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Fig. Five whys worksheet. Source Author
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When confronted with a problem, have you ever stopped and asked “why” five times? The Five Whys technique is a simple but powerful way to troubleshoot problems by exploring cause-and-effect relationships.
Citations
... • Five Whys [39,303,353], ...
Body-Mind-Soul-Spirit Fluidity is a concept rooted in psychology and phenomenology, offering significant insights into human decision-making and well-being. Similarly, in social analysis and social sciences, frameworks such as PDCA, DMAIC, SWOT, and OODA have been established to enable structured evaluation and effective problem-solving. Furthermore, in phenomenology and social sciences, various logical systems have been developed to address specific objectives and practical applications. This paper extends these concepts using the Neutrosophic theory, revisiting their mathematical definitions and exploring their properties. The Neutrosophic Set, an extension of the Fuzzy Set, is a highly flexible framework that has been widely studied in fields such as social sciences. By incorporating Neutrosophic Sets, we aim to improve their suitability for programming and mathematical analysis, providing advanced methods to tackle complex, multi-dimensional problems. We hope that this research will inspire further studies and foster the development of practical applications across various related disciplines.
... "Why" questions can help identify the true problem and alternative answers. In this process, the 5 Why? method developed by Sakichi Toyoda (Serrat, 2017) may be useful. Its goal is to identify the source of the problem by asking five "why" questions. ...
The article proposes a technique for conducting intelligence analysis aimed at developing analytical products. It consists of three stages: formulating analytical questions, stakeholder analysis, and systemic analysis using fuzzy cognitive mapping. The approach integrates theoretical concepts from political science, international relations, and security studies, operationalizing them with structured analytic techniques. The distinction between research and analysis of foreign policy is emphasized, with a focus on the latter’s practical application in decision-making. The proposed procedure aims to support the analytical process while acknowledging the importance of critical thinking and source scrutiny. The article concludes by advocating for empirical research to verify the effectiveness of structured analytical techniques and bridge the gap between academia and practical intelligence work.
... • Five Whys [303,39,353], ...
Body-Mind-Soul-Spirit Fluidity is a concept rooted in psychology and phenomenology, offering significant insights into human decision-making and well-being. Similarly, in social analysis and social sciences, frameworks such as PDCA, DMAIC, SWOT, and OODA have been established to enable structured evaluation and effective problem-solving. Furthermore, in phenomenology and social sciences, various logical systems have been developed to address specific objectives and practical applications. This paper extends these concepts using the Neutrosophic theory, revisiting their mathematical definitions and exploring their properties. The Neutrosophic Set, an extension of the Fuzzy Set, is a highly flexible framework that has been widely studied in fields such as social sciences. By incorporating Neutrosophic Sets, we aim to improve their suitability for programming and mathematical analysis, providing advanced methods to tackle complex, multi-dimensional problems. We hope that this research will inspire further studies and foster the development of practical applications across various related disciplines.
... To determine the root causes of problems, a number of authors recommend using the "5 Why?" method in practice [8]. But the questions remained unresolved, in which scenarios of the development of events, its use is most expedient or limited. ...
Enabling the development of technologies for the production of polymer materials directly determines the possibility of achieving the standards of sustainable development in the auto-motive industry, since polymer composites are used in modern cars as components of almost all assemblies and mechanisms. The expansion of plastics application in the car structure con-tributes to the reduction of fuel consumption and wear of parts. Technological changes encourage enterprises to constantly improve decision-making methods regarding the introduction of innovative technologies.This paper reports an innovative method devised for making management decisions at enterprises specializing in the processing of polymers for the automotive industry, which makes it possible to increase production efficiency. Based on the Ishikawa diagram and the PDCA cycle application, management tools and procedures for making production and technological decisions have been developed using the methodology of finding root causes and verifying factors influencing existing production problem. A set of indicators that make it possible to reduce the number of management errors has been substantiated; they increase the reliability of verifying received intermediate results of decisions. The selection of verification indicators was carried out taking into account the specificity of polymer production technologies.An improved decision-making management procedure is presented, which was embodied in an updated decision-tracking protocol. Unlike its basic version, it contains additional control points: target date of verification, date of verification, and result of verification. An experimental study showed that the application and observance of the full PDCA cycle increases the overall effectiveness of management by 63%, which in turn has a positive effect on the company’s sustainability in a competitive environment.
... The 5 Why technique, initially conceptualised by Sakichi Toyoda in 1958, entails a progressive questioning process whereby the "why" question is repeatedly posed [35,36,37]. In other words, the 5 Why technique, which is based on repeatedly asking the question "Why?" to the problem, involves asking and answering the question as many times as necessary to identify the root cause or the end of the causal chain [38]. ...
... The Five Whys technique is a humble but influential way to troubleshoot problems by exploring cause-and-effect relationships [31]. ...
