During the life of the human being, he has had to face a considerable amount of problems and will also have to face many others, in which, he must carry out a series of thoughts, steps and ideas, which will lead him to make decisions correct for the solution of a number of problems.
Most of the time, we make decisions in a concrete and direct way, without thinking deeply in a logical and sequential way, that is, we do not realize about the impact that our decisions or following a mental process could have. to arrive at the right solution.
Both in organizations and in the business world, there will always be problems, some of greater magnitude than others, but they are presented in a simple way or as complex as they could be, they do not stop causing an inconvenience for the achievement of the objectives. organizational goals or the proper functioning of a business.
1. Concept of problem
It is necessary to know the etymological origin of the word "problem", to have a clearer and more concrete understanding, therefore, problem comes from the Greek noun problêma, composed of pro (in front) and blêma (action of throwing), which comes from its instead of the verb bállein (throw, throw). Therefore, a problem is a situation in which we must be willing to act and give it a solution, or in the worst case to go back and not solve anything; However, there are three simple forms of the different provisions that we could adopt:
- Go back or back down: In any problematic situation that arises, we choose to resign and not continue insisting on reaching a possible solution to the problem. This provision is one of the ones that we must use least to face the problems Surrounding the situation: Not reaching the concrete solution of the problem and changing the course of it, therefore, we avoid alternatives that could correctly solve the problem Facing the obstacle: A way to reach a solution is sought, through a process of analysis and decision-making. Every person must have this provision in mind, in order to achieve what is proposed, either personally or organizationally.
2. Solution concept
The word solution comes from the Latin solutĭo, and it determines the action of solving problems, difficulties, doubts or circumstances.
In the daily life of man, there are an infinity of solutions in certain events that arise daily, therefore, a solution is the final result of satisfactorily completing the purposes for which said event was created.
Generally, any solution is considered in a certain way "positive", since, for some people or organizations, they carry out solutions that may affect third parties, for example, if a credit institution presents the problem of delinquency by a client, the institution will choose to collect part of the client's assets in the form of payment to cover said debt; Consequently, the situation of employing the appropriate solution turns out to be beneficial for some and inopportune for others
When thinking of a solution, there will always be a close relationship with reason, since with it the different alternatives that are presented for the resolution of a problem are analyzed and studied. For this reason, the concept of solution is inherently found in the human being, which allows him to develop strategies to obtain satisfactory results in the face of different contingencies that arise.
3. Troubleshooting
Thinking about problems is something that causes us uncertainty, anguish, headache, physical and mental fatigue, so that we come to think that it will be difficult to reach a solution for each and every one of them, but not impossible to achieve it, only It must focus on the different alternatives that are available and execute the process that is appropriate to solve the problem.
According to Finkelstein, it suggests three key questions that can help solve (almost) every problem in life and in business:
- Are you really willing to change what you've been doing so far?
If the answer to this question is "No", it will be difficult to achieve satisfactory results for the solution of the problem. There are many companies that go bankrupt, due to the constant change of the different elements of the two environments (internal and external), however, these companies were able to avoid this misfortune simply by anticipating and preparing for these challenges.
Finkelstein (2016) states that "There are many reasons why companies do not change, facing a great challenge, but I would say that their reluctance to do so is among the first on the list"
Although it is true, a large number of organizations refuse to change, thinking that they will be able to stay that way for a long time, but today, in the face of technological, social, political, economic changes, etc., that are constantly presented, that organization If he does not face these changes, he will be affected and it will be difficult to stay alive to continue competing with his peers.
- Can you think of a better strategy or idea than the status quo?
Once we are ready to accept the change, it is necessary to search and find a solution to the problem.
It is important that when you have the idea of proposing a solution to the problem, we not only have to base ourselves on a single option, we will have to take into account brainstorming that will give way to other options according to the solution.
- Can you execute the chosen solution?
It should be noted that, as soon as the strategic solution is in place and it is not executed properly, it will be difficult to achieve the goal that you want to reach.
The fundamental part of these three questions suggested by the author is to adopt an attitude of change and to really be willing to change, in order to create and develop techniques and strategies that allow facing future challenges and the different problems that arise., take into account several solution options and execute correctly to obtain favorable results with the appropriate solution.
4. The scientific method of problem solving
When a convenient and effective solution is achieved, it is because an adequate process of analysis and investigation was carried out, in order to decipher the causes that started the problem, to later modify them and therefore prevent them from reappearing.
Figure 1. Steps for solving problems by scientific method
Analysis of the situation and definition of the problem
Recognize the area where the problem arises, in order to perceive the different situations that originate it and exclude those that are not relevant.
Once the context of the problem has been analyzed, we proceed to define it, in order to prepare a synthesis of how it should be handled and each of the actions that are needed to find a good solution.
Gathering information related to the problem
In this step, the search for information related to the problem is concentrated, later it is collected, evaluated and classified, so that the more information you have, the better possibility of obtaining the solution to the problem.
You should avoid the collection of information that does not contribute anything to the solution of the problem, that insignificant information or that lacks veracity, all this with the purpose of gathering unnecessary information and that only causes a late solution.
Interpretation of information
It is very important to know how to interpret the information collected, that is why, you have to analyze and understand the accumulation of data that will help us to define the problem.
