Introduction to Case Study Research

Introduction to Case Study Research

Group Problem Solving Step 1 Step 5 Group workStep 6 Defend your solution (Individual)Task As a consultant for the bus company, you have gone through their profile and performance reports, as well as met up with all the bus drivers. Identify all the problems faced by the TransCoPrepare an action plan that can help TransCo to gain back trust of the public.Uplift their profitsUpgrade the image of the company Problem Solving ProcessWhat are the steps?Step 1: Comprehend the Problem.What is the Problem?Step 2: Diagnose the Problem.What are the causes of the Problem ?Step 3: Writing the Problem Statement. Where and why there are Problem?Step 4: Generate Alternatives/SolutionsWhat Is the Solution?Step 5: Evaluate and SelectHow Well Is the Solution Working?

Step 6 : Defend your Solution Should I Consider Moving?

Step 1 Comprehend Case SituationIdentify the problem.a broad review of the current situation a fitting together of information, like pieces of a puzzle. In this first stage, a group identifies and discusses the symptoms and scope of the problem. Determine what hurts, the degree to which the symptoms are shared, and the urgency of relieving the symptoms. Groups use tools such as brainstorming, interviewing, and completing questionnaires to gather this information. As you go through this step, you will find yourselves raising, reviewing, and discarding statements of the problem as you sort out what are merely symptoms of the problem.Look behind those symptoms to make a tentative definition of the underlying problem. Step 2: Diagnose Problem AreasOnce you recognize the symptoms and have tentatively defined the problem, your group can begin to collect information about the nature of the problem. At this step, you may use tools such as the Fishbone diagram, or Pareto analysis to help you organize this information and zero in on underlying causes of the problem. In this way, you determine the root causes of the problem.When you restate the problem, your definition will reflect the causes. Your efforts over the next two steps can thus be directed to finding solutions that address the roots of a documented problem, not merely its random symptoms. Step 3: Writing the Problem StatementA problem statement is a brief piece of writing that usually comes at the beginning of a report or proposal to explain the problem or issue the document is addressing to the reader. In general, a problem statement will outline the basic facts of the problem, explain why the problem matters, and pinpoint a solution as quickly and directly as possible. Problem statements are often used in the world of business for planning purposes but can also be required in academic situations as part of a proposal-style report or writing project. Sample 1Overfill has been a serious problem facing our city waste facilities for the last decade. By some estimations, our city dumps are, on average, 30% above capacityan unsanitary, unsafe, and unwise position for our city to be in.Several methods have been proposed in order to combat this. Perhaps the most popular of these is the simplest: building two new landfills on the county outskirts. Others have proposed stronger recycling campaigns and larger per-bag waste disposal costs as a way to lessen the potential damage of our trash situation.Bluffington is close to drowning in trash. Action is needed if our city is to remain the clean, safe place to live it has always been.

Scenario More students are failing their courses this year compared to last year. Percentage of failing 50% last year and 75% this year. Students attendance record less than 80%.Class assignments :Last year: 5 assignmentsThis year : 8 assignments Who is to blame?Students Perspective?

INTI Courses and Lecturers are so BORING and DIFFICULT! HOW TO PASS?Teachers Perspective?

Students KNOW NOTHING! They are both LAZY and STUPID! What a perfect combination to become an employable graduate!Yeah! Blame it on us!Fishbone Diagram

Paretos PrinciplePareto's Principle, the 80/20 Rule, should serve as a daily reminder to focus 80 percent of your time and energy on the 20 percent of you work that is really important. Don't just "work smart", work smart on the right things.Problem Solving What is the problem?Students failureWhat is the root of the problem?Students think that the courses are hard and the classes are boring.Lecturers thinks that the students are lazy.Write the problem statement.Step 4: Generate Alternatives/SolutionsOnce you have defined a problem, your immediate reaction may be to jump toward a particular solution. However, creative problem solving requires you to explore a full range of viable solutions before reaching a conclusion. To assemble a variety of solutions from which to choose a final solution, you must: generate as many potential solutions as possible relate each solution to the causes of the problem merge similar or related solutions At this stage, you are still not ready to select the best solution. You simply want to reduce redundancy, and eliminate any possibilities that dont address the causes you identified earlier. Decision making tool BrainstormingIndividual Brainstorming:Develop fewer ideas but take each idea furtherRisky for individuals. Valuable but strange suggestion

