Critical Thinking in Management

BLB10057-2

Week 3: Critical thinking processes

& analysing complex issues.
K Hilliger
 Session outline & aims
• Evaluate our thinking processes further
• Introduce the process of analysis
• To introduce Scientific Management Approach &
for students to evaluate this approach
• Understand how thinking critically can improve
essay marks
• Know how to examine & carefully explore
situations with questions.
• Evaluate whether we have the characteristics of
critical thinkers
K Hilliger
 Analysis – what are the parts? (de Bono,
1995:42)

• Analysis – fundamental process of human

thinking
– How a complicated situation is broken down
into smaller sections that you can recognise
– So we can deal with them more easily
• Success in thinking often depends on
success in analysis.

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 Analysis can reveal the ‘true parts’ (de
Bono: 1995:45)
Activity: Can you imagine preparing a meal
as a chef in Hell’s Kitchen? Analyse the
stages involved in that process.

Will utilise the thinking process of

‘conceptualisation’
(putting things in groups), ‘comparison’ (See previous
sessions) and ‘choice’ between ways of
doing things.
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Analysis can reveal the ‘true parts’ (de
Bono: 1995:45)

• Scientific Management – Frederick Taylor

• Analysis of work in factory in order to

improve productivity and an alternative
way of doing things

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 Ford – Video Clip
• River Rough Plant USA had almost 70,000 workers –
largest in the US. Model T produced between 1908-1927
at High Land Park Plant.
• “The automobile factory….the universal symbol &
stereotype of the large manufacturing plan” (Nelson,
1975:9).
• Sheer scale of new factories prompted management to
explore new methods of controlling and deploying
labour.
• New technology vs craftsmen
• Mass production system based on: Accuracy, Continuity,
Speed.

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 Discussion Activity:
1. How did Taylor 2. Can you identify any
‘Analyse the Parts’? organisations or
activities performed by
• Give your organisations that have
opinions…. utilised the principles
Scientific Management?

3. What do you consider to be the advantages and

disadvantages of this approach?

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 Analysis of Scientific Management

• Benefits • Criticisms

 Increased productivity  Inhumane

 Use of technology  Lay-offs
 Pay incentives  Naïve view of
motivation of
individuals
 Lack of employee
consultation

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Management Approaches

Scientific Management and

‘Fordism’.

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 The Concept of Management
“Management as a self-conscious activity is a creation of
the 19C, although systematic consideration of the elements
that constitute it can certainly be dated to the late 18C”
(Sheldrake, 1996;1)

“To understand what management is we have, first, to

recognise that its basic rationale is one of establishing &
maintaining work organisations as complete entities……
pulling things together & along in a general direction to
bring about long-term survival.” (Watson, 1994:35-39)

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 Management Approaches
• Scientific Management - F W Taylor
• Administration Management Theory -
Emphasis on purpose, formal structure, hierarchy
of management, technical requirements &
common principles of organisation.
• Through systematic analysis of the elements of
management behaviour in governing business
Fayol (1841-1925) identified 5 functions: Policy
making, Organising, Giving instructions, Co-
ordinating, Controlling and based on his 14
principles (Sheldrake:47-49)

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• Behavioural/Human Relations Theory - Mayo
(1880-1949) concluded from experiments at Western
Electric Co, that the morale of workers can be
affected by the method of management and informal
social group patterns. Technical knowledge & skills
must be augmented by socially oriented management
styles.
• Administration Management Theory - Max Weber
(1864-1920) developing a bureaucratic model of
management characterised by clear definition of
authority, chains of command, procedures & rules,
appointed officials selected on basis of qualifications
etc. Aim was to depersonalise management & bring
stability.
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 Modern Schools of Management Theory
• Systems Theory - Focuses on the relationships of
the organisation’s constituent parts. Functional
managers must discuss requirements in terms of the
needs of the whole organisation.
• Contingency Theory - Situationally dependent -
adapation of management principles & theory to
specific situations.
• Handy and the future of work - for interesting
read regarding Handy’s views on how management
theory and the concept of work have changed with
the turbulent times, there are a number of books.
K Hilliger
 Scientific Management Principles
(Taylor, 1911, p.27)
“In its essence, scientific management involves
a complete mental revolution on the part of the workingman
engaged in any particular establishment or industry - a
complete mental revolution on the part of these men as to
their duties toward their work, toward their fellow men, and
toward their employers. And it involves the equally complete
mental revolution on the part of those on the management’s
side - the foreman, the superintendent, the owner of the
business, the board of directors - a complete mental revolution
on their part as to their duties toward their fellow workers in
the management, toward their workmen, and toward all of
their daily problems.”

K Hilliger
 Four Principles of Scientific Management
• The first of these 4 groups of duties taken over by
the management is the deliberate gathering (by
management) of traditional knowledge held by
workmen. Recording, tabulating it, applying
mathematical formulae and applied to the everyday
work of all the workmen of the establishment.

Development of a science
to replace the old rule-of-thumb
knowledge of workmen.

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 Four Principles of Scientific Management
• The second set of duties to be assumed by management
is the scientific selection & then the progressive
development of the workmen. Giving him wherever it
is possible, those opportunities for advancement which
will finally enable him to do the highest & most
interesting & most profitable class of work for which
his natural abilities fit him.

• Incentive to meet higher productivity

and organisational goals was in the
form of higher pay awards on achievement.
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 Four Principles of Scientific Management

• The third is the bringing of the science & the

scientifically selected & trained workmen
together.

• The fourth is the division of work between

management and workers. A power shift and
control moving to the management. Passive co-
operation by the workers.

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Analysing Issues and Writing Essays

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 ESSAY TITLES - Direction words

• You will get better marks for your essays if your

writing is RELEVANT to the essay title.
• This means you need to understand clearly what
the essay title is telling you to write about.
• Certain words in essay titles tell you what you
should do in the essay. These are DIRECTION
words.

E.g. Analyse, Critically analyse, Define, Discuss,

Evaluate, Contrast, Define, Describe,
Illustrate……….
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 Critical Thinkers Are?

• Honest with • Base their judgements

themselves on evidence
• Resist manipulation • Acknowledge
• Overcome confusion complexity
• Ask questions • Look for connection
• Take time to produce between subjects
ideas • Intellectually
independent

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 Categories of questions

– FACTUAL
– INTERPRETATION
– ANALYSIS
– SYNTHESIS
– EVALUATION
– APPLICATION

(Chaffee, 1994. P.72)

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 Analyse an Issue
• Use the characteristics of Critical Thinkers to guide your
analysis, questioning etc.
– E.g. Analyse – break issue into component parts
– E.g Is there any relationship between issues, events or
ideas?
Causal/chronological/process/contrasting/comparison?
– E.g. Facts?
– E.g. Evaluate – what evidence would you want to see
before you would agree with a perspective or point being
made.
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 Reminder
Assignment Groups and Topics

• Identify groups
• Give a list of names to tutor and
• Provide tutor with the topic area you will be
covering in your assignment

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