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Ybiroht16

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Strayer Univeristy

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reybinky van you assist me with my assignment. I just need the highlighted portion of the pack completed. I have attached a pdf of the packet. If need be i can give you access to the WebText.

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Thinking It Through 5 Problem Solving / Page 5.1 Introduction to Problem Solving Introduction to Problem Solving When you’re facing a tough decision or difficult challenge, or when problems exceed the scope of individual choices and require many people to solve them, critical thinking plays a vital role in making the right decisions. Coping with problems can often be stressful and emotional, so finding an organized way to do so can help ensure that you will make a well-reasoned decision. One standard approach to solving a problem follows these basic steps: Step 1: Define and Analyze the Problem Step 2: Generate Options Step 3: Evaluate the Options Step 4: Make a Decision Step 5: Implement and Reflect Problem solvers seek input from others, challenge their own assumptions, and are able to analyze information, and these steps help ensure that you’ll think carefully through a problem from all angles before you decide how to solve it. Innovation plays a key role in this process as well, as you strive to move beyond a surface-level understanding of the problem to find a solution that works. Finally, agility helps you to recognize that every process, no matter how logical, has its limits, so you may need to pivot and get creative to solve the problem. Being open to collaborative solutions and multiple possibilities will increase your chances of making a sound decision. What You Will Learn In this chapter, you will walk through all the steps of the problem solving process, each of which uses the habits of mind that you’ve developed as a critical thinker. You’ll learn how to approach a problem using critical thinking skills, how to understand a problem by defining it, how to generate then evaluate options, how to make a decision and then reflect on it, and how to complete Assignment 2, the recommendation letter, by reviewing sources and writing a professional letter. To help understand the problem solving process, you will examine a case study that demonstrates how you can use the process to make more thoughtful decisions in your own life. At the end of the chapter, you’ll complete Assignment 2 by continuing to address the workplace scenario from your first assignment, this time reviewing sources and developing an argument to recommend a course of action. close Thinking It Through 5 Problem Solving / Page 5.2 Understanding the Problem On this page: 4 of 4 attempted (100%) | 3 of 3 correct (100%) Understanding the Problem The problem solving process begins with defining and analyzing the problem to make sure you have a good understanding of it. Spend some time up front making sure you are solving the right problem—only then should you move on to generating options, which you must carefully evaluate before choosing one. But problem solving doesn’t end here; reflecting on your decision after the fact is a critical part of the process and will help you solve more problems in the future. Anwar’s Dilemma: A Problem Solving Case Study Throughout this chapter, you’ll read a case study about Anwar, a high school teacher who uses the problem solving process to make a major life decision. For most of his adult life, Anwar has lived in a small town in New Hampshire. He has a good job as a high school music teacher and spends a significant part of his time caring for his aging father, whose health has declined in the last few years. Anwar’s girlfriend of two years, Bridget, has been offered her dream job as a pastry chef at a high-end restaurant. The job is in New York City, and Bridget wants Anwar to relocate with her. Anwar is not sure what to do, largely because he knows that without someone checking in on his father regularly and running errands for him, his father will likely have to move to a nursing home. To make a tough decision, Anwar knows he will need to think critically and work through the steps of solving a problem. Multiple-Choice Question Why does the first step in the problem solving process focus on defining and analyzing the problem? Getty Images to make sure you know how to reflect on the outcome to make sure you fully understand the problem to make sure you can properly evaluate your options Correct. The first step in the problem solving process is defining the problem in order to understand exactly what problem you are trying to solve. Last saved 9 days ago. Step 1: Define and Analyze the Problem To learn to think critically is to acquire strategies for making better decisions and finding better solutions. When you’re faced with a problem, you may feel tempted to just jump in and start brainstorming ways to solve it. However, setting aside time to consider what your problem is actually about can make completing the later steps both easier and more productive. What question are you really trying to answer? What problem are you really trying to solve? Your innovation skill can help make sure that you look beneath the surface to increase your understanding of the problem so that you can find the best solutions. It’s the difference between being able to simply state the problem versus making sure that you really understand the nature of the problem. Depending on what the problem is, strategies for defining it will include stating the problem as clearly as possible, rephrasing the problem in a new way, and identifying any subproblems. Rephrasing the problem in a new way is an especially important step because it can help you refine your understanding of the problem. Simply thinking of new ways to explain the problem can often help identify assumptions that you may not have been aware you were making, and it may help reveal subproblems that you hadn’t considered. While not every strategy will pertain to every problem, here’s what it might look like if Anwar used these strategies to address the challenge he faces. Anwar’s Dilemma: Defining the Problem Anwar commits to finding a solution, reminding himself that his girlfriend has one week to accept the job offer; he wants to be able to let both her and his father know his intentions before that time is up. He acknowledges how the decision he makes will affect both his relationship with his girlfriend and his relationship with his father. Anwar originally understood his problem to be “Should I abandon my father and move with Bridget to New York?” But as he thinks more about his dilemma, he tries rephrasing it: “Can I find a way to ensure that my father is cared for while still maintaining my relationship with my girlfriend?” He identifies a number of subproblems involved with this dilemma—whether he will be able to afford to move, whether he will be able to find a new job in New York if he quits his current job, whether his father will have transportation to his doctor’s appointments, and so forth. SHORT-ANSWER QUESTION What are some potential benefits of restating the problem in multiple ways? Restating the problem would expand my understanding of it, allowing me to recognize the core issue and potential solutions and increase the likelihood that my research will ultimately address the issue. Posted 8 days ago. Reference Answer Answers will vary but may include identifying barriers and assumptions in your thinking, refining your understanding of the problem, and uncovering other parts of the problem you may not have seen at first. Analyzing the Problem Now that you’ve defined the problem, take the time to dig a little deeper and start analyzing the problem—identifying your goals and establishing what you know in greater detail. Analysis is the process of breaking something down to find or interpret its meaning, so you should ask more in-depth questions that help you add to your understanding of the situation. Once again, you’ll use your innovation skill to look beneath