Critical Thinking in the Workplace: Theories and Practices

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DEVELOPING WORKPLACE CRITICAL THINKING
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Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Essay title: Develop workplace critical thinking.............................................................................4
Basic principles of logic...............................................................................................................4
Logics and causal relationships....................................................................................................4
Skills in presenting rational arguments and debating points of view..........................................6
Value and purpose of reflection in supporting learning...............................................................6
Effect of emotions, values, and beliefs on rational discourse......................................................7
Techniques for comparing and evaluating alternative propositions critically.............................8
Inductive and deductive reasoning...............................................................................................9
Theories of management............................................................................................................10
Significance of beliefs, attitudes and value systems in shaping human behaviour e.g.
sustainability and future proofing..............................................................................................11
The beliefs have both positive and negative effects on the human behaviour:..........................11
How beliefs effects the human behaviour negatively:...............................................................11
Relationship between beliefs, attitudes and value systems and culture and norms...................14
Conclusion:....................................................................................................................................16
References......................................................................................................................................17
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Introduction
Critical thinking is a soft skill that is related to the success of an organization. It plays a vital role
in the great performance of any organization. Critical thinking includes intelligence to solve an
issue or conflict included in the organization. The critical skills thinking should be involved in
the mindset of leaders and managers. There is a different kind of models and theories that could
be applied by the management for improving the critical thinking of their leaders and managers.
These critical skills can provide an idea about maintaining better relationships in the
environment of an organization. The critical skills involve the capability to recognize the
information which is essential and making a better judgmental approach towards solving these
issues involved in an organization. The critical thinking process includes the evaluation of better
use of resources and data, information and finding of researches. The great critical thinker can
portray a better ending with the help of collected information and data. They also make a
difference between the importance and less important activity of the organization.
The above assignment can become helpful to know about the different abstract of critical
thinking in the context of an organization. The above report will also illustrate the important
factors like the involvement of logical thoughts in the candidates that can be hired by an
organization. Critical thinking also involves better use of inner intelligence to reduce a critical
situation from an organization. By the help of critical thinking activities, the candidates can find
their ways to find out the necessary solutions regarding the conflicts. The critical decisions can
be based upon personal thinking and situations. In the above report, the effectiveness of critical
thinking would be analyzed. The report will also demonstrate various abstracts of critical
thinking that need to be involved in a candidate or employee of the organization.
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Essay title: Develop workplace critical thinking
Basic principles of logic
As per the words of Morozov, et. al., 2015), Critical thinking is a complete process in which
there is a comprehensive evaluation of how logic will be separated. Critical think is used in
extensive decision-making skills. In this skill, the employee can perform their duties in the
workplace. Logic enables the argument evaluation and consideration of how logic will be
downgraded. It considers the truth, belief, reasonable, attitude, etc. Every employee must need
to develop critical thinking skills because ideas and better understanding need to evaluate on
time. It justifies the opinion or thoughts. It develop the agreement and disagreement in the strong
decision. The workplace does not always provide a flexible environment to ever employees. So,
it would be preferable to identify which decision will not be harm or discriminate some other
employees thought. It is developed by the experience when an employee faced various
challenges and factors. Discrimination, stressful environment, poor experience gives a negative
impact on the critical thinking skills of the employees. Workplace only provides an environment
which needs to consider every one aspect, but it is up to an individual to evaluate which one will
be beneficial to further exploration.
According to Hörisch, et. al., (2014). There is a necessity of critical thinking in every
organization. The different approaches to critical thinking can raise the growth of an
organization. The ability of critical thinkers can improve the level of work also. There are some
three major fundamental principles of critical thinking and these are:
The law of contradiction: The law of contradiction explains that the two adversative quantity
than it could be understood that both cannot be true at the same time and period. As self-
evidence of truth, the law of contraction was accepted by the various philosophers. The related
law can create a lie which can be related to the roots of truth (Hörisch, et. al., 2014).
Law of excluded middle: In the process of logic the law of excluded middle can relate with the
wrong and right amount. This law is mostly equal to the law of non-contradiction and the
principle of identity. The law also states that every proportion could be true or false.
