Solve a Problem and Vangi - Term Paper Example

PROBLEM SOLVING: Vangi is a scheduled multifaceted cooperative bank dedicated to encourage thrift among the citizens. The cooperative bank renders all banking operations except issuing of loans. It has strength of nearly 400 employees including those who serve for its rural branches. For the past three decades Vangi has been functioning in conventional method of accepting deposits from customers who are ordained to bring their pass books on each occasion of transaction. Interests due to customers are promptly credited to their accounts. The commendable services of Vangi have now been passing about 100000 customers on its doorsill. Although the entire job of banking has been carried out manually, the customers’ satisfaction has been the prime object of Vangi. A few years before, the operations were computerized in their main office and it did not lay any impact on the rural branches. Core Banking Solution (CBS) recently introduced by the Government among the Nationalized Banks currently covers Vangi also in its threshold. Vangi now faces the problem of meeting the challenges in connection with its sudden push into a national network of CBS. Entirely new and systematic conversion into the new system of CBS has put Vangi to cope with enormous pressure from all corners. The main problem faced by the Vangi is to hone the rural branches that were hitherto doing their jobs in a very limited sphere of their areas incorporating their accounts with Vangi. Although a specific time frame is allowed, Vangi considers the permitted time frame is not sufficient to actually plunge into the CBS network. When trying to untie the knots of problems encountered, a generalized thesis surfaces. Problems can be distinguished on any number of meaningful dimensions and the mental steps and solution processes we engage in may widely differ for different types of problems. (Frensch and Funke, ) I use Osborne-Parnes’ Creative Problem Solving Techniques to arrive at plausible solutions. An overview of Osborne-Parnes’ CPS model is: The model consists of six steps. They are i. Mess Finding/Objective Finding ii. Fact Finding. iii. Problem Finding. iv. Idea Finding. v. Solution Finding/Idea Evaluation & vi. Acceptance Finding/ Idea Implementation. All the above steps comprise two different ways to handle namely, convergent and divergent approaches. While the divergent approach covers all the possible and feasible findings in the course, the convergent approach facilitates fixing the hotspots thereby nearing the crux of any problem easy. The divergent thinking processes commonly lead to creative thinking. The process usually begins at a single point or with a single question but extend the search in many different directions generating a wide variety of new possibilities. (J. Treffinger et al, 2005) Steps Divergent approach Convergent approach Object Finding Identification of goal and challenge Short listing the aspirations Fact Finding Collection and development of all data Selection of most important data Problem Finding Development of many possible reasons for the problem Identification of real problem Idea Finding Development of many possible alternate solutions Selection of most promising ideas Solution Finding Development of possible criteria for evaluations Selection of criteria for evaluation; refining of ideas Acceptance Finding Considering sources of support and non-support for the development of implementation phases Preparation of plan action OF: In the first step of Objective Finding, I come across some seven factors that are nearly related to the goal to be achieved in way of adopting CBS. As it becomes necessary to specify the goals of the task in order to develop a problem-solving strategy, (Janet and Robert, 2003) this first step of Objective Finding paves way towards understanding of goals. Divergent 1. Goal of attending remote customers. 2. Creating a perfect and fool-proof data base of all the existing customers. 3. Accommodating new customers with assurance of promising services. 4. Overcoming the insufficiency of knowledge of both technical and operative staff. 5. Providing essential infrastructure for CBS. 6. Imparting training to staff with assistance from Bank Faculty. 7. Attempting to transform the environment of conventional culture. On applying convergent approach, excepting the findings at No.2 and 7, all other factors were achievable by concentrating on training and spending diligently on infrastructure provision. Convergent 1. Creating a perfect and fool-proof data base of all the existing customers. 2. Attempting to transform the environment of conventional culture into sophistication and improvement. FF: The second step of Fact finding has lead to many factors out of which I consider the following seven notable for furtherance. Divergent 1. Accurately ascertaining the needs of remote customers, like anytime anywhere banking. 2. Checking and ascertaining the genuineness of the data base of all the customers, like address proof, identity establishment, signature scanning, data entry in respective ledgers and day books and last but not the least is agreeing the balances of individual customers’ accounts with the bank’s account. 3. Providing newly introduced services to all the new and existing customers without any discrimination on the ground of reconciliation of accounts and balances. 4. Assessing the knowledge level of all the staff working, their educational qualification, experiential knowledge tank and the propensity of the staff to plunge into innovation. 5. Providing essential and important software solutions in addition to other infrastructure. 6. Assessing the eagerness of the staff to undergo training in relation to their age, ability and inclination to adopt innovative approaches. 7. Infusing an entirely fresh and sophisticated feel in the environment by accommodating more youths. The convergent thinking has filtered the following two findings to be given relatively more priority. Factors like assessing the knowledge level of the staff and assessing their eagerness to undergo training could be achieved by harnessing the services of HR. Convergent 1. Checking and ascertaining the genuineness of the data base of all the customers, like address proof….. 2. Infusing an entirely fresh and sophisticated feel in the environment…. PF: It is at this step a host of problems were spawned. It becomes necessary to be compulsive in checking whether the understanding of the problem is correct and complete. (Whimbey and Lochhead, 1999) The following five pivotal needs were to be attended on top most priority. Divergent 1. Address verification was never done in any account. 