Human purposeful activities for classifying management problems

Typologies of management problems, when suggested at all, focus on technique categories, previous solutions, current organizational activities, or abstract definitions. None appear to justify the rationale for establishing typologies: to identify the right situation or problem requiring attention and the most effective approach to follow in determining what to do about it. Human purposeful activities are proposed as a useful form for a manager to consider in dealing with problems. The major purposeful activities are maintaining an effective system (operate and supervise), creating or restructuring solutions (plan and design), assessing effectiveness of previously established programs and systems (evaluate), gaining skills and insights into bodies of knowledge (learn) and developing generalizations about social and natural phenomena (research). Significant improvement in results ought to be obtained when different approaches are followed in seeking to achieve each of the different purposes.