Introduction On August 12, 2010, the Governor of Illinois notified the Federal State Employee Union (FSEU) Local 343, of the state’s intent to outsource and privatize the Department of Transportation (DoT) information systems management function (B. Glenn, personal communication, August 20, 2010). In response, Mr. Padilla, the president of the FSEU Local No. 343, requests the FSEU Director of Human Resources, Ms. Glenn to evaluate the notification. The memorandum dated August 20, 2010, includes Ms. Glenn’s reasons and recommendation for opposing the proposal. The paper will evaluate the memorandum using the critical thinking model outlined by Browne and Keeley (2010) in their book Asking the Right Questions. It will apply the described methodologies to assess the communication’s content, conclusion, and reasons. Additionally, by answering the eleven questions ambiguities will be highlighted, fallacies in reasoning illustrated, and underlying assumptions identified. The paper will also provide an assessment on the quality of arguments and the soundness of the author’s reasoning. What are the issues and conclusions? The memo sent from Ms. Glenn to Mr. Padilla discusses the opposing viewpoints associated with the state’s intent to outsource and privatize the DoT information systems management function. The main issue identified in the communication relates to the question of responding to the proposal: should it be opposed (Glenn, p.1). As a result, the memorandum evaluates the position the union should take and concludes that “the FSEU Local No. 343 should challenge the governor’s proposed privatization of the DoT information systems management function as an unfair management practice” (Glenn, p. 2). What are the reasons? T... ... middle of paper ... ... the displaced employees. Conclusion After applying the critical thinking framework advocated by Browne and Keeley (2010) several shortcomings in reasoning become obvious. As illustrated throughout the paper the memo is emotionally charged, employs poor evidence, and contains reasoning fallacies. Based on the findings the conclusion can neither be accepted nor rejected. It would advisable to obtain further information before arriving at a decision on the matter. Works Cited Browne, M. N., & Keeley, S.M. (2010). Asking the right questions: A guide to critical thinking (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Mintz, S. (2007). Civil service reform. Digital History. Retrieved from www.digitalhistory.uh.edu National Archives and Records Administration (n.d.) Pendleton Act. Retrieved from http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=48
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Unions provide a vital service for employees and management by negotiating contracts, ensuring workplace safety, and representing employees in grievance hearings. While there are hundreds of unions in the United States, this paper focuses on three major unions, the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Furthermore, this paper will compare and contrast these agencies, summarize their roles in optimizing employee relations with organizations, describe four challenges management and union officials face, and evaluate privatization as a means of breaking public employee unions.
Elder, Linda. “The 18th International Conference on Critical Thinking and Educational Reform.” 18th International Conference on Critical Thinking. 4 Aug. 1998. The Center for Critical Thinking <http://www.criticalthinking.org/University/univcomm/conf/conftext.nclk>.
Gives both a framework and set of tools to get started with critical thinking. This is from a business perspective so the author uses some of
Browne & Keeley “Asking the Right Questions”, describes critical thinking techniques that teaches you skills and attitudes for the ability to ask and answer rational and interrelated critical questions at appropriate times, and actively use the questions to make the best decision available (2015, pg. 4). Browne and Keeley state that critical thinking is important which enables the readers, to improve our cognitive thinking by asking the correct questions which would help us make a decision and side for or against it. The Eleven (11) step method as stated by Browne & Keeley will be used in this paper for critical thinking analysis. Mr. Salvador Monella, SVP, Human Resources Penn-Mart’s Healthcare Strategy sent a memorandum to the Board of Directors, on January 6, 2014 regarding revising Penn-Mart’s unfavorable cost trends for healthcare benefits and a strategy to initiate the “Get Well” campaign with the intent to
2. Richard, Paul “Critical Thinking: Basic Theory and Instructions Structures,” Foundations for Critical Thinking. 1977. P
Skepdic.com. 2013. A Practical Guide To Critical Thinking. [online] Available at: http://skepdic.com/essays/Haskins.html [Accessed: 22 Nov 2013].
Critical thinking is a significant and essential topic in recent education. The strategy of critical thinking skills helps identify areas in one's courses as the suitable place to highlight, expand and use some problems in exams that test students' critical thinking skills.
Critical thinking regularly involves the capability to interpret information and make knowledgeable decisions based on such information. Additionally, problem solving is frequently theorised as the use of critical thinking skills towards the effective solution of a specific problem or towards a specific end goal. Critical thinking is the disciplined art of ensuring that you use the best thinking you are capable of in any set of circumstances. The general goal of thinking is to figure out some situation” (Critical Thinking, 2001, p.1), solve some problem, answer some questions, or resolve some issue. It also is a process in which a person pursuits reliable and pertinent information about the world. Critical thinking is often described as reasonable, ruminative, trustworthy, and a well-practiced form of thinking that assists people with deciding what they should believe in and what actions should be taken. A practiced critical thinker will ask good questions, collects pertinent data, categorizes common characteristics, logically reasons with the new data and then he or she will come to a trustworthy and dependable conclusion. Critical thinking makes use of many processes and procedures. Some processes include but is not limited to asking questions, making judgments, and identifying
Sternberg, Robert J, Henry L Roediger, and Diane F Halpern. (2007) Critical Thinking in Psychology. Cambridge [England]: Cambridge University Press,