4. OFTENTIMES, ORGANIZATIONS ARE CONFRONTED WITH
PROBLEMS THAT NEED SOLUTION. THERE ARE
DIFFERENT MODES OF HANDING SUCH CONCERNS. ONE
OF THE MOST POPULAR TECHNIQUES APPLIED IN THE
SOLUTION OF SUCH PROBLEMS IS THE CASE METHOD.
ADOPTED BY SUCCESSFUL LEADERS AND MANAGERS,
THE CASE METHOD HAS GAINED POPULARITY BY ITS
VERSATILITY AND FUNCTIONALITY.
21. TIME CONTEXT IN THE CASE METHOD REFERS
TO THE DURATION OF THE CASE. ALL CASES
HAVE TO BE STUDIED AND SOLVED WITH TIME
AS AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION.
NOTE: STATING THE PERIOD IN SOLVING CASE IS
NECESSARY.
24. IN ANALYZING AND SOLVING THE CASE, THE
INDIVIDUAL STATES SPECIFICALLY FROM WHOSE
POINT OF VIEW HE/SHE IS LOOKING AT THE CASE/ IT
IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT THE STANDPOINT
CHOSEN BY THE INDIVIDUAL BE THAT OF SOMEONE
THAT IS CREDIBLE AND COMPETENT AND WITH THE
RIGHTFUL AUTHORITY AND POWER TO MAKE
DECISIONS.
NOTE: THE OUTLOOK OF AN OUTSIDER IS NEVER
ACCEPTABLE.
26. EVERY CASE INVOLVES A PROBLEM OR A SITUATION
THAT REQUIRES A CORRESPONDING SOLUTION OR
COURSE OF ACTION. A CENTRAL ISSUE IS A
CONDITION THAT NECESSITATES A RESOLUTION. IT
MAY BE A DILEMMA, AN UNCERTAINTY OR SIMPLY A
MAJOR CONCERN THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED
BUT NOT NECESSARILY CORRECTED. SOMETIMES,
ONLY IMPROVEMENTS, ENHANCEMENTS, OR
REALIGNMENTS ARE NEEDED.
27. A. IN ANALYZING THE CENTRAL ISSUE, THE INDIVIDUAL SHOULD
LOOK INTO THE FACTS THAT BROUGHT ABOUT THIS CONCERN. ONE
WAY OF DOING THIS IS TO DISCOVER OBVIOUS SIGNS THAT ARE
WORTH ANALYZING LIKE DECREASE IN SALES AND NUMBER OF
CUSTOMERS, INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF REJECTS AND
COMPLAINTS, LOW MARKET SHARE, OUTMODED EQUIPMENT AND
FACILITIES, INEFFICIENCY OF EMPLOYEES, LACK IN FINANCIAL
RESOURCES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONAL CONCERNS.
28. IN FACT THESE CAN BE CATEGORIZED INTO FIVE
MAJOR ASPECTS
1. LABOR – HUMAN RESOURCES
2. MATERIALS – RAW MATERIALS & OTHER SUPPLIES
3. METHODOLOGY - PROCESS
4. MACHINERY – EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES
5. MONEY – COMPENSATION, BENEFITS, INCENTIVES
29. B. ONCE THE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED, LOOK FOR OTHER
RELATED DETAILS LIKE WHO ARE THE PEOPLE INVOLVED, WHAT ARE
THE COST CONSIDERATIONS, WHAT IS THE DEGREE OF GRAVITY OF
THE PROBLEM, AND WHAT ARE THE MANAGERIAL, OPERATIONAL,
FINANCIAL, HUMAN RESOURCES, TECHNOLOGICAL, OR
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS.
30. C. HAVING DONE THIS, PRIORITIZE THESE PROBLEMS ACCORDING TO IMPACT ON
THE ORGANIZATION AND ACCORDING TO DEGREE OF IMPORTANCE, URGENCY, AND
CRITICALITY. IMPACT CAN BE CLASSIFIED INTO:
(5) TO A VERY GREAT EXTENT
(4) TO A GREAT EXTENT
(3) TO A MODERATE EXTENT
(2) TO A LEAST EXTENT
(1) TO A VERY LEAST EXTENT
SIMILARLY, PROBLEMS ARE CONSIDERED IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BE
SOLVED. CONCERNS ARE URGENT WHEN THERE IS A NEED TO ATTEND TO THEM
IMMEDIATELY. FINALLY, THEY ARE CONSIDERED CRITICAL IF THE INDIVIDUAL,
DEPARTMENT, OR ORGANIZATION HAS LITTLE OR NO CAPABILITY TO ADDRESS
THEM AT ALL.
33. THE STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES ENUMERATE
THE SPECIFIC GOALS TO BE ACHIEVED. IT HELPS
TO DETERMINE WHICH ALTERNATIVE COURSES
OF ACTIONS CAN BE TAKEN TO SOLVE THE CASE.