In the last years, specifically post Covid-19, pharmaceutical industry has gained a significant place in the healthcare domain. Pharmaceutical companies are the important players in the supply chain of drugs. With increasing competition, growing population and changing complexities of type of diseases, the need of pharmaceutical products has swelled over time, making the sector prone to supply chain risks. The purpose of this paper is to identify and access various risks in the pharmaceutical supply chain in the context of India. To attend this objective, a case of a major pharmaceutical company had been considered. Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) has been used to identify and further prioritize these risks. Further Pareto analysis, also called as 80/20 rule, is conducted to identify the risks that are vital. The "80/20" rule suggested prioritizing 17 from 35 potential causes. Second level Pareto analysis identified 6 risk elements out of these 17 elements as most critical. Root cause assessment on these six risks is done through Five Why technique. The results of this study exhibited that Inventory Planning Issues, Labour Issues, Insufficient Storage Space, Raw Material Availability Issues, Inappropriate Forecasting, Communication Issues were the most critical issues in the pharmaceutical supply chain. The major cause to the eruption of these risks is improper Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP). This study suggests that the managers of the pharmaceutical supply chain should first understand the various risks in the supply chain that can disrupt the function. Further through prioritization of risks, the losses or the delays in the supply chain can be reduced.
... • Five Whys [39,303,353], ...
Body-Mind-Soul-Spirit Fluidity is a concept rooted in psychology and phenomenology, offering significant insights into human decision-making and well-being. Similarly, in social analysis and social sciences, frameworks such as PDCA, DMAIC, SWOT, and OODA have been established to enable structured evaluation and effective problem-solving. Furthermore, in phenomenology and social sciences, various logical systems have been developed to address specific objectives and practical applications. This paper extends these concepts using the Neutrosophic theory, revisiting their mathematical definitions and exploring their properties. The Neutrosophic Set, an extension of the Fuzzy Set, is a highly flexible framework that has been widely studied in fields such as social sciences. By incorporating Neutrosophic Sets, we aim to improve their suitability for programming and mathematical analysis, providing advanced methods to tackle complex, multi-dimensional problems. We hope that this research will inspire further studies and foster the development of practical applications across various related disciplines.
... • Five Whys [39,303,353], ...
Body-Mind-Soul-Spirit Fluidity is a concept rooted in psychology and phenomenology, offering significant insights into human decision-making and well-being. Similarly, in social analysis and social sciences, frameworks such as PDCA, DMAIC, SWOT, and OODA have been established to enable structured evaluation and effective problem-solving. Furthermore, in phenomenology and social sciences, various logical systems have been developed to address specific objectives and practical applications. This paper extends these concepts using the Neutrosophic theory, revisiting their mathematical definitions and exploring their properties. The Neutrosophic Set, an extension of the Fuzzy Set, is a highly flexible framework that has been widely studied in fields such as social sciences. By incorporating Neutrosophic Sets, we aim to improve their suitability for programming and mathematical analysis, providing advanced methods to tackle complex, multi-dimensional problems. We hope that this research will inspire further studies and foster the development of practical applications across various related disciplines.
... As systems become more complex and interconnected, finding the root cause of failures becomes harder. Traditional Root Cause Analysis (RCA) methods, like the "Five Whys" [11], often miss the multi-layered nature of these systems. These methods rely heavily on human judgment, which introduces bias and variability. ...
... In the requirements gathering phase, GenAI can reduce ambiguity in user stories, improving clarity and alignment between Five Whys [11] Repeatedly asks "Why?" to trace root causes. ...
Traditional banks face significant challenges in digital transformation, primarily due to legacy system constraints and fragmented ownership. Recent incidents show that such fragmentation often results in superficial incident resolutions, leaving root causes unaddressed and causing recurring failures. We introduce a novel approach to post-incident analysis, integrating knowledge-based GenAI agents with the "Five Whys" technique to examine problem descriptions and change request data. This method uncovered that approximately 70% of the incidents previously attributed to management or vendor failures were due to underlying internal code issues. We present a case study to show the impact of our method. By scanning over 5,000 projects, we identified over 400 files with a similar root cause. Overall, we leverage the knowledge-based agents to automate and elevate root cause analysis, transforming it into a more proactive process. These agents can be applied across other phases of the software development lifecycle, further improving development processes.
... Descriptive statistics was used to include summaries of the sample and data measurements to explore quantitative insights that are often difficult to understand over a broad dataset by identifying measures of central tendency and measures of variability or spread. Aristotle's [12] rhetorical device, commonly known as the "seven circumstances", has long helped journalists and researchers address the five whys [13], seeking to ensure the process of collecting information and enhancing the resolution of problems. ...
This study aims to investigate the determinants of corporate donations during the initial phase of the Covid-19 pandemic, focusing on the Portuguese context. It explores the interplay between pandemic-related factors, corporate structures, recipient profiles, and media coverage on the levels of corporate donations. In the absence of publicly available data, a comprehensive database of corporate donations was constructed by analyzing over six thousand news pieces from various media sources between March and May 2020. The database comprises 1171 donations from 709 different institutions. The relationship between corporate donations and multiple variables was examined, including the epidemiological progression of the pandemic, corporate ownership structures, recipient characteristics, and media coverage. Our analysis reveals that during the initial wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in Portugal, corporate donations were predominantly made by large companies, primarily directed toward their local regions. Notably, nearly 93% of all donations were allocated to the National Health System. PPEs and hospital equipment were the preferred donation items among the contributing companies. These findings shed light on the factors influencing corporate donation behavior during emergency situations and provide valuable insights into trust levels within the healthcare system. This study contributes to the existing literature by offering a unique exploration of corporate donation behavior during the Covid-19 pandemic, specifically in Portugal. The comprehensive dataset and findings provide novel insights into the factors shaping corporate donation decisions during crises. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2024-08-05-010 Full Text: PDF