Why do people like to solve a problem by creating a new and bigger problem?

Why do people like to solve a problem by creating a new and bigger problem?

In our everyday life, we can come across this issue.

A lot of people like to solve a problem by creating a new and bigger problem.

Instead of solving the problem at the root cause, they will react to the problem by taking a remedial action and by doing so, creating a new and bigger problem.

For example:

I used to work in one company, there was one incident where some payments were delayed, and the suppliers decided to complain to the boss since he was very close with the boss.

So instead of finding out the reason of the delay, the boss decided to carry out an investigation and trying to find some faults with the finance department.

The person who carried out the investigation, needless to say, belong to the inner circle of the boss.

Instead of interviewing the finance staff and find out why the delay, he decided to carry out his investigation based on what he assumed the cause of the issue.

At the end of the investigation, he submitted his report and proposed the following:

1. More checks to be carried out to ensure the payment clerk does her work promptly,

2. Create a time table on payment schedule to make sure payments are prepared promptly.

3. Hire another two staffs to carry out the work of the above two suggestions.

So, you see, now because of payment delay problem, a bigger and new problem was created.

The person who carried out the investigation did not even bother to do the following:

1. To check with the finance team on the cash flow position of the company.

2. To find out why payments were not prepared.

Actually the reasons for the delay were mainly due to the cash flow position of the company, and the suppliers failed to provide the relevant invoices and documents not in order.

Thus, instead of solving the problem at the root cause, he created a bigger problem.

New staffs need to be hired to carry out the works of his great suggestions.

By doing so, it makes the cash flow financial position of the company in more dire situation, this aggravated the stress level of the finance staffs who were monitoring the cash flow position.

Another example of the solving problem by creating a bigger problem is the recent announcement about supermarkets are going to charge for the use of plastic bags if the shoppers do not bring along their own shopping bags.

Majority of the residents in Singapore stay in HDB high rise buildings and they dispose of their rubbish through the rubbish chutes, and every one of them will use the plastic bags from shopping to collect the rubbish and throw in the rubbish chutes.

Now no more plastic bags, assuming they refuse to pay for the plastic bags, so they may just throw the waste in the rubbish chutes, and this may clog the chutes eventually especially when food wastes are thrown in.

This will definitely create a bigger problem, with clogged chutes, more rats, roaches and other insects may gather in chutes.

Also, giving more works for the cleaning workers and it is not easy to clean the chutes.

Sooner or later, the stench garbage smell will spread through the whole HDB block if the chutes are not cleaned.

These are just some of the examples of solving a problem by creating a bigger problem.