Strategic and Operational Strengths and Weaknesses
Table 1: Strategic and Operational Weaknesses of Organizations
Problem Structuring Methods
Soft Systems Methodology
Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) is a generic system design or redesign process that encourages the debate of various system alterations. It is a problem-structuring tool that can be applied in decision analysis (Armstrong, 2019). It examines the nature of issue situations and how directed action can be agreed upon to modify them when diverse perceptions of a situation are based on contradictory worldviews. The systematic research of stakeholders’ worldviews yields definitions of alternative systems, the investigation of which should be interesting from at least one of these worldviews. These abstract root definitions are expanded to incorporate the component operations needed for proper functioning. As a result, the method promotes discussions on aspects that might affect an organization.
The SSM technique has helped in major areas such as human resource management (HRM), project management, etc. Organizational leaders work in a complicated system where a growing number and variety of human functions can be replicated (Iriani and Manongga, 2018). HRM interacts with all other subsystems of an organization closely and continually. SSM allows the manager to see the organization as a whole and as part of the larger external world. It also allows managers to consider the abstract perspectives of each stakeholder. SSM provides a deeper understanding of educational system processes, allowing for appropriate action to enhance them (Iriani and Manongga, 2018). Furthermore, the SSM method plays an integral role in effectively understanding organizational issues.
SSM has demonstrated its usefulness in terms of a systematic technique of defining and acting to improve problematical circumstances. It is a systematic approach to transition difficulties that involves identifying and seeking advice from those engaged in defining the action to be taken (Lohman 2020). The analysts who use the SSM want to see improvements in what is perceived to be a problem situation. It can be used for organizational and industrial analyses (Lohman, 2020). It enables the presentation of new ideas and the transformation of perspectives. SSM is viewed as a versatile instrument that may be used to develop individual knowledge and comprehension.
Strategic Options Development and Analysis
SODA (Strategic Options Development and Analysis) is a problem-solving approach to complex problems. It is designed to help consultants assist their customers with complex difficulties (Hoseyni, Mirghafori, and Mofateh Zade, 2020). SODA gathers individual viewpoints on a topic via interviews and cognitive mapping. Individual cognitive maps are combined to generate group maps, which are then used to improve negotiation about value and goal systems, significant strategic concerns, and option portfolios. In addition to the substance of the problem, the group’s emotive, political, and procedural aspects are investigated (Hoseyni, Mirghafori and Mofateh Zade, 2020). SODA’s goal is to provide a model to a management team as a negotiating tool, using uniqueness and subjectivity as the foundation for problem formulation and inventiveness.
SODA has been widely utilized across the globe in various circumstances, but principally to offer a management team in an organization a model to aid in negotiation. Both strategies share an interpretive grounding in that they use individuality and subjectivity to structure problems (Hoseyni, Mirghafori and Mofateh Zade, 2020). SODA tends to develop progressively sophisticated concept models through complicated chains of argument in analytical applications in an organization. SODA has been used in a variety of practical applications, including a comprehensive knowledge of railway expansion in Brazil and policy evaluation for jail services.
Strategic Choice Approach
The strategic choice approach (SCA) is a planning method that focuses on dealing with uncertainty in strategic settings. In other words, it is a method that focuses on dealing with uncertainty and compromise in strategic settings (de Sousa Pereira and Costa Morais, 2020). The entire strategic decision is typically presented in the form of a workshop, with no advisors working behind the scenes. In this technique, the facilitators aid participants in seeing the interdependence of decision areas. They can bring significant changes to the surface by comparing alternative decision systems interactively. On this basis, the group prioritizes regions for partial commitment and develops exploratory and contingency plans.
Decision-Making Tools
SWOT Diagram
SWOT is a commonly used decision-making tool in most organizations due to its ability to analyze internal and external environments. It stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and it is precisely these factors that this design technique evaluates (Yang, Huh and Yang, 2018). SWOT analysis helps one identify their organization’s internal strengths and weaknesses, giving them an advantage over competitors. It also reminds one to look for external opportunities and threats at the same time. The tool assists an organization in defining its goals and determining which environmental and non-environmental variables are beneficial to its success. Relevance is based on its significance in facilitating effective higher cognitive processes. Usability involves its ability to examine any organization’s current situation.
The SWOT diagram can be used to help identify the forces that impact a strategy, activity, or project. This information can then be used to guide one in the right direction and to support business decisions. It is necessary to evaluate a variety of viewpoints in order to get an entire image. When an individual enlists the help of other team members and stakeholders, it is much easier to spot trends, patterns, and connections between the quadrants. A collaborative approach can also enable a user to better understand potential opportunities and hazards that they might not have noticed.
