1.0 Educational Emphasis of Universities

There is a McKinsey & Company report (reference listed below) that suggests that Universities should place focus on specific learning outcomes. The report suggests that there are areas that Universities must focus on to enhance a graduates' potential to be successful and to contribute more to society.

Several of the suggestions can be supported through an enhanced course of desirable (by employers) instruction that includes design thinking concepts such as:

• Critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills (#2 at 81%)
• The ability to analyze and solve complex problems (#4 at 75%)
• Teamwork skills and the ability to collaborate with others in diverse group settings (#6 at 71%)
• The ability to innovate and be creative (#7 at 70%)

The article also suggests the following:

"Innovation requires independent thinking and a strong ability to work outside of the comfort of structure and predictability and security...Creating an innovative society, a true learning society, has little to do with artificially structured learning, and everything to do with acquiring and developing certain leadership traits. These traits come from the world of experimentation and failure, from the cultivation of broad interests, from curiosity and a willingness to be always ready to start over. This is what we should expect from higher education. Otherwise, we have created a system that guarantees we will fail to be innovative as a society."

An article, Well Prepared in Their Own Eyes,supports the gap between what students believe that they are prepared for in the real world vs. what employers actually experience:

"Students are more than twice as likely as employers to think that students are being well-prepared." (Pg. 1)

Further, on page two there is a figure that suggests that there is a significant gap between what employers experience and what students believe to be the case as it relates to their competencies.

Design thinking and innovation concepts can directly address several of the low scores for preparedness such as the following:

• Working with others in teams - gap of 27%
• Locating & Evaluating information - gap of 35%
• Critical thinking - gap of 40%
• Being innovative - gap of 32%
• Analyzing complex problems - gap of 35%
• Applying knowledge to real-world problems - gap of 36%
• Working with diverse people - gap of 37%

The result of enhancing the low scores would be to increase the desirability of our students from the employers' point of view. This would offset the opinion of employers as recorded in the survey that "when it comes to the types of skills and knowledge that employers feel are most important to workplace success, large majorities of employers do not feel that recent college graduates are well prepared." (Pg. 2)

2.0 Solution / Suggestion

A partial solution is to assist our students to be more viable to employers is to add Design Thinking concepts to their 'Education.'

The article, Design Thinking Comes of Age, discusses applying design thinking principles to the way people work. In our joint program we suggest that we apply them to how our students learn, thus, they will apply them to how they work.

The article also suggests that the concepts of design thinking are applicable to success in the business world (such as the iterative nature of the process which allows teams to do it, iterate and pivot).

Thus, G.E. is using the design thinking process to move away from a "model of exhaustive product requirements" (Kolko, Pg. 69) towards an environment where employees can take risks without facing punitive repercussions.

So, what are we going to work on?

• Critical Thinking
• Ability to analyze and solve complex problems
• Teamwork skills - working with others in teams
  • The 4 C's
• Solving Real World Problems
  • Collaboration
  • Innovation
  • Creativity
  • Working with diversity
  • Determining what information is needed and where to find the information for problem solving
  • Analysis - Data gathering and 'Interpretation'
• Value Propositions
• Understanding - Creating - Delivering - Maintaining - Value

3.0 Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

In traditional management we utilize various tools to assist us understand and create a strategy for our business. In quality management it is about tactics to create and enhance the quality of our products and services.

Further, few of us are taught how to ask questions and what questions to ask to be able to enhance our strategy or tactics. Questions and the process of questioning is a very powerful tool to spur communication and an exchange; of ideas and potential solutions. Questions promote innovation and individual and team performance. Lastly, the Brooks and John article suggests that questions build rapport and trust amongst team members.

In a poem by Kipling in 1902'I Keep Six Honest Serving Men,' he presents six questions (what, why, when, how, where and who) which constitute a useful formula for getting the complete picture of any problem.

