$(1)$ Identify the facts

$(2)$ Define the Problem

$(3)$ Offer up alternatives

$(4)$ Make a decision and defend it

The better you do that, the better your grade will be for this section.

Scenario: You are the owner and manager of a small software enterprise. You employ a total of $150$ people, all of whom have stock options in the business. Working in consultation with several of your designers, you are closing in on a major byeakthrough with a software product that can dramatically reduce manufacturing costs for firms in several different industries. You are also aware, however, that several larger competitors are working hard to develop the same basic technology. If your firm is to achieve the breakthrough first, a major push is needed. You are sitting in your office weighing the following basic facts:

All of your employees are on the verge of exhaustion; each one has been putting in $6080$ hours per week for the past four months, and no one ever takes a day off. You know that a couple of employees are drinking more than normal, and at least three are reportedly having marital difficulties.

You estimate that another $6-8$ weeks of intense work and long hours will likely allow your firm to get the new product up and running first, ahead of your competitors.

If your firm is the first to get the new software finished, everyone in the firm will reap a huge financial reward. The most senior employees $($and you, of course$)$ will likely become millionaires; even the newest employees should see their stock options increase in value to near $$100,000$ more than their current value.

It will take an all$-$or$-$nothing effort if you are to succeed; that is$,$ you cannot cut back on work schedules or give people time off, or you will fall behind your competitors. Every single worker will need to work hard until the project is finished, or you might as well give up now.