the surface level. Consider the causes and consequences of the problem, along with who it affects and how. Depending on your situation, the problem’s causes, consequences, and affected groups might be well established and therefore qualify as facts about your problem; or, if they are disputed, they could be considered assumptions. Here are some questions to consider during this phase: What outcome does the solution need to enable? What would success look like? What are the facts about the situation? What assumptions are you making? What are the things you think are true but don’t know for sure? What are the open questions, or things that would really be helpful to know? What kinds of research do you need to undertake to answer your open questions? Anwar’s Dilemma: Analyzing the Problem Using his revised understanding of the problem as a springboard, Anwar decides that his ideal solution needs to ensure that his father is cared for while enabling him to maintain his relationship with Bridget. Anwar then takes some time to expose and challenge assumptions. He thinks that assumptions for this dilemma may include “I’m the only one who can give my father the care he needs to maintain his independent lifestyle” or “Bridget will break up with me if I don’t move to New York with her.” Anwar also decides to gather facts about the situation before he decides what to do. Are any of his siblings or cousins able to step in if he is no longer available to be the primary caregiver for his father? How much would it cost to hire a live-in caregiver? What are the job opportunities in his career field in New York City? How often could he and Bridget realistically visit each other if they tried to maintain a long-distance relationship? Taking the time to define and analyze the problem saves you time in the end by helping you identify your goal as well as the different questions or issues that you need to address. Multiple-Choice Question Which of the following statements best defines the process of analyzing a problem? carefully examining and breaking down the parts providing an overview of the basic details applying criteria to judge quality or effectiveness Correct. Analysis is the process of carefully breaking down a topic into smaller parts in order to find or interpret its meaning. Last saved 9 days ago. Multiple-Choice Question Renetta is considering taking a new job that will pay more but require a much longer commute. She is married with two kids, and it is important to her to have time with her family. Her current job is close to home, allows flexible hours, and has excellent benefits. Which of these questions best represents the specific problem Renetta is trying to solve? If I start making more money, will we be able to purchase an RV and go on a camping trip with the kids each year? Does having a flexible schedule and good benefits outweigh earning more money but spending less time with my family? Will my husband take on more responsibility if I accept this new job? Correct. This question focuses on the key element of Renetta’s problem: weighing her current job perks and family time against a higher income. Last saved 9 days ago. Defining and analyzing will help you to understand the problem. Then it’s time to move on to the next step: generating options. close Thinking It Through 5 Problem Solving / Page 5.3 Generating Your Options On this page: 2 of 2 attempted (100%) | 2 of 2 correct (100%) Generating Your Options Putting in the effort to adequately define a problem may sometimes seem like a waste of time, especially when you’re eager to reach a solution. However, the clarity you gain from doing so will come in handy when you reach the next steps in the problem solving process: generating and evaluating options. Step 2: Generate Options Generating options is a creative process. It’s important to start by just seeing how many alternatives you can come up with. At this point, you’re not evaluating which idea is best or finding reasons why proposed solutions won’t work; you’re simply brainstorming. Having a lot of options is a positive thing, and becoming comfortable with that is the key to being agile. Although critical thinkers can find it hard to stop evaluating, you should turn off that assessment engine and let the ideas flow by looking at the problem from different perspectives, thinking about the boundaries within which you have to work, imagining that some key constraints are removed, considering creative or unusual ways to approach the problem, and asking yourself how people you admire might solve the problem. As you consider possible solutions, you may develop a better understanding of the problem, in which case you should feel free to revise the way you state it: Problem: How can we keep the dog from barking when we’re not home? Possible Solution: Give the dog away. Revision: Without getting rid of the dog, how can we keep him from barking when we’re not home? Ideas typically materialize slowly at first, then appear in a rush, and then start to taper off. Whether you need to go further depends on how much time you have, how important the issue is, and how promising the ideas are so far. Here are some strategies for generating as many viable options as possible: Step away, get some rest, and then return to the problem with a fresh perspective. Talk to other people to hear their ideas. Try working backward—envision your ultimate goal, then figure out the last step before that, then the last step before that, and so on. Look for any subgoals and try to accomplish them first. Sometimes it’s easier to solve smaller problems before tackling the main issue. Multiple-Choice Question What is the most important factor to think about when generating options? considering the costs producing a large number of ideas thinking of a few really good ideas Correct. Brainstorming is about quantity, not quality. Last saved 9 days ago. Now let’s return to Anwar’s dilemma and examine how Anwar brainstorms ideas to solve his problem. Anwar’s Dilemma: Generating Options Initially, Anwar thinks he only has two possible solutions to the problem—either he moves to New York with Bridget and abandons his aging father, or he stays near his father but breaks up with Bridget. But after spending time defining and analyzing the problem, Anwar realizes he may have more than two options. When he gathered facts about the problem, he learned that his sister, who lives an hour away, may be willing to drive over and visit their father more often. Anwar now moves on to the next step in the problem solving process and begins to generate options. He discusses his situation with his sister and his best friend Felix. He also communicates frequently with his girlfriend and family members. Anwar imagines what the problem would be like if some key constraints were removed. Would he hesitate to relocate with his girlfriend if he didn’t have familial obligations in New Hampshire? If his girlfriend hadn’t gotten the job, would New York City still be a place he could see himself moving to? Now Anwar begins to jot down possible ways he could handle this problem, including both likely and unlikely options: 1. Break up with my girlfriend and remain in New Hampshire to care for my father 2. Ask my sister to move closer to our father or at least check in on him more often, and then move to New York with my girlfriend 3. Move to New York with my girlfriend and bring my father to live with me as well 4. Try to convince my girlfriend to turn down the job and stay in New Hampshire with me 5. Hire a caregiver to watch over my father and move to New York with my girlfriend 6. Stay in New Hampshire caring for my father and try to maintain a longdistance relationship with my girlfriend 7. Encourage my father to move into a nursing home while I move to New York with my girlfriend Now that Anwar has a list of many possibilities, not just the two he originally came up with, he’s ready to start narrowing down the list to make a final decision. That’s where the evaluation step comes into play. Multiple-Choice Question How does brainstorming contribute to the problem solving process? It helps you find