This from the Book Critical Thinking Paul Elder Second Edition(Pearson).
Chapter 12
What do humans need in order to understand ethical reasoning and apply ethical principles?
What is ethics? Give an example of something ethical you would do.
Why are people confused about ethics? Give four reasons.
Give two examples to distinguish between ethics and law.
How can we adults help cultivate fair mindedness in children?
Chapter 13
List and describe three obstacles to organizational success.
What are three important conditions for an organization’s success?
How does sound thinking help organizations?
A case study similar to the ones in the chapter will be given for you to interpret. See case studies in the chapter.
What would you do personally to improve the work climate and productivity in your organization by thinking critically?
What is misleading success? How does misleading success affect an organization?
According Greene, what are some strategies people use to gain power in an organization? List four strategies.
Chapter 12
What do humans need in order to understand ethical reasoning and apply ethical principles?
What is ethics? Give an example of something ethical you would do.
Why are people confused about ethics? Give four reasons.
Give two examples to distinguish between ethics and law.
How can we adults help cultivate fair mindedness in children?
Chapter 13
List and describe three obstacles to organizational success.
What are three important conditions for an organization’s success?
How does sound thinking help organizations?
A case study similar to the ones in the chapter will be given for you to interpret. See case studies in the chapter.
What would you do personally to improve the work climate and productivity in your organization by thinking critically?
What is misleading success? How does misleading success affect an organization?
According Greene, what are some strategies people use to gain power in an organization? List four strategies.
Expert Answer
CHAPTER 12
2. Ethics determine norms, ideals, standards, values and beliefs. Ethics makes judgment of value upon human actions with mention of the moral ideal. These evaluate our conduct as right or wrong. Any behavior or performance which is not done by a person of his own free will is not judged to be the subject matter of ethics or moral judgments. The code of ethics is based upon broad principles of truth, honesty, justice, trustworthiness, respect, safeguard of human life and welfare, competence and accountability which constitute the moral values. Ethics simply show you what is good and what is bad and what is right and what is wrong. . People who are ethical are most likely to build trust among other people in a society, and surely good for their reputation and goodwill.
Professional ethics is an integral part of all the professions, particularly in medical field. A doctor or surgeon must always maintain highest standards of professional conduct. Performing the operation regarding liver transplant illegally and hoping that no one finds out to save the life of the person who will die without the help is in reality an illegal act regardless of the fact that the person who needs a new liver will die if not operated. If, the operation is performed, this would be considered as malpractice due to neglecting of duties and not following ethical norms in practice. This kind of practice is considered unethical as the money received in connection to this service rendered to that person is other than the acceptance of proper professional fee. However, health of the patient is the first consideration for any doctor or surgeon. But, in this case, I, as the surgeon operates, it is considered to be intentional wrong-doing which is against the Hippocratic Oath.
3. Ethical considerations will enter into all aspects of our life. People get confused with ethics as ethics is closely related to many other sciences. There are many reasons:
a. Politics is allied with ethics for both of them aim at the good for the people. The law of ethics must be applicable to every political law. However, politics aim at public utility and welfare while ethics aim at moral welfare or the realisation of the Highest Good or Ideal. Politics come under the scope of ethics, though it is true that the functions of the two are totally different.
b. Ethics lay down the ideal of the highest good and judges our conduct in the light of that ideal, economics, aims at ensuring economic welfare of the people, too must be closely related to ethics. Economics is not considered as the science of wealth but of welfare, which is not a fact but an ideal. Economics tries to ensure material welfare that may be ensured by economic goods & services. But the laws of economics must be value-based. Economic laws deal with values and ideals at the same time of taking care of basic needs of a man for survival.
4. Ethics are related to moral laws and values or you can say Natural law, which is totally different from scientific laws. In law and morality, the value is not logical outcome of the fact, whereas scientific laws are objective and describe a phenomenon. Wheras, natural laws or human laws do not describe a phenomenon but they prescribe a code of conduct.
Natural justice is meted out by God- by nature. Positive or legal justice is administered by man. Natural justice is perfect while the latter is imperfect. Natural justice is the ideal and the truth, whereas legal justice is its imperfect realisation and expression. Justice may be legal but not natural or moral.
CHAPTER 13
1. Three obstacles in way of organizational success are as follows:
a. Work culture is one of the integral factor that comes in way of organkizational success. If it goes wrong, it can make the survival of a company tough in the industry. Creating right work culture and climate is neccessary to take the organization to the next level. An organization ensures good customer service and for that it provides utmost training to its employees whom task is to serve its customers. An organization that provides each and everything demanded by customers is referred to as successful in the market sector. Organizations must produce such goods & services which aims to benefit consumer’s lifestyle. Company should ensure a healthy and trust-worthy relations with their customers. They must be loyal to their customers to make them permanent customers.
b. Operation management is a crucial part of every organization’s strategy. Strategy implies to plan of action to attain long term goals and objectives. Operation strategy helps out in managing organization’s resources. In operation management, it meant day-to-day activities and tasks. In case, efficient and effective strategic planning is not made, it can affect organizational sucess in the long-run.
c. One of the most critical concern of entrepreneurs is to identify the target market and potential buyers. Making the right business marketing plan helps the organization reach right prospective buyers and market. In case, the company is unable to find the potential buyers, it would not grow successfully and may affect the goodwill.
2. The success of any organization primarily depends upon how good the management of the organization is and the effectiveness of management depends primarily on its human skills and how well it understands the human needs and desires.
Conditions for successful organization are as follows:
a. Continous improvment: Every organization should adopt processes for continuous improvement in their performance levels.
b. performance and behavior: There must be high levels of performance from every individual working in the organization. Every individual should willingly perform and put in adequate work effort. This increases work productivity and takes the organization to the next level next to success.
c. Work culture and climate: Culture is an important aspect of organizational success. For any organization to grow and prosper, it is important that its mission and its philosphy be respected and adhered to by all the members of the organization.
3. Critical thinking is sound thinking maintained in the organizations. Critical thinking is considered as self-directed and self- corrective way of thinking. It is the ability to examine your thinking clearly and present facts of the ideas and thoughts. In such case, people are self-controlled in learning and listening of others viewpoints and opinions. It involves effective as well as efficient communication. In other words, we can say that critical thinking helps in attaining the best possible outcomes in any issue. Moreover, helps in making accurate judgment.
Critical thinking in the organizations aids in problem-solving issues. It plays a significant role in decision making at every management level. It is useful for people related to grievance handling departments and sections.Individuals with critical thinking are self-dependent and disciplined. They are self-responsible for the task assigned to them. These people manage their work on their own.
Critical thinking helps people working in knowledge work department. A knowledge worker must have critical thinking skills. They are always developing new creations. They create as well as add value to the work assigned. It is the responsibility of every knowledge worker to continue doing innovative techniques, developing new approaches and products & services.
Critical thinking encourages and increments presentation skills. Precise thinking in a systematic way improves the way of presenting our ideas and thoughts. People working in organization in upper management level must have comprehension abilities and must have a different yet innovative thought process which helps in growth of the organization. Critical thinking gives rise to innovations and discoveries. It helps in facilitating intellectual skills. It helps in generating new ideas and concepts especially in today’s technological era.
4. Steps to be followed to improve work culture by critical thinking in the organization are as follows:
a. Managers and leaders keep the values and behavoir of the organizational members under control. For this, they pay continuous attention to maintain established standards.
b. They send clear signals to all the individuals working as to what is expected of them all times.
c. These managers and leaders need to be strong role models so that values are reinforced to support organizational culture.
d. Leaders should adopt cultural strength to handle crisis situations.