A Method for Diagnosing the Right Problem

Abstract

olving the wrong problem is a common occurrence in business practice. This paper presents a straight forward procedure that can be used by a decision‐making unit to ensure a more complete diagnosis during problem formulation, and suggests a solution investigation scheme. The basic idea is to avoid wasting precious time treating symptoms instead of problems, and also to gain time during the diagnostic process by starting with a conceptual framework about the nature of problems.