Fundamentals

In Part I we deal with the general background of field problem solving projects. Chapter 1 outlines the objectives of the book and the characteristics of the methodology presented here. In Chapter 2 we discuss the two major types of fieldwork carried out by business and management students, these being explanatory research projects and field problem solving projects, respectively.

The rest of this handbook gives a design-oriented and theory-informed methodology for projects of this second type, the field problem solving project. We start in Chapter 3 with a general positioning of this methodology as a member of the family of rational problem solving strategies and a discussion of the nature and general set-up of problem solving projects of this type. They aim to improve the performance of a certain business system on one or more performance indicators in the real world, as opposed to explanatory field projects, which are terminated once the business system or problem is sufficiently described or understood.

An essential part of this methodology is the design or redesign of business systems. Therefore in Chapter 4 we give some generic design theory and a discussion on social system design and the paradigmatic starting points involved in social system design.