{"id":133992,"date":"2022-02-24T15:17:13","date_gmt":"2022-02-24T07:17:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/study\/?post_type=pd&#038;p=133992"},"modified":"2025-12-11T15:53:43","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T07:53:43","slug":"understanding-and-solving-complex-business-problems","status":"publish","type":"pd","link":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/study\/prof-development\/understanding-and-solving-complex-business-problems\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding and solving complex business problems"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong><em>Houston, we have a problem!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We are living in an era of unprecedented complexity and interconnectedness. Some decisions we make might be so routine that we may make them without giving them much thought, but challenging or complex decisions demand much more consideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It takes practice to recognise complex systems, and the challenges that come with embracing the unknown and facing novel situations that have many variables, with no one&nbsp;<em>right<\/em>&nbsp;answer. These are volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environments, and they present unique challenges and opportunities for professionals and their teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How do you make effective decisions amidst:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Multiple and, at times, competing factors in play<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gaps in information or data<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>New situations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No single&nbsp;<em>right<\/em>&nbsp;answer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>High stakes and big consequences<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stakeholder-rich environments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t despair \u2013 our masterclass in&nbsp;<em>Understanding and Solving Complex Business Problems<\/em>&nbsp;will&nbsp;provide evidence-based approaches to clearly identify the problem at hand and help participants apply effective decision making in VUCA environments.<\/p>\n\n\n<mimas-block \n        block-name=\"accordion\"\n        role=\"complementary\"\n        aria-label=\"Accordion content\"\n        data-segment=\"all\">\n\n                \n\n                    <div class=\"accordion\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-title-Learning-outcomes\">\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"accordion__heading\" aria-controls=\"Learning-outcomes\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n            <div class=\"title\" id=\"accordion-title-Learning-outcomes\">Learning outcomes<\/div>\n            <div class=\"icon\"><\/div>\n        <\/button>\n        <div class=\"accordion__content\" id=\"Learning-outcomes\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <p>This masterclass aims to provide participants with:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A better understanding of the forms of complexity and some methods for managing them.<\/li>\n<li>An appreciation of how complex problems differ from difficult problems and some approaches specifically designed to address these\u00a0<em>messy, wicked<\/em> problems.<\/li>\n<li>An understanding and\u00a0<em>hands-on<\/em> experience of an approach which takes a systems thinking perspective and thus allows for deeper and holistic understanding of the situation as well as assisting with the identification and assessment of options.<\/li>\n<li>An opportunity to work on a current complex problem.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n        \n                            \n                    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"accordion\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-title-Who-is-the-program-for?\">\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"accordion__heading\" aria-controls=\"Who-is-the-program-for?\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n            <div class=\"title\" id=\"accordion-title-Who-is-the-program-for?\">Who is the program for?<\/div>\n            <div class=\"icon\"><\/div>\n        <\/button>\n        <div class=\"accordion__content\" id=\"Who-is-the-program-for?\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <p>This program is designed for those in public, not-for-profit and private organisations who have decision-making responsibility and who are looking for fresh ideas to resolve organisational problems. You might be in project management, a COO, operations, marketing, innovation, strategy, product development, CEO, MD or a Board Member. This program provides participants with tools and techniques that are easily adopted and implemented into organisational practice.<\/p>\n\n        \n                            \n                    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"accordion\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-title-Program-schedule\">\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"accordion__heading\" aria-controls=\"Program-schedule\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n            <div class=\"title\" id=\"accordion-title-Program-schedule\">Program schedule<\/div>\n            <div class=\"icon\"><\/div>\n        <\/button>\n        <div class=\"accordion__content\" id=\"Program-schedule\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <table id=\"tablepress-215\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-215\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n<th class=\"column-1\">Time<\/th>\n<th class=\"column-2\">Description<\/th>\n<th class=\"column-3\">Facilitator<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">9:00am-10:30am<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Introduction<br \/>\nUnderstanding forms of complexity &#8211; what makes your problem complex?<br \/>\nMethods for dealing with complexity<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">Professor Fran Ackermann<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">10:30am-11am<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Networking morning tea<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">11am-12:30pm<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Complex problems vs difficult problems &#8211; is there a right answer?<br \/>\nExploring problem structuring methods<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">Professor Fran Ackermann<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">12:30pm-1:15pm<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Lunch<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">1:15pm-2:45pm<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Taking a Systems Thinking Approach &#8211; using a mapping technique to manage complexity rather than reduce it<br \/>\n(This provides participants with the opportunity to use the technique on a complex problem)<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">Professor Fran Ackermann<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">2:45pm-3:15pm<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Networking afternoon tea<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">3:15pm-4:30pm<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Understanding dynamics and counter intuitive outcomes<br \/>\nA brief consideration of &#8216;why decisions fail&#8217;<br \/>\nReflections<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">Professor Fran Ackermann<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n        \n                            \n                    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"accordion\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-title-Resources\">\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"accordion__heading\" aria-controls=\"Resources\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n            <div class=\"title\" id=\"accordion-title-Resources\">Resources<\/div>\n            <div class=\"icon\"><\/div>\n        <\/button>\n        <div class=\"accordion__content\" id=\"Resources\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <p><strong>Recommended reading<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Why Decisions Fail<\/em>. Paul Nutt (2002). San Francisco CA, Berrett-Koehler<\/li>\n<li>\u2018What\u2019s the problem? An introduction to problem structuring methods\u2019. Jonathan Rosenhead (1996).\u00a0<em>Interfaces<\/em>, 26 (6) 117-131<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n        \n                            \n                    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"accordion\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-title-Credit-for-recognised-learning-\">\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"accordion__heading\" aria-controls=\"Credit-for-recognised-learning-\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n            <div class=\"title\" id=\"accordion-title-Credit-for-recognised-learning-\">Credit for recognised learning <\/div>\n            <div class=\"icon\"><\/div>\n        <\/button>\n        <div class=\"accordion__content\" id=\"Credit-for-recognised-learning-\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <p><span dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\">When you complete this program you may be eligible to receive up to 5 credit points towards\u00a0<\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\">Curtin\u2019s flags<\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\">hip\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/study\/study-areas\/business-management-law\/master-business-administration\/\">MBA Program<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/study\/offering\/course-pg-human-resources-major-mcom--mjrp-hreso\/\">Human Resources Major (MCom)<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n        \n                            \n                    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n        \n<\/mimas-block>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Understanding and solving complex business problems\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9FUZpyGRlNA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This masterclass will provide evidence-based approaches to clearly identify the problem at hand and help participants apply effective decision making in VUCA environments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"parent":0,"menu_order":12,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"","wds_primary_pd-categories":0,"footnotes":""},"pd-categories":[57,59],"class_list":["post-133992","pd","type-pd","status-publish","hentry","pd-categories-cbs-masterclasses","pd-categories-previous-masterclasses"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pd\/133992","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pd"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/pd"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pd\/133992\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":180109,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pd\/133992\/revisions\/180109"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=133992"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"pd-categories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pd-categories?post=133992"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}