The Systems Approach to Problem Solving: From Corporate Markets to National Missions

Drawing upon his considerable practical experience in the field and his highly regarded theoretical work, Chacko explores the use of systems science in solving complex problems in a variety of contexts. The author operationally defines the characteristics of problems that require a systems approach, presents his own step-by-step systems approach protocol, and takes the reader through 25 applications of the protocol to actual events. Ranging from global strategy decision-making to corporate sales planning, the case examples clearly demonstrate the ways in which the systems approach can be an effective operational tool for managers and policymakers involved in decision-making hituations characterized by difficulty and uncertainty.

The case examples included fall into two major categories: missions and markets. In the first group, Chacko analyzes problems such as the U.S. response to Soviet threats during the Cuban missile crisis, the decision to attempt to achieve a nuclear force reduction agreement, and the questions of where and how to base the nation's strategic air forces. Among the market applications examined are Texas Instruments' decision to develop, manufacture, and market semiconductor devices; a corporate strategy to increase market share by 30 percent; and the evaluation of electronic alternatives to paper-based communications. Throughout, Chacko pays particular attention to developing a workable approach to problem-solving in an atmosphere of complexity and uncertainty. His work will be especially useful to marketing and R&D professionals as well as to students of systems science and analysis.