Critical Thinking Memo

Critical Thinking Memo Abstract This is a memo from Ms. Mary Ford to Mr. Hector Fuentes. In this essay, this memo has been analyzed following the steps of critical thinking outlined in various books that have been read. Mary’s letter considers these steps in relation to the issue in question.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Critical Thinking Memo specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More She rejects the governor’s offer of privatizing the management function of the DMV information systems of the state, and says that the plight of the workers should have been considered. Introduction Critical thinking helps people extricate from difficult situations. A critical thinker will not make his/her decisions abruptly, and s/he will reason them to come up with the best decision. S/he will weigh all the options available so as to defend the decision made. A critical thinker is well aware of all the constraints and barriers in critical decis ion making and will still overcome them. S/he must follow some steps so as to arrive to a conclusive and viable decision. These steps will guide this person in making choices that will not only assist him in the future, but are backed by enough evidence that will convince people that one has considered a lot of things before settling to a decision (Browne Keeley, 2010). This will make this person seem genuine to people as they will trust this individual in areas where intricate judgments are to be made. The Issue under the Question The governor, Gloria Gainor, wants to privatize the function of the information systems management in the Motor Vehicles department. This means that the employees in this department have to be outsourced.Advertising Looking for assessment on rhetoric? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The governor, Gloria Gainor, promises to ensure that the outsourced personnel are given the similar jobs in other departments. The governor justifies this move by claiming that it saves the state some $250,000 on an annual basis. However, the APEU director of human resource, Ms. Mary Ford, is against this move. Her view is that this move is disastrous to the employees of the department. She advises the chairman to reject this move and gives some valid reasons for the rejection of the offer made by the governor. Ms. Mary Ford is very firm on her decision and feels that the move to privatize the information systems management function would affect the whole state. In a nutshell, Ms. Ford advises the chairman to reject any sentiments about outsourcing that are advocated by the senator. Ms. Mary Ford’s Reasons for Rejecting This Move There are very many things that drive Ms. Ford to reject the move by the governor. She has some very authentic and valid reasons that clearly define her view. The first reason that Ms. Ford gives is that the move by the governor is an assault to the union . The members of the union in this department will be disadvantaged since the powers of the union are to be reduced. Mary Ford clarifies that this privatization attracts foreign binders, and these binders may even accept wages that are lower than the wages given to the union members. This will set a platform which the government will use to lower the wages of the people working in this department. Therefore, in the future, people who work in this department will receive little pay as compared to the wages they receive now. Mary clarifies that instead of raising the wages of the union members, the salary would decrease (if the contract were given to a foreign binder) (Stanley, 2009).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Critical Thinking Memo specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In addition to this, Mary claims that agreeing to the governor’s terms makes it appear that the union of this department is controlled by the management. She feels that the move to privatize the information systems management function is also applied to other departments, and this department is just a stepping stone towards other departments. The above reason is valid since the governor could use this department as a test group towards privatizing other departments. Therefore, the governor should directly deal with the union to ensure that its members understand the implications of this move. Better still, the governor can initiate a democratic move that sees all the members of the union participating in making the decision on whether they (members of the union) should be outsourced or not. The next objection that Ms. Mary Ford makes regarding this outsourcing is to do with the inconveniences brought about by this process. Ms. Ford observes that many people working in this department have the skills necessary to work there. However, these people should enhance their skills in order to be able to work in other departm ents. Their training should be time consuming as it may waste a lot of productive hours for the whole state (Browne Keeley, 2010). These people will be affected a lot by this change in their working environment, and they may become less productive than they were at their past workplace.Advertising Looking for assessment on rhetoric? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Mary Ford also observes that there are some members of the union who are much advanced in years, and they may find it hard to fit in other departments, so they should get other form of employment. The move by the governor to outsource these people means that some of the people affected may become unemployed. The union should respect and cater for the needs and the wellbeing of all its members (Mark, 2006). Therefore, the union should reject any move that is likely to disadvantage some of its members. In fact, a union is formed to protect its members. Dismissing these people may affect them as they may become frustrated and discouraged to find a new job in future. The director of APEU human resources also questions the governor’s offer to employees who are to be displaced. The director feels that there is no guarantee that this step is justified, and this makes her firm in her decision to reject the move to outsource the department. She questions the availability and presence of the similar positions given to these people. The governor just considers those positions as vacancies that may appear, but she does not assure that they will arise. The governor does also not also give the frequency of the rising of new positions. This means that people will be unemployed and unaware whether they may get a job in a day, a week, a year or even they might never get the one at all; unless a vacancy arises, then there will be no job for anyone (Stanley, 2009)! Therefore, Mary Ford is justified to question the authenticity of the governor’s offer for vacancies as they arise. Ms. Ford also feels that the control of the information systems should not be given to strangers. The information disseminated to the people may be compromised, and this may affect all the people in the state. Therefore, this department should be run by people from the state since they understand the state affairs better than the others. Additionally, these people will also be affected by a ny misinformation in the department, so they work to ensure that the information given to the public is precise and advances the good of everyone in the state. Therefore, this is a clear reason as to why the move by the governor should be rejected. Ambiguous