Problem Solving, Creativity and Solution Setting

Assessment Description: Select the case study that is representative of your industry sector (or study stream).

Identify the key problem(s), disruption or opportunity; demonstrate the use of creativity and creative tools and methods to develop three possible solutions. 

Select one possible solution and recommend an implementation plan with justification and reasoning why the selected implementation plan is the one recommended.

Assessment Criteria:

1. Identification of problem, disruption and/or opportunity in the context of business
   change
2. Explanation and demonstration of the rationale for tool selection and its application
3.  Feasibility and viability analysis of the possible options/solutions
4. Convincing justification of the recommended implementation plan
5. Clear and actionable managerial recommendations

The paper I submitted failed and needed to be revised，I have uploaded the passed paper, so I can give you the structure and content for reference.  

Teachers’ feedback and grading criteria are also provided. The main problem is recommendation part, Gantt Chart and problems corresponding to the solution.

Case study: How can Starbucks save its brand value?
Starbucks' announcement that it will close 600 stores in the US is a long-overdue admission that there are limits to growth. In February 2007, a leaked internal memo written by founder Howard Schultz showed that he recognized the problem that his own growth strategy had created: “Stores no longer have the soul of the past and reflect a chain of stores vs. the warm feeling of a neighborhood store.” Starbucks tried to add value through innovation, offering wi-fi service, creating and selling its own music. More recently, Starbucks attempted to put the focus back on coffee, revitalizing the quality of its standard beverages. But none of these moves addressed the fundamental problem: Starbucks is a mass brand attempting to command a premium price for an experience that is no longer special.
Source: Harvard Business Review

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UTS Business School

MANAGEMENT DISCIPLINE GROUP

21854 – Problem Solving, Creativity and Solution Setting

ASSIGNMENT COVER

Subject Name: Problem Solving. Creativity and Solution Setting Subject No: 21854______

Tutor: _DR Ece Kaya____________________ Tutorial Day & Time: Friday, 13:30_________

Family Name: Yu________________________ Given Name: Xite________________________

Student No: 13156548____________________________

Phone No (H): __________________________ (W): ___________________________________

Topic: How to save Starbucks brand value
crisis______________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Date Submitted: _21/10/2020___________________ Submitted on time? Yes ( √ )
No ( )

If not submitted on time give details of approved extension or attach approval:

__________________________________________________________________________________

Format
☐ √Times new roman font 12 point
☐ √Double-line spacing
☐ √Margins: 2.54 cm

2

☐ √Left-justified text
☐ √Numbered pages, bottom right-hand corner

Referencing – APA referencing format

☐ Number of academic journal articles in reference list: 1___
☐ Number of other sources in reference list: __5__
☐ √All direct quotes have page numbers in their in-text reference
☐ √All references in text have been included in the final reference list
☐ √Final reference list is in alphabetical order by author

ORIGINAL AUTHORSHIP STATEMENT:

I have carefully read, understood, and taken account the UTS policy on plagiarism and
guidelines for assessment and referencing in the subject outline. I affirm that this assignment is
my own work, that it has not been previously submitted for assessment, that all material which
is quoted is accurately indicated as such, and that I have acknowledged all sources used fully
and accurately according to the requirements. I am fully aware that failure to comply with
these requirements is a form of cheating and could result in resubmission, loss of marks, failure
and/or disciplinary action.

Signature: ___Xite Yu__________________ Date: __21/10/2020_________________

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How to save Starbucks brand value crisis

Introduction:

STARBUCKS Corporation, the world’s largest coffee shop chain, is headquartered in

Seattle, Washington. It opened the first coffee shop in Pike Place Market in 1971.

Launched in 1992, it increased, selling coffee and tea drinks and other snack foods.

Besides, The logo is a Green Mermaid pattern. Their core concept is to give

customers a better customer experience, to convey a way of life. Starbucks’ target

market is 18 to 24-year-old, who are willing to pay a premium for its high-quality

products and services. Also, its employees’ treatment makes it easier for consumers to

have a good impression of Starbucks. Starbucks wants to have a neighborhood

relationship with its customers, become part of people’s daily Interactions.

Starbucks, a high-profile coffee giant, was hit so hard in 2007 that it was forced to

close some stores and lay off workers to maintain its brand value. Besides, to better

support the brand value, Starbucks had to reduce the 2009 reserved storefront number.

The company’s profits have shrunk dramatically.

This article will investigate and analyze this case to determine the root cause of

Starbucks brand value decline, use creative tools and methods to find three possible

ways. Then, reassess to come up with a final solution that will help Starbucks get out

of its funk.

Problem:

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In 2007, Starbucks grew so fast that its brand value has been destroyed. The company

wants to make its stores unique to connect people and communities because the pace

of expansion undermines its long-standing sustainability strategy. In 2007, Starbucks

was forced to close 600 stores, and by the end of August 2008, its profits were down

28% from the same period in 2007. In 2009 it closed another 300 stores and laid off

more than 6,700 workers. (Husain, 2014)

First, the rapid expansion has gone against the core concept of Starbucks’ original

brand value, building relationships with customers, and humanizing its products. And

rapid growth has led to multiple store conflicts in the same area. This could lead to

vicious competition within Starbucks, with store managers rushing to sell at other

stores. And the rapid expansion of Starbucks has led to a decline in product quality;

Starbucks has been relying on the mouth of mouth’s primary marketing tool. If the

product does not meet customers, it will lead to customer churn. The quality of

Starbucks service may also lead to customer dissatisfaction because Starbucks prices

are not low. Consumers are unwilling to pay a lot of money for products and services

they are not satisfied with. (Husain, 2014)

And the competition between Starbucks and other brands was so fierce that

McDonald’s started building coffee bars to sell coffee exclusively at affordable prices.

This led to the loss of Starbucks customers. Starbucks is losing customers to other

brands, like Duncan’s donuts. McDonald’s itself has a large consumer group, cheap

coffee, and fast service to consumers more attractive. In addition to coffee, they also

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provide catering services to facilitate coffee to promote consumer spending.

(UKEssays, 2018)

In the supply chain, the supply chain cannot supply every store well because of the

massive increase in the number of stores, so it has to be outsourced to other

companies, which leads to a massive increase in the cost of the supply chain. (James

A. Cooke,

2010)

That makes it more challenging than ever for Starbucks, whose brand premium cannot

be used to lower prices to help the company pull out of its slump. The next step is to

use mind mapping, a creative analysis tool, to develop three different solutions to help

Starbucks get out of its slump. And given the assessment to come up with the best

solution to help Starbucks find out how to preserve its brand value.