2. Identities of the customers were hitherto conventionally obtained from the agents who introduced the customers and no documentary evidence is maintained. 3. Preservation of signature records was very poor that about 70% of signature data could not be scanned for want of records. However, withdrawals to customers were so far being allowed on the personal identification by the staff and agents. This is the greatest task to be achieved since in CBS customers are almost remote in their transactions. Internet Banking and ATM operations keep them conveniently within the thresholds of their personal, professional and official atmosphere. 4. Since the entire staff were interacting with their customers personally across the counter for more than three decades, they had immediately made transaction entries in the passbooks of the customers and rely more on these entries in case of any discrepancies, unlike other nationalized banks that rely on their own ledger entries. This is because in the case VANGI, it was mandatory on the part of the customers to present their pass books for every transaction. This democratic attitude impedes the speedy progress of technological improvement into CBS. Making entries in the respective ledgers of the customers were not given as much importance as to make entries in the day book. Thus bringing all the transactions into Vangi’s account had been the vital and prioritized for decades. Improper ledger entries and un-posted ledger entries were not feared by any of the staff including the middle line and higher level supervisors, since there was an honest incorporation of all the public money into Vangi’s account. This lacuna of improper handling of records is a big impasse in achieving the goal of agreement of balances of individual customers’ accounts with that of Vangi’s account as required in CBS. 5. Recruiting sufficient number of qualified youths in both technical and operative areas and providing training to every staff in relation to innovative practices and operational improvements is a major strategic approach which involves huge expense and managing the staff problems. The convergent approach has neared almost near the crux of the problem Convergent 1. Maintenance of all the relevant records without any omission or laxity on the part of officials should be carried out on war-footing. In spite of honest handling of public money, the importance of maintenance of proper records should be inculcated in all the staff. IF: Idea Finding session provides much number of possible way out for the problem to be solved or attacked. It is found that interaction with field operators and supervisors by the top level administrators renders scores of valuable suggestions and ideas are formed accordingly. Group participation and its impact on problem solving is well established by M. Fox (1987, pp. 1) He says “several concerned and knowledgeable people will out perform one single person in solving problems, which do not have standard solutions” Divergent 1. With regard to address verification special work force could be utilized to get the job done. This job could be restricted to customers whose address need badly verified. Customers introduced by agents without any documentary evidence could be got attested by the authorized agents to the effect. 2. Documentary evidence of identities are to be obtained from every customer on their subsequent visits and the special work force employed in the previous job of address verification might also be engaged for this purpose too. 3. In addition to tracing back the signature records from the pile, receipts and vouchers rendered by the customers on their subsequent visits could be well made use of for the purpose of signature scanning. 4. Making data entry in respect of ledgers of the customers and other related records must invariably be expedited and completed with the time bound frame of target in a phased manner. Convergent 1. Perfect supervision and maintenance of 100% perfection in the above jobs is pivotal to the achievement of goal. SF: While evaluating the possible solutions, it is found that a glaring difference in the basic functioning style of Vangi , although remarkably democratic , is the speed-arrester for CBS implementation. Divergent 1. Functioning of other nationalized banks and their operations could be the criteria of evaluation of ideas suggested for change in Vangi. 2. Reception and response from the customers should underlay all the criteria for evaluation. This is because the customers of Vangi are shaped in somewhat different manner from those of other banks. No customer of Vangi turns up for transaction without their passbooks. They get on the spot recording of their transactions to their fullest satisfaction. Treating them at par with customers of other banks whose style of transacting entirely rely on the banks recordings must be balanced. On evaluating further with reference to the needs of customers, it is found a fresh strategy need be evolved with reference to Vangi’s mode of functioning. Convergent 1. Style of basic functioning between Vangi and other banks need to be evaluated in relation to social and environmental needs and requirements of customers. AF: Planning Getting the manual works hitherto carried out is switched over to computerized operations with utmost care for perfection. Maintenance of all the records in soft copies although some are not imminently needed is encouraged. A fresh work culture with a view to compete competitors comprising a team sprit is cultivated with necessary remunerations and incentives. Zero tolerance to imperfection is made the motto of Vangi. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reference list – Donald J. Treffinger, Scott G. Isaksen and K.Brien Stead Dorval, pp. 3, 2005, “Creative Problem Solving: An Introduction,” Prufrock Press Inc Janet E.Davidson and Robert J. Sternberg, pp. 8, 2003, “The Psychology of Problem Solving”, Cambridge University Press, ISBN: 0521797411 Peter A. Frensch and Joechim Funke, pp. 4, 1995, “Complex Problem Solving : The European Perspective”, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, ISBN: 0805817832 Arthur Whimbey and Jack Lochhead, pp. 26, 1999, “Problem solving and comprehension”, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, ISBN: 0805832742 William M.Fox, pp.1, 1987, “Effective group problem solving: how to broaden participation, improve decision making and increase commitment to action”, Jossey-Bass, ISBN: 1555420338 Read More