The Pareto Analysis, The Pareto Principle, can help analysis figure out which changes will benefit their company the most. The 80/20 rule was named after economist Vilfredo Pareto, who showed that an 80/20 distribution occurs regularly over the world. To put it another way, 20% of factors often contribute to 80% of an organization’s growth (Zinebi, Souissi and Tikito, 2018). In business, an illustration of this decision-making tool in action would be 80% of sales originating from 20% of an individual’s clients. Therefore, an organization can use Pareto to determine the qualities of the top 20% of its consumers and find new customers similar to them. Therefore, when one can identify which little adjustments will have the most impact, one can prioritize the decisions with the most clout.
Decision Matrix
A decision matrix is a technique for assessing and choosing the best option from a set of alternatives. This tool is particularly useful when employees in a company debate several possibilities and need to weigh a variety of factors before reaching a final decision (Yazdani et al., 2018). A decision matrix is a tool that enables business analysts and other stakeholders to evaluate their options more objectively. It helps to reduce decision fatigue and subjectivity when making decisions. It contains grids that describe and rank the criteria for making a decision based on the most significant factors (Yazdani et al., 2018). These grids give analysts a quantitative approach for carefully examining their possibilities. Therefore, a decision matrix is one of its kind in helping individuals in a business make effective decisions.
Apply The Principles and Practices of Quantitative and Qualitative Research
Table 2: Applications of Qualitative and Quantitative Research
Define Research and Development Questions
Research and development questions are one of the most crucial tools required in a successful organization. These questions are the foundation for the organization’s and the company’s development in terms of market survival (Van den Brink et al., 2018). The following are the questions that a contemporary business organization should be discussing right now. The questions are arranged in the order of their priority to an organization, as shown below.
- Is the organizational structure fit for an organization’s recent strategy of going global?
- What is the impact of engaging in digital disruption in the contemporary business environment?
- What are the implications of a contemporary organization investing more in research and development?
- Does the organization understand the value of understanding different cultures?
Make Use of Research Evidence, Big Data, Data Analytics and Pattern Recognition
Table 3: Applications
Identify The Requirements of an Effective Report
A report is solely observational and analytical in nature and has a format. It explains any situation and is extremely important in today’s business world. The first requirement of an effective report is a clear objective (Shepherd and Beswetherick, 2018). For example, it should be geared toward solving a given problem. This means that there should be a problem statement in an effective report, which forms the basis for its purpose. The report’s purpose should come out clearly for the intended audience to understand. For example, if the problem statement is the rising number of competitors in the market, the purpose should explain the reasoning for rising competition in the sector. Therefore, one of the most important requirements in a report is a problem statement.
The second requirement of a report is evidence of research to deliver factual information. It is important to conduct extensive research on the study area and present facts (Kapoor et al., 2018). One can choose either qualitative or qualitative research depending on their data. If the data collected is non-numerical, a researcher can use a qualitative study (Nassaji, 2020). Research can choose a survey to collect the data from the selected participants. Based on this, there is an aspect of research to obtain the data. This means that the findings and other deductions are influenced by research. This separates a business from an individual opinion.
The third requirement of an effective report is the existence of a discussion prior to deductions, findings and conclusion. A discussion section interprets and characterizes the relevance of the findings in respect to what was previously known about the research problem being explored and explains any new understanding or insights that developed as a result of the research (Schünemann et al., 2019). The finding section is more clear because it ensures it provides a summary of what was discussed. A good report should also have a conclusion and recommendation part because a researcher responds to the research problem using the data collected.
Example of an Effective Report
Title: Poor performance of Woolworths in the market
Problem statement: the organization has lost customers to its competitors over the past few years. Based on this, the organization has constantly made losses.
Purpose of the research: to determine the reason why the organization is losing its customers to its rivals. What is the organization is doing or not doing that is driving the customers away?
Research method: Qualitative research will be used to achieve this research objective. A survey was conducted on 80 customers; 50 males and 30 females. The participants were chosen based on having shopped at the organization at one time or being frequent customers. They were asked to state what they expected from the organization.
Findings: Most participants stated that the organization should improve its customer experience. For example, some of them cited a cold reception from customer care and other employees in the organization. There was also an issue with the price of the products offered. Some of the participants complained of high prices compared to others in the market.
Discussion:
- Customer service plays an integral role in the retention of customers. Amazon is a good example of an organization that has excelled by providing what most consumers consider an outstanding experience by giving incredible convenience and choice and ensuring no surprises.
- Pricing strategy is an important strategy that organizations use to attract and retain customers in the market. Customers are usually sensitive to products’ prices, especially when there are better deals.
Conclusion: the company was losing customers to rivals due to poor customer service and high prices of products. The customers were able to find good customer service and affordable pricing of the products from competitors.
Recommendations
- The company should focus on improving its customer service. For example, they should ensure customers a warm reception when they call or visit the company.
- The company should consider training or hiring new and skilled customer care service employees.
- The company should change its pricing strategy to meet the needs of its customers in the market to perform effectively in the market.
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