首先，这种快速的扩张违背了星巴克最初的品牌价值、与顾客建立关系、产品

人性化的核心理念。而快速增长也导致了同一地区的多家门店冲突。这可能会

导致星巴克内部的恶性竞争，门店经理会抢着在其他门店销售。而星巴克的快

速扩张导致了产品质量的下降;星巴克一直依靠口碑这一主要营销工具。如果产

品不能满足客户的需求，就会导致客户的流失。星巴克的服务质量也可能会因

为星巴克的价格不低而导致顾客的不满。消费者不愿意为他们不满意的产品和

服务花很多钱。(侯赛因,2014)

星巴克和其他品牌之间的竞争如此激烈，以至于麦当劳开始建造咖啡吧，专门

以可承受的价格销售咖啡。这导致了星巴克顾客的流失。星巴克的顾客正在被

邓肯甜甜圈等其他品牌抢走。麦当劳本身就拥有庞大的消费群体，廉价的咖啡

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和快捷的服务对消费者更具吸引力。除了咖啡，他们还提供餐饮服务，方便咖

啡，促进消费支出。(UKEssays, 2018)

在供应链中，由于门店数量的大量增加，供应链无法很好地供应每一个门店，

因此不得不外包给其他公司，导致供应链成本的大量增加。(詹姆斯·库克，

2010)

这对星巴克来说比以往任何时候都更具挑战性，因为它的品牌溢价不能用来降

低价格来帮助公司摆脱低迷。下一步是使用思维导图，一种创造性的分析工

具，来开发三种不同的解决方案来帮助星巴克走出低谷。并给出了评估，以提

出最好的解决方案，以帮助星巴克找到如何保持其品牌价值。

Analytical Tool:

First, this article will use mind mapping, analysis, and problem-solving tools to

analyze and suggest solutions to Starbucks’ problems. Mind mapping is a tool that

allows complex data and information to be organized and processed in a way that is

easy to understand. Besides, it depicts the relationship between arbitrary ideas and

information, making it easier for people to discover new ideas and find solutions.

Mind maps help to remember all the generated information and simplify difficult

questions, making them easier to understand. There is also the ability to organize

ideas to help generate unique pictures. Mind mapping is a useful tool for improving

creativity, productivity, and finding solutions to problems. (Hwang, Wu, Huang, &

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Kuo 2012)

Using mind maps allows a faster understanding of the core problem and

encourages creativity, leading to several solutions. See this figure, and it can show

three possible solutions to help Starbucks get out of its hole and maintain its brand

value. The first of the three ways to save Starbucks’ brand value is to improve the user

experience and, thus, its reputation. The second is to compete with other coffee

brands in the market to increase market share to win back customers. The third is to

cut costs by making changes in Starbucks’ supply chain.

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Possible Solution:

Let’s start with the first solution; how word of mouth can help Starbucks reclaim

its brand value. To save Starbucks brand value by word of mouth, the first should be

to improve the customer experience, so Starbucks should conduct staff training for all

employees to upgrade staff skills. These skills will help them improve their coffee

making and customer service in ways that are more in line with Starbucks’ core

culture and allow customers to see Starbucks as a community, feel free to work and

socialize at Starbucks, etc… And when employees are trained, it can improve the

customer’s experience and help them experience a better coffee taste. And when

customers are satisfied with the service and the quality of the coffee, this group of

customers will become a Starbucks earned media to help Starbucks publicity. The

second point is to improve the environment and decor of Starbucks stores. Because

Starbucks is committed to making its in-store environment a third place, a safe and

welcoming public place for its customers, and turn this place into a human home.

Modern people need an informal public place to communicate, so the in-store

environment must make the customer feel comfortable and adjust the store’s layout.

This in-store environment is where Starbucks has the advantage of knowing what

customers want and doing what it can to meet their needs. It’s also essential to

improve the customer experience. The third point is to communicate with consumers,

get timely feedback and requirements of consumers. Focusing on relationships with

customers and making them feel valued at Starbucks can strengthen the brand image.

Create a channel for customers to use their creativity to get Starbucks to make

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improvements, enhance relationships with customers on Starbucks products, services,

store layouts, etc… It also helps customers know that Starbucks is listening to them

and strengthens their trust in the brand. This is in line with Starbucks’ third-place

customer experience. The fourth is sustainable development for the environment.

Because of the environmental problems, more and more people take part in

environmental protection projects spontaneously. To appeal to this segment of

environmentalists, Starbucks should continue to promote sustainability, such as

recycled cups and straws, and make the most of the natural ingredients in its food.

The second solution is that Starbucks has only one high-end product line.

Therefore, it is necessary to develop a new product line for the low-end market while

maintaining the high-end price to face other competitors. Because Starbucks is

positioned as a moderately luxurious coffee shop for educated and affluent people, it

has been unable to attract more price-sensitive customers. And developing a new low-

end product line could help Starbucks reach more customers and compete in the

marketplace with McDonald’s coffee bars and Dunkin’ donuts. Because quick, multi-

flavored coffee drinks characterize McDonald’s coffee bars and Dunkin’ donuts, this

low-end product line should also focus on providing quick access to coffee and

various coffee drinks. Fast-paced consumers are more attracted to fast-paced coffee

bars and multi-flavored coffee drinks because not everyone can walk into a coffee

shop and order a cup of coffee at any time in their lives. And in the competition,

Starbucks has long impressed consumers with the quality of coffee, so when

Starbucks launches this product line, it will attract people who like Starbucks coffee.

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These people are often unable to try Starbucks because of money or time. The new

product line will bring new customers to Starbucks from competing with other brands.

Also, Starbucks can pick a few high-traffic stores from the cut-off, set up expressly to

sell Starbucks coffee drinks, and so on, so that office workers can gulp coffee down.

This eased the Starbucks expanded too quickly because it cannot help companies

address the jobs crisis.

According to James A, a third solution would be to cut Starbucks’ overspending

on the supply chain. The Cooke report found that between 2007 and 2008, Starbucks’

spending on the U.S. supply chain grew from $750 million to more than $825 million.

But sales in 2008 were down 10 percent from the same period. That’s an extraordinary

number, and it’s going to cost Starbucks more than it makes in that period. So,

Starbucks should be in a hurry to re-manage and redistribute its spending in the

supply chain. Starbucks should improve the efficiency of its supply chain and reduce

the cost of shipping all raw materials. Shipping raw materials to U.S. processing

plants, where they are processed and then sent to stores, both improve efficiency in

transportation and helps Starbucks cut costs in its supply chain. And Starbucks should

have unified management of all its logistics systems because it doesn’t just transport

coffee beans. It also has other products that belong to Starbucks. And to the

outsourcing of transport, companies have a clear evaluation criterion to standardize

and improve these transport companies’ efficiency.

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These are the three solutions that emerge from the mind map, then Starbucks needs an

evaluation of the three solutions. First, Starbucks needs to establish several criteria for

evaluating a solution. In this way, Starbucks can find the best answer from the three

solutions to help Starbucks tide over this dilemma, thus saving Starbucks brand value.

Starbucks should set customer satisfaction as the first measure because its initial

approach was by word of mouth to attract more customers. And consumer satisfaction

is also related to Starbuck’s brand image; Starbucks is not only to sell coffee, but it is

also the most important to sell their services. This will allow consumers to enhance

the Starbucks experience significantly, can help Starbucks establish a brand image.

Improving customer satisfaction is an important metric that helps Starbucks measure

its solutions.

The second point is the cost of project execution. Each company wants to reduce the

cost of project execution to get more benefits. Starbucks also needs to reduce the cost

of implementing the program while helping it to achieve its goals in this challenging

situation while at the same time earning more excellent benefits.

