Relationships and membership to variety of social groups make up the Human life. They
influence our perception and the ways of doing things. Human desires and emotions have a
profound establishment in relationship and membership. Our thinking have synergy in the ways
we handle issues and relate with each other. Thus thinking effectively have positive impact in the
ways organizations are able to handle their issues. More understanding of systems gives the
actual logic of the circumstances behind those systems.
Organizations use logical framework in their structures in order to make transformation
in their systems. The obstacles which may prevent these from happening include the struggle for
power, group definition of reality and bureaucracy. Critical thing is essential in corporate
decision making and organizational setting. Various conditions which facilitate in creating a
culture of critical thinking gives the ways in which an organization should organize itself for
future success.
In forging our way through the organizational and corporate structures critical thinking
becomes a necessity while taking into account a number of factors. Judgment sometimes is based
on probabilities when making decisions when there is lack of vital facts. Critical thinking doesn’t
guarantee truth but maximize on our best chances.
The success of critical thinking in an organization is a function of quality and can be in
terms of incremental levels of improvements (p. 230). Time ranges in achieving the set goals and
success. Rush decisions may lead to certain actions which are detrimental and could have been
avoided if the person could take time and critically think. Relationships among people are easily
broken this way.
Running Head: Analyzing and Evaluating Thinking in Corporate and Organizational Life 3
Obstacles to Critical Thinking
The struggle for power in organizations is an obstacle of critical thinking. Thinking is
complicated as people are obscure in their minds with the urge for power. Decision may become
personal and hence not applicable to all. Certain strategies put in place in the struggle for power
may be deceptive. Power comes with deception hence it make leaders unconscious in their
decision making hence giving dubious strategies. People hunger for power and most people
actions will be geared towards clinching on it thus organization well-being is abandoned.
The self-deception and manipulation human being engage in is detrimental to critical
thinking. Detection and identification on devious human behavior becomes necessary in order to
protect ourselves from manipulation and being subjects to others. The people leading in
organization are seen as determinants of decisions since their thinking are seen as being superior
to the rest of the people below. One should be cautions in dealing with a person who is in power.
The group definition of reality is another obstacle in critical thinking. The image the
organization portrays is usually a favorable self-description and may be of contradiction to the
real fact on within the organization. The group definition or certain truth stays with the
organization and outsides may never get to know. These may include some taboos or secrets
which are obstacles in critical thinking. Information may not be shared. This may be to some
advantage to the company weary of its competitors.
The third obstacle to critical thinking is Bureaucracy. Organizations cannot predict its
future success thus the breakthrough is not guaranteed. Bureaucratization is a state in which
employees work increasingly by fixed routine rather than though the exercise of intelligent
judgment. This is much an obstacles and thus detrimental to the day to day critical thinking.
Running Head: Analyzing and Evaluating Thinking in Corporate and Organizational Life 4
The problem of misleading success
Even though the effects poor thinking in organizations may not manifest itself
immediately but in future may be of high magnitude. The main effect would be failures which
will be a loss to the organization. Thus it is a misleading success because you expect results at a
given time span which doesn’t happen. Also short term thinking may happen due to a push from
misleading success. People can make rush decisions because of the surrounding success they see.
Competition, Sound thinking and Success
Organizations need to make profit in order to survive in an industry. Profit making is
however affected by the presence of the competitors who may cause reduction of prices or
choice of goods. In a competitive market organization must make sound decisions in order to be
relevant to the industry. This is a determinant of success at the face of competitors.
Stagnating Organizations and Industries.
Thinking is critical in order to justify the status quo of organizations o companies which
are stagnant. Works in organizations with poor thinking structure have poor salaries and working
conditions. This becomes an internal obstruction as with defective thing the people cannot
progress. Innovation and other new ideas are not welcomed since the company wants to maintain
their tradition which may be irrelevant to the industry due to the advancing technology.
Poor corporate thinking would result in poor policy formulation, rigid bureaucracy procedures,
resistance to change, complacency and internal conflict. (p. 238)
Running Head: Analyzing and Evaluating Thinking in Corporate and Organizational Life 5
Questioning Organizational Realities.
In reflection of the limiting conditions at the places of work one should ask the following
fundamental questions: (p. 238-239).
1. To what extend is there struggle for power underway in the organizations?
2. To what extend must we deal with power hungry individuals?
3. What is the hierarchy of power in organizations? To what extent are those at the top
easily threatened by thinking that diverges from their own?
4. How does organizations present itself both within and without?
5. To what extent is shot-range thinking dominant in the organization?
6. To what extent is there a problem of bureaucracy inefficiency within the organization?
7. To what extent is there a problematic ideology that stands in the way of change?
8. To what extent is the organization forced to compete meaningfully with other
organizations?
9. To what extent is the organization suffering from stagnation?
10. To what extent is bad short-term thinking misleading the leadership of the organization?
11. To what extent are ethical considerations ignored or denied in favor of vested interest
within the organization?
Sound thinking has power and its application it the organizations have been seen to bear
fruit. Without critical thinking built into the culture of an organization, shot-range thinking is
likely to predominate (p. 246). People both employees and employers plus management
should have personal self-assessment to determine their application of critical thinking in
their day to day activities.
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In conclusion critical thinking is important for the success of organization. Organizations
should be able to deal with the obstacles to critical thinking for them to make sound policies and
decisions. The presentation of organization within and without should be in harmony so that their
functions are straightforward with no challenges. Rush decisions due to short-range thinking
should be avoided by all means.
The organizations should be relevant with its competitors and make sue to put strategies
which will help them in competing favorably. Organizations should welcome ideas and
suggestions from its employees for better performance. Ideological difference should be solves
in harmony so as to avoid conflicts. Stagnating organizations and firms should review their
thinking and processes and be flexible to change. Ethical issues should be paramount and
application of ethics at work place should be for all. For critical thinking good relationship and
organization of human groups is fundamental.
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References
Paul R. W. and Elder L. (2002). Critical thinking. FT Press.