problem solving technique

4. Problem Solving Technique
Problem Solving Technique :
The ability to solve problems is called
“Thinking Skills.” In the past, these skill were
thought as not educable. But proper trainings
will enhance everybody’s problems solving
skills.
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
CHUNG-ANG UNIVERSITY
PROF HYUNSUK SUH
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The objectives of the current chapter are described.
Objectives
Understand the marketing environment that affect the company’s ability
to serve its customers
Understand the meaning of microenvironment and macroenvironment
Understand tools to analyze marketing situations
Build problem solving mind set
0. Objectives
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What is “Problem Solving Technique”?
Problem Solving Technique
6. Problem Solving
The ability to solve problems is called “Thinking Skills.” In the past, these skill
were thought as not educable. But proper trainings will enhance everybody’s
problems solving skills.
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The problem solving is first, to understand the “gap” between the present state and the
desired state, then search for the solution under the limitations.
Problem Solving
6. Problem Solving
Present State
Desired State
!
Possible Solutions
Limitations
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In the following example, define and describe the level of desired state in order to
achieve the solutions for the problems in present state.
Example
6. Problem Solving
5

1
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2
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.

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Present State
Desired State
?

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The essence of problem solving dose not follow predetermined steps or procedures
but series of ‘trial and error.’ The problem solving process can and will reduce the
number total ‘trial and error.’
The Essence of Problem Solving
Example
6. Problem Solving
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In order to solve the problem effectively under the limitation, such ground rules as
“fact-base”, “hypothesis driven”, and “MECE” should importantly be considered.
Ground Rules for Problem Solving
6. Problem Solving
Fact-Base
Fact-Base
Hypothesis-
Driven
Hypothesis-
Driven
MECE
MECE

사고와 분석의 근거를 사
실에 둠

서로 배타적이면서
부분적 합이 전체를

구성하도록 사고를
구조화 함
•
문제의 해결책을
미리 헤아려 봄
Example
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What are we
going to
believe?
Only the
things based
on the facts
Not what others
tell you
(Opinions)
Not what it
seems to be
outside
(Phenomenon)
-Critical Thinking
-Actual Proof
On the spot
Quantification
- Out of Box
- Zero Base

-Creative Thinking

Aspects
Association
Concept of Fact-Base
The fact-base is an answer to the question “What to believe?” Basically the decision
making is based on the “facts” only.
6. Problem Solving
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A
B C
A
B
CA B
CASE OF OMISSION
Coming to School
A : By Bus
B : Walk
MECE
Food Maintenance
A : Normal Temperature ( 상온 )

B : Cold Storage ( 냉장 )
C : Freezing ( 냉동 )
CASE OF OVERLAPPING
Market for Women’s Clothing
A : Single
B : Married
C : Career Women
What is MECE?

6. Problem Solving
MECE
MECE
Not MECE
Not MECE
MECE stands for “Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive.”
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SWOT
SWOT
Marketing Mix
Marketing Mix
Product(
제
품
)
Product(
제
품
)
Price(
가
격
)
Price(
가
격
)
Placement(

유
통
경
로
)
Placement(
유
통
경
로
)
Promotion(
판
매
촉
진
)
Promotion(
판
매
촉
진
)
3 C
3 C
Customer(
고
객
)
Customer(

고
객
)
Competitor(
경
쟁
사
)
Competitor(
경
쟁
사
)
Company(
자
사
)
Company(
자
사
)
BCG Matrix
BCG Matrix
Framework is a useful tool to organize and classify our thoughts into meaningful
things.
The Examples of Framework
Example
2. Principles
- What areas of
business need most

improvement?
- As environmental
forces/changes affect
and influence the
marketplace, what
new threats are
emerging?
- As environmental
forces/changes affect
and influence
marketplace, what
opportunities are
emerging?
- What are the core
competencies of our
company? (what do
we do well?)
- What is the
company’s reputation
in the market place?
O
Strength Weakness
Threat
Opportunity
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MECE (Mutually Exclusive and Collectively Exhaustive) means all the components in a
set, fills up the one without overlapping or omitting.
6. Problem Solving