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Principle of identity: The law of identity explains that everything can identify from its way. The
law of identity can be written as "a = a" or for all X: X= X " in this the A and X relate to a team
rather than a single person. So, the law of identity cannot be used for a single proportion
(Morozov, et. al., 2015).
Logics and causal relationships
According to Bloch and Spataro (2014). The importance of logic to identify the causality in an
area. It clarifies the relationship between the cause and its effect on the environment. The
relationship could be understood by the transfer of forces and the causal relationships can make a
change in overtime, cause and effect are usually related with each other and the cause can be
based upon the outcomes of an organization. The causality can be affected by the nonappearance
of a force or a fewer typical definition. The understanding of people depends upon the
capabilities to the understanding of cause and effect. people need to understand the cause of
changing behaviors of other people. It can be happening by the level of causal learning. People
also need to manage their actions according to the environment and they should try to know
about the effects of their actions. By understanding the benefits and hazards of their actions they
can make a causal relationship that can improve the collaboration as well. Contractual arguments
can be seen in various situations. The three types of logics of critical thinking can provide help
for increasing the causal relationships in an environment. The cognitive psychology majorly
focuses on causal relations when the effect and cause are having their different values (Bloch and
Spataro, 2014). There is various type of causal relationship and these are:
 In the common cause relationship a single cause has its various effects:
b
a
c
Above is the example of a single cause of various effects.
 In common effect relationships, various causes meet with one effect
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a
c
b
The enlargement of government expenses is an example of one effect based on a single cause. It
can be a reduced level of employment, reduced value of the currency and enlarged insufficiency.
 In the casual chain, one cause follows an effect which targets another effect
A B C
The example could be a poor sleeping which provides an effect of exhaustion and it creates
lower coordination.
As per Levy, et. al., (2014), the above causal relationships need to be considered for making the
positive working environment. The better understanding of cause and effects can lead to the
decision making the power of a person. The causal relationship explains the effect of the first
cause to another. The first event can be addressed the cause and the second one is its effect. By
the use of different logics, people can evaluate argument and reasoning. In the process of critical
thinking, the logic can be used to differentiate the truth from the false statements. For identify the
better claims, ideas and arguments it is necessary to use the different logics of critical thinking.
The logics are not a material of opinion while evaluating arguments; there are particular principle
and criteria that need to be used in the process of critical thinking. If a person is using those
principles and criteria than they are using the logics of critical thinking (Levy, et. al., 2014).
Skills in presenting rational arguments and debating points of view
As per Ngang, et. al., (2015), different prospectors can be included in the process of critical
thinking. As it explained that the process of critical thinking is also important for academic
success. To present a healthy argument one should try to include these skills in their critical
thinking process.
People need to understand the explicit lessons in logic and reasoning that can be an affecting
factor of improving the IQ of a person. To improve the workforce critical thinking a person need
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to enlarge their critical skills abilities by thinking about an issue or objective critically. It will
gain the critical thinking capabilities of a person or organization. The different thought process
will open the minds of candidates towards becoming a better critical thinker of the organization.
After this process, the candidates need to identify the relation between the different issues of the
organization. They need to know about the connection between the different abstracts. A strong
point of view could be created by a person to clarify its worth whether it is beneficial or not.
Some of the weakness and or negative abstracts need to be identified by the person for making
the evidence of argument. The candidates should also try to know about the needed implications
in the argument. Besides this, structured reasoning and support need to provide in the process of
argument. The critical thinking process can be related to the current state of mind. Most of the
time people try to learn about the skills of critical thinking (Ngang, et.al., 2015).
According to Morozov, et. al., (2014), on the other side, in the process of debating, people try to
argue with a different point of views. The speaking skills can be improved by the debating
process. In the debate process, a person needs to include some factors which can improve the
debating skills of them. The first factor is the speed that needs to be considering in the debate.
Another factor is the tone of voice, people should try to maintain a change in tone and they
should try to know where they can use a higher and lower tone of their voice. The volume should
be stable and the higher volume just is used when it's necessary. The clarity in words needed to
be involved. The aim and target of the debate must be maintained clear in front of people
(Morozov, et. al., 2014).
