Validated Learning Quarter

Business Inquiry Quarter (hereinafter, the Quarter) is the first of four lectures of Operations Quadrivium (hereinafter, the Quadrivium):

The Quarter is designed to introduce its learners to enterprise discovery, or, in other words, to concepts related to obtaining data needed to administer the enterprise effort; and
The Quadrivium examines concepts of administering various types of enterprises known as enterprise administration as a whole.

The Quadrivium is the first of seven modules of Septem Artes Administrativi, which is a course designed to introduce its learners to general concepts in business administration, management, and organizational behavior.

Outline

Enterprise discovery. All activities resulted in obtaining of any data relevant to further effort development undertaken in order to achieve the effort goal or goals.
- Activity. The smallest portion of an enterprise effort that has its own name, input, description, timeframe, and measurable result.
- Goal (objective). Desired outcome or target.
- Enterprise goal. A desired outcome towards which the enterprise effort is directed.
- Enterprise objective. A measureable step taken in order to achieve the enterprise goal.
- Means-end chain. An integrated network of goals in which the accomplishment of goals at one level serves as the means for achieving the goals, or ends, at the next level.
- Problem formulation. The stage of creative behavior that involves identifying a problem or opportunity requiring a solution that is as yet unknown.
- Problem. A discrepancy between the current state of affairs and some desired state or, in other words, an obstacle that makes it difficult to achieve a desired goal or purpose.

Workspace.
Workplace.
"Boiled frog" phenomenon. A perspective on recognizing performance declines that suggests watching out for subtly declining situations.
ISO 9000. A series of international quality management standards that set uniform guidelines for processes to entire products conform to customer requirements.