5.1 Causes of problems

A problem is a gap between the situation as it is and the situation as it should be, and it always has one or more causes that explain why the gap exists. Identifying causes matters because treating only the visible symptoms leaves the real source untouched, so the problem keeps returning. Example: a county referral hospital that keeps running out of essential drugs may first blame its suppliers, yet a careful look may show that the real causes are late requisitions from the wards and poor stock records in the pharmacy.

5.1.1 Classification of the causes of problems

Causes can be grouped by where they come from, which helps a person know who can act on them and how quickly. Some causes sit inside the organisation or household and can be changed directly, while others sit in the wider environment and can only be managed or planned around.

• Internal causes: These arise within the person, team or organisation and are largely under its control. Examples are weak procedures, poor planning and lack of skills.
• External causes: These come from outside and cannot easily be changed, such as new government regulations, changes in fuel prices or bad weather. The response is usually adaptation rather than removal.
• Immediate causes: These are the events that trigger the problem directly, such as a power cut that stops a milling machine. They are easy to see and often get the most attention.
• Root causes: These are the deeper, underlying reasons that allow the immediate cause to occur. In the milling example, the root cause may be that the grain store has no backup generator and nobody was assigned to maintain one.
• Contributing causes: These are conditions that do not cause the problem alone but make it worse, such as poor communication between shifts that delays the response to a breakdown.

5.1.2 Human causes of problems

People are involved in almost every workplace problem, either through what they do or what they fail to do. Human causes are often the easiest to prevent because they can be improved through training, supervision and clear communication.

• Lack of knowledge and skills: A worker who has not been trained to use equipment or follow a procedure is likely to make errors. Example: a newly employed teller at a SACCO who has not been taught how to verify signatures may process a forged withdrawal.
• Negligence and carelessness: Failing to follow instructions, rushing a task or skipping checks creates avoidable mistakes. A farm hand who forgets to close a gate may let livestock into a crop field.
• Poor communication: Messages that are unclear, late or never delivered lead to misunderstandings and duplicated or missed work. A site foreman who passes verbal instructions to a contractor's crew without writing them down risks wrong measurements being used.
• Poor attitude and low motivation: Employees who feel unrecognised or unfairly treated may work slowly, miss deadlines or ignore quality standards.
• Conflict between people: Disagreements between colleagues, departments or leaders waste time and prevent cooperation. A dispute between the kitchen and service staff of a hotel can delay meals and upset guests.
• Fatigue and stress: Long hours, heavy workloads and personal worries reduce concentration and judgement, which leads to accidents and poor decisions.

5.1.3 Technical and equipment-related causes of problems

Machines, tools and systems fail for reasons that can often be foreseen. These causes become serious when work depends on a single piece of equipment or software.

• Equipment breakdown: Machines wear out or fail suddenly, stopping production. A broken-down pump in a borehole project can halt water supply to a whole school.
• Poor maintenance: Equipment that is not serviced regularly develops faults earlier and costs more to repair. A vehicle that runs without oil changes may seize its engine.
• Faulty design or installation: A system that was badly designed or fitted wrongly will keep failing. Poorly installed electrical wiring in a new building can cause repeated tripping and fire risks.
• Outdated technology: Old machines or software may be slow, unreliable or incompatible with new systems, making tasks inefficient.
• Wrong or substandard materials: Using inputs that do not meet the required specification produces defective output. Cement of poor quality used by a construction firm can lead to weak structures.
• System and software errors: Bugs, viruses or network failures can interrupt operations, such as a bank's mobile app going offline during month-end payments.

5.1.4 Organisational and management causes of problems

How an organisation is led and arranged determines whether small difficulties are solved early or grow into major ones. Weak management is often the hidden cause behind repeated human and technical problems.

• Poor planning: Without clear goals, schedules and budgets, resources are wasted and deadlines are missed. A school that does not plan its term budget may find itself without funds for examinations.
• Unclear roles and responsibilities: When nobody knows who is responsible, tasks are neglected or done twice. Disputes then arise over who should have acted.
• Weak supervision and control: Without monitoring, mistakes and misconduct go unnoticed. A store with no regular stock checks may lose goods to theft for months.
• Ineffective policies and procedures: Rules that are missing, outdated or too complicated are ignored or misapplied, producing inconsistent results.
• Poor leadership and decision making: Leaders who delay decisions, ignore advice or favour some staff create confusion and low morale.
• Inadequate training and staffing: Too few or poorly prepared employees cannot handle the workload, so quality and speed fall.

