Summary Problem Solving in Organizations Joan Ernst Van Aken 3rd edition 2018 9781108402774
Compact summary Chapters 1 - 12
Problem Solving in Organizations
A Methodological Handbook for Business and Management Students
3rd edition 2018
Joan Ernst Van Aken
9781108402774
Cambridge University Press
Extra:
+ 55 common test bank Q&A
+ 45 important core concepts explained
+ Top 10 lesser known weblinks
+ Top 10 learning goals and objectives explained (leerdoelen)
, Summary Problem Solving in Organizations Joan Ernst Van Aken 3rd edition 2018 9781108402774
Contents
1.1 Nature of business problem-solving projects................................................................4
1.2 The basic setup of a problem-solving project...............................................................5
1.3 Quality criteria for problem-solving projects.................................................................5
3.2 Characteristics of design-focused business problem-solving........................................5
3.3 Problem-solving strategies........................................................................................... 6
3.4 Choosing a problem-solving strategy........................................................................... 6
3.5 Designs and designing.................................................................................................. 6
3.6 Designing social systems.............................................................................................. 7
3.7 Paradigmatic starting points......................................................................................... 8
4.1 Theory-based problem analysis and solution design....................................................8
4.2 Solution concepts for business problem-solving...........................................................8
4.3 Developing knowledge for business problem-solving...................................................8
5.1 General setup............................................................................................................... 9
5.2 The intake process....................................................................................................... 9
5.3 The orientation process................................................................................................ 9
5.4 Describing the problem context................................................................................... 9
5.5 Problem definition...................................................................................................... 10
5.6 Assignment and deliverables...................................................................................... 10
5.7 Project approach......................................................................................................... 10
5.8 Project costs and organization....................................................................................11
5.9 Problem-solving projects in different formats.............................................................11
6.1 Introduction................................................................................................................ 11
6.2 Empirical exploration and validation of the business problem and its causes............12
6.3 Theoretical analysis.................................................................................................... 13
6.4 Process-oriented analysis........................................................................................... 13
6.5 The diagnostic story................................................................................................... 13
6.6 Alternative approaches............................................................................................... 14
7.2 The deliverables of the business problem-solving project..........................................14
7.3 The design process..................................................................................................... 14
7.4 Solution design........................................................................................................... 15
7.5 Solution justification................................................................................................... 17
7.6 Solution design: the International Imaging System Case: page 92-97.......................17
8.2 Change plan design.................................................................................................... 17
8.3 The change process.................................................................................................... 18
8.4 Change plan design: the International Imaging System case: page 106-110.............19
9.1 Introduction................................................................................................................ 19
9.2 Project-oriented evaluation......................................................................................... 19
9.3 Learning for the future............................................................................................... 20
9.4 Scientific reflection..................................................................................................... 20
9.5 Personal and professional development.....................................................................21
, Summary Problem Solving in Organizations Joan Ernst Van Aken 3rd edition 2018 9781108402774
9.6 Project termination and reporting...............................................................................21
10.1 Qualitative versus quantitative................................................................................. 21
10.2 Unit of analysis......................................................................................................... 21
10.3 Case selection.......................................................................................................... 23
10.4 Qualitative data collection methods.........................................................................23
10.5 Qualitative methods of analysis................................................................................ 24
10.6 Selecting a method................................................................................................... 24
11.1 Introduction.............................................................................................................. 25
11.2 Types of publications................................................................................................ 25
11.3 Focusing on a literature review................................................................................27
11.4 Searching literature.................................................................................................. 27
11.5 Integrating ideas and findings.................................................................................. 27
12.1 Introduction.............................................................................................................. 28
12.2 Controllability........................................................................................................... 28
12.3 Reliability.................................................................................................................. 28
12.4 Validity..................................................................................................................... 32
12.5 Recognition of results............................................................................................... 33
12.6 Concluding remarks.................................................................................................. 33
55 common test bank Q&A............................................................................................... 34
Part 1: Introduction to Business Problem-Solving..........................................................34
Part 2: Approaches to Problem-Solving Projects............................................................34
Part 3: Design-Focused Problem-Solving.......................................................................34
Part 4: Theory-Based Problem-Solving and Diagnosis...................................................34
Part 5: Change Management and Implementation........................................................35
Part 6: Evaluation and Reflection.................................................................................. 35
45 important core concepts explained............................................................................. 38
Top 10 handy, lesser known weblinks.............................................................................. 41
Top 10 learning goals and objectives explained (leerdoelen)...........................................42
, Summary Problem Solving in Organizations Joan Ernst Van Aken 3rd edition 2018 9781108402774
CHAPTER 1: PROBLEM-SOLVING PROJECTS IN ORGANIZATIONS
1.1 Nature of business problem-solving projects
Business problem-solving project are started to improve the performance of a business system,
department or a company on one or more criteria. The actual objective of a BPS project is more
related to the effectiveness and/or efficiency of business processes.
