is most useful source for
overcoming impact of improver management, security issues and authentication to the
information. Benchmarking introduces as an effective process of measuring the performance of
an organisation's products, processes or services against those of another organisation considered
to be the best in the sector.
The point of benchmarking is to determine internal possibility for improvement. Along
with this, company must set benchmark and overcome impact of improper management. As it
will help an enterprise in its growth and success. On the other side, s Brainstorming,, SWOT
analysis, prioritisation matrix, flow chart, cause and effect diagrams not much useful for
overcoming above mentioned issues because all these tools take more time and cost of an
organisation.
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CONCLUSION
Thus, it is concluded from the above information, that thinking skills and problem
solving are quite effective and necessary aspects that must be present within individuals to solve
problems effectively. It is important identify the problem as it gives a starting point towards the
solution. Moreover, effective evidences must be presented and analysed in order to judge and
accept distinct claims. Moreover, six-step conceptions are very much effective in reaching to a
desired solution. Lastly, it is also necessary for individuals to adopt 5 Whys technique to
elaborate the solution effectively.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Baker, R. (2017). Problem-solving. In Agile UX Storytelling(pp. 107-116). Apress, Berkeley,
CA.
Bruner, J. (2017). A study of thinking. Routledge.
Funke, J., & Frensch, P. A. (2017). Complex problem solving: The European perspective—10
years after. In Learning to solve complex scientific problems (pp. 25-48). Routledge.
Hesse, F., & et. al. (2015). A framework for teachable collaborative problem solving skills. In
Assessment and teaching of 21st century skills (pp. 37-56). Springer, Dordrecht.
Kirmizi, F. S., Saygi, C., & Yurdakal, I. H. (2015). Determine the relationship between the
disposition of critical thinking and the perception about problem solving skills.
Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences. 191. 657-661.
Liljedahl, P. (2016). Building thinking classrooms: Conditions for problem-solving. In Posing
and Solving Mathematical Problems (pp. 361-386). Springer, Cham.
Meichenbaum, D. (2017). Teaching thinking: A cognitive behavioral perspective. In The
Evolution of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (pp. 85-104). Routledge.
Rahman, A., & Ahmar, A. (2016). Exploration of mathematics problem solving process based on
the thinking level of students in junior high school.
Rawlinson, J. G. (2017). Creative thinking and brainstorming. Routledge.
Savery, J. R. (2015). Overview of problem-based learning: Definitions and distinctions. Essential
readings in problem-based learning: Exploring and extending the legacy of Howard S.
Barrows. 9. 5-15.
Schoenfeld, A. H., & Sloane, A. H. (2016). Mathematical thinking and problem solving.
Routledge.
Stephens, J. P., & Boland, B. J. (2015). The aesthetic knowledge problem of problem-solving
with design thinking. Journal of Management Inquiry. 24(3). 219-232.
Online
The Six Step Problem Solving Model. 2019. [Online] Available Through: <http://www.free-
management-ebooks.com/news/six-step-problem-solving-model/>
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