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MN7027SR
Business Problem Solving
Spring 2024
2. Module Summary and Description
This module will enable students to build skills and knowledge in problem solving that will support their studies throughout the programme and provide the essential foundation for their final project through learning of the bulletproof problem-solving methodology to be applied.
This module will help prepare students to become well-informed and effective managers, business owners and entrepreneurs able to lead, manage and solve problems in dynamic and complex environments. The emphasis is on the practical skills of problem solving, critical thinking, presenting proposals, researching, analysing and making recommendation for a senior management or executive audience.
The aims of the module are to ensure that students:
· have a range of tools and frameworks for solving complex problems
· appreciate the challenges in generating relevant evidence that improves business decision making and performance
· can critically evaluate business research and consultancy findings and reports
· can assess the ethical and access issues of conducting research into business and can plan accordingly.
· can apply suitable project planning methods to research and consultancy
· can work through and plan for the practical challenges of business research, including defending choices on the research methods
During the six timetabled workshops per week, over four weeks, there will be a mix of:
· Lectures
· Group Problem Solving
· Pair, Group and Class Discussion
· Student presentations to the class.
3. Module Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students will be able to:
1. Apply suitable theories and frameworks to analyse and create solutions to business problems using robust and defensible methods
2. Design and plan an effective, practical business research project
3. Communicate clearly and effectively problem analysis and solutions, and research findings.
4. Module Syllabus/Content
The module topics in order are:
· The bulletproof problem-solving approach: A seven-step process
· Defining problems: Understanding the business problem and its context
· Disaggregating & prioritising problems: Breaking up the business problem into manageable parts
· Workplans and processes: Undertaking efficient problem solving
· Simple analysis: Simple answers to complex problems
· Big guns of analysis: Sophisticated tools of analysis
· Synthesising results: Turning analysis into a compelling narrative
· Long time frames & high uncertainty: Solving problems in complex contexts
· Wicked problems: Unpicking wicked problems
· Becoming a great problem solver: Applying the process
5. Learning Resources
Core Text
Conn C., McLean R., (2019) Bulletproof Problem Solving: The One Skill That Changes Everything.
Other Texts
In addition to the core text for this module, students will be expected to draw upon a wide range of knowledge from reading already undertaken throughout their programme and research contextual to their topic under investigation.
Adair, J.C. (2019) Decision making and problem solving: Break through barriers and banish uncertainty at work.
Markham C. (2019) The art of consultancy.
Senge P.M. (2006) The fifth discipline the art and practice of the learning organization.
Journals
· Harvard Business Review
· Journal of Management Inquiry
· International Studies of Management and Organisation
· British Journal of Management
7. Assessment
All assessments are designed to support your learning and help you develop a deeper understanding of the topics covered in your module.
· Formative assessments provide an opportunity to learn and do not contribute to your grade.
· Summative assessment contribute to your overall mark and grades.
Module Assessment (Formative & Summative)
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Description of Assessment
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Assessment Weighting |
Week Due |
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Coursework and Group presentation |
1 x scenario-based problem-solving coursework in class (Individual MCQ, 1 x 30 questions)
Presentation of group problem solving project proposal based the suggested case studies given (Group, in-class, 20 mins)
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15%
15% |
15 to 19 April 2024
22 April 2024
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Coursework |
Business problem-solving project proposal (Individual, 2,500 words)
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70% |
25 June 2024 |
Assessment
Problem-solving Scenarios Coursework
Problem-solving Scenarios Coursework will be an in-class coursework to test your learning of the readings and workshops. These course works will be automated to provide you with immediate quantitative and qualitative feedback of your learning, so to provide you with an opportunity to improve prior learning before moving forward with future learning - explanation of the answer will be automatically provided.
The coursework is made up of 30 multiple choice questions - each question is worth 1/2 mark for a total of 15 marks (worth 15% of final mark).
