HW#8

STUDY GUIDE FOR
PROBLEM! DIAGNOSIS

SCENARIO CASES

I.”Analyzing a Problem- Diagnosis Case

This study aid is divided into two parts. The ! rst part organizes your notes and thinking about
the case. The second organizes the points you want to make for an essay on the case. (For a
detailed explanation of how to analyze a problem- diagnosis scenario, see chapter”6.)

To begin your work, think about the following questions:

What problem does the case describe? (Problems are the e# ects of causes such as actions,
processes, activities, or forces. Problem scenarios often concern business pathology.)
Example: A company is losing money in a market it once led.

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What questions will help you explore the problem and its causes? Example: Has poor
leadership been one reason for the company’s poor performance?

Can you identify concepts or frameworks you have learned that might be useful for
identifying and proving causes? Example: The leadership styles theory can help determine
whether leadership is a contributor to the problem.

Use the following grid to organize your thinking about the problem. Use your questions
to study the evidence and identify causes of the problem. Write down the causes, the case evi-
dence relevant to them, and how the evidence connects the cause to the problem. Your goal
is to determine the causes of the problem most strongly supported by the evidence. You can
defer thinking about action steps if you’d rather focus on the decision.

Example: Diagnosis of a company’s poor performance

Possible cause 1: Poor leadership

Facts/evidence
How cause contributes to
the problem Short- term steps Long- term steps

The head of the division is
an autocratic leader who
makes major decisions
without consulting
anyone.

The division head’s
autocratic leadership style
led to several bad decisions
because he failed to tap into
the knowledge and experience
of subordinates.

The CEO needs to
intervene and push the
division head to become
more collaborative in
decision making.

The head of the division
should receive leadership
coaching.

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yanxingwu
Cross-Out

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Copy and paste as many rows of causes as you need. However, make sure you include only
major causes.

Possible cause 1:

Facts/evidence
How cause connects to
problem Short- term steps Long- term steps

Possible cause 2:

Facts/evidence
How cause connects
to problem Short- term steps Long- term steps

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Ready to Take a Position?

What is the problem? Example: The division lost its competitive advantage after years of
market leadership and there is a high level of internal con$ ict.

What are the major causes? Example: The major causes are a change in the division’s
primary market, a leadership crisis, and two poor strategic decisions.

II.”Writing about a Problem-Diagnosis Scenario Case

This section helps you organize the content of an essay about the case you’ve analyzed. Arrange
the causes in order of importance, from most important to least. The evidence should show
how each cause contributes to the problem. (For a detailed explanation of how to write a
problem- diagnosis essay, see chapter”11.)

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Copy and paste as many rows of causes as you need. However, make sure you include only
major causes.

Action Plan

Identify the high- level goals for your action plan. In other words, how do you want the
action plan to change the situation in the case? (For a detailed explanation of how to write
an action plan, see chapter”8.)

Defi nition of problem

Summary of major causes

EVIDENCE PROVING DIAGNOSIS

Criterion 1

a.

b.

c.

Criterion 2

a.

b.

c.

Criterion 3

a.

b.

c.

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Organize your action plan steps.

Short term

Long term

Major risks: Identify the most important one or two risks associated with your action plan.

Mitigation of risks: How would you eliminate or reduce the risks?

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