All people make decisions when they are faced with situations that require decisive solutions. Large companies and organizations depend on the decisions made in achieving their goals and objectives. Decision making process involves the use of critical thinking when a situation arises. Critical thinking is defined as the ability of thinking in a rational and clear manner.
It involves the capability of engaging in an independent and reflective thinking. The process of critical thinking ensures that conscious decisions are made (Lutchman, 2010). The application of critical thinking is in some situations is able to make the thinker make effective decision. Decisions are made using gathered information that relates to the problem (Lutchman, 2010).
These are critically analyzed and through different assessment a decision is arrived at in solving a situation. Marquis and Huston (2009) notes that critical thinking is also called reflective thinking that uses evaluation; this makes it broader than problem solving and decision making processes.
According to Lutchman (2010) critical thinking is a behavior that is learned and enables the thinker make conclusions based on the information but not the obstacles that may arise. The evaluation critical thinking paper gives an example that required critical thinking as well as the importance and benefits of critical thinking in decision making process.
After closing the college during the summer holidays I had an internship program with one of grocery chains stores. I was placed as an assistant supervisor in charge of the customers care department. I had to report all the complaints brought forward to the supervisor or the manager if supervisor was not available.
The decision I would make would be taken seriously and applied. I received a complaint from one of the customers that one of the employee’s was rude and unethical. This was a serious offence in the company and any employee who broke it was either fired or suspended from work. After getting the full details of the complaint, it was evident that the employee had used words that portrayed racial discrimination.
The worst part of it was that the employee was my classmate and a close friend. Decision had to be made on this indecency behavior that had violated the company’s policy and even the federal law. Racial segregation is a federal crime in the United States of America and racial profiling is not acceptable.
Other than being my friend the employee who held the position of a cashier was the fastest and reliable one. So decision that required critical thinking had to be given in the next 24 hours. The fate of the employee depended on my decisions. The company didn’t want to loose a dependable employee, so did I not want to disappoint and lose a friend.
Different viewpoints and scenarios of dealing with the matter were evaluated. At the end of the day two options on the decisions to be made remained, to either fire the employee or to suspend the employee and transfer him to another store. This was the hardest point to make a decision but through critical thinking a verdict that served the employee appropriately was achieved. The decision was not influenced by any external factor like friendship or influence of the company.
The decision making process is made of several stages that are interrelated. For decisions making process to be complete critical thinking process is applied. The importance of critical thinking in decision making process is that it allows individuals make appropriate judgments (Lyer, Levin, Shea & Ashton 2006). Judgments make a positive decision making process that may have an impact on the general welfare of an organization.
For example, in the hospitals the assessment of patients is based on critical thinking of nurses. According to Lyer et al (2006) critical thinking helps in alleviating errors during the decision making process. For example, the Toyota Company uses critical thinking in deciding the stability of a car.
This is to avoid errors that may affect the customers and its credibility. Through critical thinking decisions errors are avoided and minimized. Because critical thinking involves the use problem solving process and behavior that evaluates collected information or data. This aids in the decision making process because it forms the basis of the whole process.
Iyer, Levin, Shea and Ashton (2006) notes that the benefits of critical thinking is that it helps in setting priorities, making inferences’ as well as constructing effective plan that can be followed in decision making process. Critical thinking helps in enhancing the thinking process where an individual becomes acquainted to the critical thinking (Marquis & Huston2009).
This enables to automatically respond to critical thinking when a problem is triggered. Lutchman (2010) notes that critical thinking gives the right conclusions on a particular issue from set of given information. After developing the skills a critical thinker can never be swayed away by emotions, or any other obstacle. The process of critical thinking acts as motivating agent in encouraging people to become better critical thinkers (Lutchman, 2010).
In conclusion, critical thinking involves a learned process of evaluating a situation based on given information. It is used in decision making process and its importance is that it helps in solving problems. It also helps decision makers make right judgments and avoid unnecessary errors. The major benefit is that it helps in developing skills and motivates a critical thinker to become better.
Reference List
Lutchman, C. (2010). Project Execution: A Practical Approach to Industrial and Commercial Project Management. New York: CRC Press.
Lyer, P. W., Levin, B. J., Shea, M. A., & Ashton, K. (2006). Medical legal aspects of medical records. Tucson, AZ: Lawyers & Judges Pub. Co.
Marquis, B. L., & Huston, C. J. (2009). Leadership roles and management functions in nursing: Theory and application. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.