The third point is whether Starbucks can use these possible solutions to quickly reach

the goal of saving its brand value and more effectively help it maintain its existing

customer base. For Starbucks, the right answer will be useful in the time it takes to

retain the necessary standards for its current customer base. Help yourself in the short

term and then use your long-term solution to boost your brand value.

The fourth point is whether the solution reflects the unique advantages of Starbucks

products and services. The criteria could help Starbucks identify its strengths against

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many competitors of the same type. It will also help Starbucks recognize its strengths

and expand it to become more attractive to consumers.

According to this MCDM table, the first solution has the highest score and is the best

solution. In Customer satisfaction, the first solution is more likely to help Starbucks

meet customer service and needs than any other solution. The first solution is to

strengthen the relationship between consumers and Starbucks, from the quality of

coffee, in-store service, and in-store layout to strengthen the Starbucks brand

preferences. And in terms of cost, the first solution is not as right as the other

solutions. Still, in the light of Starbucks’ current predicament, the charge is not the

first issue Starbucks is considering. How to restore Starbucks’ image in the eyes of

consumers is an essential factor. In terms of efficiency, the first solution is to be more

intuitive for consumers to feel and experience Starbucks’ changes and progress more

quickly. This is the other solution cannot do. Different solutions can only slowly let

consumers handle. Then from unique features, the first solution is inferior to the

second solution. The second solution is to restart a product line, while the first

solution is to improve and enhance the original. But the first solution is to have

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already the distinctive characteristics of Starbucks. This improvement would allow

the company to compete for customers without disrupting its market and reinforcing

its own identity.

Implementation plan:

The result of this solution is to help Starbucks save its brand value. The answer is to

win back consumers’ hearts and minds by improving Starbucks products’ service and

quality. Starbucks can break the solution down into four parts. The first is to train

incoming employees to learn professional skill coffee taste better, and communicate

better with customers, gives a good experience at Starbucks. The second is to change

Starbucks stores’ layout, and that and store decoration can make consumers feel more

comfortable. It makes consumers spend time stores’ design Starbuck layout is more in

line with the company’s third place strategy. Consumers have made Starbucks the No.

1 choice for informal public places. The third step is to communicate with customers

more third place quickly, to get customer feedback and ideas, such as involving

customers in store design. Baristas can then use social media to get their customers’

thoughts and ideas to improve the coffee’s taste, making it more appealing-store

summers. The fourth step is to protect the environment, replacing straws and cups

with sustainable materials to help consumers see more clearly that Starbucks is doing

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something to protect the environment.

The next step is to use the Gantt chart to show the project’s planned schedule to run.

See this Gantt chart, it takes three months to train employees, four months to

design and decorate storefronts, four months to collect customer ideas for

improvement, and six months to adjust environmental projects.

Then, for Risk Management, Starbucks should pay attention to store design and

renovation costs and in line with Starbucks’ sustainable development. And there may

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be a risk that the brand will not recover its brand value. The risk may also be that

consumers are not motivated enough to get useful feedback.

This is a risk that should be taken into account in the project, the most serious of

which is the failure to rescue brand value, which will lead to the project to do nothing.

Regarding the budget aspect, the decoration company and the design drawing useful

review, cannot have the unnecessary expense. And for consumer feedback, Starbucks

has its own brand preferences of consumer groups, this part of the risk is tiny, but

cannot be ignored. The environmental protection aspect should pay more attention to

the green environmental protection material and avoid the risk.

Recommendation:

First, Starbucks can’t just focus on coffee, making skills in its employee

training. It also needs employees to learn how to communicate with customers and

make the customer experience better. Because Starbucks coffee is not just selling

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coffee, but a high-end coffee shop, so that consumers experience a relaxed and free

atmosphere. In addition to strengthening its relationship with consumers, it also needs

to improve its relationship with the community to make Starbucks more human. And

employees are trained to feel a sense of belonging and honor, to be part of the Buck

organization, and to do whatever they can to help Starbucks.

The second point is that Starbucks needs to collect customer feedback and

creativity. Starbucks employees answer customers’ questions on social media,

enabling customers to solve problems and making them more love Starbucks quickly.

And consumers can also give Starbucks their own unique ideas to help it improve.

This gives consumers a sense of belonging. When consumers see their ideas in

Starbucks stores, they have a special affection for the company.

The third is to help customers from the Starbucks store to get a better feeling,

so that Starbucks store decoration can meet customers. This is not limited to furniture,

as well as wall graffiti and so on can arouse consumers’ resonance.

The fourth is in line with the current society, to be closer to environmental

issues, Starbucks can use its environmental materials to inform consumers, this is also

a way of publicity. And also to participate in some voluntary environmental activities

to attract consumers, so that consumers really feel that Starbucks in the practice of

supporting environmental protection.

Conclusion:

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This article uses mind mapping to come up with three possible solutions to

Starbucks’ dilemma. The first solution is seen as the best, starting with the consumer

experience and addressing the Starbucks brand value issue. This solution is also in

line with Starbucks’ brand positioning, not only to sell coffee but also to deliver a

service. It will give consumers a deeper understanding of the Starbucks brand. This

article also analyzed the solution implementation process and risk management to

help Starbucks out of trouble and save its brand value. From the risk management,

although the three best solutions, but there are still some big risks, and Starbucks to be

prepared to face these risks.

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Reference:
Gwo-Jen Hwang, Chih-Hsiang Wu, Iwen Huang, & Fan-Ray Kuo. (2012). A Mind
Map-oriented Mobile Learning Approach to Promoting Creative Thinking Ability of
Students in a Business Course. 2012 IEEE Seventh International Conference on
Wireless, Mobile and Ubiquitous Technology in Education, 242–248.
https://doi.org/10.1109/WMUTE.2012.60

Dollinger, M. (2012, July 30). Starbucks, “The Third Place”, and Creating the
Ultimate Customer Experience. Retrieved October 19, 2020, from
https://www.fastcompany.com/887990/starbucks-third-place-and-creating-ultimate-
customer-experience

Cooke, J. A. (2020, May 04). From bean to cup: How Starbucks transformed its
supply chain. Retrieved October 19, 2020, from
https://www.supplychainquarterly.com/articles/438-from-bean-to-cup-how-starbucks-
transformed-its-supply-chain

Competitor Analysis And Contemporary Trends Starbucks Marketing Essay. (n.d.).
Retrieved October 19, 2020, from
https://www.ukessays.com/essays/marketing/competitor-analysis-and-contemporary-
trends-starbucks-marketing-essay.php

Starbucks. (n.d.). Retrieved October 18, 2020, from
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Starbucks

How Starbucks pulled itself out of the 2008 financial meltdown. (2015, May 04).
Retrieved October 19, 2020, from https://www.businesstoday.in/magazine/lbs-case-
study/how-starbucks-survived-the-financial-meltdown-of-2008/story/210059.html

Dr.Judy Matthews (QUT Business School)

https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/idea-sketch/id367246522?mt=8

Mind mapping in executive education: applications and outcomes.

http://elabor8.com.au/blog/rich-pictures-and-catwoe-simple-yet-powerful
scope-modelling-techniques Accessed: 17th November 2016

[1] Selection of visual thinking tools and templates are available on line at Mind tools
and Mycoted.

