Difference between Issues and Problems

Some business managers mistakenly use the term â€Å"issue† and â€Å"problem† interchangeably; however, doing so may complicate the daily decision making processes by lumping all issues and problems together and possibly make a bad situation worse. Separating issues from problems helps to prevent smaller issues from becoming problems. This business practice is so important that there is an entire management discipline predictably called, â€Å"issue management† (IM). The Dow Jones says that â€Å"successful issue management depends on addressing concerns before they become full blown problems. 1Therefore, it is deduced that issues are smaller, less threatening and require minimal effort to find resolution – but left unchecked could expose the organization to greater risk. There is an analogy to help put this concept into proper perspective – â€Å"forgetting your lunch is an issue, but losing your job is a problem. 2 Therefore, the difference between an Issue and a problem can be explained this way, â€Å"Problems are solved. Issues need to be resolved†¦. To solve is to explain and to resolve is to separate a thing into its component parts or elements, then determine a course of action. †