Regulative cycle by Van Strien (1997)
- Design-focused
A full BPS project has 3 parts:
Design part (step 1,2 and 3 of the cycle)
Change part (step 4)
Learning part (step 5)
Resulting in iterations (jump to previous steps) and explorations (jump to subsequent steps). There is
no strict order of phases.
A problem can be defined as the result of a certain perception of a state of affairs in the real world
with which one or more important stakeholders are dissatisfied.
Characteristics business problems:
Result of choices of influential stakeholders
Open-ended, not one unique solution
Not intellectual question, dependent on value judgment of various stakeholders
Solved within (often tight) constraints of time and effort
Selected from a ‘problem mess’ and ‘solved’ through a ‘change muddle’
An important part of problem definition is to make explicit the perceptions, performance
indicators and norms used by the various stakeholders in defining their own version of the
problem. The problem definition should lead to a definition of a real problem. One should avoid
doing a BPS project on a perception problem (inaccurate perceptions) and target problem
(unattainable norms).
Compact summary Chapters 1 - 12
Problem Solving in Organizations
A Methodological Handbook for Business and Management Students
3rd edition 2018
Joan Ernst Van Aken
9781108402774
Cambridge University Press
Extra:
+ 55 common test bank Q&A
+ 45 important core concepts explained
+ Top 10 lesser known weblinks
+ Top 10 learning goals and objectives explained (leerdoelen)
, Summary Problem Solving in Organizations Joan Ernst Van Aken 3rd edition 2018 9781108402774
Contents
1.1 Nature of business problem-solving projects................................................................4
1.2 The basic setup of a problem-solving project...............................................................5
1.3 Quality criteria for problem-solving projects.................................................................5
3.2 Characteristics of design-focused business problem-solving........................................5
3.3 Problem-solving strategies........................................................................................... 6
3.4 Choosing a problem-solving strategy........................................................................... 6
3.5 Designs and designing.................................................................................................. 6
3.6 Designing social systems.............................................................................................. 7
3.7 Paradigmatic starting points......................................................................................... 8
4.1 Theory-based problem analysis and solution design....................................................8
4.2 Solution concepts for business problem-solving...........................................................8
4.3 Developing knowledge for business problem-solving...................................................8
5.1 General setup............................................................................................................... 9
5.2 The intake process....................................................................................................... 9
5.3 The orientation process................................................................................................ 9
5.4 Describing the problem context................................................................................... 9
5.5 Problem definition...................................................................................................... 10
5.6 Assignment and deliverables...................................................................................... 10
5.7 Project approach......................................................................................................... 10
5.8 Project costs and organization....................................................................................11
5.9 Problem-solving projects in different formats.............................................................11
6.1 Introduction................................................................................................................ 11
6.2 Empirical exploration and validation of the business problem and its causes............12
6.3 Theoretical analysis.................................................................................................... 13
6.4 Process-oriented analysis........................................................................................... 13
6.5 The diagnostic story................................................................................................... 13
6.6 Alternative approaches............................................................................................... 14
7.2 The deliverables of the business problem-solving project..........................................14
7.3 The design process..................................................................................................... 14
7.4 Solution design........................................................................................................... 15
7.5 Solution justification................................................................................................... 17
7.6 Solution design: the International Imaging System Case: page 92-97.......................17
8.2 Change plan design.................................................................................................... 17
8.3 The change process.................................................................................................... 18
8.4 Change plan design: the International Imaging System case: page 106-110.............19