a solution quickly. It allows you to see the problem from new perspectives. It limits the problem by identifying a solution. Correct. Brainstorming provides new perspectives that can help refine your understanding of the problem. Last saved 9 days ago. Having many options to choose from is a good starting point, but before you plunge ahead and make a decision, it is important to engage your critical thinking techniques and carefully consider both the benefits and the drawbacks of all your options. close Thinking It Through 5 Problem Solving / Page 5.4 Evaluating Your Options On this page: 3 of 3 attempted (100%) | 3 of 3 correct (100%) Evaluating Your Options Once you’ve exhausted your imagination by brainstorming potential solutions, you’ll need to sift through your options to decide on the one that will work best in the circumstances. Remember, you don’t need to find a perfect solution, you just need to find the best solution for your problem. Step 3: Evaluate the Options When you’re evaluating options, it’s a good idea to have a set of criteria—qualities that you will use as a basis for judgment—in place. For example, maybe you have a certain budget and cost will be an issue, or perhaps you want a solution that will be environmentally friendly. These criteria will provide a way for you to consider all the options and decide which one you think will work best. A good way to start evaluating options is to imagine the probable consequences of each possible solution. You should consider both the positive and negative consequences of any option. To more accurately predict consequences, you may need to gather additional information. You can more easily judge your options if you know how much something costs, what the deadlines are, what the job market in a particular field is like, how certain people are most likely to react, and so on. Talk to the other people involved, research various perspectives, and even seek out experts if necessary. Once you’ve compiled a picture of the probable outcomes—the clearest picture that you can realistically develop at this time—you may want to list the benefits and drawbacks (i.e., the pros and cons) of each possible solution. As you evaluate options, refer to your earlier definition of the problem and to your measures of success. Remind yourself of the goals you want to accomplish, and assess how well each prospective choice fits with your goals. Multiple-Choice Question Which of these statements defines what it means to evaluate? to break down a concept and interpret its meaning to judge the benefits and drawbacks of each option to summarize each option and explain how it addresses the problem Correct. Considering pros and cons of each option is the central aspect of the evaluation process. Last saved 9 days ago. Multiple-Choice Question When you’re evaluating options, which action from a previous step might you need to repeat? gathering information ignoring conflicting perspectives reflecting on your solution Correct. As you work through the problem solving process, you will continue to gather information that will help you to accurately evaluate your options. Last saved 9 days ago. Anwar’s Dilemma: Evaluating the Options Now Anwar is ready to move on to the fourth step of the problem solving process. After he generates his list of options, he starts to evaluate the pros and cons of each: 1. Break up with my girlfriend and remain in New Hampshire to care for my father Pros: Bridget would get her dream job; I could continue to care for my father; I could keep my job. Cons: I would be devastated without Bridget; I may start to resent my father. 2. Ask my sister to move closer to our father or at least check in on him more often, and then move to New York with my girlfriend Pros: My father would still have a family member to care for him; I could be with Bridget. Cons: My sister loves her job and hometown and probably wouldn’t be willing to move; I’d have to quit my job, find a new job, and make an expensive move. 3. Move to New York with my girlfriend and bring my father to live with me as well Pros: I could still take care of my father; I could be with Bridget. Cons: My father would hate moving, and he hates big cities; I probably wouldn’t want to share a tiny NYC apartment with my father; I’d have to quit my job, find a new job, and make an expensive move. 4. Try to convince my girlfriend to turn down the job and stay in New Hampshire with me Pros: I could still take care of my father; I could be with Bridget; I wouldn’t have to quit my job. Cons: This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for Bridget, and I want the best for her; she would resent me if I asked her to turn down her dream job. 5. Hire a caregiver to watch over my father, and move to New York with my girlfriend Pros: There would be someone in New Hampshire to take care of my father; my sister wouldn’t have to move; I could be with Bridget. Cons: It would be extremely expensive to hire a full-time caregiver for my father; I’d have to quit my job, find a new job, and make an expensive move. 6. Stay in New Hampshire to care for my father and try maintaining a longdistance relationship with my girlfriend Pros: I could keep my job; I could still care for my father. Cons: Maintaining a long-distance relationship would be hard; transportation between New Hampshire and New York would get expensive; I really want to keep Bridget in my daily life. 7. Encourage my father to move into a nursing home while I move to New York with my girlfriend Pros: My father would be taken care of; I could move to New York and be with my girlfriend. Cons: My father would hate living in a nursing home; nursing homes are expensive; I’d have to quit my job, find a new job, and make an expensive move. Anwar has done some research to examine the costs and likely outcomes of each of his options. He’s weighed all the options carefully with a list of pros and cons that allows him to compare the benefits and risks of each choice. But don’t get stuck in endless evaluation; eventually, you need to make a decision. Multiple-Choice Question Which of the following is a good way to start evaluating options? evaluating only your top three options considering only your needs considering the implications of each option Correct. To start the evaluation phase, you should consider the implications—the likely outcomes and consequences—of each option. Last saved 9 days ago. Now that you’ve evaluated your options, you should be ready to make a decision. But there are lots of bad decision making habits that can get in your way, so coming up you’ll learn about some common mistakes to avoid—and you’ll see which choice Anwar finally makes. close Thinking It Through 5 Problem Solving / Page 5.5 Making Your Decision On this page: 2 of 3 attempted (66%) | 2 of 2 correct (100%) Making Your Decision Once you think you have one or more solid candidates for your final decision, it’s time to make a choice. Step 4: Make Your Decision Sometimes the best choice will be obvious by this stage, but other times multiple options may seem viable. In this case, you can use the information you gathered during the evaluation step to start systematically eliminating options. As you narrow down your list of options, you’ll get closer to selecting your final choice. When you’ve narrowed your choices down to one final option, consider the following questions: Would this option effectively solve the problem? Does it fit with your personal ethics? How will it affect the other people involved? What’s the worst that can happen? Will it be possible to reverse this decision if it goes badly? Make sure you commit to actually making the decision or solving the problem. Sometimes the decision will seem so important and the consequences so profound that you may feel paralyzed by fear, causing the entire process to grind to a halt. It’s up to you to decide when to make your final decision. If you’re not forced to make a decision right away, it’s usually a good idea to take some time to deliberate. Things may become clearer over time. Before you decide, check that you’re not tempted by any unhelpful strategies. Avoiding