MPM 732

CRITICAL THINKING FOR

MANAGERS

CONTENTS
Introduction
Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking Discourse
The Aim of Sorry Speech
The Aim of Business Report
Grices Maxims
Speech and Report
Argumentative Moves
Speech
Report
Conclusion
References

INTODUCTION
CRITICAL THINKING
Basic considering, likewise called
basic investigation, is clear,
reasonable speculation including
study. Its purpose of interest
moves amongst the people who describe it. As showed by Barry K.
Beyer (1995), fundamental instinct suggests clearing up, thought
about judgments. In the midst of the strategy of essential
considering, musings should be thought about, well completely
considered, and judged. The National Council for Excellence in
Critical Thinking describes fundamental theory as the rationally
prepared method of adequately and skillfully conceptualizing,
applying, separating, incorporating, and surveying information
collected from, or made by, observation, experience, reflection,
considering, or correspondence, as a manual for conviction and
action.

CRITICAL THINKING DISCOURSE

Critical Discourse Analysis is normally implanted inside Critical
Theory, a worldview created in the most recent three decades
whose basic impulse starts in the Frankfurt School, particularly
Habermas. As Wodak and Meyer (2009: 6) review, in 1937
Horkheimer encouraged social hypothesis to study and change
society, which intended to enhance its comprehension by
coordinating social sciences, to show how social wonders are
interconnected, to deliver information that helps social performing
artists liberate themselves from mastery through self-reflection,
and to portray, clarify and kill dream, by uncovering structures of
force and belief systems behind talk, that is, by making noticeable
causes that are covered up. The extent of CDA is not just dialect

based. Its basic point of view draws in researchers from different

orders, and in addition activists. Their worry lies with divulging
designed systems of the proliferation of force asymmetries.
Human sciences, phonetics, reasoning and correspondence think
about, among others, may share this slant.
In this paper I have talked about the distinction in methodology of
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, the speaker of a well known "Sorry
Speech which was conveyed in 2008, apologizing for the benefit
of the Federal Government to the Stolen Generations. Feb 13,
Canberra and a discourse of a "Woolworths" organization head
(2015). To analyze two speeches I have used Grices four
conversational Maxims which are:
o The Maxim of Quantity- to be most informative by giving
required information and avoid that which is not appropriate.
o The Maxim of Quality- to be trustworthy, do not say
anything if there is lack of evidence.
o The Maxim of
Relation- to be
pertinent and say
things which fits in the
discussion or speech.
o The Maxim of
Manner- to be able to
convey idea clearly,
briefly and
straightforwardly.
Grice takes after his rundown of the sayings by proposing that
"one may require others", and goes ahead to say that "There
are, obviously, a wide range of different proverbs (stylish, social,
or good in character, for example, "Be gracious", that are
additionally regularly saw by members in trades, and these may
likewise create nonconventional implications."

THE AIM OF SORRY SPEECH

The well known Sorry Speech was delivered by Kevin Michael
Rudd- the former Prime Minister of Australia. This speech was
given on 13th February, 2008, in the parliament of Australia. In this
speech He had made a formal expression of remorse to Australia's
Indigenous people groups, especially to the Stolen Generations
whose lives had been scourged by past government approaches of
constrained kid expulsion and Indigenous digestion. The
announcement of disappointment had been a key proposition in
the 1997 bringing them Home report, the most comprehensive
examination of the impact of the departure course of action on
Aboriginal people.
Amazingly, Prime Minister Rudd gave a portion of his talk (where
he tells a story of Nanna Nungala
Fejo- a member of stolen
generations) which it is believed
he pulled it together, to tending to
the region of the Australian social
order who did not understand why
the mollifying conclusion was
vital. He can expect acclaim for
the route that before the statement of regret, only 33% of
Australians were pleasant to the mollifying notion yet after it had
been passed on, 66% thought it was a positive thing. It is possible
that the talk moved such an assortment of Australians in light of
the fact that for so long, especially in the midst of the Howard time
frame, we had been spoken to by the legislative issues of anxiety:
fear of others, misgiving of terrorism, trepidation of money related
feebleness.
In passing on such an unequivocal articulation of regret, Rudd
unmistakably perceived his governing bodies position from that of
the previous one, offering the trust that the hazardous
methodologies of the Howard time frame and offering the
certification of a restored talk about the unfinished business of

bargain, which indeed one

of the major aims because
of which this speech was
given. Remembering the
statement of regret will be
an indication of Rudd's
head administrator ship, there were by then signs of bit of the key
challenges that lay before him in case he
needs to leave a legacy that goes past the
main run of the mill.

THE AIM OF BUSINESS

REPORT
The major aim of writing any Business report is to transmit
important information from one person to another or from one
level to the other within the organization and also for other
external shareholders and stakeholders. It is a primary source of
circulating data to the concerned person. A report is the
fundamental administration instrument for deciding the next
action. Reports likewise add to the advancement of data base in
organization. Reports additionally enhance work administration
relationship especially, in extensive organizations. It supplies data
as well as prescribe characteristic activities or answers for issue.

In this report, the annual performance data of the organization

such as group sales, Net profit, dividends earned or returned
etcetera is provided. Throughout the report the main objective is
to tell the reader about profit and loss made by the company in
each area. Additionally, it also describes some problems that
company is facing and what steps an organization is taking to
overcome those difficulties. As in managing directors report it
states that we understand the challenges and are taking the
steps required and further few steps which company has taken or
will take are mentioned.
In a Business report, Multiple areas are focused which are useful
for varied purposes. Business reports are well structured as can be
seen in this report. It follows one step to the other. It is a formal
report which aims at describing companys performance and this
report has successfully done so.

