2. a) What are the four stages of the problem-solving process?

b) If you were given the assignment of analyzing a business case (which you will be doing in this course's midterm and final exams), which step in the process would you use in developing a problem statement? c) Which step would you use in determining how to measure the effectiveness of a proposed solution? Points Earned: 0.0/1.0 MY Answer(s): The four stages of the problem-solving process are: diagnosis, solution, action, evaluation. Developing a problem statement is the first step in the diagnosis stage of the problem-solving process, it includes gathering and analyzing information about a troublesome situation and summarizing it in a short statement. Determining how to measure the effectiveness of a proposed solution comes in the fourth step of the problem-solving process, evaluation. Correct Answer(s): a) Four stages or steps: diagnosis, solution, action, evaluation. b) Problem statement developed during the diagnosis step. c) Measurement determination during the action step. 3. a) How does an organization enable its members to accomplish a goal that might not be achievable by individuals working alone? b) Why aren't organizations formed to achieve purposes that people can accomplish individually? Points Earned: 0.0/1.0 My Answer(s): Three attributes enable an organization to accomplish a goal that might not be achievable by individuals working alone, these are: a mission, division of labor, and a hierarchy of authority . Organizations are not formed to achieve purposes that people can accomplish individually because if that were possible neither the firm nor its management would be necessary. Correct Answer(s): a) Organizations accomplish a goal beyond individual members by working toward a common mission, using a division of labor in which difficult work is divided into smaller, easier tasks, and also using a hierarchy of authority to bring together the results of the work of an

organization's members. b) Not forming an organization is less costly, so when organization is not needed these costs can be avoided by working alone. 5. a) What kinds of skills do managers use to perform their jobs? b) What roles do managers perform? c) How do hierarchical differences affect the "mix" of skills used and roles filled by managers? Points Earned: 0.0/1.0 My Answer(s): To succeed in their jobs managers must possess a combination of conceptual skills, human skills, and technical skills. The roles a manager performs can vary from interpersonal roles, informational roles, and decisional roles. Sometimes it is necessary for managers to play more than one role at a time. Hierarchical differences affect the "mix" of skills and roles filled by managers because at each level (top, middle, and supervisory) a different combination of technical, human, and conceptual skills is needed. For example, top managers possess less technical skills than supervisory managers. Correct Answer(s): a) Skills: conceptual, human, technical. b) Roles: interpersonal, informational, decisional (answers containing the 10 underlying roles are fine, too). c) Technical skills recede in importance and conceptual skills increase in importance in transitions from supervisory to middle to top managers. Leadership increases in emphasis and liaison/monitor decrease in movement from top to middle to supervisory (other patterns may be discussed as well, but these are the most obvious).