Bad Decision Making Situations that require us to make decisions often create pressure, which in turn can affect our ability to choose wisely. In these stressful moments, you may be tempted to act impulsively or pick the absurd option, go with the first choice that springs to mind without considering alternatives, follow advice from someone who knows very little about your situation or the ramifications of this decision, give no thought at all to the likely consequences of the decision, or wait for external factors to determine the outcome for you. You already know these are bad strategies, but seeing them articulated can clarify what approaches you should avoid when making decisions. Let’s assume you’re not making any of those mistakes and you’re really trying to reach the best possible decision. What else might get in your way? Other Barriers to Decision Making The following factors may also negatively affect your decision making abilities: fear of deciding passiveness, or waiting for a perfect solution self-doubt, or believing you’re not smart enough to solve the problem unproductive habits, such as procrastination conflicting motives The problem solving process provides a structure and specific actions that help you think systematically and critically about your options, allowing you to make the best possible decision. Multiple-Choice Question Which of these things should you do to make the best possible decision? Think systematically and critically. Ignore potential consequences. Select the first choice. Correct. You are more likely to arrive at the best decision by thinking systematically and critically using the problem solving process. Last saved 9 days ago. Multiple-Choice Question After you’ve completed most of the problem solving process and are ready to make a decision, which of the following is most likely to get in your way? self-doubt lack of options unknown consequences Correct. Self-doubt can impede the decision making process by making you secondguess your choice. Last saved 9 days ago. Anwar’s Dilemma: Making a Decision Anwar embarks on his decision making process by eliminating options he doesn’t like. 1. Break up with my girlfriend and remain in New Hampshire to care for my father 2. Ask my sister to move closer to our father or at least check in on him more often, and then move to New York with my girlfriend 3. Move to New York with my girlfriend and bring my father to live with me as well 4. Try to convince my girlfriend to turn down the job and stay in New Hampshire with me 5. Hire a caregiver to watch over my father, and move to New York with my girlfriend 6. Stay in New Hampshire to care for my father and try maintaining a longdistance relationship with my girlfriend 7. Encourage my father to move into a nursing home while I move to New York with my girlfriend First, Anwar eliminates solutions that don’t effectively solve the problem. Since his goal is to both maintain his relationship with his girlfriend and take care of his father, breaking up with Bridget would not truly solve the problem. Anwar also considers how his various solutions would affect the other people involved. He knows how much the pastry chef job means to Bridget, so he doesn’t want to ask her to give up the job for him. He also realizes how important it is for his father to live at home, so he decides that asking his father to move (either with him to New York or into a nursing home) isn’t a viable option. Additionally, he knows he will have to talk to his sister more about her potential commitment to taking over a large part of his role as a caregiver. But narrowing down his options helps making the decision seem more achievable. Finally, it’s time for Anwar to complete the final step and make his decision. In the end, Anwar decides that he really wants to move to New York with Bridget. He then discusses this decision with his sister, and they agree that they both will help pay for a caregiver to look after their father during the week, while Anwar’s sister will look after their father on most weekends. RESPONSE BOARD If you were in Anwar’s position, which option would you choose and why? No response saved yet. But making a decision isn’t the final step. Once you’ve made and acted on your decision, it’s important to reflect on what you’ve done and how it’s working out. close Thinking It Through 5 Problem Solving / Page 5.6 Implementing and Reflecting on Your Decision On this page: 2 of 3 attempted (66%) | 2 of 2 correct (100%) Implementing and Reflecting on Your Decision Once you’ve made your decision, it may seem like you’re done with the problem solving process, but it doesn’t end there. You should continue to think about the outcome of your choice even after you implement it. You can almost always find ways to adjust your actions to make a solution work better, to consider new information, or even to change your original plan. Using your agility skill to consider new information and feedback or recognizing that the original solution isn’t the best are signs of thoughtful problem soling. Being able to pivot—even when you think the process is done—means being agile. Step 5: Implement and Reflect After you make your decision, come up with an action plan to implement it. Elements of your plan could include articulating exactly what you will do, figuring out when you’ll begin, and listing all the people who will be involved in implementing the plan. You may need to break down all the actions you need to take into achievable steps, making sure that you accomplish all the necessary things required to put your decision into action. It’s also important to reflect on your solution. Only after you’ve implemented your decision can you observe the outcome and figure out what worked and what didn’t. Reflection allows you to make any adjustments to your problem solving process when facing future dilemmas. As you reflect, try to answer the following questions: How did it go? Was the outcome what you had hoped? How did others react? In retrospect, was it the right choice? What would you do differently the next time around? What do you wish you’d known earlier? Do you have an opportunity to try an alternative solution with this same problem? Reflection is important for both critical thinking and problem solving because it gives you an opportunity to think about your entire process, what you’ve learned, and how you can improve or adjust. Critical thinking skills like analysis, evaluation, and reflection are used throughout the problem solving process. And like the problem solving process, critical thinking helps provide a structure for thinking through difficult situations and coming to the best possible conclusion or solution. Multiple-Choice Question Which of these is the main benefit of reflecting on your decision and your process? It creates self-doubt and pushes you to start the process over again. It confirms that you made the right decision for your situation. It reveals any needed adjustments and helps improve your process in the future. Correct. Reflecting on your decision and your process provides you with information to make adjustments to your original plan and to improve your problem solving process in the future. Last saved 9 days ago. Multiple-Choice Question How is critical thinking useful during the problem solving process? It helps you analyze, evaluate, and reflect. It speeds up the decision making process. It limits alternative viewpoints. Correct. Critical thinking skills help you analyze the problem, evaluate possible solutions, and reflect on your decision. Last saved 9 days ago. Anwar’s Dilemma: Implementing and Reflecting After Anwar makes his choice, he and Bridget make a list of the action items they need to accomplish before they move. Then they implement them: Anwar quits his job, begins sending out his résumé to open positions for music teachers, and contacts his networking connections in the education field. Bridget accepts the pastry chef Getty Images position, starts looking for a new apartment, and searches for someone to sublease her current apartment. Anwar connects with his sister to interview potential caregivers