Using Tools to Solve a Problem

Abstract

Uber is a company that has a very large following and cliental within the West Coast of the United States of America and other countries. Uber which originated within the San Francisco region of the Bay Area has run into legal issues regarding drivers, and some other under the rug problems that Uber and other members need to sit at the round table of the cyber world and work out for the betterment of the company.

Introduction

Uber seems to have gotten themselves into deep water in the state of Portland, Oregon regarding safety issues that affected customers. Kate Lobosco a report for CNN Money stated, “The company said it would stop picking up customers there for three months after the city sued, asking a judge to order Uber to stop operating until it is in compliance with safety, health and consumer protection rules” (2014). Within this discussion paper I will intricate on the decision process that may have been used by Uber to make the business decision to temporarily stop taxi services that would affect sales, and the community of Portland, Oregon during the holiday season. I will also discuss what business tools Uber can possibly use within their business meetings to address the legal issues that Uber must conform to before resuming business after the 3 month suspension time frame.

Thesis Statement

Uber is one of the E-commerce of what you would say to be one of the new tech companies to emerge out of the San Francisco/Bay Area that takes advantage of the internet, cyber space, google mapping, and transportation to create a new climate of business and a new way of commuting within the metro areas of over 53 countries.

Using Tools to Solve a Problem “Uber” and Their Suspension Issues

Tools (Discussion)

Business tools are extremely important if any company is determined to be around for the future. Business tools can be anything from: apps, removable security windows for contract drivers, pay before you go rules for all drivers, computers, internet, business plans, human resources, IT departments, PMS teams, and many other business tools to ensure that your business is up to par and dynamic for the millennium. The turmoil that Uber got its self into is ‘Safety’ which is a legal issue that Uber cannot avoid, but must address properly using the laws of each country they progress in starting with Portland, Oregon. Find the proper tools to help alleviate the legal problems that they face will be an asset for Ubers current issues and future development.

Using Tools or Techniques to Solve the Problem

Uber is one of the E-commerce of what you would say to be one of the new tech companies to emerge out of the San Francisco/Bay Area that takes advantage of the internet, cyber space, google mapping, and transportation to create a new climate of business and a new way of commuting within the metro areas of over 53 countries. Uber needs to set principle guidelines for conducting business with a full legal team to enforce these measurements within Ubers’ infrastructure.

When Uber holds their business meetings within these next 3 months the agenda needs to be focused solely on the legal aspects of Uber and what changes they need to implement, what departments need to be formed, what legal aspects will be formulated into policies and procedures, and what are the laws of the land for each country they conduct business in. Upon creating an agenda that demonstrates responsible measures that ratifies each aspects of these tools, then they can go forward with the decision making process. Two tools that I would personally implement within Ubers’ policy and procedures manual is for them to: 1. Have all drivers install removable bullet proof glass between the driver and passengers that locks in place securely, but is removable. 2. All drivers must make customers pay before they ride. By using Google map and Map Quest Uber drivers can estimate the cost of the ride from one place to another.

Decision Making Process (Discussion)

The decision making process that Uber is using is the rational process. This process uses intelligence, wisdom, and rational behavior to make wiser decisions. According to CSU Global Interactive Lecture, “the rational decision making is the process of making a logically sound decision. In this model, the leader follows a series of steps to arrive at a decision. This model is best used when information on alternative options can be gathered (2014).

The tool diagram below gives the steps and process for the rationale process that will be used to ensure that Uber and its board follows through to enforced, develop, and comply with the needed changes properly (per government, legislation, laws, and countries rules and regulations).

I also believe that Uber used the intuitive rational process when they made the decision to halt all service within the Portland, Oregon region. By Uber using business intuition was a very wise choice to keep them from getting into legal trouble which could all together cause them to loose contracts within the Portland region. The use of ‘Intuitive Rational’ is a form of decision process used by older and wiser business men, women, and organizations.