9.1 Introduction................................................................................................................ 19
9.2 Project-oriented evaluation......................................................................................... 19
9.3 Learning for the future............................................................................................... 20
9.4 Scientific reflection..................................................................................................... 20
9.5 Personal and professional development.....................................................................21
, Summary Problem Solving in Organizations Joan Ernst Van Aken 3rd edition 2018 9781108402774
9.6 Project termination and reporting...............................................................................21
10.1 Qualitative versus quantitative................................................................................. 21
10.2 Unit of analysis......................................................................................................... 21
10.3 Case selection.......................................................................................................... 23
10.4 Qualitative data collection methods.........................................................................23
10.5 Qualitative methods of analysis................................................................................ 24
10.6 Selecting a method................................................................................................... 24
11.1 Introduction.............................................................................................................. 25
11.2 Types of publications................................................................................................ 25
11.3 Focusing on a literature review................................................................................27
11.4 Searching literature.................................................................................................. 27
11.5 Integrating ideas and findings.................................................................................. 27
12.1 Introduction.............................................................................................................. 28
12.2 Controllability........................................................................................................... 28
12.3 Reliability.................................................................................................................. 28
12.4 Validity..................................................................................................................... 32
12.5 Recognition of results............................................................................................... 33
12.6 Concluding remarks.................................................................................................. 33
55 common test bank Q&A............................................................................................... 34
Part 1: Introduction to Business Problem-Solving..........................................................34
Part 2: Approaches to Problem-Solving Projects............................................................34
Part 3: Design-Focused Problem-Solving.......................................................................34
Part 4: Theory-Based Problem-Solving and Diagnosis...................................................34
Part 5: Change Management and Implementation........................................................35
Part 6: Evaluation and Reflection.................................................................................. 35
45 important core concepts explained............................................................................. 38
Top 10 handy, lesser known weblinks.............................................................................. 41
Top 10 learning goals and objectives explained (leerdoelen)...........................................42
, Summary Problem Solving in Organizations Joan Ernst Van Aken 3rd edition 2018 9781108402774
CHAPTER 1: PROBLEM-SOLVING PROJECTS IN ORGANIZATIONS
1.1 Nature of business problem-solving projects
Business problem-solving project are started to improve the performance of a business system,
department or a company on one or more criteria. The actual objective of a BPS project is more
related to the effectiveness and/or efficiency of business processes.
Regulative cycle by Van Strien (1997)
- Design-focused
A full BPS project has 3 parts:
Design part (step 1,2 and 3 of the cycle)
Change part (step 4)
Learning part (step 5)
Resulting in iterations (jump to previous steps) and explorations (jump to subsequent steps). There is
no strict order of phases.
A problem can be defined as the result of a certain perception of a state of affairs in the real world
with which one or more important stakeholders are dissatisfied.
Characteristics business problems:
Result of choices of influential stakeholders
Open-ended, not one unique solution
Not intellectual question, dependent on value judgment of various stakeholders
Solved within (often tight) constraints of time and effort
Selected from a ‘problem mess’ and ‘solved’ through a ‘change muddle’
An important part of problem definition is to make explicit the perceptions, performance
indicators and norms used by the various stakeholders in defining their own version of the
problem. The problem definition should lead to a definition of a real problem. One should avoid
doing a BPS project on a perception problem (inaccurate perceptions) and target problem
(unattainable norms).