until they find one that they and their father like. A few months later, Anwar reflects on his decision. He is happy that he chose to move to New York, because he and Bridget are now engaged to be married and both have jobs they are happy with. However, Anwar realizes that his sister is getting burnt out since she has to spend almost every weekend caring for their father. Anwar reevaluates the situation and decides that he will commit to driving back to New Hampshire more frequently to give his sister breaks. Anwar faced a difficult decision. There were no easy options and he was sure that whichever choice he made, he’d be disappointed or guilty. But by working through a clear process of problem solving, he felt empowered to consider options he might not have thought of if he hadn’t taken such a methodical approach. He used his innovation skill to consider creative alternatives, and he showed agility when he reflected on the outcome of his decision, realizing that the situation could be improved to be more manageable for everyone. RESPONSE BOARD Given his reflection on the outcome, how could Anwar adjust his solution to create an even better outcome for everyone involved? No response saved yet. While it is important to have a process in place for problem solving, remember that your agility skill can help you to try different approaches if the first one isn’t the best fit. Now that you’ve seen one reliable system for approaching a problem, it’s time to get started on your second assignment. close Thinking It Through Assignment 2 Assignment 2 Overview On this page you’ll learn the requirements for Assignment 2, Making an Informed Recommendation. 5 Problem Solving / Page 5.7 Assignment: Assignment 2 Overview On this page: 3 of 3 attempted (100%) | 3 of 3 correct (100%) Objective: Analyze the requirements for Assignment 2. We make recommendations in our daily lives based on the facts around us. You might ask your child to wear a jacket if the weather report says it’ll be chilly, for example, or provide professional guidance to a colleague struggling at work. In both your personal and professional lives, understanding how and why to decide upon a recommendation is an important part of effective problem solving. Assignment 2 builds on your first assignment, the incident timeline, by asking you to engage your problem solving skills, evaluate the facts, review multiple sources of information, and recommend a course of action for the company and the employees involved in the workplace incident. Your goal for this assignment is to recommend a course of action and explain your thought process and reasoning behind that recommendation. This recommendation will take the form of a professional letter. It might involve disciplinary action, or it might involve changes to company policy and procedures; it is up to you to come up with a recommendation for action that you think will help address the situation and explain your reasoning. Consider the scenario below to get started. Scenario The general manager, Janelle Smith, has asked for a recommendation about what should happen following the loss prevention issue identified in Assignment 1. Your recommendation will join letters from the Loss Prevention Manager and Inventory Manager, who have also been asked to make recommendations. All of these recommendations will be used to help determine what course of action the company should take and what punishment (if any) should be meted out to the employees involved. As Viewpoint Director, your role is to be an advocate for all employees. Your primary responsibility is to relate employee concerns to leadership and provide guidance on situations involving employee discipline. Consider your role as Viewpoint Director as you review the materials on the next few pages. Remember that in this role, you are responsible for considering employee concerns and advocating for employees. Multiple-Choice Question What is your main goal in Assignment 2? to explain the punishment and consequences that employees will face to make a recommendation about what action the company should take to write a professional letter that describes your role as Viewpoint Manager Correct. Assignment 2 focuses on developing a recommended course of action to the company after the loss of the scope described in Assignment 1. Last saved 9 days ago. Multiple-Choice Question In what form will you make your recommendation? a formal memo to both the Loss Prevention Manager and Inventory Manager a professional letter to the Viewpoint Director and the employees a professional letter to the general manager, Janelle Smith Correct. Your recommendation will take the form of a professional letter and it will be written to your general manager, at her request. Last saved 9 days ago. Multiple-Choice Question In your role as Viewpoint Director, what main responsibilities should you focus on when you make your recommendation? conveying employees’ concerns and weighing in on any proposed punishments providing guidance on management’s interactions and communication solving problems with employees’ efficiency and performance Correct. Your role of Viewpoint Direction indicates that you should focus on the employee perspectives and concerns in any given situation, advocate for employees, and provide guidance on any disciplinary matters. Last saved 9 days ago. Complete and Submit Assignment 2 Follow the directions below to create and submit your second assignment, the recommendation letter. You will use writing templates in the webtext to complete the assignment. STEP 1 Review the timeline you created in Assignment 1 and the feedback you received from your instructor to reacquaint yourself with the currently known facts of the incident. STEP 2 Review the sources provided and use them to formulate a recommendation. You will need to analyze the benefits and drawbacks of the recommendations from the inventory manager and the loss prevention manager and determine how you will use them in your own recommendation. Note: Your recommendation may include all or parts of the recommendations of either manager or may be completely different. Whichever option you choose, you must provide an explanation for how you arrived at your conclusions. STEP 3 Locate one or more additional sources to form your recommendation. These resources should offer information that the provided sources do not include. For example, you could use a resource that addresses how other companies have dealt with similar situations, an article that addresses a certain aspect of your recommendation, or a relevant professional experience that helps inform your conclusions. You will cite your sources in SWS format. STEP 4 Write a recommendation based on your sources in the form of a professional letter using the writing templates in the webtext. Your message should provide your recommended outcome (or outcomes) and an explanation for how you arrived at your conclusions. Refer to the length and formatting of the inventory and loss prevention managers’ letters to guide your work. Make sure your writing is professional and includes appropriate language, organization, and grammar. STEP 5 Format your work according to the Strayer Writing Standards. Please take a moment to review the SWS documentation for details. STEP 6 Download your completed document from Chapter 5 of the webtext and submit your completed assignment in Blackboard. Let’s get started by reviewing some of the sources that provide information that you may want to consider when making your recommendation. close Thinking It Through Assignment 2 Review Sources I On this page you’ll review sources provided by the workplace. 