One of the common mistakes is that you do not have to wait to obtain a good part of the information to begin with its processing, as well as to study the information individually, avoiding the integration of the information.
Formulation of hypotheses or possible solutions
As we advance in the information process, traces of possible solutions to the problem come to light; The formulation of hypotheses is an experimental test, where the possible solutions are proposed to submit them to a verification procedure, and thus, to be able to formulate the appropriate solution.
Establish a list of all possible solutions that may be viable, without underestimating solutions that do not have a good chance of helping us solve the problem, in some cases, they turn out to be more convincing than they seem.
check
In this last step, the most feasible solution (s) will be selected, having carried out all the previous steps, so that it meets the necessary conditions for solving the problem.
Once the hypothesis tests have been carried out, where the different possible solutions were analyzed and checked, the one that proves to be the ideal solution in solving the problem will be chosen.
5. Problem solving processes
In every organization there are problems, and the function of a good administrator is to carry out a correct solution, therefore, a series of steps or methods have been proposed that guide us in making decisions in a correct way:
Figure 2. Troubleshooting process
Identification and selection of the problem
A definition of the problem should be made, in order to help the person in charge or, where appropriate, the other members of the group to better understand the situation. Also contribute to the state or condition to be achieved, through the solution.
Before solving the problem, its correct identification is necessary, and later, consider the pertinent requirements that the decision to be made must contain, that is, it must have the desired condition.
For this, the main question in this first step is: What do we want to change?
After defining the problem, we must specify the situation in which we want to change to how it really is.
There are a large number of techniques for identifying a problem, however, only a few of them will be mentioned:
- Cause - effect analysis (Ishikawa diagram) Problem tree The Zopp method The Vester matrix Pareto analysis
According to Granero (2014) the problems can be detected:
- Directly, through signals in the environment Through variations in the historical behavior of the company Anticipating trends or the future of indicators
Analyze the problem
Once the problem is well identified and selected, it is subjected to an assessment to define the main causes of said problem. It is essential that you have the appropriate information, because the solution process will depend on it.
To carry out the analysis of the problem, the following procedure is considered:
- Confirmation that the problem exists: Information is collected to confirm that the problem is true and real. Represent the data graphically: Various types of graphs or diagrams can be used, so that they faithfully illustrate the information obtained Identification of potential causes: We can rely on certain effective methods to identify causes such as:
- Cause - effect analysis (Ishikawa diagram): Identifies the potential causes that lead to the generation of the problem Force field analysis: Associates the forces that contribute or truncate the conditions in which the organization finds itself and those of where it would like to be. Pareto: Its function is to separate the important and significant agents from the large number of unnecessary agents.
Generation of potential solutions
When this point is reached, the generation of all possible potential solutions is considered, that is why, the problem must be identified and defined, as well as its causes that originate it; One way to consolidate the generation of solutions is by carrying out different query methods such as:
- Surveys Round table Nominal groups Delphi method
Figure 3. Delphi method
Come up with the solution
At this stage, the advantages and disadvantages that all the generated solutions could provide must be taken into consideration, of which the most recommended one will be chosen.
For this reason, it is necessary to implement an action plan, which allows us to anticipate the possible inconveniences that may arise; During the planning of the solution, it is necessary to develop a contingency plan, to reduce the setbacks of the decision taken:
The steps to prepare the plan are:
- The specific problems that will arise The new plans and their impact they may have Propose actions to avoid the existence of the problems The contingency plan is considered of utmost importance to face adverse changes The assignment of responsibilities and setting dates for execution should be included in planning the solution.
Put the solution into practice
This step is where most organizations fail, derived from a bad solution planning and to avoid falling into this error, it is advisable to follow the following procedure:
- Communicate the solution to those responsible for the problem Generate a team commitment from those responsible Generate a loyal commitment from managers Update the plan Carry out contingency plans
Evaluate the solution
This is the last stage of the problem-solving process, so it will be possible to know through an evaluation, the results obtained from the decision made by the responsible group, as well as the impact that said decision had.
A method is established to give an idea about the evaluation of the solution:
- Establishment of principles on the results obtained Gather the data according to the chosen plan Make a comparison on the desired condition proposed in step 1 Verify if there are new problems derived from the solutions
Conclusions
Problems will always continue to exist, to a lesser or greater degree, that is why, you must be prepared with the techniques and methodologies suggested by various authors, because they are empirically based, so it is essential to know and define the problem to take it to a thorough analysis and process it in order to make an appropriate decision that meets the needs of the organization.
Decision-making is very important to solve problems, because the survival of organizations depends on it, and there is evidence that large companies have gone bankrupt due to their bad decisions.
Bibliographic references:
- Baehler, J. (1982). Managerial Success Guide. Mexico: Interamericana Altier, W. (2000). Intellectual instruments of the manager: processes for effective problem solving and decision making. Mexico: Oxford University Press.Soriano, C. Decisions: how to make better decisions to enhance the efficiency of the company. Italy: RGPymesSoriano, C. Effective decision making. Díaz de Santos editions.
The status quo is the state or situation of something at a certain time. The status quo is generally viewed as a balance or harmony
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