The Importance of MECE
Problem Definition
All areas have been considered? Are issues systematically arranged?
Problem Formation
Are issues covering whole areas of
problems defined?
Do issues different from each other?
Collecting Data
- All data?
- Roles and Responsibilities?
-Roles and Responsibilities?
Evaluation of
Alternatives
Do evaluation criteria covering
every aspect in the range?
Unnecessary analysis and solutions?
Solution
Have you included what your
customers wanted to include?
Does your solution look simple and
concise?
Process
Process
Collective Exhaustive
Collective Exhaustive
Mutually Exclusive
Mutually Exclusive
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Your boss ask you to do a following task.
“I want to have a new vending machine in our office. I believe there are many
different kinds of soft-drinks our there in the market. What I want in the vending
machine is something for the visitors and our employees at the same time. Something
that does not look cheap on our image, and something that can refresh our people.
I want you to go out and search for what you can put in the machine.
새 사무실 빌딩에 음료수 자판기를 설치하려 한다 . 최근 자동판매기에서 팔리는 음료 종류
도 많이 늘었다 . 근래에는 손님에게 드리는 음료도 자판기를 이용하는 경우가 많아졌기 때
문에 , 너무 조악한 것도 곤란하다 . 기왕이면 사원이 즐겨 쓸 수 있는 자판기를 설치해 업무
의 생산성도 높이고 싶다 . 그래서 지금 자판기에서 살 수 있는 음료에는 어떤 것들이 있는지
한번에 파악할 수 있도록 가르쳐주지 않겠나 ?”
Solve the following example from the perspective of MECE.
Exercise
6. Problem Solving
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ISSUE
HYPOTHESIS
HYPOTHESIS
NEW
HYPOTHESIS
NEW
HYPOTHESIS
CORRECTION
CORRECTION
Repetition
CONCLUSION
CORRECTION
CORRECTION

Analysis
Thinking Point
- Start from big to narrow down
- Use intuition
Hypothesis-driven problem solving is to make hypotheses first before solving the
problems. Namely, the method is to drive the most probable solutions temporarily
based on the facts that are available up to the point, and verify and/or rectify over the
process to reach the final solution.
Hypothesis-Driven Problem Solving
6. Problem Solving
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ISSUE
HYPOTHESIS
HYPOTHESIS
NEW
HYPOTHESIS
NEW
HYPOTHESIS
CORRECTION
CORRECTION
Repetition
CONCLUSION
CORRECTION
CORRECTION
Analysis
SHORTEST DISTANCE TO REACH THE COCLUSION
PATH FOR THE HYPOTHESIS
TRIAL AND ERROR

The “hypothesis-driven” problem solving method guide the most effective way to
reach the conclusion.
Usefulness of the Hypothesis-Driven Method
6. Problem Solving
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논리적 사고와 기술 / 기법
논리적 사고와 기술 / 기법
창의적 사고와 기술 / 기법
창의적 사고와 기술 / 기법
The “Induction” and “Deduction” are different approaches to reach your conclusions.
One focuses on the logical flow of information pieces where the other focuses on the
more of creative part of the phenomenon.
Problem Solving Approach
3. Methodology

대전제 (Major Preposition)- 소전제 (Minor
Proposition)- 결론 (Conclusion) 의 논리적
인 단계로 구성되므로 전제가 참이면 결론이
100% 참이 됨 (If the prerequisite is TRUE,
then the conclusion is also TRUE)

새로운 정보를 주는 것이 아니라 단지 더 명료
하게 사실을 보여줌 (No New Info.)

실생활에서는 전제의 참을 증명하기 어려운 경
우 많음 ( In real life it is difficult to prove
your prerequisite is TRUE.)


대전제 (Major Preposition)- 소전제 (Minor
Proposition)- 결론 (Conclusion) 의 논리적
인 단계로 구성되므로 전제가 참이면 결론이
100% 참이 됨 (If the prerequisite is TRUE,
then the conclusion is also TRUE)

새로운 정보를 주는 것이 아니라 단지 더 명료
하게 사실을 보여줌 (No New Info.)

실생활에서는 전제의 참을 증명하기 어려운 경
우 많음 ( In real life it is difficult to prove
your prerequisite is TRUE.)
Deduction( 연역 )
Deduction( 연역 )

주어진 사실들로부터 결론을 이끌어내므로 전
제가 참이더라도 결론의 참을 보장하지는 않음
(Draw conclusion from number of factors.
NO guarantee on the conclusion even if
your prerequisite is TRUE.)

새로운 정보를 주지만 연역과 같은 증명력은
갖추지 못함 (New Info.)

학문이 아닌 실생활에서의 논의 전개에 많이
쓰임 (Widely used in real life)

주어진 사실들로부터 결론을 이끌어내므로 전
제가 참이더라도 결론의 참을 보장하지는 않음
(Draw conclusion from number of factors.

