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Exploring the Problem-Finding and Problem-Solving Approach for Designing Organizations

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  • Nickerson, Jack A.

    (Washington University in St Louis)

  • Yen, C. James

    (Washington University in St Louis)

  • Mahoney, Joseph T.

    (University of IL)

Abstract

An emerging problem-finding and problem-solving approach suggests that management's discovering problems to solve, opportunities to seize, and challenges to respond to, are vital to organizations. This paper explores the extent to which the problem-finding and problem-solving approach can provide a foundation for joining the capabilities, dynamic capabilities, and governance perspectives as a way to help scholars and practitioners to coherently design organizations from the perspective of design science. The problem-finding and problem-solving approach offers a unit of analysis and a set of behavioral assumptions that enable us to address open questions within the extant literature and to propose new questions in management research.

Suggested Citation

  • Nickerson, Jack A. & Yen, C. James & Mahoney, Joseph T., 2011. "Exploring the Problem-Finding and Problem-Solving Approach for Designing Organizations," Working Papers 11-0107, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Business.
    • Handle: RePEc:ecl:illbus:11-0107
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