Introduction

“Wicked” problems can’t be solved but they can be tamed. Increasingly, these are problems strategists’ face- and for which they are ill equipped.
John C. Camillus, Harvard Business Review, p 99, May 2008.

Given increasing macroeconomic environmental complexity, more and more companies are facing “wicked” problems that cannot be easily resolved.
You are required to undertake a detailed examination of a well known large international company of your choice that produces either consumer durable goods or a service to consumers. In doing so you are required to produce a report which addresses the following areas.

Attempt all the three tasks below and present your findings in the form of a report (3,000-4,000 words) divided into appropriate sections. Your report should also contain an Executive Summary (250 words) and a bibliography and conclusion

Tasks;

a)    Present a case study on your chosen company which illustrates that they are facing a “wicked” problem. Include ( history of the company how it is successful , its markets, its products and why it is wicked problem what the impacts of this wicked problem)
(40% of marks)

b)    Using analysis techniques, with which you are familiar, transpose this case study information into a Strategic Evaluation of the business situation. (Please use PEST analysis and the company response and it is good to mention about SWOT)
(40% of marks)

c)    Discuss the strategic decisions that firms in this sector may be facing. What future strategies can firms pursue to try to secure their competitive advantage and long term survival? Please use Ansoff Matrix firm if it relevant and possible)
(20% of marks)
The wicked problem must fit 5 of 10 properties.
( please I want to choose in Automotive companies such as General motors or Toyota)and let me know please
For your information “The 10 Properties of a Wicked Problem”, a section drawn from the HBR article is :

The 10 Properties of a Wicked Problem
In 1973, Horst W.J. Rittel and Melvin M. Webber, two Berkeley professors, published an article in Policy Sciences introducing the notion of “wicked” social problems. The article, “Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning,” named 10 properties that distinguished wicked problems from hard but ordinary problems.

1 There is no definitive formulation of a wicked problem.
It’s not possible to write a well-defined statement of the problem, as can be done with an ordinary problem.

2 Wicked problems have no stopping rule. You can tell when you’ve reached a solution with an ordinary problem. With a wicked problem, the search for solutions never stops.

3 Solutions to wicked problems are not true or false, but good or bad. Ordinary problems have solutions that can be objectively evaluated as right or wrong. Choosing a solution to a wicked problem is largely a matter of judgment.

4There is no immediate and no ultimate test of a solution to a wicked problem. It’s possible to determine right away if a solution to an ordinary problem is working. But solutions to wicked problems generate unexpected consequences over time, making it difficult to measure their effectiveness.

5 Every solution to a wicked problem is a “one-shot” operation; because there is no opportunity to learn by trial and error, every attempt counts significantly. Solutions to ordinary problems can be easily tried and abandoned. With wicked problems, every implemented solution has consequences that cannot be undone.

6 Wicked problems do not have an exhaustively describable set of potential solutions, nor is there a well-described set of permissible operations that may be incorporated into the plan. Ordinary problems come with a limited set of potential solutions, by contrast.

7 Every wicked problem is essentially unique. An ordinary problem belongs to a class of similar problems that are all solved in the same way. A wicked problem is substantially without precedent; experience does not help you address it.

8 Every wicked problem can be considered to be a symptom of another problem. While an ordinary problem is self contained, a wicked problem is entwined with other problems.
However, those problems don’t have one root cause.

9 The existence of a discrepancy representing a wicked problem can be explained in numerous ways. A wicked problem involves many stakeholders, who all will have different ideas about what the problem really is and what its causes are.

10 The planner has no right to be wrong. Problem solvers dealing with a wicked i