[2] Tony Buzan: Mind Mapping Tutorial:

UTS Business School

MANAGEMENT DISCIPLINE GROUP

2

1

854 – Problem Solving, Creativity and Solution Setting ASSIGNMENT COVER

Subject Name: Problem Solving, Creativity and Solution Setting Subject No: 21854

Tutor: ___ Dr Ece Kaya ___________ Tutorial Day & Time: __Thursday 12:00 _____

Family Name: ____Xia____ Given Name: ________ Manni________

Student No: _____13011

7

31______

Phone No (H): ___0410770704____

Topic: ____ Starbuck’s Survival Strategy______

Date Submitted: __21/10/2020___ Submitted on time? Yes ( ☒ ) No ( )

If not submitted on time give details of approved extension or attach approval:

_____________________________________________________________________

Format

☒ Times new roman font 12 point

☒ Double-line spacing

☒ Margins: 2.54 cm

☒ Left-justified text

☒ Numbered pages, bottom right-hand corner

Referencing – APA referencing format

☒ Number of academic journal articles in reference list: _5_

☒ Number of other sources in reference list: __5__

☒ All direct quotes have page numbers in their in-text reference

☒ All references in text have been included in the final reference list

☒ Final reference list is in alphabetical order by author

ORIGINAL AUTHORSHIP STATEMENT:

I have carefully read, understood, and taken account the UTS policy on plagiarism and guidelines for assessment and referencing in the subject outline. I affirm that this assignment is my own work, that it has not been previously submitted for assessment, that all material which is quoted is accurately indicated as such, and that I have acknowledged all sources used fully and accurately according to the requirements. I am fully aware that failure to comply with these requirements is a form of cheating and could result in resubmission, loss of marks, failure and/or disciplinary action.

Signature: _____Xia Mani_______________ Date: ___21 October 2020____________________________

Introduction

Organizations in the food and beverage industry have to ward off many challenges to remain relevant and profitable. The organizations are mainly under the threat of new entrants who promise new foods and beverages that are healthy and beneficial to consumers. In this era of technology, food and beverage companies have had to introduce services that complement what they offer. For example, fast food stores are offering WIFI services to attract and retain customers. An example of an organization in the food and beverage industry that has found itself in trouble is Starbucks. In 2007, a leaked internal memo by its Founder Howard Schultz indicated that the company intended to close 600 of its stores in the United States. By studying the problems leading to the stores’ closure, it is possible to recommend disruptive solutions or creative opportunities that the company can adopt to attract new customers and retain its existing customers.

This report will investigate and analyze this case, find out the root cause of the decline of Starbucks brand value, and use creative tools and methods to find out three possible ways. Then, put forward a final solution, to help Starbucks out of trouble.

Problem statement

As early as 2007, Starbucks was experiencing challenges in its operations. As much as the company had many stores worldwide, the expected returns from the stores were not being met. The stores were not serving as many people as they had planned. Consequentially, the company was finding it hard to operate using the existing model.

In a leaked internal memo in 2007, Howard Schultz indicated that the company planned to close 600 stores in the United States. Shultz believed that his strategy had changed the company’s stores into merely a chain of stores instead of warm neighborhood stores that people craved to visit. In reference to the memo by Schultz, the company tried to add value by adopting innovation. Starbucks started offering wi-fi services and also started selling its music. Recently, the company tried to put the focus back on coffee by revitalizing the quality of its beverages and also by updating its menu (Kelly, 2018). It merely seems that the company is a mass brand attempting to command a premium price for an experience that is no longer special.

Despite the challenges that Starbucks has faced, the company has experienced growth in revenue and presence worldwide for the last three decades (Leduc, 2017).

Analytical Tool:

This article will use mind mapping, analysis, and problem-solving tools to analyze and suggest Starbucks’ problems. By using mind maps, the brain will provide us with elegant and powerful solutions. This is because mind maps contain all the elements of a problem visually, highlighting where the real focus should be. These colors and images appropriately stimulate our brains to complete the task at hand, thus giving us better mental tools to solve problems. Mind maps also encourage divergent thinking, offering endless options instead of closed thinking.

However, the change of Starbucks’ organizational culture raising concerns can potentially disrupt Starbucks’ growth and success，and I will focus on analyzing this problem and offering solutions.

· An analysis of Starbuck’s organization culture

By analyzing the evolution and the growth of Starbucks, it is quite noticeable that Howard Schultz had a significant role to play. Schultz visited Milan in an attempt to understand how coffee shops are run there. While there, he came up with the espresso concept and implemented it in the United States. The results of the concept of the United States were terrific. The concept led to an upsurge of revenue growth due to customer growth. Because of the espresso concept, Starbucks was able to open as many stores as possible not only in the United States but all over the world.

Schultz’s formidable leadership did not end with the implementation of the espresso concept. Schultz came up with effective management strategies supported by an excellent organizational culture (Beehner, 2020). Schultz led by example and, as a result, engineered the development of meaningful partnerships of Starbucks employees and their customers. Also, Schultz cultivated a culture in which all workers of Starbucks worked as a single unit. Furthermore, Schultz emphasized the need for Starbucks to be a welcoming place. As one of Starbucks’ prominent leaders, Schultz created an organizational culture that emphasized the production of quality products to exceed the expectations of customers (Pathiranage, 2019).

The year 2000 saw Schultz resign as Starbucks ‘ CEO, and Orin Smith took over. Smith served well for five years and retired in 2005. After Smith, Jim Donald took over as the organization’s CEO. Donald came up with policies and strategies that were quite different from what the organization’s vision was. It was after Donald’s take over that the first major issues of Starbucks were noted. The issues were so bad that Schultz had to step in and be the company’s CEO once again. The takeover by Schultz saw the company get back to its profitability ways (Leduc, 2017). All through, it can be noted that it is the values and cultures enshrined by Schultz that have played the most significant role in Starbuck’s success story (Page & Schoder, 2019).

With Schultz’s recent exit from Starbuck’s management, there is the general assumption that those who have taken over will not be able to enforce Starbuck’s organizational culture as set up by Schultz. The likely results will be a decline in the number of customers to Starbucks stores and a change in the organization’s operational structure with a strong possibility of a drop in the organization’s revenue, dipping of the organization’s profitability.

· Starbucks stiff competition

For the longest time, Starbucks has had only to wave off competition from other coffee outlets, which is both in the US and other nations. The organization has successfully topped in its industry for a long time; however, things look to change unless the organization readjusts its strategies. With the rise of many people working from home as well as with the rise of the on-the-go culture in America and most developed nations, Starbucks is facing competition from relatively new foes; ready to drink coffee and other beverages that do not take time to be made (Azriuddin et al., 2020). Most supermarkets are stocked with nitro-infused cold brew coffee that serves the same purpose as the coffee brewed by Starbucks. To make matters worse for Starbucks, the alternative drinks are cheaper than the products offered by Starbucks, and they are also ready to drink.