Phrases and Words in the Memo The governor’s letter, as summarized by Ms. Ford, contains some ambiguous words and phrases. First, the governor writes that members displaced in the privatization process are to be given similar positions as vacancies arise. This statement is ambiguous in that the governor does not make it clear when these vacancies will arise. This gap is left to speculation, and a person can fill it in as he/she deems right. This part presents Ms. Mary Ford a chance to attack against the governor as it is needed to specify how the transition of employees from their current job to the next should take place. Probably, this would have altered the response given by the director of human resources. Mary Ford a lso uses an ambiguous phrase in the letter. On th one hand, she says that the move by the governor is anti-American. Therefore, a person is forced to pose a question on what can be considered as American and what is not. In this context, some people can interpret this in terms of the American Labor laws, but in other contexts, this statement can be interpreted otherwise. In fact, this term can be a super ordinate term for a lot of things. Value and Descriptive Assumptions There are the assumptions which a person makes based on the observation on another person (Andolina, 2001). In this memo, Mary refers to Governor Gloria as a bully. She is doing this partly because she knows the governor, and partly because the governor has come up with the proposal to outsource the department. She considers the fact that the governor has overlooked many things in coming up with this decision. She also feels that the union members will be forced to learn new skills in their new jobs, and this will have a psychological toll on them. This is, probably, another reason that makes Mary refer to the governor as a bully. Fallacies in the Reasoning Fallacies are the errors that are found in the conclusive reasoning of people or a group of people (Corcoran, 2010). In this letter, the governor has some fallacious thinking in that she does not take the plight of the people in consideration. Rather, she focuses only on the economic move that should be made by the state. However, if this move is to be implemented, the state will save some money, but the people will suffer. The state should ensure that all its citizens are comfortable, but in this move by the senator, the comfort and satisfaction of the people are compromised. Ms. Ford also displays some fallacious reasoning in her letter to the chairman. She questions the authenticity of the company that might be given the task of managing the communication systems. She says that the company provides marginal and questionable efficiencies in running government operations. However, no company (then) has been given this task, and Mary Ford is just lingering on speculation of what might happen. She makes this appear as the reality, but she is just trying to win the confidence of the chairman in believing in her. Valid Evidence Ms. Mary Ford is very passionate in her rejection of any move that may make the communication department privatized. She gives very good and valid reasons as to why she is objecting the move. First, Mary Ford has a very sharp intuition about what is likely to happen. She examines different perspectives of the issues and offers the best advice based on her intuition. She foresees the possibility of a foreign company taking over the department, and she sees the danger associated with this; the company could ask for a pay less than the one offered to the current employees, and this may not be good for the other employees because their wages might be reduced (Shaw, 2010). Mary also argues using a per sonal experience with such a move. She talks of her brother in law who had been downsized and did not get employed again. She says that this may happen to the employees if the proposal of the governor succeeds. The brother in law to the author of this letter says that the management uses the excuse of rehiring the union’s members to gain its trust. Once the deal goes through, the promise to the union is forgotten (Scriven, 2001). Mary also appeals to the authority to advance her argument. She knows that the chairman is a person who is in a position of power, and she uses this to benefit. She also knows that the chairman is running for re-election, and she makes it known to him that rejecting the governor’s move may lay a good basis for his re-election. She tells him that the members of the union are ready to re-elect him once he rejects the offer of the governor. She also clarifies that the chairman can avert any inconveniences that could be brought about by this move. Rival Causes The director of human resource rejects the governor’s offer because it would affect the members of the union negatively. This is because the move will jeopardize the working conditions of the members of the union, and it will also render some union members jobless. Therefore, Mary Ford takes these factors into consideration and concludes that the move to privatize the department should be rejected. In this memo, the director of human resource does not include any statistics. Her arguments entail the plight of the members of the union. She talks of the awful things that may be the resultant of the acceptance of the governor’s proposal. The director of human resource seems to tell the chairman that the governor’s proposal will make people unemployed, just as it did to her brother in law. Significant Information that is omitted This memo has some things that are omitted. For instance, the director has omitted the information regarding the reaction of the union members towards this issue. The union members and the union representatives have not expressed their opinion, and this has been overlooked. All parties that are affected should be consulted; doing this will assist in coming up with the best decision (Swamy, 2005). Giving these people a chance to air their views will help come up with a harmonized decision acceptable to all. Conclusion Ms. Mary Ford, the APEU Director of Human Resources, has all the reasons to reject the proposal by the governor. This is because she focuses on the plight of the union members and the implication of the move to privatize the management function of the state’s DMV information systems. The reasons and evidences given are valid, and the governor’s proposal should not be considered. Though such a strategy may help the state save some money, this will make a lot of citizens unemployed. References Andolina, M. (2001). Practical Guide to Critical Thinking. New York: Cengage Learning. B rowne, M. Keeley, S. (2010). Asking the right questions: A guide to critical thinking (9th ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Corcoran, P. (2010). Good decision making. Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State University. Mark, D. (2006). A Field Guide to Good Decisions: Values in Action. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group. Scriven, M. (2001). Critical Thinking: Its Definition and Assessment. Pennsylvania: Edge press. Shaw, P. (2010). Making Difficult Decisions: How to be decisive and get the business done. New York: John Wiley Sons. Stanley, T. (2009). Critical Thinking and Formative Assessments: Increasing the Rigor in Your Classroom Eye on Education. New York: Cengage Printing. Swamy, S. (2005) Management Strategies For Developing Critical Thinking Skills. London: Anmol Publications.

