Types of problems

1.Convergent, structured, or logical problem

What are Structured Problems?

Well-structured problems are constrained problems with convergent solutions that

engage the application of a limited number of rules and principles within well-
defined parameters.

Structured problems are routine in nature. They commonly occur in a similar or

recognizable way within the organization. In this way, structured problems are
easily understood by the organization.

Example: Mr. A is a soldier and he has to wake at 6 in the morning when army
bugle is played/blown. This procedure will be followed no matter what

Example Business: Staff shall be in the bank by 8:00 a.m. to ensure opening for
public dealing at 9 a.m. This procedure will be followed no matter what

2.Divergent problem

Divergent thinking is employed when an individual is faced with an open-ended

task.

In the 1950s, J. P. Guildford and his colleagues defined it as the ability to generate
multiple alternative solutions to a given situation or problem, what is clear is that
divergent thinking is a unique capacity that contributes to many forms of creativity

Example: “How can a brick be used?”. From this perspective divergent

thinking is a kind of problem solving. Unlike convergent thinking, where the
individual gives the one correct or conventional response (example. “Who won the
1988 World Series?”,

Divergent thinking leads the individual to numerous and varied responses. When
used as a test, individual differences may be found in fluency (the number of ideas),
originality (the number of unusual or unique ideas), and flexibility (the number of
different categories implied by the ideas)

Divergent thinking may play several roles in organizations. It may be involved in

leadership, managerial creativity, and entrepreneurship.

An example of divergent problem: Is a teenager trying to find a way to raise

money for a car. The teenager brainstorms several different ways that he or she can
raise money.
3.Reasoning problem

Problem Solving Reasoning is a logical reasoning part where candidates will be

given various questions and they need to perform various operations such as
addition, division, greater than, lesser than, etc are interchanged or substituted to
find the correct answer

4.Deductive problem

Deductive problem solving is comprehensive and derives factual conclusions. Most

people or teams tasked with solving a problem don’t start with a problem
statement, then build a hypothesis tree, and then spend weeks or months proving
and disproving the different branches of the hypothesis tree, but top strategy
consulting firms do.

Deductive logic is referred to as top-down logic, drawing conclusions through the

elimination or examination of the disaggregated elements of a situation.

Example of the profit of a company, which equals revenue minus costs. Let’s say a
company’s profit is declining, yet their revenues are increasing. By deduction, their
costs must be increasing faster than their revenues, hence shrinking their profits,
even though revenues are increasing

5.Analogy problem

Analogical reasoning is primarily concerned with systemic correspondences, as in

problem solving, where a solution to a known problem may be applied to solving a
structurally similar problem.

Example of a simile is “Her hair is as dark as the night” and an example of a

metaphor is “Her hair is the night”. However, analogy compares two completely
different things and look for similarities between two things or concepts and it only
focuses on that angle.

6.Problem of difficulties

In this case we know the answer to a problem but we have opposition or difficulty
in executing it.

For example, we want to turn a screw and it does not advance.

7.Conflict problems

A conflict is a serious disagreement or argument. In a conflict, there is some form

of friction or discord between two people or a group. This happens when the beliefs
or actions of one or more members of the group are unacceptable or resisted by one
or more members of another group. A conflict generally lasts for a longer period of
time.

A conflict that occurs between members of the same group is known as an

intragroup conflict.

Quarrels/arguments between individual, labor strikes, or armed conflicts are some

examples of conflicts. Conflict can also refer to a clash or incompatibility between
two concepts or arguments;

for example, the conflict between science and religion. The following sentences
will help you to understand the meaning and usage of the term conflict.