NO guarantee on the conclusion even if
your prerequisite is TRUE.)

새로운 정보를 주지만 연역과 같은 증명력은
갖추지 못함 (New Info.)

학문이 아닌 실생활에서의 논의 전개에 많이
쓰임 (Widely used in real life)
Induction( 귀납 )
Induction( 귀납 )
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A man dies Berry is a human.
Therefore Berry
will die.
If 3 conditions are
met, I’m going to
the party tonight.
The house party
has all three(3)
conditions I was
looking for.
I’m going to the
house party
(The prerequisite is 100% TRUE) (The prerequisite needs your judgment)
The example of “deduction” is described below.
Deduction
Example
In Theory

In Theory
In Practice
In Practice
3. Methodology
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When the
Romeo met
Juliet, she
was under
the age of
14 years
old.
In the Middle
Ages of
Europe, the
proper age for
marriage was
14 years old.
Many
females in
Roman date
married at
the age of
13 years
old.
In old days, the
women married
when they were

very young.
We are expecting to have
a good harvest this year.
According to
the stats, for
the past 10
years, the
heavy snows in
winter yields
good harvest in
fall.
This winter we
had so much
snow.
Induction
Example
Generalization
Generalization
Statistics
Statistics
The example of “induction” is described below.
3. Methodology
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“A” publisher has a bad reputation about the quality of
books they publish among the authors. That’s because
“A” publisher is slow in coping with the changes in
market conditions compare to its counterparts. Images
such as “conservative” or “out of date” are what most

people thing of the company. For example, most
counterparts have changed to the new system for the
royalty payment where A publisher is opposed to the
new system and still stick to the old one. Also the
company is far behind in binding and layout of the
publication process. The company is not putting any
effort on expanding the readers and subscribers. The
internal affair of the company spurs to the building up
the bad image such as the errors in the bookbinding,
circulation, and misprints in books.
1 2
Solve the following problems.
3. Methodology
In Class Exercise
PROBLEM ANSWER
?
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ISSUE
Verification Required
MECE MECE MECE MECE
Logic of the Logic Tree
6. Problem Solving
Logic tree is based upon MECE, starts with most important issues, breaking it down
into more detailed issues. In other words, you break down and organized issues into
tree-shaped hierarchy.
각 단계마다 MECE 가 되도록 주의하여야 하나 , MECE 에 구애될 것까지는 없음
각 단계마다 MECE 가 되도록 주의하여야 하나 , MECE 에 구애될 것까지는 없음
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ISSUE
Specific
Contents
Cause and Effect
Relationship
Prevention of
the Overlapping
and Omission
Usefulness of Logic Tree
Logic tree is one of the most convenient ways to drive conclusions based on MECE
perspective.
6. Problem Solving
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초기 단계의 Logic Tree 작성은 혼자 하지 말고 전체 팀을 활용할 것 (As a group)
초기 단계의 Logic Tree 작성은 혼자 하지 말고 전체 팀을 활용할 것 (As a group)
1
1
다음의 경우가 생기면 작업을 중단하고 다른 각도에서 시도할 것
-
어떤 항목은 여러 단계까지 심도 있게 전개되는데 , 다른 항목은 1~2 단계에서 막힘 .
-
동일한 어구가 각 항목마다 여러 번 반복됨
다음의 경우가 생기면 작업을 중단하고 다른 각도에서 시도할 것
-
어떤 항목은 여러 단계까지 심도 있게 전개되는데 , 다른 항목은 1~2 단계에서 막힘 .
-

동일한 어구가 각 항목마다 여러 번 반복됨
2
2
Thinking about details first,. Then, differentiate them into different
groups(Grouping the lower ranked elements)
Thinking about details first,. Then, differentiate them into different
groups(Grouping the lower ranked elements)
3
3
근본원인 (Root Cause) 나 구체적인 해결안이 나올 때까지 분석을 전개할 것
근본원인 (Root Cause) 나 구체적인 해결안이 나올 때까지 분석을 전개할 것
4
4
기존의 Framework(3C, 4P 등 ) 을 적절히 활용할 것 (Utilize such frames as …)
기존의 Framework(3C, 4P 등 ) 을 적절히 활용할 것 (Utilize such frames as …)
5
5
Logic Tree: Tips
Developing well rounded logic tree is the consequence of number of ‘trial and error.’
Practice makes it perfect!.
6. Problem Solving
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To stay
healthy
Draw a logic tree to loose your weight.
ISSUE
6. Problem Solving
Exercise