The advancement of technology is not necessarily playing to Starbucks’ advantage as more and more people can access the internet and brew coffee from the comfort of their homes just like Starbuck’s barristers. Also, there are many espresso machines available worldwide that can brew good coffee which and the machines are quite affordable for home use. With the above changes globally, Starbucks is on the verge of losing a considerable chunk of their loyal customers to alternative coffee drinks and other beverages.

Possible

solutions for Starbucks

There are three possible alternatives that Starbucks might opt to take to counter the threats facing their profitability if not their existence:

1. Starbucks coming up with their ready-to-drink coffee that can be sold in the supermarkets.

2. Emphasizing the importance of retaining the organization culture by ensuring that the company’s management fully adopts the policies and guidelines of Howard Schultz.

3. Using a management strategy that advocates for individuals who have been with the organization for a long time and qualified to take up managerial posts rather than hiring for managers outside the organization.

Through coming up with their ready-to-drink coffee, Starbucks adopts a strategy that ensures that they counter their competition. The above strategy can be quite useful for Starbucks since they have an already established customer base compared to the companies offering the ready-to-drink coffee. The strategy will also diversify further the products that Starbucks is offering.

As of the moment, Starbucks is only offering in-store products, and for that reason, can only rely on the customers that visit their stores to purchase their products. By including ready-to-drink coffee in their product list, Starbucks can capture a new clientele, a clientele that does not visit Starbucks coffee shops. Starbucks will increase their customer base with the above strategy if adopted.

Since it is quite clear that the organizational culture inspired by Howard Schultz is the backbone of the company, then it is of utmost importance that the company’s organizational culture is maintained (Mason, Cole&Goza, 2017). The first way of maintaining the culture is to fully comply with the company’s policies, new hires, and existing management.

The second way of maintaining Starbucks’ current organizational culture is having the organization freeze hiring the management of the company from outside the company. They can do so by relying on an in-house promotion strategy. The use of an in-house promotion strategy will ensure that the organization is led by a manager who understands the organization’s culture and a manager who owns the company’s mission and vision. As a result, few changes in the organizational culture will be introduced.

Analysis of solutions

Mind mapping is a tool used to visually organize information. The tool shows relationships amongst pieces of a whole. The technique is ideal as it shows the relationship between the organization goals and objectives. Through mind mapping, the organization can link the solutions to the benefits they offer. In addition, it can show the collaboration needed for the solutions to be fruitful. Through mind mapping it was possible to analyze the second recommendation (see appendix 1).

Appendix 1

Recommendations

Based on the issues that are likely to affect the profitability and, in extension, the existence of Starbucks, I would highly recommend the adoption of the strategy that emphasizes the importance of retaining the organization’s culture by ensuring that the company’s management adopts the policies and guidelines of Howard Schultz fully. The company’s success can be credited to the organization culture set up during Howard Schultz’s tenure as the company’s CEO. Schultz took on the responsibility of ensuring that all Starbucks’ partners or stakeholders were carefully and correctly managed and handled. By adopting the recommended strategy, there are four potential advantages that the company will benefit from.

Top on the list of the benefits is that the company will maintain its loyal customers. Most customers of Starbucks have stuck by Starbucks because of the values that the company holds. Customers love the excellent services they receive from the organization’s employees as they get their orders, and they also love the values that the company holds dear, such as supporting small scale coffee farmers and supporting charitable organizations (Wu, 2017).

The second benefit is that the company will diversify its products to counter the threat of ready-to-drink coffee. The organizational culture of Starbucks encourages the employees of the organization to be ready for change, and the company’s strategy can see this by employing young people to carry out most of the company’s operations. By ensuring that Starbuck’s organization culture is maintained, the organization ensures it is equipped to counteract any change that may threaten its existence. The third benefit is that the strategy will ensure that the company continues receiving all the support it has been receiving from all over, e.g., from other nations because of their culture of supporting charitable organizations.

Solution Implementation

· Project Plan

To implement the above recommendation, several things will have to happen. The first is that the organization will have to restructure its recruitment strategy. Since it is already noted that the introduction of personnel from other organizations, more so from organizations that do not value the values that the Starbucks organizational culture emphasizes, causes a change in the organizational culture, it is best to limit the number of new hires that come in for managerial roles. Also, the top management of Starbucks will be gotten from the already serving workforce of the organization. The above will ensure that the organizational culture of Starbucks is not distorted.

The second activity that will help ensure that Starbucks’ organizational culture is not lost is having annual refresher training on the values and the importance of the partnerships to the organization. The organization can make it a mandatory requirement that every employee of the organization attends annual refresher training on the organization’s mission and vision. The above will ensure that both new and old employees of the organization are aware of the values that Starbucks holds dear and that they are aligned with the organization’s mission and vision.

The last action that can be done to ensure that the organizational culture of Starbucks is not lost is to have the current CEO of Starbucks as well as the chairman emeritus, Howard Schultz, carry out random store visits every month for the next two years to motivate and interact with Starbucks employees. The above action may increase the CEO’s duties, but it will most definitely help build the partnership between the management and the junior employees of the organization. Also, the two executives will help cement the values that the organization values.

· Performance Indicators for monitoring progress

As far as measuring the effectiveness of the implemented solution, three of the program’s six objectives will be reviewed. The three objectives are improving managerial competency, creating an inclusive and diverse culture, and talent retention. To measure the effectiveness of the program, seven key performance indicators will be used. In talent retention, three key performance indicators will be used. The three critical performance indicators employee engagement, retention rates, and employee satisfaction. The objective will be to measure whether the implemented solution effectively improves job satisfaction and, overall, the program’s effectiveness at reducing employee turnover in the department.

For the second primary objective of creating an inclusive and diverse culture in the department, three key performance indicators will be used. The first indicator is employee perception of the organization. The second and third key performance indicators are retention rates and advancement rates. The proposed solution is geared at encouraging employees in the department to embrace each other despite the differences that may exist within the employees. Through creating an inclusive culture, it will be possible for employees to build good relationships amongst themselves.

For the third main objective of the program, three key performance indicators will be used. The first indicator will be the expertise based on competency assessment before and after the program. The second indicator will be improved job ratings, and the fourth indicator will be internal promotions within managerial ranks.

To assess the effectiveness of the implemented solution, the organization’s employees will first take part in a test that will gauge their expertise and knowledge in the company’s products and customer relationship management. The test will be conducted just before the proposed solution is implemented. The results of the test will be used as the baseline scores for the program. After the first six months, Starbucks ‘ employees will take part in a second test. The test will gauge whether the employees’ expertise has improved or not. The test results will be a reflection of the effectiveness of the failure of the implemented solution.

Lastly, to monitor the progress of the implemented strategies, the organization can note the number of customers it serves or the number of drinks it sells over a year. An increase in the number of customers or an increase in the number of drinks that Starbucks sells will indicate that the strategy is effective. Any other results will indicate that the strategy is not effective. For proper monitoring, the organization’s management can carry out quarterly reviews.