I keep six honest serving men, (they taught me all I knew), Their names are What and Why and When and How and Where and Who, I send them over land and sea, I send them east and west, But after they have worked for me, I give them all a rest. I let them rest from nine 'till five, For I am busy then, As well as breakfast lunch and tea, For they are hungry men. But different folk have different views, I know a person small, She keeps 10 million serving men, Who get no rest at all, She sends them abroad on her own affairs, From the second she opens her eyes, One million 'Hows', two million 'Wheres' And seven million 'Whys'!

Management processes suggest that what - the goal; why - the purpose; and where - the authority, when answered, constitute the scope of the strategy of the business.

While who - the people; when - the sequence; and how - the method, constitute the scope of the tactics of the business.

Management processes also suggest that the tactics must mesh with the strategy of the business to ensure the ongoing success of the business.

On the other hand, one of the greatest challenges in addressing a problem, such as what should our strategy be, is trying to figure out where to start. But one of the best things you can do before you even start thinking about solutions is to take the time to really understand the problem.

An easy way to understand the problem is to start structuring it - thru asking questions.

Kipling's poem is a tool to assist us to think about and structure a problem or to critically analyze almost any situation. The key is asking the right questions:

What is the problem?

Why is it a problem?

When is it a problem?

How is it problematic?

Where is it a problem?

Who is it a problem for?

Asking the right questions along with asking as many questions as possible will increase the opportunity to gain insights to be best able to formulate solutions.

Nate that Kipling's 'child' in the poem refers to a child. This is an interesting use of a metaphor; as a child is typically very inquisitive and very creative in their solutions to problems.

Thus, to enhance our problem-solving techniques we suggest that you utilize the 'Kipling questions.'

The questions should be utilized from a positive and negative perspective.

3.1 Process:

The issue is defined as a question and then either one team or various teams come up with answers to the question at hand.

Suppose the issue is, 'How can we improve product development? The questions could be constructed as follows:

1. What is good product development?

2. What is not good product development?

3. Why do we get good product development?

4. Why do we get bad product development?

5. When is there good product development?

6. When is there bad product development?

7. How do we get good product development?

8. How do we get bad product development?

9. Where is there good product development?

10. Where is there bad product development?

11. Who gives good product development?

12. Who gives bad product development?

By repeatedly approaching the questions of good and bad product development product development and by forcing people to come up with new answers and inputs, a broad picture is painted of the issue and the underlying factors. The ideas are analyzed, prioritized and combined to give a deeper understanding of the problem and some insights as to why it is happening.

These ideas then become the basis for a plan to address the issue.

In the references a book by Schroeder is listed. It contains a list of questions titled the 'Phoenix List'. It is an actual list of questions that CIA agents are trained to utilize to gather information.

The questions are as follows:

3.2 The Phoenix List of Questions

First, you use the "Problem" questions to really identify the problem and possible solutions; then you use the "Plan" questions to help you refine the solution you intend to implement. Here are the 'problem' questions:

• Why is it necessary to solve the problem?
• What benefits will you receive by solving the problem?
• What is the unknown?
• What is it you don't yet understand?
• What is the information you have?
• What isn't the problem?
• Is the information sufficient? Or is it insufficient? Or redundant? Or contradictory?
• Should you draw a diagram of the problem?
• Can you separate the various parts of the problem? Can you write them down? What are the relationships of the parts of the problem? What are the constants of the problem?
• Have you seen this problem before?
• Have you seen this problem in a slightly different form? Do you know a related problem?
• Can you think of a familiar problem having the same or a similar unknown?
• Suppose you find a problem related to yours that has already been solved. Can you use it? Can you use its method?
• Can you restate your problem? How many different ways can you restate it? More general? More specific? Can the rules be changed?
• What are the best, worst, and most probable cases you can imagine?

