critical thinking model

critical thinking model

The Importance of Critical Thinking in Decision Making

1. Introduction

This research study covers the significance of critical thinking in decision making. There are a decent amount of reasons why the decision making process is so important to a corporation. Majority of these reasons is the assumption that decision making is the heart of all organization. The statement above is certainly true. Without decision making, a business has no way of solving problems. How can an individual or group of individuals solve a problem without making a decision? The response is that they can’t. This poses a great problem because the issue of problem solving is so vital to a company, that it needs to be done efficiently, and effectively. The decision is a course of action taken to resolve a problem. There are a good amount of constraints which can inhibit an informed decision—factors that may complicate the decision making process. An important factor to interject here is one must be able to discern the nature of the problem. Coming to the best possible decision requires a clear understanding of the issue. Once the problem is understood, the next step is the determination of the cause and effect of said issue. The final step in the decision making is to act on the decision, to implement it and follow up to see if it effectively solved the problem. The implementation is important, but in the steps above, the root cause of a good decision lies in the judgement. If we consider the decision as a course of action, and the problem as an issue to be resolved, we basically have a solution as the desired end result. The judgement is no more than weighing the several possible alternatives to the decision. We want the best possible alternative to execute the decision. In order to compare these alternatives there needs to be a criteria of some sort determined by the problem. At this point it is wise to mention that the decision making process is uncertain, the best method to make a decision exists for a decision under certainty, where one can determine the best possible course of action.

2. Understanding Critical Thinking

To think critically, one must apply the eight elements of thought to their situation. The interrelated essential questions include: who, what, when, where, why, and how. For example, one could contemplate the hermeneutic of the ancient Roman Republic. In doing so, they would gain an understanding of the historical cultural context and an awareness of the underlying values and assumptions present in that society. Another element seeks to state the question at issue; this ensures that we are focused on the problem and its components rather than going on a tangent where we are addressing a non-issue. By seeking the question at issue, we assess the quality of our decisions and the factors that influence our decisions. Assessment of the elements of thought can aid in overcoming the obstacles of the critical thinking process, the first being the unsystematic nature in which humans often arrive at conclusions.

For effective decision making, critical thinking is essential. Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally, understanding the logical connection between ideas. Critical thinking has been the subject of much debate and thought since the time of early Greek philosophers such as Plato and Socrates and has continued to be a subject of discussion into the modern age. The importance of critical thinking is further confirmed in a recent survey of business leaders; 72 percent rated critical thinking as a crucial skill for the 21st century. Another source, Learning For the 21st Century, asserts that critical thinking is imperative for effective citizenship in a democratic society and has the potential to benefit all levels of a society.

3. Applying Critical Thinking in Problem Solving

Problem is an activity that is primarily directed to the attainment of a desirable state which does not now exist. Clearly, this definition calls for the use of the process of critical thinking. Whether one is trying to develop a new product, resolve a division among co-workers, or working on a production problem, the process of working through a problem is still the same. Every problem will need a solution, so then defining the problem and the expected solution is the first step in problem-solving. This stage is a very essential phase, as it has been said that a problem well-defined is half solved. With critical and creative thinking, one must consider the differing views of problems and also search for information that has been overlooked or omitted. This must be done carefully, as incorrect problem identification and definition will lead to a less than desirable solution. During this first phase, one can utilize the tools of mind mapping or brainstorming to make a list of all problems and potential solutions. With a set diagram or chart, one can view the relationships between the problems and solutions more effectively. By comparing and contrasting the advantages and disadvantages of each solution, one can bring the problems down to a very manageable size. Essentially, during this phase, one is working through the problem to leave no stone unturned. The next part of the problem-solving process gets a little more complex. This is when sifting through the mass of found information and selecting the most important considerations relating to the problem becomes essential. This step calls for much more creativity and decision making. First, one can begin by breaking the problem into subsets by dividing and conquering. By critically thinking through and prioritizing the information change and similarity charts, influence diagrams, and decision trees can be utilized to map out complex problems. This is very useful in considering the consequences of each set of decisions. By combining the various comparisons and contrasts of differing solutions, one can develop a strong logical argument for the best solution to the problem. From here, the conclusive problem-solving step and the action plan become more of a formality. At this stage, it should be realized that the solution to the problem will probably not be reached overnight. During the last phase, it is important to act upon the decisions made during the comparison phase. This will require the monitoring of the implemented solutions and possible alternatives. Coming from the complex process of critical thinking, the problem-solving process and any future problems should now seem very uncomplicated.