Expert Interview with Rita Friedman on Revitalizing Your Career

Expert Interview with Rita Friedman on Revitalizing Your Career If you’re at a dead end in your career, Rita Friedman can help. As a job coach and career expert, she helps job hunters find the career right for them at Philly Career Coach. She spoke with us about finding a job and keeping it. What form does career coaching take?Career coaching can take a range of forms, and career coaches use varied techniques, but it’s basically a worker / job seeker and a coach working together to develop career plans. Typical topics can include trying to figure out which jobs to target, how to navigate job boards, what to say (and not say) on a resume, interview prep, salary negotiation, managing the transition to a new role, establishing career milestones and strategizing for longer term growth.Why are career coaches more important than ever in the current job market?The job market has become increasingly complex – sometimes a job seeker doesn’t even know how to look for good information or opportunities; sometimes there’s ju st so much to sift through†¦. But even an experienced person can use an objective third party to create a sense of accountability and provide support.How have changes in the economy affected job seekers? What do you find people are looking for in a job?The recession really shook things up in a lot of ways. Of course, a lot of people lost their jobs; others who survived layoffs often had to assume additional responsibilities – that instability created a lot of fear, and I think it also decreased employee loyalty. But it also showed people there are other ways to work, including holding multiple positions concurrently or taking on some freelance work. I see more people looking for work they find meaningful, maybe in part because if the idea of stability is shattered, people feel they might as well go after what they really want to be doing anyway. I also see job seekers evaluating potential employers’ stability and shying away from companies they think are likely to restructure.What can job boards do to better find the job seekers they need?Job boards have gotten more sophisticated recently, and a lot of them have gotten pretty good at organizing information so job seekers can sort through a high volume of postings. Niche boards hold a certain appeal and can create a loyal base. In terms of functionality, it absolutely has to work across all platforms – a lot of people want to apply from their phones or iPads. Transparency is always a big turn-on for job seekers who like knowing who posted a job, how long it’s been listed, how many people are in the running and if a job posting appears because it’s sponsored. Providing links to actually relevant info – not just filler content – and serving as a knowledge bank can attract and keep visitors. And a good job board is easy on the eyes – sleek and instantly navigable. And each job board should have its own flavor – it’s not enough just to look good; there has to be some reason why it stands out.How can employers write postings to attract the applicants they’re looking for?Be specific. If something is really non-negotiable, make that clear in the posting. If there’s a definite salary attached to the role, including it in the job posting can help filter out the wrong candidates. Including mention of any special perks – such as the ability to work remotely, flexible hours, a generous vacation policy – can make even a boring job sound exciting. Be sure to include keywords so that job seekers can find the listing from searching beyond job titles. Do show some personality or company culture, but don’t write a flashy or sassy job posting if it’s not in line with the actual work environment.How are careers changing? What will employment be like in the future?One of the biggest changes we’ve seen in the employment landscape is a broader range of ages in any given workplace – from college students completing mandatory internships to workers retiring later in life, or even coming out of retirement to return to the workforce. And with people working for so long, we’re going to continue to see people who switch careers multiple times during their professional lives. There’s also a move towards portfolio careers, where an employee is likely to have a couple of part-time jobs instead of one full-time position. Finally, employees want flexibility more than ever, and even though most people still want to be part of a great team, autonomy seems to be especially valued by workers right now. People want to use web-based technologies to work on their own terms – and companies are starting to realize they actually get more out of their people as a result.

