Performance Problems and Consequential Strategies

by | Feb 20, 2025 | Project Management

 

Case study scenario..

Give a precise definition of the problematic conduct that is countable, unambiguous, and succinct. (To build an ideal definition, you might invent some details to fill in the holes.)

To identify the causes of the performance issue, do a PDC assessment (study the selected scenario to determine how to answer these questions).

Name the domain and explain which part of the domain is causing the performance problem.

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Let’s analyze a hypothetical case study to illustrate the process you’ve described.

Case Study Scenario:

Sarah, a customer service representative at “Tech Solutions Inc.,” consistently receives low customer satisfaction ratings. Her average rating over the past quarter is 2.5 out of 5, significantly below the team average of 4.2. Call monitoring reveals that Sarah often interrupts customers, uses technical jargon they don’t understand, and appears impatient. She has been with the company for two years and has received standard training. Other team members report that Sarah is knowledgeable about the products but struggles with communication.

1. Precise Definition of Problematic Conduct:

  • Countable: Customer satisfaction rating below 3 out of 5.
  • Unambiguous: Based on customer feedback surveys collected after each interaction, using a standardized rating scale.

Let’s analyze a hypothetical case study to illustrate the process you’ve described.

Case Study Scenario:

Sarah, a customer service representative at “Tech Solutions Inc.,” consistently receives low customer satisfaction ratings. Her average rating over the past quarter is 2.5 out of 5, significantly below the team average of 4.2. Call monitoring reveals that Sarah often interrupts customers, uses technical jargon they don’t understand, and appears impatient. She has been with the company for two years and has received standard training. Other team members report that Sarah is knowledgeable about the products but struggles with communication.

1. Precise Definition of Problematic Conduct:

  • Countable: Customer satisfaction rating below 3 out of 5.
  • Unambiguous: Based on customer feedback surveys collected after each interaction, using a standardized rating scale.
  • Succinct: Consistently low customer satisfaction ratings, evidenced by an average of 2.5/5 over the past quarter, accompanied by observed communication deficiencies including interrupting customers, using excessive technical jargon, and displaying impatience during customer interactions.

2. PDC (Performance, Deficiency, Cause) Assessment:

  • Performance: Sarah’s customer satisfaction rating is 2.5/5, below the team average of 4.2, and her communication style during calls is problematic.
  • Deficiency: Sarah’s customer service skills, specifically communication skills, are deficient. While knowledgeable, she struggles to convey information effectively and empathetically.
  • Cause: The root cause is likely a combination of factors:
    • Lack of Specific Training: While Sarah has received general product training, she may lack training in customer communication, active listening, and empathy.
    • Communication Style: Sarah’s natural communication style may not be conducive to effective customer service. She may be unaware of how her communication is perceived by others.
    • Potential Attitudinal Issues: Her impatience could indicate a lack of motivation, burnout, or other attitudinal issues that need to be explored. It’s important to avoid jumping to conclusions about attitude without further investigation.
    • Lack of Feedback and Coaching: Sarah may not have received adequate feedback and coaching on her communication skills. She may be unaware of the negative impact of her interactions.

3. Domain and Problem Area:

The domain is Human Performance.

The specific part of the domain causing the performance problem is Skills and Knowledge, specifically within the subcategory of Communication Skills. While attitudinal factors might be playing a role, it’s crucial to first address the observable skill deficiency through targeted training and coaching. If, after skill-building interventions, the performance doesn’t improve, then exploring potential attitudinal or motivational factors would be the next step.

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