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The purpose of this paper is to focus on the development of definitional standards for research information as a wicked problem. A central solution strategy for such problems, increasing transparency by argumentation visualisation, is being evaluated.

Qualitative formal content analysis is used in order to examine whether the process of definition standardisation in the project can be characterised as a wicked problem. Action Research is used to assess the effect of argumentation visualisation in the project.

The results of the content analysis confirm the interpretation of the standardisation process as a wicked problem. The implementation of argumentation visualisation shows to increase the meetings’ focus and effectiveness.

The relationship between information exchange, transparency and acceptance of the development result should be addressed in future empirical analyses. Visualisation solutions require further development in order to accommodate needs of the stakeholders.

Argumentation visualisation is of high value for finding a consensus for definitional standards and should be considered for managing and exchanging information.

Applying solution strategies from design research on wicked problems to large-scale standardisation efforts opens up new possibilities for not only handling such projects but also providing new avenues of research for both the design and research information communities.

This study explored students' experiences of creative problem-solving using a design thinking approach in higher education, mainly focusing on the importance of empathetic approach in the problem identification and definition phase.

The authors used a descriptive qualitative research design and thematic analysis, in which observation and 27 semi-structured reports were used to reveal the impact of design thinking on undergraduate students' experience of creative problem-solving.

The authors found multiple themes in students' responses concerning problem identification and definition in design thinking, which could be described as a systematic innovation process. Four major themes were identified. They included identifying and defining problems in a real-world context, empathizing with people from the target beneficiary group as a process of problem identification and definition, working with a team to expand the empathizing view, and perceiving the need for deep exploration in the empathetic process and defining a problem.

This study examined the perceived role of empathy in students' creative problem-solving process. However, the main limitation of this study was the small sample size, which can limit the generalizability of the results of the study. Nonetheless, this study provides valuable insights into understanding the role of empathy and problem identification as an essential process in creative problem-solving.

It is worthwhile to integrate design thinking as an effective teaching and learning strategy in university education, particularly for fostering empathy and creative problem-solving skills in students. Among the processes of design thinking, empathy is critical in the problem identification and definition phase.

This study adds to existing knowledge by examining the role and ways of perceiving real-world problems in a human-centered mindset in university programs.

While problem and decision analysis has attracted considerable interest in general management fields, it is not a topic commonly found in the marketing management literature. Problem understanding and definition determine management action, and therefore deserve greater attention. Addresses the key issues in marketing management problem analysis by showing why problem definition is important; outlining the nature of marketing problems and the difficulties involved in addressing them; and providing guidelines for management and research practitioners. A diagrammatic review of several problem and decision models provides a broad view of the complex processes involved. One critical factor which comes to the fore in the discussion is the necessity for decision makers and analysts to collaborate, and several techniques for such co‐operation are presented.

Three types of adaptation are distinguished in problem‐solving systems: Adaptation to the environment, adaptation to the problem and adaptation to the class of problems. An important class of problem‐solving systems with developed adaptive properties is described. The system APROS, designed to solve R&D problems and problems of robot actions planning, serves as an example of such a system.

Describes an approach that assists decision makers and market research analysts in problem‐definition in market research studies. Examines the two‐stage process of formulating an explicit research objective and developing a series of research questions to achieve that objective, illustrating the approach with examples. Concludes that while the approach does not provide insight into what is the right problem, it represents an aid to designing effective market research studies.

A system for solving a wide variety of inverse and optimization problems in solid mechanics is introduced. The system consists of a general purpose finite element method (FEM) analysis system “Elfen” and a shell which controls this system. The shell functions as a stand‐alone programme, so the system is physically divided into two separated parts. The “optimization part”, which corresponds to the shell, possesses optimization and inverse problem solution algorithms. The “analysis part”, which corresponds to an FEM system, serves for the definition of the objective function to which these algorithms are applied. The shell has a user interface implemented in the form of file interpreter which imposes a great flexibility at the definition of various optimization and inverse problems, including parameter identification in constitutive modelling, frictional contact problems and heat transfer. Concepts of the shell are discussed in detail.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the definitional debates linked to climate change and their impact on the policy actors ' position and on policy content. It is suggested that while discussing about “climate change”, different policy arenas perceive different problems implying different responsibility attributions and different solutions.

