Decisionmaking literature, which has emphasized the act of solving problems, has long neglected the need to identify problems as precisely as possible. This book examines the nature of problems and decisionmaking and their impact on people who direct an organization. It further focuses on how executives respond to take action at the upper levels of their organizations.

The book stresses problem identification, which executives frequently ignore because of their preoccupation with problem solving. It looks at the need to avoid viewing solutions as remedies achieved at predetermined...