5.1.5 Financial and resource-related causes of problems

Money, time and materials are limited, and shortages or poor use of them are among the most common reasons projects and businesses struggle. Financial problems also tend to produce other problems, because lack of funds delays maintenance, training and purchases.

• Insufficient capital: A business that starts without enough funds cannot buy stock, pay wages or cover emergencies. A small agro-vet shop may close within months for this reason.
• Poor financial management: Failure to keep records, budget or control spending leads to losses that go unnoticed until it is too late.
• Cash flow problems: Money may come in more slowly than bills fall due, such as when customers pay late while suppliers demand payment, leaving the business short of cash.
• Rising costs: Increases in the price of fuel, raw materials or rent reduce profit and may make a product unaffordable to produce.
• Wastage and misuse of resources: Spoilage, theft, idle equipment and unnecessary expenses drain funds. A restaurant that over-orders perishable food loses money daily.
• Shortage of time: Tight deadlines force rushed work and reduce checking, leading to errors and rework.

5.1.6 Environmental and external causes of problems

Factors outside the organisation's control can disrupt work even when internal systems are sound. The aim is to anticipate them and prepare for their effects.

• Weather and natural events: Floods, drought, landslides and storms damage property, interrupt transport and affect production. Heavy rains can wash out roads leading to a tea factory and delay deliveries.
• Economic conditions: Inflation, exchange rate changes and reduced customer spending affect sales and costs.
• Legal and regulatory changes: New taxes, licensing rules or standards may require sudden changes in the way an enterprise operates.
• Competition: New or stronger competitors can reduce sales and force changes in price or quality.
• Social and cultural factors: Customer preferences, community attitudes and local conflicts influence demand and cooperation.
• Supply chain disruptions: Delays or shortages from suppliers, caused by transport strikes or border closures for instance, stop production at the receiving end.
• Political instability and insecurity: Unrest, demonstrations or insecurity can close businesses, restrict movement and scare off investors.

5.1.7 Personal and interpersonal causes of problems

Individuals bring their own circumstances, habits and relationships to every setting, and these can create problems that affect both home and work. They differ from workplace human causes in that they arise from a person's own life and choices.

• Poor time management: Failing to prioritise tasks leads to delays and last-minute pressure. A student who delays revision until the night before an examination often performs poorly.
• Lack of goals and direction: A person without clear aims drifts, wastes opportunities and may be unable to make sound choices.
• Health problems: Illness, injury or substance abuse reduce a person's ability to work and learn.
• Family and financial pressures: Domestic disputes, school fees and debts can distract people and affect performance.
• Peer influence: Friends may encourage harmful habits or discourage positive actions.
• Limited self-confidence: Fear of failure or criticism may stop a person from seeking help, trying new methods or presenting ideas.

5.1.8 Distinguishing symptoms from causes

A symptom is a visible sign that something is wrong, whereas the cause is the reason it is wrong. Confusing the two leads to quick fixes that do not last, so a problem solver must always ask why a sign appears before deciding what to do. Example: frequent customer complaints at a bank branch are a symptom, and the cause may be a shortage of counters at peak hours or slow system response.

1. State the problem clearly: Describe what is wrong, where and since when, using facts rather than opinions.
2. List the visible signs: Write down what can be seen or measured, such as long queues, high wastage or repeated absences.
3. Ask "why" repeatedly: For each sign, ask why it happens, then ask why again for each answer. Continue until you reach a reason that can be acted on, usually after about five rounds.
4. Gather evidence: Confirm each suspected cause with records, observation or interviews rather than guesswork.
5. Separate immediate from root causes: Mark which causes trigger the problem and which allow it to occur.
6. Rank the causes: Decide which ones contribute most to the problem and which can be dealt with using the available resources.

5.1.9 Tools for identifying causes of problems

Simple tools help people organise what they know and reveal causes that might otherwise be missed. They are used before deciding on a solution and work best when a team applies them together.

• Cause-and-effect (fishbone) diagram: The problem is written at the head of a horizontal line, and branches show categories of causes such as people, equipment, methods, materials and environment. Team members add possible causes to each branch.
• Five whys: Asking "why" repeatedly traces a chain of causes back to the root. It is quick and requires no special equipment.
• Pareto analysis: Causes are counted and ranked so that the few causes that account for most of the problem are dealt with first. It rests on the idea that a small number of causes produce most of the effects.
• Brainstorming: A group lists as many possible causes as it can without criticising ideas, then reviews and sorts them.
• Checklists and records review: Examining past reports, logs and complaint registers shows patterns, such as breakdowns that always occur on the same machine.
• Observation and interviews: Watching the work being done and asking those involved gives first-hand information about what actually happens.