Problem Solving in Organizations

This concise introduction to the methodology of business problem-solving (BPS) is an indispensable guide to the design and execution of practical projects in real organizational settings. The methodology is both result-oriented and theory-based, encouraging students to use the knowledge gained on their disciplinary courses, and showing them how to do so in a fuzzy, ambiguous and politically charged, real-life business context. The book provides an in-depth discussion of the various steps in the process of business problem-solving. Rather than presenting the methodology as a recipe to be followed, the authors demonstrate how to adapt the approach to specific situations and to be flexible in scheduling the work at various steps in the process. It will be indispensable to MBA students who are undertaking their own fieldwork.

• Part I Fundamentals
1. Scope and nature of this handbook
1. Objectives and target audience
2. Design-focused and theory-based business problem-solving
3. How to use this handbook
2. Problem-solving projects in organizations
1. The nature of business problem-solving projects
2. The basic setup of a problem-solving project
3. Quality criteria for problem-solving projects
3. Design-focused business problem-solving
1. Introduction
2. Characteristics of design-focused business problem-solving
3. Problem-solving strategies
4. Choosing aproblem-solving strategy
5. Designs and designing
6. Designing social systems
7. Paradigmatic starting points
4. Theory-based business problem-solving
1. Theory-based problem analysis and solution design
2. Solutions concepts for business problem-solving
3. Developing knowledge for business problem-solving
• Part II The problem-solving project
5. Intake and orientation
1. General setup
2. The intake process
3. The orientation process
4. Describing the problem context
5. Problem definition
6. Assignment and deliverables
7. Project approach
8. Project costs and organization
9. Problem-solving projects in different formats
10. Example
6. Theory-based diagnosis of business problems
1. Introduction
2. Empirical exploration and validation of the business problem and its causes
3. Theoretical analysis
4. Process-oriented analysis
5. The diagnostic story
6. Alternative approaches
7. Final remarks
7. Solution design
1. Introduction
2. The deliverables of the problem-solving project
3. The design process
4. Solution design
5. Solution justification
6. Solution design: the International Imaging Systems case
8. Change plan design and the actual change process
1. The timing of change plan design
2. Change plan design
3. The change process
4. Change plan design: the International Imaging Systems case
5. Change plan design: the importance of developing organizational support
9. Evaluation, reflection and termination
1. Introduction
2. Project-oriented evaluation
3. Learning for the future
4. Scientific reflection
5. Personal and professional development
6. Project termination and reporting
• Part III On methods
10. Qualitative research methods
1. Qualitative versus quantitative
2. Unit of analysis
3. Case selection
4. Qualitative data collection methods
5. Qualitative methods of analysis
6. Selecting a method
11. Searching and using scholary literature
1. Introduction
2. Types of publications
3. Focusing a lietarture review
4. Searching literature
5. Integrating ideas and findings
12. Quality criteria for research
1. Introduction
2. Controllability
3. Reliability
4. Validity
5. Recognition of results
6. Concluding remarks
• Part IV Conclusion
13. Concluding remarks

I looked forward to read something useful about problem-solving. Instead, I am grateful that I didn't attend Eindhoven, as this book fails to live up to its (admittedly low) promise.

It doesn't help you understand problem-solving, nor does it give you ANY practical advice, but shows a remarkable lack of any practical understanding of problem-solving in a practical business environment. It does give a theoretical framework (or, not really, just a discussion that had been better addressed at an open-ended seminar), and loses itself in some sort of self-afflicted academic reasoning that bores you before page 20.

Aviod it and try to read something that you may have some practical use of in a real business setting.