Value and purpose of reflection in supporting learning
The process of reflection makes a healthy process of learning. The reflection process provides
help to the people for understanding the connection between the experiences of education and the
real-life situation. It enlarges the inner qualities of people and develops the way of future
learning activities. The reflection process can be done by processing, evaluation, and debriefing.
The reflection practices can better connect the students in the learning process. In the process of
teaching and learning reflection is the most important factor. The students can realize a better
connection between the skills they were used in the classroom. The practices of reflection can be
used in team development, training, and group sessions. The reflection process can support
learning activities in a better way. It can enlarge the future learning experiences also. The
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process of reflection can enhance the capabilities of people and they can learn about the
implication of different skills to resolve the various conflicts which are coming in their learning
process. These conflicts could be related to their work, family or with their co-workers. Better
reflection practices can provide the power to deal with frustration and managing their level of
stress. The participates can develop their inner capabilities by their past experiences. The process
also provides multiple pathways to the learning facilities. The process can support different
educational activities and can provide better opportunities for developing their skills and
knowledge. Well, structured reflection creates a discussion for learners to give and receive the
necessary feedback for improving the skills and knowledge. In the lack of reflection process,
both the teachers and students are only can be a "transmitters" of content. The reflection is an
effective process of describing the experiences of a person (Orbach, et. al., 2015).
Effect of emotions, values, and beliefs on rational discourse
According to Gedro, et. al., (2014), the emotions can be created by the surrounded activities
which provide an effect on the mindset of people. The values and emotions can be seen by the
different kind of thoughts, memories, and beliefs. It focuses on people's behavior and attitudes.
Different emotions, values, and various belief affect the decision-making process of a person. If
a person is sad than the willingness of setting the various factors can be seen in their mindsets.
Sadness can make a person more intelligent towards their decision-making process. It can be
seen in various researches that unhappy people can are more beneficial in terms of enlargement
of profit. The values not just affect the process of decision making but also affect the speed of
taking a beneficial decision. The anger of a person can reduce the importance of the decision-
making process. At the time of the decision-making process, one should reduce the fear of being
unsuccessful and should try to include more confidence in the decision-making process (Gedro,
et. al., 2014).
According to Prestridge (2014), the rational decision-making process could be affected by
different kind of beliefs and values. When there are various participants in the decision-making
process, the different values and beliefs can be recognized in the decision-making process.
Sometimes the managers of an organization use to take various experiences of their employees to
make effective decisions. The different kind of beliefs, values, and emotions also can create
confusions in the process of the decision-making process. The different emotions, values, and
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belief can affect the mind of decision-makers and they have faced a situation of confusion by
because of the different point of view of their employees of the organization. The rational
decision-making process is the sequential activity of the decision-making process. It targets on
making solutions for the involved conflicts in the decision making the process. The decision-
makers gather necessary information by implementing different statistical analysis or models.
After collecting the different information they select the appropriate data which they take in
action later. There are fewer chances of error in the rational decision-making process. The high-
quality decisions can be created by rational decision making and it reduces the level of risk
included in a decision (Prestridge, 2014).
Techniques for comparing and evaluating alternative propositions critically
There are various techniques which can compare or evaluate the alternatives in a better manner.
Some of these are described below.
Techniques for comparing the alternatives: There are some techniques which can be used in
the comparison of the alternatives of the decision-making process:
 Multiple criteria decision analysis: It can be used in the business-related decision-making
process. The technique can provide a well-structured framework for decision-making by
creating a better adjustment of risk.
 Paired comparison analysis: the different options if decision making can be compared by
the technique. There is a negative point also which not provides any important
information about supporting each alternative.
 Influence diagrams: In this process, the influence of a decision process can be represented
in the form of diagrams. The influence diagram can become helpful to know about the
effect of a particular decision taken by the managers.
Techniques for evaluating the alternatives: Here are some techniques that could help evaluate
the decision making process:
 Expert analysis: The additional care can be required by some important decisions.
Evaluating the decision can be difficult sometimes. There is a need for a business
consultant and an accountant for better evaluation. The process can become effective
where the decisions can face a situation of failure. Having the expert analysis can become
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helpful to provide the importance of errors in the decision-making process and increase
the chances of being a successful decision-maker of an organization. The latest decision-
making skills can be recognized by the decision-makers.