SET OBJECTIVES SHOULD ESSENTIALLY
POSSESS THE FOLLOWING FEATURES: SPECIFIC,
MEASURABLE, ATTAINABLE, REALISTIC, AND
TIME BOUND (SMART)
36. HAVING IDENTIFIED THE CENTRAL ISSUE AND HAVING SET
THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES, THE NEXT STEP IS TO LOOK
INTO THE AREAS OF CONSIDERATION. THE AREAS OF
CONSIDERATION ARE THE FACTS OF THE CASE. THEY ARE
DOMINANT VARIABLES IN THE ORGANIZATIONAL, LOCAL
AND EVEN IN GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTS THAT MAY HAVE
CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROBLEM OR MAY HAVE BEEN THE
CAUSE OF THE CENTRAL ISSUE ITSELF. THESE AREAS OF
CONSIDERATION ARE RELATED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER
TO ANY DIFFERENT FUNCTIONAL AREAS OF THE
ORGANIZATION LIKE FINANCE, PRODUCTION, OPERATIONS,
MARKETING, OR HUMAN RESOURCE.
37. TO MAKE THE ANALYSIS MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND
COMPLETE, A SWOT ANALYSIS IS RECOMMENDED. THE
TERM SWOT STANDS FOR STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES,
OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS. BOTH STRENGTHS AND
WEAKNESSES ARE INTERNAL TO THE ORGANIZATION WHILE
OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS ARE EXTERNAL.
41. ONCE THE AREAS OF CONSIDERATION HAVE BEEN
ANALYZED, THE INDIVIDUAL COMES UP WITH ALTERNATIVE
COURSES OF ACTION. AN ALTERNATIVE IS AN OPTION TO
TAKE OR A CHOICE TO MAKE. ALTERNATIVE COURSES OF
ACTION POSSESS THE FF CHARACTERISTICS:
A) THEY ARE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE WITH NO
REDUNDANCIES OR OVERLAPS. THEY’RE INDEPENDENT OF
EACH OTHER.
B) THEY SPECIFY THE TIME FRAME.
C) THEY ARE REALISTIC, RELEVANT AND APPROPRIATE.
44. A DECISION IS A JUDGEMENT, A RESOLUTION OR A
CONCLUSION TO MAKE. IN COMPETENTLY ARRIVING AT A
DECISION, A STANDARDIZED POINT OF REFERENCE CAN BE
APPLIED TO JUSTIFY THE CONCLUSION TO BE MADE. A
GOOD CRITERION IS A COMBINATION OF MEASURES LIKE:
THE RISK INVOLVED IF ONE WERE TO CHOOSE A
PARTICULAR COURSE OF ACTION, THE COST ENTAILED TO
IMPLEMENT THE DECISION, THE BENEFITS DERIVED, AND
THE CASE OF IMPLEMENTATION.
45. IN ASSESSING EACH ALTERNATIVE COURSE OF ACTION, A RATING
SCALE OF 1-5 IS USED WITH 5 BEING THE HIGHEST AND 1 AS THE
LOWEST
* FOR RISKS, 5 IS THE LEAST RISKY AND 1 IS THE MOST RISKY
*FOR COSTS, 5 IS THE LEAST COSTLY AND 1 IS THE MOST COSTLY
*FOR BENEFITS DERIVED, 5 IS THE MOST BENEFICIAL AND 1 IS THE
LEAST BENEFICIAL
*FOR EASE OF IMPLEMENTATION, 5 IS THE EASIEST TO IMPLEMENT AND
1 THE MOST DIFFICULT TO IMPLEMENT
51. ONCE THE EVALUATION HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND
THE CONCLUSION HAS BEEN ARRIVED AT, THE
CORRESPONDING RECOMMENDATIONS CAN BE GIVEN.
CLEARLY STATE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
54. AN ACTION PLAN SHOULD ACCOMPANY YOUR
RECOMMENDATIONS. IT IS A PROGRAM OF ACTIVITIES THAT
INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:
*THE ACTIVITIES TO BE IMPLEMENTED
*THE OBJECTIVES TO BE ATTAINED
*THE DEPARTMENT/DIVISION/UNIT INVOLVED
*THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE
*THE COST INVOLVED & OTHER RESOURCES NEEDED
*TIME FRAME
57. IT IS AN OPERATIONAL CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES THAT
SHOWS THE SPECIFIC PERIODS OF EACH ACTIVITY. THESE
ACTIVITIES ARE EXPRESSED IN TERMS OF NUMBERS OF
DAYS, WEEKS, MONTHS AND YEARS. GANTT CHARTS ALLOW
FOR CONCRETE EVALUATION AND TIME BOUND MONITORING
OF PROGRESS OR COMPLETION OF STATED ACTIVITIES. IT
SPECIFICALLY PINPOINTS THE BOTTLENECKS AND ON THE
OTHER HAND, IT SHOWS THE SUCCESSFUL ADVANCEMENT
AND CONCLUSION OF JOBS WELL DONE.