3.3 The 'Plan' Questions:

• Can you solve the whole problem? Part of the problem?
• What would you like the resolution to be? Can you picture it?
• How much of the unknown can you determine?
• Can you derive something useful from the information you have?
• Have you used all the information?
• Have you taken into account all essential notions in the problem?
• Can you separate the steps in the problem-solving process? Can you determine the correctness of each step?
• What creative-thinking techniques can you use to generate ideas? How many different techniques?
• Can you see the result? How many different kinds of results can you see?
• How many different ways have you tried to solve the problem?
• What have others done?
• Can you intuit (sic?) the solution? Can you check the result?
• What should be done? How should it be done?
• Where should it be done?
• When should it be done?
• Who should do it?
• What do you need to do at this time?
• Who will be responsible for what?
• Can use this problem to solve some other problems?
• What is the unique set of qualities that makes this problem what it is and unlike any other problem?
• What milestones can best mark your progress?
• How will you know when you are successful? (emphasis added)

The following chart (3.1) is from Wabisabizen.com. It is a simple chart that provides several good questions on each of the six 'honest men' from Kipling. They constitute a very good starting point for questions to ask.

Figure 3.1: Critical Thinking Cheatsheet

4.0 Seven (7) Important Teamwork Skills from Herzing University

4.1 Communication (Perhaps the most important skill)

Communication is the foundation of effective teamwork. Whether you're working on a presentation with your classmates or spearheading a new project at work, it's important to talk openly and honestly with your group members about expectations, deadlines, and responsibilities. Establishing open lines of communication promotes trust and makes for a positive team environment. While disagreements might occur, being upfront and respectful in your communication with other team members will help you resolve issues quickly.

4.2 Time management

Time management, accountability and responsibility are all equally important for your career as they are in your academic life.Project managers, for example, must have strong organizational skills in order to set manageable goals for their team and keep otherson track to meet their deadlines. Nurses must also demonstrate strong time management skills, prioritizing and delegating tasks so that they can spend more time on the patients who need extra care.

4.3 Problem-solving

Effective problem solvers are able to think outside the box when challenges or issues arise. Rather than focusing on negative outcomes, they stay calm and help their team work towards a solution. This approach helps uncover roadblocks or inefficiencies that are inhibiting the team's success, so you can work to improve those processes in the future.

4.4 Listening

When working in a group, it's important to keep an open mind. Recognize that your team members may see things from another perspective and hear them out. Listening to other points of view can help you see multiple sides of an issue, including ones that you have never considered before. This allows you to be a better colleague and leader, to anticipate needs and challenges before they arise and to respond effectively when they do.

4.5 Critical thinking

Critical thinking allows you to make better, more informed decisions. It can be tempting to follow along with whatever the group decides, or what one team member believes is the best course of action, but sometimes a different approach or a new idea can help achieve better results. By thinking critically about the situation - examining all sides of an issue, reflecting on past experiences, and listening to what other group members have to say - you could arrive at a breakthrough that moves your team forward in new and exciting ways.

4.6 Collaboration

Working in a team can be challenging at times, but more often it is a great opportunity to uncover creative ideas, share different perspectives and experiences, as well as enhance your own skills. If you treat each group project as a learning experience, you can help foster a more productive team environment. Your desire to learn and your willingness to explore new approaches will make you a bettercontributor, manager, or leader.

4.7 Leadership

A leader who works well with others - both within his or her own department and across departments - can help spread knowledge and resources, develop new leaders and contribute to an organization's success.Leaders can demonstrate strong teamwork skills by promoting collaboration, acting as a mentor or coach for their employees and by empowering others to learn, grow and advance.

5.0 The 4 C's of Teamwork from the Civil Service Department of Louisiana

If you want to establish a team identity, you have to give your team an opportunity to openly discuss the 4 C's of a Team Identity: clarity, commitment, contribution, and concerns.

5.1 Clarity

-Clarify the team's mission and vision. If you do not have a team mission and vision, have your team collaborate and create them.

- For specific projects, clarify the goals, timelines, etc. that the team needs to function.

-Also, clarify each team member's level of authority in relation to individual projects.

5.2 Commitment

-Identify the commitment level of your team members.

