Mgt 350 - Critical Thinking Application Paper

Critical Thinking Application Paper

MGT 350

February 20, 2008

Critical thinking involves more than just thinking. Most creatures of the universe have the ability to think. Simple decisions are made primarily from past experiences. A manual or guide may serve to provide directions or instructions for completing a task or project. Following the instructions as written provides no opportunity for critical thinking since the thinking has already been done. It is only when the instruction is not followed exactly to specification that critical thinking comes into play.Critical Thinking consists of mental processes of discernment, analysis and evaluation. It includes possible processes of reflecting upon a tangible or intangible item in order to form a solid judgment that reconciles scientific evidence with common sense. [1] Critical thinking consists of three steps: 1. Becoming aware that assumptions exist, 2. Making assumptions explicit and 3. Assessing their accuracy. [2]

I recently purchased a new computer desk for my new desktop computer. As I shopped different stores, I noticed details of each desk and pictured various models in the area of my home set aside for my new office. Having the picture in my head of the area I had to work with, I ascertained what my needs were. The desk could not be too tall, too wide, too heavy, (since I had to carry it), or too expensive. It had to blend with the furniture in my home and it had to be something easy to assemble. Finally I settled on a desk that suited my needs. As I started to assemble the desk I became frustrated because screw (a) was the size of screw (b) and slot (d) did not quite fit into slot (c). Although I thoroughly read the instructions, they had to be wrong since nothing fit. As I consulted the picture on the box, an idea popped into my head. Why did I have to build my desk the same way the instructions indicated? There was no rule stating that I had to create an exact replica of the display model. This was my desk, purchased with my money. I didn’t need any instructions to tell me how to build this desk; I could build it whatever way I wanted to. After about 3 hours of dealing with instructions, my critical thinking skills kicked into high gear.

Using my mental process, I had to evaluate what needed to be done. Like a madman, I grabbed my drill, my hammer, my nuts and bolts. Where there were no holes, I drilled them. If a screw did not fit, I made it fit. As for that shelf that was to be attached to the outside leg of the desk, I placed it on the inside. Sure I wound up with a few left over nuts and bolts but the end result was a finished product more solid than the original design, due to my reinforcements. Now being that this was an inanimate object, no emotions were displayed by the desk and it was not harmed in any way. Although I did not use all the