a) Think about any problem either it could be from your personal, academic, or from your
professional life. Define it properly and try to resolve that specific problem by
implementing the learned eight steps of decision making process.
b) Think and come up with the two questions in the form of decision that the managers do
make whenever they are doing planning, organizing, leading and controlling (ie, two for
each managerial function).
Answers
Answer:
Problem solving and decision making belong together. You cannot solve a problem without making a decision. There are two main types of decision makers. Some people use a systematic, rational approach. Others are more intuitive. They go with their emotions or a gut feeling about the right approach. They may have highly creative ways to address the problem, but cannot explain why they have chosen this approach.
Explanation:
The most effective method uses both rational and intuitive or creative approaches. There are six steps in the process:
Identify the problem
Search for alternatives
Weigh the alternatives
Make a choice
Implement the choice
Evaluate the results and, if necessary, start the process again
Identify the problem
To solve a problem, you must first determine what the problem actually is. You may think you know, but you need to check it out. Sometimes, it is easy to focus on symptoms, not causes. You use a rational approach to determine what the problem is. The questions you might ask include:
What have I (or others) observed?
What was I (or others) doing at the time the problem occurred?
Is this a problem in itself or a symptom of a deeper, underlying problem?
What information do I need?
What have we already tried to address this problem?
For example, the apprentice you supervise comes to you saying that the electric warming oven is not working properly. Before you call a repair technician, you may want to ask a few questions. You may want to find out what the apprentice means by “not working properly.” Does he or she know how to operate the equipment? Did he or she check that the equipment was plugged in? Was the fuse or circuit breaker checked? When did it last work?
You may be able to avoid an expensive service call. At the very least, you will be able to provide valuable information to the repair technician that aids in the troubleshooting process.
Of course, many of the problems that you will face in the kitchen are much more complex than a malfunctioning oven. You may have to deal with problems such as:
Discrepancies between actual and expected food costs
Labour costs that have to be reduced
Lack of budget to complete needed renovations in the kitchen
Disputes between staff
However, the basic problem-solving process remains the same even if the problems identified differ. In fact, the more complex the problem is, the more important it is to be methodical in your problem-solving approach.