· Work breakdown Schedule

The work breakdown for the Starbucks survival strategy is divided into four sections (see appendix 2). The first section is the project initiation section. The section is concerned with three main things; the appointment of a project manager and a project management team, the definition of the strategic goals and the assessment of the feasibility of the strategy.

The second section is the planning section. The section has four main activities; a risk analysis of the strategy, coming up with a schedule for the strategy’s tasks, budget setting and establishing the communication channels that will be used to update the stakeholders on the progress of the implementation of the strategy.

The third section is the execution section. Just like the initiation section, the execution section has three main activities; the status updates, the comparison of the strategic plan and the actual progress and strategy documentation. The last section of the work breakdown schedule is the closure of the project. The section has two main activities; performance tracking and project reporting.

Appendix 2

· Gantt Chart

The initiation of the strategy will take place in the first month. The planning section of the strategy will take a month, just like the initiation section. The execution of the strategy will take six months. After the six months’ execution period, the closure of the proposed solution will be done. A report detailing the implementation of the strategy will be prepared and shared with Starbuck’s executive management (see appendix 3).

1st Month	2nd Month	3rd Month	4th Month	5th Month	6th Month	7th month	8th Month	9th month
Initiation
Planning
Execution
Closure

Appendix 3

· Risk Management Plan

There are three primary risks that Starbucks is at risk of: high employee turnover, loss of customers, and the failure of the proposed solution in meeting its goals (see appendix 4). High employee turnover is unlikely to happen, and in case it happens, it will have a low effect on the company’s success. The loss of customers can happen, and the effect it will have on the company is moderate. The proposed solution’s success is not guaranteed, and if the proposed solution fails, it will have a high effect on the company. To reduce the risk of it happen, the organization’s management should pay particular emphasis to the tasks of the proposed solution.

Rare	Unlikely	Possible	Likely	Almost certain
Catastrophic
Major	Failure of the proposed solution
Moderate	Loss of customers
Minor	High employee turnover
Insignificant

Low effect

Moderate effect

High effect

Extreme effects

Appendix 4

Appendix 4

Recommendations to management

For the successful implementation of the solution, Starbucks’s management must be actively involved in the solution. They must ensure that the goals of the company are being met through the implementation of the solution. The management must also participate in the training to ensure that its culture is retained and taught to all employees.

Since the company is a mass brand attempting to command a premium price for an experience that is no longer special, the management must ensure its customer service is worth premium charges to make the company’s products appealable.

Conclusion

For Starbucks to stand a chance at remaining profitable in the food and beverage industry, the company must do three main things. The three activities are meant to solidify why customers must pay a premium price for an experience that is no longer special.

The first thing is that the organization will have to restructure its recruitment strategy. The second activity that will help ensure that Starbucks’ organizational culture is not lost is having annual refresher training on the values and the importance of the partnerships to the organization. The organization can make it a mandatory requirement that every employee of the organization attends annual refresher training on the organization’s mission and vision. The above will ensure that both new and old employees of the organization are aware of the values that Starbucks holds dear and that they are aligned with the organization’s mission and vision.

The last action that can be done to ensure that the organizational culture of Starbucks is not lost is to have the current CEO of Starbucks as well as the chairman emeritus, Howard Schultz, carry out random store visits every month for the next two years to motivate and interact with Starbucks employees. The above action may increase the CEO’s duties, but it will most definitely help build the partnership between the management and the junior employees of the organization. Also, the two executives will help cement the values that the organization values.

References:

Azriuddin, M., Kee, D. M. H., Hafizzudin, M., Fitri, M., Zakwan, M. A., AlSanousi, D., … & Kurniawan, O. (2020). Becoming an International Brand: A Case Study of Starbucks. Journal of the community development in Asia, 3 (1), 33-43. Retrieved from http://ejournal.aibpm.org/index.php/JCDA/article/view/706

Beehner, C. G. (2020). Servant Leadership as a Pathway to a Sustainable Future. In New Horizons in Positive Leadership and Change (pp. 65-82). Springer, Cham. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-38129-5_4

Debra Kelly, (2018). The real reason Starbucks is closing 150 stores. Retrieved from https://www.mashed.com/126946/the-real-reason-starbucks-is-closing-150-stores/?utm_campaign=clip

Leduc, C. (2017). “Onward How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul” Book Review.

Leduc, C. (2017). “Onward How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul” Book Review. Retrieved from https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/303926367

Mason, A., Cole, T., & Goza, N. (2017). Starbucks: A Case Study Of Effective Management In The Coffee Industry. Journal of International Management Studies, 17 (1).

Page, L., & Schoder, J. (2019). Making change last: leadership is the key. Journal of Business Strategy. Retrieved from https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JBS-01-2018-0003/full/html?af=R

Pathiranage, J. (2019). Organizational culture and business performance: an empirical study. International Journal of Economics and Management, 24(2), 264-278. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yasas_Pathiranage/publication/333918023_Organizational_Culture_and_Business_Performance_An_Empirical_Study/links/5d47264f92851cd046a25a34/Organizational-Culture-and-Business-Performance-An-Empirical-Study

S. Lock. (2020). Number of Starbucks locations worldwide 2003-2019. Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/266465/number-of-starbucks-stores-worldwide/

Wu, H. C. (2017). What drives experiential loyalty? A case study of Starbucks coffee chain in Taiwan. British Food Journal, 119 (3), 468-496.

1

7

Criteria	Comment
Identification of problem, disruption or opportunity * Identification of problem, disruption or opportunity * Supporting evidence	Make sure you end with a clear definition of problem or opportunity or disruption statement. Use academic resources, industry reports, news media articles to justify/support your statement.
Analytical tool * Selection of appropriate analytical tool  * Rationale for selection of analytical tool  * Appropriate application of analytical tool	How did you come up with the solutions? Which tools did you apply? Why? · Brainstorming · Mindmapping · Using a theoretical framework · SCAMPER · Storytelling · Storyboarding?????
Possible solutions * identification of 3 possible solutions * assessment criteria * evaluation of solutions using MCDM * solution selection with justification	How did you evaluate the possible solutions? How did you decide the most appropriate solution? Evaluating the possible solutions · Establish criteria · Use assessment tool · Select preferred solution · Justification
Implementation plan * Project plan  * Work breakdown schedule (WBS) * Gantt chart * Risk management plan	The division of the project into tasks. Establish an understanding of the project scope. It is a hierarchical description of the work that must be done to complete the deliverables of a project. Each descending level in the WBS represents an increasingly detailed description of the project deliverables. Gantt Chart Risk management plan
Managerial recommendations Actionable outcomes
Conclusion

Here is an example of an outline:

1. Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………..3

2. Problem Definition……………………………………………………………………….3

3. Possible Solutions………………………………………………………………………..5

4. Solution selection…………………………………………………………………………8

5. Implementation Plan………………………………………………………………….. 11

6. Recommendations to Management……………………………………………… 14

7. References ………………………………………………………………………………..16

Criteria	Comment
Identification of problem, disruption or opportunity * Identification of problem, disruption or opportunity * Supporting evidence	Make sure you end with a clear definition of problem or opportunity or disruption statement. Use academic resources, industry reports, news media articles to justify/support your statement.
Analytical tool * Selection of appropriate analytical tool  * Rationale for selection of analytical tool  * Appropriate application of analytical tool	How did you come up with the solutions? Which tools did you apply? Why? · Brainstorming · Mindmapping · Using a theoretical framework · SCAMPER · Storytelling · Storyboarding?????
Possible solutions * identification of 3 possible solutions * assessment criteria * evaluation of solutions using MCDM * solution selection with justification	How did you evaluate the possible solutions? How did you decide the most appropriate solution? Evaluating the possible solutions · Establish criteria · Use assessment tool · Select preferred solution · Justification
Implementation plan * Project plan  * Work breakdown schedule (WBS) * Gantt chart * Risk management plan	The division of the project into tasks. Establish an understanding of the project scope. It is a hierarchical description of the work that must be done to complete the deliverables of a project. Each descending level in the WBS represents an increasingly detailed description of the project deliverables. Gantt Chart Risk management plan
Managerial recommendations Actionable outcomes
Conclusion

Here is an example of an outline:

1. Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………..3

2. Problem Definition……………………………………………………………………….3

3. Possible Solutions………………………………………………………………………..5

4. Solution selection…………………………………………………………………………8

5. Implementation Plan………………………………………………………………….. 11

6. Recommendations to Management……………………………………………… 14

7. References ………………………………………………………………………………..16

2

1854 – Problem Solving, Creativity and Solution Setting

Critical Reflection

Student Name: Manni Xia

Student Number: 13011731

Tutor: Dr Ece Kaya

Tutorial Day & Time: Thursday 12:00

Date: 19/10/2020

Reflection on Creativity

Course reading and research study can often become unsettling ways of seeking the most appropriate study tools, but they can be satisfying. I have had a first-hand experience while researching possible creative solutions. The experience was highly enlightening since I could analyze the learning objectives. From the course’s goals, I discovered problems, and then I strategized creative methods for solutions. I applied coursework resources and reading in the library to analyze issues related to the third and fourth learning objectives. I was able to discover scenarios where creativity could get applied as a value-adding strategy. The scenarios, coupled with my intense studying, bolster creativity in me.

The first problem I discovered was mimetic norms in the business environment. The mimetic structure is when businesses imitate other businesses intending to fulfill expectations to gain authenticity. The companies must be responsible for their departments to ensure compliance with social principles. This exerts pressure on individual companies to perform similar to previously functional businesses. I have studied a small juice vending business that attempted to implement Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software at a single location. The small-scale business had the belief that large-scale juice manufacturers used ERP software to bolster revenue growth. However, ERP software is not advisable for companies that do not have many employees and departments. The pressure exerted on businesses usually occurs under the foreign influence where local industries attempt to gain superior performance by imitating foreign companies.

A possible solution to end mimetic norms is to ensure creative techniques get developed to incapacitate businesses from mimicking established companies. Creativity provides various tactics that demonstrate a business’s market share. Advertising is a creative technique that targets multiple customers in various regions and informs them of their products. For instance, social media advertising is an innovative tool that exposes a business to millions of potential customers. Once a company is known by many people, mimetic norms are less likely to steal a company’s idea to use if for their business growth perspective. Another creative tactic is to analyze a company’s budget to determine the most valuable and distinguishing product. The company would become proactive and find the right path to take to market its products. In the example business above, which attempted to implement ERP software, I propose initial implementation of point of sale software since it is cheap and suitable for small scale business.

The second problem I discovered is a non-mimetic business strategy. This strategy applies the attempt to build a new product or technique without gaining insight from other companies. Upon my critical analysis and thorough reading, I have found that this strategy focuses on innovating new products and tactics. Innovation is a disruptive action that exposes people to recent technological trends. There are situations when the above method would pay off, and in some cases, the strategy can hinder a business entirely. In the first scenario, I consider an emerging company that wants to take the market by storm using new technology. The company applies new software that has never gotten used by consumers before. Once this innovation goes to the market, consumers are not pleased and do not utilize it. The second scenario is a company that examined existing products and sought ways to improve the product. This is a non-mimetic tactic since the company did not copy any product. It only made their product better using a personal plan and resources.

A possible solution to end non-mimetic norms is to form creative solutions to problems related to business activities. Application and acquisition of a patent is an innovative tactic. This solution is costly, yet very useful in the protection of unique products of features. A company cannot mimic a patented product even if the patent is still pending. This creative tactic introduces another innovative tactic. The tactic is to force businesses to find their way around a patent. This tactic is not illegal as long the new business uses its unique plan, resources, and team to build a product. A possible solution to the problem in the second scenario is to form partnerships. A partnership is a creative tool that will allow the sharing ideas and critical analysis of business development techniques. Numerous ideas get recorded and considered for the formation of an innovative product. The partnerships will expose teams to study implementation cases where companies detail factors contributing to their success or loss.

The creative solutions I have discussed in the above paragraphs are all viable in the current market. First, advertising is economically feasible. This proposed solution guides prospective customers on products’ information in an attempt to influence the demand for products. It boosts the economy by providing revenue to media, whereby media with high traffic sells its space and time. Second, budget allocation is vital in the implementation of a creative tactic since it determines resource allocation based on a company’s capital. Cases of companies acquiring expensive software, for instance, will be less likely to occur. The budget allocation would allow a company to save its profits in line with a vibrant economy’s subsidies. Third, a patent is feasible since it exposes a company to the business environment. Companies may source for funds from investors to once they own a patent. Economic growth gets promoted since a patent leads to the manufacture of new products for internal and external markets. Fourth, partnerships are economy boosters since, on a large scale, they develop inter-governmental and inter-organizational relationships. Trade gets promoted between the partnering countries and organizations with the ultimate goal of reducing protectionism.

Overall, I have learned tactics that I can apply in a professional environment. Before I studied creative solutions to business problems, I did not appreciate the efforts invested in creativity. It became increasingly apparent to me that problems would get easily solved using creative thinking. Now I know that traditional business strategies must change in order to adapt to the new digitized market. Disruptive innovation is continually creating a new market that would require creative management. Innovations in health, infrastructure, business, manufacturing, and education get regularly introduced into the market. It is imperative to source innovative management with realistic techniques for problem-solving.

2

Reflection Paper 1000 words.

Learning Objectives: This subject addresses Subject Learning Objectives 3 and 4. 

Assessment Description: In a written reflective essay of no more than 1000 words, discuss how creativity contributed to the development of possible solutions. Also, discuss how you arrived at the justification of your preferred solution.

Assessment Criteria:

· Quality of expression and effective use of generic conventions for a written reflective essay

· Clarity around the definition of creativity in the context of business problem identification and solutions

· Convincing arguments linking the creative process to different elements of the developed solutions

· Convincing justification for why the recommended solution and implementation plan is selected.

Reflective writing

Reflective writing has been proven to be an effective learning strategy. So, lets consider what reflection is and is not.

Reflection is: 

· a form of personal response to experiences, situations, events or new information.

· a ‘processing’ phase where thinking and learning take place.