5 Problem Solving / Page 5.8 Assignment: Assignment 2: Review Sources I On this page: 1 of 2 attempted (50%) Objective: Review the sources provided and take notes to help develop your recommendation. On this page, you’ll review your timeline from Assignment 1 as well as several sources that may help you decide what action to recommend the company take following the theft of a piece of equipment. You should use the note-taking template at the bottom of this page to take notes on any of the documents appearing on this page. Review Your Timeline Start by reviewing your timeline. These are the events that you decided were verified by the sources provided and therefore likely to be true. You should also review your instructor’s feedback on your timeline, which you can find by going to the Blackboard Gradebook and selecting the link for this assignment in the Gradebook column. Assignment Template Time Description of Event Explanation of Corroboration 3:02 p.m. The scope is first introduced via the delivery man who drops off two other packages, and which Sarah signs and accepts the delivery packages. The delivery person left through the central doorway and had nothing observable in his hand. Verified by both the security camera situated in the view of Sarah’s desk, and can also be confirmed via the document and signature match of Sarah to the package delivery. 3:12 p.m. After checking the other two packages, Sarah picks up a white box with a picture of the scope on the outside. After reviewing the invoice This action is verified via Security cameras and was also confirmed via the signature. This verification confirms, at least to some extent, that the camera is officially in and the box’s contents, she complete possession and recorded down in proceeds to nod her head as if business intake logs. to confirm the contents. 3:25 p.m. Sarah opens up her top drawer, picks up the three checked items, and walks towards the central doorway. 3:30 p.m. The first instance where the camera captures Sarah This information is verified by both the coming back from the central camera footage and is further justified by doorway where she proceeds Michael playing with the red rubber ball. to open her drawer and replaces her keys. 4:29 p.m. Michael and Rachelle come into view and quickly move to the technician doorway. Irritated, Michael proceeds to slam the door in Rachelle’s face, where she pauses, takes a deep breath, and proceeds inside. Sarah watches Rachelle enter the technician doorway and proceeds to exit the main doorway. Before proceeding out, she “stops, and pulls her keys from her desk drawer and exits towards the main doorway” (p.13). This is verified by the security cameras and the testimony of both Michael and Rachelle, who recognize that a dispute existed that day. The tension between the two is a constant struggle. Evidence of Sarah opening her drawer and exiting towards the main doorway is corroborated by camera footage, as well as Rachelle's transcript where she "opens the technician door, sticks her head out, and looks over at Sarah's empty desk." Michael enters from the main doorway area and has the lanyard in his hands. While stopping at Sarah’s desk, he sets them down and proceeds towards the technician doorway. He then turns around, grabs the keys, and heads out of the main entrance, where six minutes later, Sarah would emerge This information can be evaluated for verification by the camera footage that shows the movements of Sarah and Michael during this time. Similarly, evidence of a key transfer between Sarah and Michael was issued in both transcripts and indicated that Michael had access to the restroom, which has the key to the storage room. We do not know if he entered the storage area, but this was an instance where two employees were 4:50 p.m. Security cameras show Sarah grabbing the lanyard of keys from her top drawer and picking up the items to proceed to the central doorway. bombastically and later leave outside of the establishment at the same out the main doorway. time. 5:02 p.m. After Michael leaves, Sarah leaves two minutes later, turns off her computer, punches out, and exits the main door. The last person to leave that day was Rachelle, but at this point, the scope has already left the business. Rachelle has eye witness confirmation that Sarah and Michael left before her. Moreover, evidence from the camera footage and the timestamps from the keycard system will justify Sarah and Michael’s end of the day. Review Workplace Sources: Documents Next, review the following materials collected in your workplace that may help provide information about expected employee behavior and the incident itself: Employee Handbook provided to all employees (excerpt) Ethics Pledge (signed by all employees) original invoice for purchase of the scope If you find any information that might influence your recommendation, be sure to take notes. To review the first three sources, you should select the link and download the document in order to read its contents. As you review, consider: Are there rules or action in place for this kind of incident, and do they seem appropriate? What expectations are employees supposed to meet in the workplace, and have those been upheld or disregarded? Do these documents provide information that might influence your recommendation? Employee Handbook (excerpt) Strayer University Ethics Pledge Strayer University Original Sales Invoice for Scope Strayer University Review Workplace Sources: Visuals Review the next three sources provided in visual form: copy of police incident report filed after the theft Inventory Manager’s email about replacement scope online auction posting for scope matching description of the stolen equipment As you review, ask yourself these questions: Do these documents suggest any problems or failings that are relevant to this incident? Are any significant instances of employee misconduct clearly identified in these documents? Do these documents provide information that might influence your recommendation? Incident Report This is a document titled “Official Incident Report, Oakwood Hills Department.” The rest of the document reads as follows: “Venue: Electronics Repair, Inc. Service Building. Date of Incident: Last Tuesday Time of Incident: After 3 p.m. Description of Incident: After security camera confirmed arrival of testing scope delivered by courier, item went missing. Three employees present when item arrived. All employees interviewed at time of visit. Employees left (camera not on doorway so no footage) approximately 5 p.m. Supervisor is final employee to punch out and her code was used to enable alarm at 5:06 p.m. (based on provided records). No signs of forced entry. No additional alarm deactivations before LP manager arrived next morning. Scene reviewed but amount of time passed between incident and reporting made evidence collection unreliable. Witnesses: None Responding Officer: A Smith #08763 Incident Number: 20-64537 Report Date: 07/27.” Strayer University Email from Inventory Manager Screenshot of an email that reads “To: caitlin.sharp@showcaseps.com Cc: Bcc: Subject: Replaced Scope!!!!!!!!! From: scott.barnes@showcaseps.com Hey there Caitlin! Just writing to let you know that I found a replacement for the missing scope. Bought on auction last night from a local lister and I’m going to put in a reimbursement request later today. Janelle will be happy and I know it wasn’t cheap but now we don’t need to reorder. Think she’ll give me a hard time about paying it back? The auction is non-returnable so fingers crossed. It should be here this week or I might go pick it up. Don’t know yet... Let you know when I bring it in. I’m going to lock this one up myself so it doesn’t walk off. Again. [Winking emoji] -Scooter” Strayer University Online Auction Posting for Scope Graphic showing an online auction posting for a scope. Title reads, “*NEW* 2020 Professional Scope *NEW*” and there is an image of a scope next to it. The rest of the document reads “Can’t miss opportunity to own brand new test equipment at fraction of the cost of purchasing from vendor! Item location: United States (D.C. Metro Area) Begins: 20 July 2020 (11:59 p.m. EST) Closes: 23 July 2020 (11:59 p.m. EST) Bids: 13 Current Bid: $785.84 Offered by: SpeedSwiper58 (1359) 100% Positive Feedback Item ships within 3 days of closing. FREE SHIPPING! (See Auction details for restrictions.) Don’t miss this opportunity! Recently acquired test equipment at a fraction of retail cost. Want to work on electronics but don’t want to pay the hefty prices for the test equipment YOU NEED?! How can I offer such great products at