designing solutions for your business problems: a structured process for managers and consultants

ISBN-13: 9780787967659 / Angielski / Twarda / 2003 / 191 str.

Betty Vandenbosch

Opis

Designing Solutions for Your Business Problems is an essential resource for managers and consultants who help organizations resolve ambiguous problems and develop new opportunities. Taking a hands-on, practical approach, Betty Vandenbosch--a leading management consultant and educator--outlines the details on how to conduct a proven process for designing solutions. Designing Solutions for Your Business Problems will teach you how to curtail investigation and generate and justify ideas without sacrificing thoroughness, creativity, persuasiveness, and fit. You will be able to capitalize on more opportunities, and your problem-solving skills will become more efficient and your solutions more compelling. This book will help you design better solutions and design them faster. Betty Vandenbosch offers a variety of useful techniques such as the -scooping diagram, - which provides a framework for action, and the -logic diagram, - which tests the validity of a potential solution. In addition, the book contains illustrative real-life examples of the Designing Solutions approach from a variety of organizations.

Recenzje

"It elegantly, concisely, and persuasively shows consultants how to more effectively structure their problem solving." ( Consulting to Management, Vol 15. No. 4, 6/1/2004)

Spis treści

Tables & Figures.

Acknowledgements.

The Author.

Introduction.

Part One: Getting Started.

1. All Problems are Local: Understanding the Situation.

2. What′s the Point? Agreeing on the Objective.

3. People Have to be Interested: Building Relationships.

Using the Tools.

Part Two: Planning the Project.

4. Size Matters: Determining The Scope.

5. Less is More: Constructing Hypotheses.

6. How, When, and Who? Planning the Effort.

7. People Have to be a Part of It: Nurturing Commitment.

Using the Tools.

Part Three; Designing the Solution.

8. Not Just the Facts: Building the Logic.

9. If You Can′t Choose, You Lose: Designing the Solution.

10. Who′s Going to Do It? Driving Execution.

Using the Tools.

Conclusion.

Appendix A: Mapping Processes.

Appendix B: Interviewing to Collect Data.

Notes.

Index.

How to Use the CD–ROM.

O autorze

Betty Vandenbosch is associate professor of information systems at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. She is also a director of PDN Limited, a professional services development firm specializing in consultancy skills training.

Blurb

A Blueprint for Designing Solutions for Your Business Problems

"This book proves that great consulting is not merely a transaction of efficient problem solving, but creative problem finding and building relationships to make it happen."
–Richard E. Boyatzis, Professor and chair of organizational behavior at Case Western Reserve University and coauthor of Primal Leadership: Realizing the Power of Emotional Intelligence

"We face business and organizational problems every day. Designing Solutions for Your Business Problems challenges conventional problem–solving approaches and gives the reader a powerful set of tools to develop comprehensive solutions."
–James D. Staley, President, Roadway Express

"Betty Vandenbosch is an excellent lexicographer of the problem–solving process, and an interesting teacher. If you have just been put on a cross–functional task force, do yourself a favor. Buy a copy of Designing Solutions for every member of the team. It will open the door to talk about what really matters."
–Steven Walleck, Former head of McKinsey & Co.’s Operations Practice

"The book is full of tools, examples, and suggestions for helping managers engage in structured problem solving. Professor Vandenbosch has provided a comprehensive framework which change agents will also find extremely useful."
–Kim Cameron, Professor, organizational behavior and higher education, University of Michigan

"Betty Vandenbosch brings a wealth of consulting and academic wisdom to bear, and enables the reader to learn how to integrate deductive and inductive reasoning in problem solving for solutions that can be implemented effectively. The book is clear, well–written, and filled with useful analogies and examples. It is a valuable read for any student or practitioner of leadership and management."
–Jon R. Katzenbach, Senior partner, Katzenbach Partners LLC

"Designing Solutions returns you to the basics of problem solving with its structure, yet joyfully reinforces the need for creativity and judgment in the process."
–Mary Jane Linn, Information Technology Business and Strategic Services, FirstEnergy Corporation

"This book is an essential read for all management consultants. There is something in it for all staff–whether experienced or less experienced. Betty Vandenbosch gives us clear guidance using a workable structure to identify appropriate interventions in organizations towards innovative and practical solutions."
–Alan Beckley, Managing editor, Professional Consultancy, IMC, UK