Critical Thinking in Business

Formulating a Business Problem

Problem formulation is ingenious and perhaps the more critical step towards overcoming a challenging circumstance than problem-solving. In the business world, a properly formulated problem should be interesting, researchable, understandable, manageable, purposeful, and ethical. The process involved in the formulation of a business problem entails four critical steps.

First, choose the topic or area of evaluation. The decision-makers should start by considering the fundamental interests of the business. A lot of brainstorming and creativity is essential. Additionally, the stakeholders in the problem formulation process should be open to fresh views and ideas. Second, the decision-makers should narrow down their search for the problem (Baldoni, 2013). Critically, the stakeholders should examine the available information in order to choose a subject. At this stage, it is necessary to ask questions such as what is the challenge, why is it a difficulty, and who is it a challenge for? On the same note, the broad area should be divided into sub-sections. Third, put down a problem formulation. This involves raising research questions and sub-questions (Baldoni, 2013). Clearly delimited and understandable language is critical. The stakeholders must ensure the possibility of finding answers to the raised questions. Lastly, double-checking the process is the final step. The stakeholders should check everything and evaluate the extent to which the problem formulation process satisfies their expectations.

Critical Thinking versus Creative Thinking

Creative thinking differs greatly if compared to critical thinking. While critical thinking analyze, synthesize, and examine the data obtained with a very keen reflection, reasoning, and communication, a creative thinker’s reasoning entails very peaceful, spirited open approach. Unlike critical thinkers, whose reasoning is restricted by the principles guiding their views, creative thinkers have no boundary for their thinking, and as such, the latter can depict their attitude and individual beliefs. While critical thinkers tend to follow a pre-determined thinking process, critical thinkers can develop an idea with outstanding experiences, images, or a special way of dealing with a character. A creative thinker can as well create a totally fresh idea which hardly existed before, something that critical thinkers cannot do.

Role of Personalities in Critical Thinking

Personality plays a huge role in critical thinking process as the ability to think critically differs from one person to another. The understanding and thinking of different people depend on biological and environmental factors. In any personality type evaluation, no personality is totally good or bad. On the same note, no personality type is better than another. Nonetheless, there is a very critical variance between the outcomes of individual with a Thinking preference as compared to a Feeling preference (Schoenberg, 2007). Individuals with a Feeling preference on the famous Myers-Briggs Type Indicator show a statistically substantial negative relationship with the strategic critical thinking potential. Additionally, a person who reports a Feeling inclination on the Golden Personality Type Profiler shows a statistically crucial negative correlation while the Thinking preference shows a statically critical positive relationship. An individual who thinks rationally can be a critical thinker. At the same time, people who can develop, maintain, or train themselves the techniques of thinking rationally can successfully become critical thinkers. In other words, when it comes to critical thinking capacity, all personality types are not equally endowed (Kallet, 2014). So, what should managers do to enhance the critical thinking ability of their employees? As Vince Lombardi once stated, perfect practice makes perfect. Devoid of expert training, consistent coaching, and follow-up, individuals can hardly boost their critical thinking skills.