-Encourage commitment by showing your own. Tell your team why it (or the project) is important to you and to the team as a whole.

-Have each team member answer these questions: -Why is this team (or project) important to you? -What do you hope to gain as a member of this team?

5.3 Contribution

-Determine the strengths and weaknesses of your team.

-Have your team members each answer these questions:

-What specific skills, knowledge, and/or expertise do you bring to this team (or project)? -What do you think your role is on this team (or project)?

-Rather than immediately delegating tasks, let your team suggest assignments based on their potential contributions.

Figure 5.1: 4 C's of Teamwork

Source: www.aeseducation.com/blog/four-cs-21st-century-skills

5.4 Concerns

-Make sure you give your team members an opportunity to voice their concerns, comments, and/or questions.

-This is the time to ask the following questions:

-Do you have any concerns about working on the team, the current project, or the team itself? -What could we, as a team, improve on?

6.0 Solving Real World Problems

During our time together we will use actual real world problems as a basis to develop a process for solving all types of business problems.

7.0 Value Propositions

"A traditional value proposition is a promise of utility: If you buy a Lexus, the automaker promises that you will receive a safe and comfortable transportation in a well-designed high-performance vehicle.

An emotional value proposition is a promise of feeling: if you buy a Lexus the automaker promises that you will feel pampered, luxurious, and affluent." (Anderson, 2009)

On the other hand, the following are simplified descriptions of a Value Proposition:

More value for more money

More value for less money

Less value for more money

Less value for less money

Same value for more money

Same value for less money

Same value for same money

8.0 Understand Create Deliver Manage - Value

In the Executive MBA program at Northwest University, they have historically used a specific book:

Anderson, J.C., Narus, J.A., and Narayandas, D. (2009). Business Market Management: Understanding, Creating and Delivering Value. NJ: Upper Saddle River. Pearson Prentice Hall ISBN 13: 978-0-13-600088-4.

Dr Narayandas was one of my Professors at both of the programs that I attended at Northwestern.

Although the concepts in the book work for B to C relationships, the book is an excellent one if you are in the Marketing department in a B to B organization.

They define Business Market Management as the process of understanding, creating, and delivering value to targeted markets and customers. The key is targeted markets/targeted customers.

The basic tenet of their process is to gain an understanding of customer requirements and preferences, and what it is worth - in monetary terms - to fulfill them. They call it a 'customer value assessment'.

The guiding principles are as follows:

• Regard value as the cornerstone
• Focus on business market management processes
• Stress working across borders, and
• Accentuate working relationships and business networks

In the book they define 'value' in business markets as...

the worth in monetary terms of the technical, economic, service and social benefits a customer firm receives in exchange for the price it pays for a market offering (emphasis added).

Please note the most significant point - price is not the 'thing', 'value' is the thing; customers pay a price for the value they receive. When I purchase my new Porsche (only dreaming) - I am purchasing more than transportation - my Scion does that - I am purchasing ......(you enter what you think here)

The essence of customer value management is to get an equitable return, suppliers must be able to persuasively demonstrate and document the superior value their offerings deliver (emphasis added).

To understand customer requirements and preferences and what it is worth in monetary terms to fulfill them, progressive suppliers rely on customer value assessment (emphasis added).

The fundamental value equation (this is not a value proposition) that they utilize is as follows:

(Value_f - Price_f) > (Value_a - Price_a)

Where:_f = Focal firm's market offering and _a = Next best alternative marketing offering

In other words - your offer is on the left and your competitors offer is on the right.So, if your price is the same - you need to have offered more value in your market offer - that the customer 'values' and understands in order to be perceived as the better offer.

8.1 Managing

One of the suggestions that we found when using this principal is to tell the customer what the value is - in monetary terms.

As an example, my organization would proactively send in highly trained engineers to assist a customer with a packaging problem or a manufacturing problem - they would be on location for perhaps three days - and we would say to the customer - after they said 'thanks' - OK, no problem, we are happy to help!