There is neither a right nor a wrong way of reflective thinking, there are just questions to explore.

Doing this involves revisiting your prior experience and knowledge of the topic you are exploring. It also involves considering how and why you think the way you do. The examination of your beliefs, values, attitudes and assumptions forms the foundation of your understanding. 

Reflective thinking demands that you recognise that you bring valuable knowledge to every experience. It helps you therefore to recognise and clarify the important connections between what you already know and what you are learning. It is a way of helping you to become an active, aware and critical learner.

What is reflective writing?

Reflective writing is:

· documenting your response to experiences, opinions, events or new information

· communicating your response to thoughts and feelings

· a way of exploring your learning

· an opportunity to gain self-knowledge

· a way to achieve clarity and better understanding of what you are learning

· a chance to develop and reinforce writing skills

· a way of making meaning out of what you study

Reflective writing is not:

· just conveying information, instruction or argument

· pure description, though there may be descriptive elements

· straightforward decision or judgement, e.g. about whether something is right or wrong, good or bad

· simple problem-solving

· a summary of course notes

· a standard university essay.

Three videos are provided which will give you a brief on what the reflective process is and how to go about writing a reflective essay.  

· How to write a reflective essay

· Reflective writing, the process

· Reflective writing – getting it done

UTS Business School

MANAGEMENT DISCIPLINE GROUP

21854 – Problem Solving, Creativity and Solution Setting ASSIGNMENT COVER

Subject Name: Problem Solving. Creativity and Solution Setting Subject No: 21854______

Tutor: _DR Ece Kaya____________________ Tutorial Day & Time: Friday, 13:30_________

Family Name: Yu________________________ Given Name: Xite________________________

Student No: 13156548____________________________

Phone No (H): __________________________ (W): ___________________________________

Topic: ______________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Date Submitted: _21/10/2020___________________ Submitted on time? Yes ( √ ) No ( )

If not submitted on time give details of approved extension or attach approval:

__________________________________________________________________________________

Format

☐ √Times new roman font 12 point

☐ √Double-line spacing

☐ √Margins: 2.54 cm

☐ √Left-justified text

☐ √Numbered pages, bottom right-hand corner

Referencing – APA referencing format

☐ Number of academic journal articles in reference list: 0___

☐ Number of other sources in reference list: __0__

☐ √All direct quotes have page numbers in their in-text reference

☐ √All references in text have been included in the final reference list

☐ √Final reference list is in alphabetical order by author

ORIGINAL AUTHORSHIP STATEMENT:

I have carefully read, understood, and taken account the UTS policy on plagiarism and guidelines for assessment and referencing in the subject outline. I affirm that this assignment is my own work, that it has not been previously submitted for assessment, that all material which is quoted is accurately indicated as such, and that I have acknowledged all sources used fully and accurately according to the requirements. I am fully aware that failure to comply with these requirements is a form of cheating and could result in resubmission, loss of marks, failure and/or disciplinary action.

Signature: ___Xite Yu__________________ Date: __21/10/2020_________________

Reflection:

In assignment 2, I used creative thinking to analyze and suggest possible solutions to the brand’s declining value in 2007 due to its rapid expansion. Creative thinking is a creative thinking activity that is often used to communicate ideas and values, solve problems, etc. There are four parts to the creative process. The first part is Preparation, which focuses on the situation and diverts your mind to explore its depth. The second part is Incubation, in which various possible solutions are derived from unconscious and conscious work. The third part is Illumination, the sudden inspiration, and the logical process to develop a solution. The fourth part is Verification, evaluating, and validating your resulting solution. There are different creative tools available for creative thinking to help people or organizations discover and find solutions to problems. And these creative tools are brainstorming, mind mapping, SCAMPER, and Storytelling. These tools can help us explore questions faster and offer solutions with a variety of possibilities.

In the case of Starbucks, I used mind mapping as a creative tool to come up with three possible solutions to help Starbucks out. Mind mapping is a tool that helps you take notes and helps you remember them better. It takes the problem you’re thinking about as a center and spreads it out, and that center is my main problem in this case. Then stretch my mind to give me my own unique ideas. Writing on the branch focused on my main concern and came up with three possible solutions. It’s very free, and when I think of something, I write my thoughts on it. In this way, my creativity was stimulated, and I recorded my thoughts rather than copying them from anywhere. And Mind Mapping helps me quickly find the ideas I need, so I don’t have to go back and think again. In Starbucks, where saving its brand value is central, I used mind mapping to create three possible solutions. One is the customer experience at Starbucks, one is the solution for its competitors, and the last is the solution for the cost of its supply chain. Each of these three solutions has its advantages, but I think a customer experience solution is the best one that can help Starbucks quickly save the brand value.

As for evaluating these three possible solutions, I should do four evaluation criteria first, customer satisfaction, cost, time to effect, and the unique advantages of Starbucks. Then use multi-criteria decision-making to determine which solution is best suited and best able to help Starbucks out. I have not used the multi-criteria decision before, and in this learning experience, I think multi-criteria decision-making is an excellent knowledge. It can help me choose from multiple solutions to the most suitable one. For multi-criteria decision making, we first need to determine the evaluation criteria for evaluating our solution and give different importance to different evaluation criteria. Give reasons for setting evaluation criteria, and let the reader understand why these criteria need to be measured. Then use my evaluation criteria to score your three solutions so that I can clearly show how good or bad the answer is.

Next, I learned work breakdown structures, which is a way to break down the projects in our solution into multiple tasks. The work breakdown structure helps me recognize all the work that needs to be done and assign weights to different tasks. It can help me identify which work is being done internally and which needs to be outsourced. In this case, I used a work breakdown structure to help me remember all the projects needed to help me develop a Gantt Chart. Gantt Chart helped me plan my projects so that I could assign different work periods to each project. It also clearly indicates the start date, duration, and end date of the various activities. Then there is risk management. No matter the solution, it will have a risk problem, so use risk management to identify and evaluate the risk. There are four steps to the risk assessment process, identifying risk, analyzing risk, assessing risk, and treating risk. I think the most important thing is to identify the risks. Identifying the risks helps me take all the adverse effects and risks into account, allowing me to deal with and get rid of the risks quickly.

This learning experience let me benefit a lot and have a lot of knowledge to be very useful. In the past, I have always taken notes on other people’s thoughts and questions and have never used my unique ideas to create comments on those questions. This time I learned about creative thinking and creative tools that help me remember things without reopening the book. The creativity tools have helped me open up my mind to the full range of possible solutions. In future work, I will also use this creative thinking and creativity tools to help me better and more efficient work. Also, I’ve never known with WBS, Gantt Chart, or risk management before. These three settings and the distribution of work knowledge and help me in future work can effectively control and manage a project’s implementation.

The experience of completing this case taught me a lot about how to use creative thinking and creativity tools to help me dig deeper into problems and use the work breakdown structure, Gantt Charts, and risk management to create a project implementation plan. This experience, so that I can work in the future, can be more efficient completion of project implementation. And the tools of creative thinking and creativity help me at work and help me remember key points faster during my regular studies.