Identify the Problem
This is a two part assignment
Part 2. Identify the Problem
Step two is to identify a problem or issue that is impacting performance in the organization. With your knowledge of the client you have identified and the learning you have acquired to this point, identify a management problem you will investigate and for which you will provide recommended solutions.
Complete a 2-4 page paper discussing the client and the management problem you will explore during this course.
Some questions you can explore to help you are:
• What are the goals of the company/division/work group?
• In considering the goals, where does progress halt?
• Is there data to substantiate this or is it a perception of the manager?
• Who is involved…the manager, the employees, stakeholders?
• How long has this problem existed?
• What and how are expectations and requirements communicated?
• When expectations or key deadlines are missed, what happens?
• What factors contribute to the problem (politics, structure, decision-making factors)?j
• Are technical skills or training contributing to the problem?
• Are there ethical issues relating to the problem?
• If so, how have those issues been handled to date?
These questions do not all need to be answered nor is this list all inclusive; they are provided to help you get started and inspire your own questions to explore while completing this assignment.
In this case the problem you need to solve as a manager is one of increasing productivity in your area to an acceptable level. Managers respond to this issue in many different ways depending upon their skill, ability, knowledge and maturity. Some managers may transfer some of the work from the two problem employees to some or all of the eight other employees. This solution will, in turn, produce additional symptoms that now are visible in the behavior and productivity level of the other eight employees in addition to the original two employees. You can see that this solution will only continue to affect productivity in a negative manner and never really solves the problem. This is why, during the problem identification stage, one ought to be certain they are looking at the problem and rather than trying to reduce or eliminate symptoms.