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Descriptive Statistics Paper - Essay Example In the preceeding page is a pie chart that shows a set of nominal data of respondents according to gender. Notice that there are more females (52%) than the male respondents (48%). This differences in frequency in terms of population may affect the the result of data. Based on models, the disparities can be due to related factors such as demographic data and skills of the workers (Autor, Katz and Kearney, 2008), that demographic as well as factors that are non-economic can greatly affect the wages. The second chart above reveals the average years of work experiences between males and females. There is difference in the said years of experience according to gender and this is reflected on the chart. More female was found to have higher work experiences (21.11%) than the males (19.74%). Figure 3 presents the box plot chart shows that average wage per industry in areas of construction ($ 42, 225.07), manufacturing ($26, 402.29) and others ($31, 347.88) have variations. For these industries, employees in the construction had the highest wages followed by those in the field of manufacturing and the rest of other industries. Finally, figure 5 below depicts the fact that men receive salary far from the amount received by females. Comparison can be considered serious due to the continuous increase in gap between the wages of the male and female members of the workforce (Welch, 2000). The said study presents one of the specific problematic areas related to wage and wage earners. Welch, F. (2000). Women’s Labor-Market Gains in the 1980’s and Future Prospects: Growth in Women’s Relative Wages and in Inequality among Men: One Phenomenon or Two? AEA Papers and Proceedings, 90 (2),

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Letter from the clergy and Kings response - Essay Example At the time, King was in a jail in Birmingham, Alabama. He had been arrested for his part in the Birmingham campaign, a non-violent protest planned by the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights and King’s Southern Leadership Conference. This movement was directed at Birmingham’s traders and the City Government. It was no secret that Birmingham was a city known for its highly visible discrimination against blacks. It was the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States (King, 1963). This discriminatory attitude emanated both from the white business class as well as the City Government. King’s response to the clergymen’s letter indicates why he was in Birmingham, since they had deemed him an ‘outside agitator.’ As President of the Southern Leadership Conference he was invited by one of its 85 affiliate organizations, namely the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights to be on call and come to their aid in respect of a non-violen t protest whenever deemed necessary. This he had accordingly done. King asserts that his movement of non-violence was based on a detailed investigation that included collection of the facts, negotiation, self purification and direct action (King, 1963). There had been Court injustices and bombings that have not even spared churches attended by the Negro community. While they had approached the City officials for negotiation, this had never been done in good faith. Consequently there was no resort but to protest non-violently. Before this protest they had even approached the traders requesting them to remove the discriminatory and humiliating signs from their shops but this was done half-heartedly- a few signs were removed here and there but ultimately replaced. It was evident that things were not going to improve to their satisfaction. That segregation is unjust is evident from the fact that it is not rooted in eternal or natural law. It is God that created men of all color. To quote both St. Augustine and

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Exporting healthy drink from Austria to Canada - Term Paper Example These are the reasons why several companies have chosen to position their product in the foreign market. Others also cited that they preferred to export their products in order to survive in the saturated domestic market and remained competitive. However, before a certain company considered the idea of exporting, it must have all the needed resources (strategic and financial), and more importantly is to have a higher level of commitment to compete in the international market. According to Zou, Kim, and Cavusgil, in order for companies to be successful they â€Å"need to conduct a careful assessment of their readiness to export, go through the learning process of internationalization, develop effective export marketing strategies that suit for foreign markets, and implement the strategies effectively† (2). Trading Ltd. is an Austrian based company that is very determined to introduce BioDrink in the Canadian market. The main purpose of this paper is to design the international marketing strategy of Trading Ltd. targeting the Canadians as their final consumers considering all the necessary information. To measure the readiness of the company to export BioDrink in the Canadian market, it must have all the necessary resources. Among the necessary resources are strategic and financial resources, management commitment, and human resources. â€Å"A common mistake made by some companies is to become involved in exporting without adequate preparation and assessment of their readiness to export† (Zou, Kim, and Cavusgil 9). New Customers and Markets. It would be an advantage for the exporting company to have a strong home market position before going into exporting because international market is full of competitors. Canada as the prospect overseas market is a good choice in terms of its economic stability being one of the world’s wealthiest nations. Also, the demand of beverage industry in the country is increasing and the record of exporting is high. Trading

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