GRICES MAXIMS
SPEECH and REPORT
o The Maxim of Quantity- as Grice says that a speech should
stick to the information which is crucial. The speech and the
report both fit into it. In a report we do find lot of information
in regard to performance of the company in previous years
but that is also significant for the reader of the report.
o The Maxim of Quality- according the maxims of Grice
quality describes truthfulness of the delivered speech or data.
In his speech Mr. Prime Minister supports his arguments and
claims by telling a true story of the women- Nanna Nungala
Fejo who was a live witness of those times and had also gone
through that pain. Likewise, in the report we see that the
evidence of profit and loss is provided by mentioning exact
figures and comparing it with last year, such as- The Board
declared a 1.5% expansion in profits for each offer to 139

pennies for money related year

2015, up from 137 pennies in
budgetary year 2014. These
figures are further bolstered by
diagrams and tables.
o The Maxim of Relation- this
describes the relevance of the
information to the desired target.
In both of the products the maxim of relevance has been
tracked very well. In the sorry speech, the speaker stayed
connected with the real target which was to apologies for the
sufferings of indigenous people- caused by the past
governments. To do so he took such examples which were
related to the topic, for instance- the story of a woman, the
western Australian protectors view etcetera. Similarly, in the
report pertinence was carried out by providing tables and
ratios.
o The Maxim of Manner- maxim of manner is developed by
being clear and orderly. Kevin Rudd- the Prime Minister,
throughout his speech followed clear order. As he holds a
great position and responsibility, he generalized his views and
opinion by addressing with the pronoun WE and US. For
example-We reflect on their past mistreatment/ so let us seize
the day etcetera. Correspondingly, in the report consistent
approach has been taken by following from a brief to the
complex data.

ARGUMENTATIVE MOVES
Moreover, we also see that both the documents comply with the
argumentative moves- 1) Assuring, 2) Guarding, 3) Discounting, 4)
Evaluating.

SPEECH
1. Assuring- This means that one should provide assurance that
what he or she is saying is correct. In his speech Kevin Rudd
strengthens his opinion by telling a story of Indigenous
woman.
2. Guarding- It is to make premises weaker so that it will be
harder to object to them. To do this speaker has used
qualifiers such as- some of these stories, some have asked, I
know that etcetera.
3. Discounting- It is used by citing a possible criticism in order
to reject or counter it. For instance- But the core of the
partnership, but should there still be, but the stolen
generations etcetera.
4. Evaluating- Evaluative language needs reasons. Evaluation
can be general or specific. For example- too great, what I
should say today etcetera.
REPORT
1.Assuring- In the budgetary year we conveyed net benefit
after assessment before critical items1 of $2.45 billion in
accordance with a last years outcome, and profits are
somewhat up on a year ago, his announcement is bolstered
by giving points of interest of present and past monetary
years.
2.Guarding- In the report phrase such as we know is used as
a guarding tool.
3.Discounting- As it is a business report and not a personal
argument so it is very rare to find such tool.
4.Evaluating- In the Business report, we see that it follows a
formal professional criteria and it is to convey information

about companies performance. In this report no such

evaluative language has been used.
In the speech we also come across the Anaphora tool which means
a deliberate repetition of the first part of the sentence in order to
achieve artistic effect. We commonly use this tool in our daily lives
as well. In his speech Mr. Prime Minister used phrases in starting of
sentences like- a future where, on behalf of, let us resolve
etcetera.
The Prime Ministers aim was to
convince the indigenous people
hat the past government has
done injustice with them and his
government feels sorry for them
by heart. He also used his
independence of speech by
making it more indulgent and
interesting by adding a story into
it. He made people of Australia
to feel and think the way he
does, whereas in a Business
report an author does not have
such freedom. These reports are uninteresting or monotonous as it
includes more figurative data than artistic. In such reports, there is
no personal expression included; it includes only profit loss data
and analytical data which do not need people to be attentive. On
the other hand, while delivering speech it is most important to
keep peoples concentration towards speaker.

CONCLUSION

At the end I would like to say that in both of the documents the
speaker or the author has been successful in their aim. Both have
clearly and efficiently delivered their messages in well oriented
structure. The speech and the report have different content and
structure but have own significance. The Maxims of Grice fits in
both contents. In the speech anaphora has been included which
makes the speech more effective and let people feel and
understand what the orators main aim was. But business report
lacks in such techniques which makes them more prosaic and dry.
This critical thinking discourse analysis shows that the
environmental and social atmosphere puts a lot of affect on a
peoples speech and decides how much impact it will put on
audience.

REFERENCES
Cottrell, Stella, 2005, Critical Thinking Skills: developing effective
analysis and argument, 1st ed., New York: Palgrave Macmillan
http://www.cog.brown.edu/courses/cg45/lecture%20slides/Gricean
%20Maxims.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Grice
http://www.woolworthslimited.com.au/icms_docs/182381_Annual_R
eport_2015.pdf
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/02/13/1202760379056.html
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0346251X12000
103

http://www.discourses.org/OldArticles/Critical%20discourse
%20analysis.pdf
http://www.nma.gov.au/online_features/defining_moments/feature
d/national_apology
https://www.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/dravling/grice.html