these prices???????? I purchase in bulk from local suppliers with access inventory or jump on significant opportunities that look my way. The point is you get excellent value, highquality equipment, and top-notch service! Want it lightning fast? Courier delivery next-day available in greater D.C. area. Check my feedback for list of satisfied customers. Don’t forget to check out my other auctions as well for more great steals! http://www.auctionpot.com/flashdeals/electronics/equipment/iejpoiuhak8384959” A green rectangle in the middle of the document reads “AUCTION POT, The SOURCE for great deals!” Strayer University Use the template below to record any notes from the workplace source you reviewed. Be sure to identify which specific source(s) you took information from in your notes. Note-Taking Template What information from these sources might affect your recommendation? ItalicBold Rich text editor To complete this template, you must click the “Add to My Notes” button. If the button cannot be clicked, make sure you have responded to the prompt. You’ve reviewed several documents to provide context for the workplace incident involving the disappearance of the scope. Coming up, you’ll need to review two important letters from managers who have also been asked to make recommendations about how the company should deal with this incident. close Thinking It Through Assignment 2 Review Sources II On this page you’ll review letters from fellow managers who have made recommendations. 5 Problem Solving / Page 5.9 Assignment: Assignment 2: Review Sources II On this page: 0 of 5 attempted (0%) | 0 of 3 correct (0%) Objective: Review the sources provided and take notes to help develop your recommendation. On this page, you’ll review two letters written by colleagues making recommendations about what should happen in the wake of the incident involving stolen equipment. One letter is from the Inventory Manager and the other is from the Loss Prevention Manager. You should use your critical thinking abilities to consider their recommendations before you make your own decision. You should also think critically about the format of these letters, and decide which one to use as a guide for creating your own professional letter. Formatting a Professional Letter Professional letters are expected to follow a certain pattern. They are formatted consistently so that all the necessary information is present and organized, allowing the recipient to easily locate what they need to know about the sender. Take a look at this graphic, paying close attention to the contents of each main section: This is a letter with labeled sections. Sender’s address: Dev Simmons Senior Sales Associate WRQC Media 456 Applicant St. Herndon, VA 20170 Date: June 1, 2021 Heading: Ms. Surita Oakley Human Resources Manager Showcase Products and Service, 123 Anywhere St. Herndon, VA 20170 Greeting: Dear Ms. Oakley: Body: I am writing to inquire about the recent job listing for a regional manager of sales and marketing at your company, Showcase Products and Service. I have four years of experience in direct sales in my current position at WRQC Media, and an extensive background in marketing with several local companies as outlined in my enclosed résumé. I have been looking for an opportunity to take on more responsibility and supervise a team; your open position appears to provide an excellent opportunity for growth in this field. In my experience, sales and marketing must work together in order to maximize a company’s profile in the community and enlarge the potential market. In my current position of Senior Sales Associate, I have a proven record of increasing direct sales by 10 percent over each of the past four years. I have also contributed to several successful marketing campaigns, including the winner of the 2018 Outstanding Marketing Campaign Award for the tri-state area. I would welcome the opportunity to join the Showcase team and bring my experience to such a successful organization. I would love to be considered for this position, and I look forward to hearing from you. Closing: Sincerely, Sender’s name and title: Dev Simmons, Senior Sales Associate Emma Haseley/Soomo Learning When writing a professional letter, follow these guidelines: Begin with the sender’s contact information followed by the date and a heading that includes the recipient’s information (name, job title, and address). Include an appropriately placed formal greeting and closing. Make sure paragraphs are single-spaced and not indented. Place an extra line break between each main section, including the paragraphs in the body. Restrict your letter to one page. Keep in mind that you want to maintain a formal tone in a professional letter, so your greeting and closing should be appropriate for the situation. For example, “Dear Ms. X” is an expected greeting; phrases like “Hey Ms. X” are too informal. Similarly, a closing should convey formality, so phrases such as “Sincerely,” “Respectfully,” or “With regards,” would all be fitting. Multiple-Choice Question In a professional letter, where would you find the recipient’s address? in the body in the closing in the heading Multiple-Choice Question According to the graphic, what kind of punctuation follows the greeting in a professional letter? a comma a dash a colon Multiple-Choice Question Which of the following is an appropriate closing for a formal letter? Later, Respectfully, Talk soon, Review the Letters Two of your colleagues, the Inventory Manager and the Loss Prevention Manager, were also asked to write letters recommending a course of action. You can review their letters below. Read them with the formatting requirements shown above and you may find that they contain formatting errors you should avoid. Letter from the Inventory Manager The Inventory Manager is responsible for purchasing inventory and making sure it is properly stored and used. He has seen the same video and documentary evidence that you reviewed to create your timeline, as well as the documents you reviewed on the previous page. Consider both the benefits and the drawbacks of the Inventory Manager’s letter as you think about your own recommendation. Google Doc. Inventory Manager’s Letter. Uploaded October 20, 2020, by Soomo Learning. Follow the link to view the document in a separate window. Note-Taking Template What information from this source might affect your recommendation? ItalicBold Rich text editor To complete this template, you must click the “Add to My Notes” button. If the button cannot be clicked, make sure you have responded to the prompt. Letter from the Loss Prevention Manager The Loss Prevention Manager is responsible for making sure company property is secured and for investigating instances when policies and procedures are not followed. She has seen the same video and documentary evidence that you reviewed to create your timeline, as well as the documents you reviewed on the previous page. Consider both the benefits and the drawbacks of the Loss Prevention Manager’s letter as you consider your own recommendation. Google Doc. Loss Prevention Manager’s Letter. Uploaded October 20, 2020, by Soomo Learning. Follow the link to view the document in a separate window. Note-Taking Template What information from this source might affect your recommendation? ItalicBold Rich text editor To complete this template, you must click the “Add to My Notes” button. If the button cannot be clicked, make sure you have responded to the prompt. Now that you’ve read the letters from the other managers, it’s time to locate an outside source that helps support your recommendation. close Thinking It Through Assignment 2 Locate a Source On this page you’ll follow the guidelines to locate a source to support your recommendation. 