4. Benefits of Developing Critical Thinking Skills

Someone with a good memory will know the crux of the matter, but they will not be able to critically think because they will be too busy comparing the situation with previous. Critical thinking is self-guided, self-disciplined thinking which attempts to reason at the highest level of quality in a fair-minded way. People who use critical thinking are the ones who make decisions which benefit them at that point in time and are the sorts of decisions which aid them in the long run or do not negatively affect anyone. Decision making is a big part of a manager’s job, and a big part of a manager’s decision is a reflection of someone who can critically think. Critical thinkers are the sort of people who are able to identify and define a problem, effectively communicate with others, gather and analyze information in a significant way, consider implementation of ideas, and make sound decisions which have a positive effect on people around them. (Barbuto, he or she, able will play the devil’s advocate and thus be able to simulate reactions which his decisions will give rise to and then take whichever is the best decision). People who can critically think are able to put the truth behind emotions and thus they are able to break down complex problems, simplify them, set priorities for actions, and make more informed decisions. To put it in a nutshell, critical thinking skills will be the methodology by which an individual may enhance and improve one’s decision-making systems. When decisions are made, they will generally have implications on the person making the decision and on other people; these could be good consequences, these could be bad ones. It would be safe to say that no one actually makes a decision which has bad implications. We all want to make a decision where there is a positive outcome, but that is not always the case. High-quality decision making and thus successful decisions have almost predictable positive implications and effectively eliminate the negative ones. Critical thinkers are able to argue their own decisions and implicate what the decision would be. They garner their arguments from logical inferences and are able to effectively point out that argument to other interested parties. They are able to then effectively judge their arguments and the inference of that argument. When this is done, the best result is a sound argument with logical inferences and a sound decision to alter the condition. Further to our arguments and making decisions, we use defining functions and run simulations to take us up to the best answer that suits us. Critical thinkers will do the same, and again, they will come up with an effective result. Finally, playing with the truth behind what is expressed is making decisions based on valid assumptions and thus inferring only what is true. All these functions have a logical system behind them, and comparing them with the decision-making progress, improving decision-making is just a matter of practicing these functions to the best effect.

5. Conclusion

This essay has discussed how the purpose of decision making is to solve problems. Decision making is an activity that is done by every human being in this world. In the process of decision making, sometimes a person or a group may have made a misstep. Consequently, the decision was a bad decision. Critical thinking, as an ability to make the better decision through thinking several alternatives, is believed to be a solution for avoiding missteps in decision making. This essay wants to give an illustration of how critical thinking can be implemented in several alternative decisions through a real condition about consideration to choose to continue studying at the University of Indonesia Faculty of Economy or a university abroad and the Faculty of Abroad Language. This event is a decision that should be taken by the author as a high school student who is going to pass the National examination. The decision to study in university is a big decision. It is a transition from an education level to a higher education level. In making a decision to continue studying in university, a person often considers many things and a person might regret if they have chosen the wrong choice. The author has reached a decision to study at the University of Indonesia Faculty of Economy. But the author has the opinion that the decision was the best decision. So, it can’t be denied if the author has a little bit of feeling of regret and weariness towards the decision that has been taken. Because of that, the author will think to take research and consideration to choose or visit the Career Guidance and Psychology Faculty in the University of Indonesia, to know a few information about psychology and economic science and to compare between the two sciences about pleasure, difficulty, future, etc. to reduce the feeling of regret and weariness towards that decision. And if the author is sure that they have to get an excellent reason to change the faculty and the direction to study at the University of Indonesia and sure that it was the best decision for the author, the author will contact one of the lecturers from the two faculties to ask them to recommend an excellent book that is related to a lecture material, so it can make sure that the decision to study the same faculty and direction is the best decision.