The study mobilizes different sources, such as regulations, research reports, and scientific papers, combined with personal interviews with international agents participating in the climate policy negotiations process.

Initially, climate change has been defined as an environmental degradation problem. Progressively, other competing definitions of the problem occupied the public debate. Alternatively, climate change has been discussed as a development issue, a migration issue and a security issue. The paper argues that while this polyphonic discourse persists, the problem definition process remains unaccomplished, new institutional equilibriums cannot be established and, consequently, policymaking cannot follow.

By focusing on the different perceptions and debates of the climate issue, this paper points to the conflicts transcending the international arena. This gives policy actors a wider view of the negotiating process in which they are involved.

Most analyses explain the success or failure of international agreements by pointing to either the presence/lack of governmental compliance or the institutional complexity and need for coordination between enforcement agencies. Less attention is paid to the way public problems are perceived by different policy communities. This paper focuses on the definitional debates accompanying the post-Kyoto negotiations and their impact on the policy making process.

The purpose of this paper is to present the adapted model per phases of the creative problem solving (CPS) process, where multi‐criteria decision making (MCDM) methods are used in the decision‐making phase. Also, to adapt and complete the steps of the six‐question technique, in order to establish the criteria's importance.

The framework procedure of MCDM, together with the Dialectical Systems Theory's guidelines when solving complex problems has already been introduced. The procedure was well‐verified in practice, but lacked the support of creative qualitative techniques in defining problems, and in generating and choosing alternatives. To eliminate this deficiency, in terms of prescriptive approach, the authors adapted the phases of the CPS process, where MCDM methods are used when choosing alternatives, and completed the steps of the six‐question technique to establish the criteria weights. The discrete Choquet integral was used to consider interactions among criteria.

The article shows that creative approaches are not limited to merely problem definitions and problem structuring. They can also be used in typically analytical steps in the framework procedure.

The completed and adapted phases of the CPS process can allow the mutual assistance of creative and decision‐making methods when solving problems – a step forward to holism.

This article develops and introduces the use of the six‐question technique, in the establishment of criteria weights.

The innovative aspect of this article is that it adapts and completes the CPS process so that MCDM methods can be used when choosing alternatives. It extends the use of creative approaches to typically analytical steps of MCDM, where synergies and redundancies among criteria are considered.

This paper aims to dissect conceptual and semantic issues surrounding the word “brand.” Theoretical, operational and practical concerns resulting from the term’s use and misuse are exposed, some derived managerial problems are highlighted, and alternatives for resolving the confusing and dysfunctional brand nomenclature are offered.

Comprehensive literature review, i.e. review of an entire population of literature, incorporating content analysis.

A large fraction of empirical brand literature is ambiguous because the definition, meaning and therefore measurement of the focal construct, brand, is unclear. In other words, empirical results throughout the brand literature may apply to “brand” – by one definition or another – but there is no way of knowing which brand interpretation is in use.

A large part of the marketing field does not know what the word “brand” means anymore, a lapse that is widely unrecognized. This paper illuminates the lost knowledge condition and proposes resolution. The present state of theoretical and empirical ambiguity is untenable because so many empirical findings throughout the literature are vitiated.

Using the example of capital charging in UK hospitals, this paper shows how new public policy initiatives are justified through forms of persuasion without numbers and can be challenged with empirics. A reading of official and academic texts shows how the official problem definition focuses on poor asset utilisation. Hospital accounts are then reworked to show that, although poor asset utilisation was never a major problem, the introduction of capital charges could disrupt service provision. The conclusion is that the operation of NHS hospitals should be understood in terms of distributive conflict, rather than inefficiency. Through practical demonstration, the authors of this article aim to encourage accounting researchers to use numbers to challenge public policy definitions.