1. Coursework will cover the following bulletproof problem-solving overview, defining and disaggregating, prioritising, work planning, simple analysis and sophisticated analysis, synthesising, long time frames and high uncertainty, wicked problems and becoming a great problem solver.
Group Presentation
Each group shall be randomly divided into groups of approximately five (05) students to work on a problem-solving case study to apply and practice the bulletproof problem-solving methodology steps as they are taught and receive regular feedback from workshop tutors. Suggested case studies are as follows,
· Coca-cola and plastic waste
· We Work and working from home
· Apple and supply chains
· Zara and sustainability
· Johnson and Johnson and product safety
· TikTok and children’s data privacy
· Google and competition laws
Groups will present their projects in week 9 via PPT following the 7 step bulletproof problem-solving structure:
Slide 1: Title slide
• Provide a project title.
• List group members against the sections they led on.
Slides 2 & 3: Definition of the problem
• Client: A brief summary and history of your client, including decision-maker who has commissioned this project.
• Problem: A short description of the situation that prevails for your client at the outset of problem solving (i.e., the state of affairs that are problematic).
• Provide clear evidence of the business problem, ideally quantifying the problem and illustrating it graphically.
• Cause: A set of observations or complications around the situation that creates the tension or dynamic that captures the problem (i.e., what changed or what went wrong that created the problem).
• Problem definition statement: In the form of an objective (e.g., To reduce Coca-Cola’s plastic waste by 50% by 2026), define a specific, measurable and actionable problem.
Slide 4: Problem structure and components logic tree
• Produce an initial logic tree (i.e., factor/lever/component) that breaks the problem into component parts or issues (e.g., causes of the problem) to illustrate and define the basic structure of the problem.
• This log tree should have at least two branches and two layers, e.g. four problem components.
Slide 5: Solution drivers and hypothesised solutions logic tree
• Produce a more complete logic tree (i.e., deductive logic, hypothesis or hybrid of the two) of:
• solution drivers, which help us to see potential pathways to solve the problem,
• concluding with your hypothesised solutions as the leaves of your logic tree.
• This log tree should have at least two branches and three layers, e.g. four to eight potential solutions (i.e., one or two potential solutions per problem component.
Slide 6: Prioritisation matrix
• Draw a 2x2 prioritisation matrix with:
• Ability to influence (i.e., controllability) on your horizontal axis.
• Potential scale of impact (i.e., importance) on your vertical axis.
• Place ALL of your hypothesised solutions on to the prioritisation matrix.
• Make notes justifying the placement of each hypothesised solution, but do not put commentary on your slide.
Slide 7: Workplan
• Produce a workplan table.
• Each prioritised hypothesised solution should be represented by a single row in your workplan table.
• Your workplan should include the following columns:
• Prioritised leaf – the prioritised hypothesised solution you are taking forward.
• Research question – the question you are asking that either tests or informs the implementation of the prioritised lead (i.e., provides a detailed roadmap of how your client can execute the prioritised leaf).
• Hypothesis – your best guess answer to the research question ahead of the analysis.
• Analysis technique – how you will analyse your data to answer your research question, e.g. root-cause analysis.
• Data sources – where from and how you will access your data, e.g., database.
Slide 8: Analysis
• Select one of your prioritised leaves and research questions from your workplan that is most straightforward to answer.
• Access the proposed data and undertake the proposed analysis technique.
• Present your findings.
• Identify the insight.
Slide 9: One-day answer
Conclude with a one-day answer to convey what understandings are emerging, what unknowns still stand between you and the problem resolution and your best guess at a resolution, covering the following:
• Situation: A short description of the situation that prevails at the outset of problem solving. The state of affairs that sets up the problem.
• Observation or complication: A set of observations or complications around the situation that creates the tension or dynamic that captures the problem. What changed or what went wrong that created the problem.
• Implication or resolution: The best idea of the implication or resolution of the problem that you have right now. At the beginning this will be rough and speculative. Later it will be a more and more refined idea that answers the question “What should we do?”