We changed this system to sending an invoice for let's say 75000 rupees for labor and 15000 rupees for travel expenses for our engineer and a credit for the total amount. So now, when they said 'thanks' we informed them that the 'value' we provided them with (because they were a current customer) was X.XX rupees minus a credit for X.XX rupees (net 0.00 rupees)

In addition, if our agreement (contract) suggests that we would 'save' the customer X rupees or X % per year - then on a quarterly basis (no less than) we would send them a report that states what we saved that quarter (and then a yearly total).

Think about a store that now has how much you saved on your receipt (in $) and if you go to a cashier - they tell you!

8.2 Conclusion

Fundamentally, we did several things:

• We established the 'value' of our service in monetary terms
• We informed the customer - this is key!! (Manage the customer/the Process)
  • We informed them in a timely manner - no less than a quarterly basis
  • We informed all the stakeholders (this is key)
• We established a reciprocal exchange relationship - I do something for you and you do something for me - I will help make you successful - you help me keep and grow your business

The results that can be expected:

• At the end of a multiyear contract the customer does not go out to bid - they just renew the contract
• You will attract customers to your organization with this philosophy
• Negotiations changed to concern themselves with the value - not the price!

Key issues:

• Only be willing to offer your customer value for value - something that is important to them that is low cost (or reasonable) to you
• Prioritize and monetize what is important to them
  • Helps with negotiation
• Monetize what the costs are to you if you add value to the relationship (what is the cost of the technical rep that visits your customer?)
  • Believe it or not we sent in technical reps at no cost for over 30 years!

We realized several significant issues with this philosophy:

• Changing your people was difficult
• Convincing the customer was not difficult
• Determining the customer segment and their needs upon which we could add value was difficult (a mistake could end your business)
• We needed a different sales approach to be able to accomplish our goal (to increase sales and profits)
  • We needed a team approach that included sales, marketing and operations (logistics)
• Time was not our friend - this process took longer than we thought but it was very successful

References:

Anderson, J.C., Narus, J.A., Narayandas, D. (2009). Business Market Management: Understand, Creating and Delivering Value. 3^rd Ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall

Brooks, A.W. & John, L.K. (2018). The Surprising Power of Questions. Harvard Business Review. May-June.

Jaschik, S. (2015). Well Prepared in Their Own Eyes. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/01/20/study-finds-big-gaps-between-student-and-employer-perceptions.

Kolko, J. (2015). Design Thinking Comes of Age: The approach, once used primarily in product design, is now infusing corporate culture. Harvard Business Review. September.

McKinsey & Company (2011). The Power of Many: Realizing the Socioeconomic Potential of Entrepreneurs in the 21^st Century Economy, G20 Young Entrepreneur Summit, October 2011. Seehttp://www.mckinsey.com/locations/paris/home/The Power of Many-McKinsey Report- 20111005.pdf

Schroeder, B. (2016). Simply Brilliant: Powerful Techniques to Unlock Your Creativity and Spark New Ideas. AMACOM Div. American Mgmt. Assn., Pg. 125-134.

www.aeseducation.com/blog/four-cs-21st-century-skills. Accessed 1/24/2023.

www.civilservice.louisiana.gov/files/divisions/Training/Job%20Aid/Leadership/4%20Cs%20of%20Team%20Identity.pdf. Accessed 1/24/23.

www.herzing.edu/blog/7-important-teamwork-skills-you-need-school-and-your-career. Accessed 1/ 25/23.

www.wabisabizen.com. Accessed 5/31/2020.

McKinsey & Company report and other sources gives a good overview of the suggested learning outcomes from an MBA Program.

The first section mentions that employers desire from future employees critical thinking, teamwork skills, the ability to be innovative and the ability to analyze and solve complex problems.

The second section suggests that providing MBA students with Design Thinking concepts it would enhance their skills and make them more viable to employers.

Please note that a significant portion of the paper concerns questions - all successful people observed asked great questions