5 Problem Solving / Page 5.10 Assignment: Assignment 2: Locate a Source On this page: 0 of 1 attempted (0%) Objective: Locate a relevant outside source and take notes to help develop your recommendation. The final step before writing your own letter is to locate a source that helps support your decision. This resource should provide information that the other sources you’ve reviewed in the webtext do not include. It could address how other companies have dealt with similar situations, a relevant professional experience that helps inform your conclusions, or any information that helps support your recommendation or decision making process. You can use the Strayer Library to find credible, published sources, such as magazines or journals that focus on business and ethics issues. You may also be able to locate articles using the internet, but you’ll need to evaluate those carefully to verify their credibility. Once you’ve found the source that you’d like to use, be sure to copy the URL and the author’s name and credentials below so that you can cite your source appropriately in SWS style. Use this template to write down information about the source you found. Note-Taking Template Author Date of publication Title of source URL What specific information will you use from this source? Include a quotation or a paraphrased sentence. ItalicBold Rich text editor To complete this template, you must click the “Add to My Notes” button. If the button cannot be clicked, make sure you have responded to all prompts in the template. Incorporating Sources in SWS Style Remember that when you incorporate information from a source, you’ll need to introduce it correctly and cite it in SWS Style. This means that any direct quotations or paraphrased information should be included as part of a sentence. Exact wording must be identified in quotation marks, and the sentence must conclude with an in-text citation. You may choose to introduce the source with a signal phrase, as you will see in the example below. Take a look at the following sentence, which shows a quote cited correctly using SWS Style. Pay close attention to the use and placement of punctuation as well. Sentence reads “No one knows exactly how many single-use plastic bags are produced, but the United Nations estimates ‘between one and five trillion bags are produced worldwide [...] that translates into bag use of two million bags per minute’ (Parker, 1).” “The United Nations estimates” is highlighted as the signal phrase; “between one and five trillion bags are produced worldwide [...] that translates into bag use of two million bags per minute” is highlighted as the quotation; and (Parker, 1) is highlighted as the in-text citation. Clint McFarlin/Soomo Learning The signal phrase indicates that the information being quoted came from the United Nations, and the in-text citation identifies the last name of the author of the source as Parker. The author’s last name will lead to an entry in the source list with more complete information about the source, like the title and date of publication. For additional help, you can always refer to the SWS guidelines or consult the Strayer Library’s SWS webpage. You’ll use the information you’ve gathered about your source to cite it using SWS Style in your letter. You’ll be able to review this information when you begin writing your letter, which you’ll do next. close Thinking It Through Assignment 2 Write Your Letter On this page you’ll draft your letter to recommend a course of action to your supervisor. 5 Problem Solving / Page 5.11 Assignment: Assignment 2: Write Your Letter On this page: 0 of 4 attempted (0%) Objective: Review your notes on the sources provided to help develop your recommendation. You’ve reviewed a number of documents and sources to help shed light on the workplace incident involving the missing equipment. It’s time for you to make your recommendation. You’ll need to write a professional letter that includes a citation from one outside source. You can also refer to any of the other sources you’ve reviewed, including the letters from the Loss Prevention Manager and the Inventory Manager. Only your outside source needs to be cited in SWS style. Review Your Notes Before you get started on Assignment 2, take a moment to review your notes. Note-Taking Template You didn’t complete one or more of the previous templates. The following templates must be completed before this one can be started. Page 5.8: Review Workplace Sources Page 5.9: Take Notes on First Letter Page 5.9: Take Notes on Second Letter Make Your Recommendation Now you can begin to compose your letter. Use the template below to create a professional letter. Be sure to note any sources you refer to and include an SWS-style source list at the end of the letter. For a review of SWS, you can always refer to the SWS guidelines and to the model essays provided in the webtext, or consult the Strayer Library’s SWS webpage. Use this template to write your letter. Assignment Template Heading: Your Name Viewpoint Director Showcase Products and Service 123 Anywhere St. Herndon, VA 20170 Ms. Janelle Smith General Manager Showcase Products and Service 123 Anywhere St. Herndon, VA 20170 Date: Enter today’s date. Greeting: Write your greeting and the recipient’s name, followed by a colon. Body: Write the body of your letter here. • BulletsItalicBold Rich text editor Closing: Write your closing. Signature: Type your first and last name in the space below. To complete this template, you must click the “Add to Assignment 2” button. If the button cannot be clicked, make sure you have responded to all prompts in the template. Cite Your Source Remember that you must cite one outside source in your letter. Be sure that you included an in-text citation in the body of your letter above, and put quotation marks around any exact wording you took from your source. The template below will help you create an SWS-style source list entry. Take a look at this example for a reminder of how to format an SWS-style source list entry. Graphic of a citation with the sections highlighted and labeled. The citation reads “Laura Parker. June 7, 2019. The World’s Plastic Pollution Crisis Explained. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/plastic-pollution/” “Laura Parker” is labeled as the author’s name. “June 7, 2019” is labeled as the date. “The World’s Plastic Pollution Crisis Explained” is labeled as the title of source. The URL is labeled as location of source (URL, DOI, or permalink). Emma Haseley/Soomo Learning Note that the main elements—author’s name, date of publication, title of source, and location of source—are all separated by periods. If you include a URL as the source location, be sure to unlink it. To review SWS requirements, you can always refer to the SWS guidelines or consult the Strayer Library’s SWS webpage. Assignment Template You didn’t complete one or more of the previous templates. The following templates must be completed before this one can be started. Page 5.10: Locate a Source Download Assignment 2 You’ve completed your letter—great work! Now remember to carefully proofread it to correct any small errors in your writing or formatting. Once you’re satisfied with your final product, download your assignment from the template below. Assignment Template You didn’t complete one or more of the previous templates. The following templates must be completed before this one can be started. Page 5.10: Locate a Source Page 5.11: Write Your Letter Page 5.11: Cite Your Source When you click the button to download Assignment 2 in the template above, the file may be automatically saved to your Downloads folder or to another location you’ve specified, depending on your browser’s settings. To ensure that your document is correctly formatted, you must open it in an application that fully supports the DOCX format, such as Microsoft Word. Review and Submit After you download, be sure to check the formatting of your letter. You may want to make edits in Microsoft Word before you submit the final copy. Once you’re satisfied, return to Blackboard and upload your assignment for grading. Upload Your Assignment to Blackboard Select the link below and navigate to the Assignment 2 submission screen in your Blackboard course, then upload your assignment there. Strayer Blackboard Nice job! You’ve completed your second assignment. Coming up, you’ll wrap up the week by reviewing the main ideas you’ve learned and what you’ll tackle next week. close
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