Time limit: 20 minutes followed by questions and feedback.
All students are required to present and upload their group’s slides over Canvas on 8 April 2024 @ 2359 hours
Business Problem Solving Project Proposal
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Section |
Learning sources |
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1. The business client and their business problem (10%, 250 words): · A brief summary and history of your client, including decision-maker who has commissioned this project. · A short description of the situation that prevails for your client at the outset of problem solving (i.e., the state of affairs that are problematic). · Provide clear evidence of the business problem, ideally quantifying the problem and illustrating it graphically. · A set of observations or complications around the situation that creates the tension or dynamic that captures the problem (i.e., what changed or what went wrong that created the problem). · In the form of an objective (e.g., To reduce Coca-Cola’s plastic waste by 50% by 2026 without sacrificing profit margin), define a specific, measurable and actionable problem. |
Topic 1.2 Topic 1.3 Conn & McLean (2019) Chapter 1 Conn & McLean (2019) Chapter 2 |
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2. Problem structure and components logic tree (20%, 500 words): · Use an initial logic tree (i.e., factor/lever/component) to break the problem into component parts or issues (e.g., causes of the problem) to illustrate and define the basic structure of the problem. · This should be evidence-based, using a combination of credible industry and academic literature, evidence and theory, covering the problem generally (based upon the academic literature) and the problem in the context of your client (based upon the industry literature). · Provide a fully-referenced commentary of the logic tree. · It is expected that this logic tree will have three layers – branches should expand at each layer. |
Topic 2.1 Conn & McLean (2019) Chapter 3 |
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3. Solution drivers and hypothesised solutions logic tree (30%, 750 words): · Using the basic problem structure logic tree as a guide to locate further industry and academic literature, evidence and theory, produce a more complete logic tree (i.e., deductive logic, hypothesis or hybrid of the two) of: a. solution drivers, which help us to see potential pathways to solve the problem, b. concluding with your hypothesised solutions as the leaves of your logic tree. · Provide a fully-referenced commentary of the logic tree. · It is expected that this logic tree will have four layers – branches should expand at each layer, although not necessarily for the fourth layer of hypothesised solutions. |
Topic 2.1 Conn & McLean (2019) Chapter 3 |
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4. Prioritisation of hypothesised solutions (20%, 500 words): · Using the prioritisation matrix, consider all of the hypothesised solutions from the leaves of your second logic tree to prioritise those that have the biggest impact on solving the problem and which you can most affect to find the critical path to solving your problem. · Prune the tree to remove the ‘leaves’ that are not on the critical path to solving the problem, establishing the hypothesised solutions that will be taken forward to be workplanned. · Provide a fully-referenced commentary of the prioritisation matrix. |
Topic 2.2 Conn & McLean (2019) Chapter 3 |
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5. Workplan (15%, 375 words): · Starting from the prioritised hypothesised solutions established in the previous step, propose a workplan for how you will test your hypothesised solutions and inform their implementation via data collection and analyses, so to be able to reach a conclusion on the solution to the problem. · For each prioritised hypothesised solution identify the following columns in a chunky workplan: a. a research question that will guide data collection and analysis to test each hypothesised solution and inform their implementation, b. the data required and how you will access or collect it, c. the data analysis techniques you will use, d. timing of this work and e. the anticipated analysis end product (e.g., a graph). · Using a Gantt chart, produce a lean project plan covering key activities and fixed milestones of your proposed project over a three month period of work. |
Topic 2.3 Topic 3.1 Topic 3.2 Conn & McLean (2019) Chapter 4 Conn & McLean (2019) Chapter 5 Conn & McLean (2019) Chapter 6 |
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6. One-day answer (5%, 125 words) · Conclude your problem-solving project proposal with a one-day answer to convey what understandings are emerging, what unknowns still stand between you and the problem resolution and your best guess at a resolution. |
Topic 2.3 Conn & McLean (2019) Chapter 4
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