The Decision Making Process

Nina dos Santos a write at CNN Money wrote,” It’s time for disruptive tech firms to grow up,” “But there comes a time when even the most scrappy of start-ups needs to grow up and embrace the responsibility that comes with creating a new market (2019). It’s time for Uber to put its big boy pants on and roll up their sleeves and get to work. If Uber is to really take over the taxi and easy accessible transportation industry they must make all the needed legal changes by sitting down at the drawing board and doing an intense revamped policy and procedure manual with no tolerance toward drivers and customers alike. “Uber is a great example. Its business model may be revolutionary but it’s unlikely the firm would have captured global attention as quickly as it has without the stream of “bad news” stories” (Santos, 2014). Enough with the bad stories and get back to business with a new policy and procedure manual that has to govern your drivers whom use the taxi service without all the red tape.

Results

The results of Ubers’ temporarily suspension has caused the founder and developers to sit back down at the Executive board to create an agenda with new guidelines. These new rules that will be implied drivers and commuters alike must abide by. The final results of the board meetings and decision making process will be available to the public by March 2015. During this time frame the creative decision making process needs to be used to ensure that all minds within Uber collaborate properly and that the group dynamics are there to pull the company out of this legal pit. “Creative decision making is the process of being innovative when making decisions. After identifying and gathering information on the situation, the problem is set aside. Then during the illumination phase, the leader spontaneously gains the insight needed to address the situation. With this method of decision making, managers learn to view “situations” as opportunities as opposed to “problems” (CSU Global, 2014). By the end of Ubers 3 month legal incubation time in Portland, Oregon they should have completed the entire step from; Problem recognition to applying the legal methods within society. Below is an illustration supplied by CSU Global depicting the step of the creative decision making process.

Analysis

Upon carefully reviewing selected news articles and inserts it came to my attention that Uber used the intuitive decision making process and the rationale decision making process to make a quick and decisive decision on what should be done. Without Uber even saying that this was the decision making process that they were using, it was evident that Uber had to use these two methods to avoid more costly and timely penalties. Analyzing Ubers next step of action I came to the conclusion that it would be the creative decision making process a process that usually is always employed while at the executive board table. This would be the time for Uber to hire a ‘Performance Management Team’ (PMS). A PMS team helps with all the antics that come with having a customer service based business and can gives vital feedback to the managers, CFO, CEO, founder, and executive board members to ensure changes or implementations are done correctly.

Justification

All legal changes within Uber are justified based off current events and the need for commuter and customer protection. If the stated methods, tools, and process are not done then they more than likely can forget about resuming business within the Portland, Oregon’s metro area. Phillip Cardenas the head of global safety at Uber stated, “Uber is developing biometric and voice verification to enhance driver screening, and building ways for passengers to communicate with the company immediately in case of emergency” (Isidore, 2014). Even implementing biometric Uber has to ensure that they are not breaking any rules and laws when it comes to customer and commuters’ privacy and rights. Biometrics use a form of identification that can violate the right of people something that Americans have fought for.

Conclusion

Uber will be successful if only they do the needed work that is requested by Portland, Oregon. In California the San Francisco/Bay Area are frequent users of Ubers’ services. The polices that Uber installs in Oregon should be implemented within their California locations along with all other countries that they do business in along with following the laws of the state and country. From installing removable safety glass in personal vehicles, the pay before you go safety measure, and along with other policies that will make the commuter and drivers ride a bit safer is something that Uber can not avoid. I do not think that standard taxi service will disappear, but Uber is part of the option and choice plan for the millennium.

Reference

Creative Decision Making. (2014, January 1). Retrieved December 21, 2014, from https://www.schoology.com/course/203294292/materials/link/view/203294564

Dos Santos, N. (2014). It’s time for disruptive tech firms to grow up. Washington, DC: CNN

Guttman, H. M. (2012). Making decisions. Leadership Excellence, 29(2), 9.

Isidore, C. (n.d.). Uber says it will toughen driver background checks. Retrieved December 19, 2014, from http://money.cnn.com/2014/12/18/technology/uber-background- checks/index.html

Money.Decision Making Techniques, Tools and Approaches: Decision-Making Models. (2014). In Decision Theory in a Global Marketplace. Greenwood Village, CO: CSU Global. https://www.schoology.com/course/203294292/materials/link/view/203294564

Lobosco, K. (2014, December 18). Uber agrees to temporarily suspend service in Portland. Retrieved December 18, 2014, from http://money.cnn.com/2014/12/18/technology/uberportland/index.html?iid=SF_BN_Rive r

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