 Cost-benefit analysis: It provides a detail evaluation of cost which relates to the various
objectives with the expected benefits. The organization needs to update its entire
machinery at the correct time because delaying it can provide a negative impact on the
decision-making process.
 Decision tree analysis: In this process, an organization can map different circumstances
of the decision making the process. It includes the machinery also which need to
purchase for an organization. The different branches of this model explain the different
requirements of the organization which will be included after the decision-making
process (Dawson, 2014).
Inductive and deductive reasoning
Inductive reasoning: In the words of Collins, et. al.,(2015), It is the basic kind of valid
reasoning. Deduction reasoning can be started with a normal statement. It explains the
opportunities of reaching to a successful ending of a process of the organization. Some steps can
be followed in the deductive reasoning method. In the first step, there are premises then the other
and after it, there is a deduction. The basic form of deductive reasoning is the syllogism, in
which the two announcements: A major premise and minor premise reach a reasonable
conclusion. The deductive reasoning can provide some premises which can be true. By using the
approach it is possible to reach out to a better conclusion. The organizations can face a logical
conclusion while the generalization is not better and it can be untrue also. The inductive analysis
is a logical activity which includes multiple premises and that can be believed true most of the
time. Inductive reasoning can be used in applications that include forecasting or behaviors.
Sometimes the approach can become confusing with some mathematical introduction, which is
completely a different process. Mathematical induction is also a type of inductive reasoning
(Collins, et. al., 2015)
Deductive reasoning: As per the opinions of Lee and Lo (2014), it is a logical approach in
which the ending is based on the concordance of numerous premises that can be assumed true
basically. Deductive reasoning makes a necessary conclusion for a particular case as per the
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general principles and rules. The general principle of working can be drawn by the deductive
reasoning approach. It can be identified as the process of reaching to a logically convincing
ending. The process of deductive reasoning runs automatically and makes a connection between
the statements and conclusions. If the entire statements can become true and the terms are also
clear and the rules of deductive logic also followed than the ending could become beneficial and
can become true for the organization. Some of the abdicative reasoning by the path of reasoning
goes in the same way as per the conditions. The important form of logical reasoning. The process
can widely be applied to different organization and also valued by the staff of the organization.
By highlighting the deductive reasoning an employee can represent their use of logic in front of
the employer. It can increase the image of an employee. At the time of employment, an
employee can mostly highlight their deductive reasoning skills. It can be effective when a person
is applying for the job role of a manager in which they need to take important decisions (Lee and
Lo, 2014).
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Theories of management
Human relation theory: According to Kivunja (2014), The theory was introduced by Elton
Mayo. At the beginning of human management theory, the main focus of an organization was its
productivity. Mayo did several experiments for proving the importance of people and
productivity for the organization. The theory explains that people almost always having some
desires to become a part of a supportive team or group. The support team can provide them
growth and development. So, in this situation, if the employees can be encouraged or appreciated
by the managers than they can become more motivated and provide their best efforts to the
organization. The attention of the individual can be recognized by the human relation theory. The
motivational theories were also supported by human relation theories. It is founded in various
researches that there is a big importance of human relationships in the environment of any
organization (Kivunja, 2014).
Scientific management theory: The theory is well known for its engineering science at the floor
of production or the operating levels. The theory majorly focuses on the efficient improvement
of each factor included in the environment of an organization. For example, the performance
level of employees can be included in it. There can be more attractive to the problem-solving
methods of the organization.
Contingency theory: It can be the best way to lead an organization and there is various kind of
external and internal factors that can provide various perspective in terms of leading an
organization. The decisions can be depended upon the situations of the organization and
managers can analyze the actions that can be considered in the organization. The contingency
theory also explains the leaders about the best managerial approaches that can be used in their
organization. The theory measures last performed data of the leadership approaches.
System theory: As per the view of McCleskey (2014), by the help of system theory the
managers and higher authority can identify the system which is included in the organization. The
organizations are also a system in which they include assets, resources, employees, products and
information from a complex system. The system of an organization can be open or closed. The
closed system of an organization cannot be affected by its environment. In the open system, there
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