Group Brainstorming:Best for generating many ideas, but time consumingNeeds formal rulesAre usually an enjoyable experience.Problem-solving tool = Decision Making ToolBrainstorming : No criticism of ideas, free rein is given to creativityIm taking 2 types of brainstorming: Indv and Group Brainstorming. Both of them has good effects as well as side effects.Indv: 1). Tend to develop but take each idea further deep and more profound. 2). Can be Risky for individuals. Valuable but strange suggestions may appear stupid at first sightGroup: 1). Its best for generating many ideas, but can take more times to complete. 2). Needs Formal Rules for it to work smoothly (Disagreements)3). Group Brainstorming sessions are usually enjoyable experiences, which are great for creating cohesion in a team.16V. Why does problem-solving fail?There are numerous attitudes of a person that lead to failure of problem-solving:

But I suggest you to try on something new, something that is already planned, and something that you think from the first place that it is right. Do not afraid of making mistakes because it will make you grow from it. Most important of all, avoid all the negative attitudes as the above! 17Step 5 : Evaluate & Select Step Four: Select a Solution As a fourth step, evaluate each potential solution for its strengths and weaknesses. Selecting a solution entails searching for the most effective solution by applying two general criteria. An effective solution: is technically feasible is acceptable to those who will have to implement it

Feasibility is determined by asking the following questions: Can it be implemented in a reasonable time? Can it be done within cost limits? Will it work reliably? Will it use staff and equipment efficiently? Is it flexible enough to adapt to changing conditions? Ask these questions when evaluating a solutions acceptability: Do the implementers support the solution, perceiving it as worth their time and energy? Are the risks manageable? Will the solution benefit the persons affected by the problem? Will it benefit the organization? Summary

21Step 1: Decide whether or not there is a problem to solveTimeline: None: Youve already decided to present this problem!Tips for Presenter: Choose a problem that you are willing to share with the group and is important to you yet simple enough for participants to understand.Tips for Participants: Get ready to listen. In the activity that follows, one or two participants volunteer to present a problem to the group. The group then goes through the first five steps of the problem-solving process so that they can experience how the process works. The slides for each step give a suggested time line for completion, as well as tips for the presenter and the participants who are engaging in the process. If time allows, complete the process twice so that groups can see how it works for different types of problems. 22Step 2: Identify and clarify the problemTimeline: 10 minutesTips for presenter: Present your issue (a.k.a. problem) in 5 minutes or less, with enough detail so that participants can understand the problem. When you are done presenting your problem, ask participants for clarifying questions. Following clarification, re-state your problem. Tips for participants: Listen to the original problem. Ask clarifying questions that help the group to understand the problem and help the presenter to re-state the problem.22As the instructor, your main role throughout the problem-solving process is to remind the group which step they are on, and keep the group on task and within the suggested time lines. During the original presentation of the problem, it is important for participants to listen carefully before asking clarifying questions. During clarification, it is important for the presenter to listen carefully and to remaining open to the possibility that he/she will re-state the problem in a slightly different way. Your task at the end of this step is to ask the presenter to re-state the problem, possibly in a different way than was originally presented. 23Step 3: Generate potential solutionsTimeline: 5 minutesTips for presenters: Listen and try to remain open to potential solutions. Avoid statements such as I tried that before and it didnt work.Tips for participants: Remember the ground rules for brainstorming. If possible, one of you can record the groups suggestions. Make sure everyone who wants to participate has the opportunity to do so.23At the start of this step, you may wish to ask one of the participants to record potential solutions. If no one volunteers, you may do this! Following the completion of this module, you can give the list to the presenter for their future reference. 24Step 4: Evaluate potential solutionsTimeline: 5 minutesTips for presenters: While you may be in the best position to identify the criteria to be used in selecting one or more solutions to your problem, be sure to listen to others suggested criteria.Tips for participants: Try to put yourselves in the presenters shoes as you identify potential support that person in identifying potential selection criteria.24Depending on the time you have to complete this module, you may find that you can do only one case study and/or that you may only get as far as having participants generate potential solutions. If this is the case, remind participants which steps would follow if they were to complete this activity in a real life setting.25Step 5: Select a solutionTimeline: 2 minutesTips for presenters: Look at the criteria that have been generated to choose among the potential solutions to your problem. Explain your thinking to the group and let them know in what ways their input helped you to think differently about your problem and/or to choose a solution. Tips for participants: Give the presenter some feedback for their willingness to share a problem and to receive input regarding potential solutions. 25Step five concludes the practice portion for this module. The tips on the slide provide some ideas for presenters and participants to use in giving one another feedback on the activity. If you have time, repeat the process with another volunteer. If not, conclude the module with the discussion question on the next slide. 26Final Discussion and ReflectionsAs a group, discuss the parts of todays presentation that were most interesting and helpful to you. What were your ah-ha moments? Finally, think about ways that problem-solving can be improved in your own work situations.26The final reflection questions are intended to help participants reflect on their most important learning of the day and the ways in which they might use this information in the future.