Defining Critical Thinking

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Critical Thinking Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to analyze a business memorandum by applying the 10 step critical thinking model as developed by M. Neil Browne and Stuart M. Keeley in “Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking”.

Critical Thinking requires the ability to recognize and assess facts as they play a role in the choices and decisions that you make. The ability to evaluate and scrutinize key data to help in decision making is crucial to being successful and effective in your day to day environment. Critical thinking is key to any decisions that you are faced with making.

In this paper, I will utilize the 10 steps developed by M. Neil Browne and Stuart M. Keeley in “Asking the Right Questions” to assess and apply them to a memo that was written by Ms. Mary Ford, Director of Human Resources for the Amalgamated Public Employees Union (APEU), Local No. 121, addressed to Mr. Hector Fuentes, President of the Amalgamated Public Employees Union (APEU), Local No. 121. The subject of the memo is regarding the outsourcing of the New Mexico State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Step 1. What are the issues and the conclusions? (Browne & Keeley, 2012, Chapter 2)

The main issue in this memo is the Governor, Gloria Gainor, sent out notification to the Union that the state intends to outsource and privatize the information systems management within the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Although the belief that privatizing this function would save the state approximately $250,000 per year, the negative would be the loss of jobs of 75 state employees, of which 43 are members of the APEU Local 121. Although the Governor states that the union members will be offered comparable positions within other departments, the caveat is “as vacancies arise through attrition, thus no guarantee. Furthermore, the remaining 32 employees that are not part of the union are not protected.

The suggested...