Bus 200

Lecture One

Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking

What is “Critical Thinking?”

Critical Thinking Is Having The Ability And Desire To: Question everything

– Know fact from opinion

Make up your own mind– Think for yourself

Discern quality from crap– Search for and evaluate the evidence

The Critical Thinking Mindset

Question Everything Means To Challenge Your And Other’s:

• Assumptions, Stereotypes, Beliefs, Memories, and Associations

What do you and others really know?– There is “what you know,” “what you think you know,”

and “what you say you know.”– It’s the quality and truth of what you know that matters,

not how much you know.– “What you don’t know” is more important than what you

know. In other words, how do you deal with uncertainty.

Consider These Ideas

Which is least important?– Beginnings – Planning

– Middles – Implementing

– Ends – Adjusting

Universal Knowledge

KnownKnowledge

UnknownKnowledge

What’s this?

Levels of Intelligence

Levels of Intelligence

Awareness

Levels of Intelligence

Awareness

Information

Levels of Intelligence

Awareness

Information

Knowledge

Levels of Intelligence

Awareness

Information

Knowledge

Creativity

Levels of Intelligence

Awareness

Information

Knowledge

Creativity

Wisdom

Levels of Intelligence

Awareness

Information

Knowledge

Creativity

Wisdom

IntellectualCapital

Higher OrderThinking

Stew Leonard Case Study

You currently work for Donald Trump, the super rich real estate baron. It is late Friday afternoon and he invites you out for drinks after work. While in the bar, he tells you that he admires Stew Leonard’s business model. He also said that he plans to remodel a building right down the street from Stew’s store, and turn it into dairy that will steal at least half of Stew’s current customers. Donald then asks you to tell him on Monday morning just how to do it.

Old Economy VS New Economy Growing Middle Class Shrinking Middle Class OE: Employer/gov’t handled your retirement NE: Retirement is your problem OE: Doctors, lawyers made big bucks NE: Entertainers and thinkers make big bucks OE: You became more valuable as you got older NE: You become less valuable as you get older OE: You interviewed for jobs NE: You bid for jobs OE: Secure jobs paid big bucks (unions) NE: Secure jobs pay less OE: Students wanted jobs in big, secure companies NE: Students are starting their own companies

Old Economy:Information Age Factory Jobs

Routine Production Services– Simple, repetitive tasks. Minimum “professional

wage.”– Computer contact: data entry, order processing, systems

repair/maintenance, bookkeeping.– Customer contact: retailing, sales, telemarketing,

customer/employee service.– Desired skills: punctuality, reliability, pleasant personality.– Promotion to: clerical supervisor, section chief, branch

manager, department head.

Man versus Animal

“We are different from animals in that we produce ideas, not just physical objects like beehives, nests, and cars. We are incurable experimenters and problem-solvers. The more we have of these traits, the less animal-like we are.”

-- Richard Florida

New Economy: Intellectual Capital Careers

Idea Production: “Turn Ideas Into Money.” – Identify, solve, and broker new problems.

Problems, solutions and knowledge not known in advance. Create innovative, customized solutions.

– Desired skills: creativity, critical thinking, networking. Persuasive communication.

• What to do. Why to do it. What to expect. How to do it, if necessary.

New Economy: Intellectual Capital Careers

– Advancement: titles incidental. Absorb corporate ladder. Gain/lose power based on number of innovative, quality ideas. The more important, complex and pervasive the problem, the greater the reward.

• What are your bosses and clients struggling with?

– How to make/save money. Get/keep customers. Get/keep good employees. Cut waste. Do things faster.

Class Structure of Work Agricultural Class

– Farmers

Production Class– Production operations, transportation and materials moving, repair and

maintenance, and construction

Service Class– Lower wage, lower autonomy service jobs like food preparation, health

care, personal care, clerical work,security guards, and janitors

Intellectual Capital Class (Also,called the Creative Class)– Thought leaders who invent and broker new ideas, processes, products.

Scientists and engineers, poets and novelists, think tank researchers, architects, non-fiction writers, designers, opinion leaders, trendsetters, and entertainers.

Class EvolutionPercent of Labor Force

Agricultural Class 37% 12% 1%

Production Class 37 41 26

Service Class 16 31 43

Creative Class 10 16 30

100% 100% 100%

1900 1950 1999

Source: “The Rise of the Creative Class,” Richard Florida

Characteristics of the Intellectual/Creative Class They live like artists and scientists It’s hard all-consuming, often isolated work that requires intense

periods of concentration. Going into “the zone.” There are three types of creativity:

– Artistic and cultural– Technological – inventions– Economic – entrepreneurism

What they value:– Individuality and Self-Statement: Non-conformity.Resist traditional group-

oriented norms. Don’t like being told what to do or how to do it. Self-expression versus survival values

– Meritocracy: Like hard work, challenge, and stimulation. They want to get ahead because they are good at what they do.

– Diversity and Openness: Like to work where anyone can fit in and get ahead. They love the exchange of ideas and experiences. It helps the creative process

Core Industries of the Intellectual/Creative Class Research & Development Publishing Software TV & Radio Design Music Film Toys & Games Advertising

Architecture Performing Arts Crafts Video Games Fashion Art Higher Education

Levels of Intelligence

Awareness

Information

Knowledge

Creativity

Wisdom

IntellectualCapital

Higher OrderThinking