Assignment: Critical Analytical Thinking Project

Guidelines

You are a career coach! You've been flown in to help a client overcome a crisis. Your client is one out of three scenarios (see page 4). You've had the first few conversations with the client and now you have to write up your detailed advice. You've established that the problem and solution reside in your client's thinking.

To successfully complete this final project please consider the following points:

• Use the theories and concepts discussed in class to conduct your analysis, formulate solutions, and back your arguments.

• If you convincingly add insights based on the main text and the articles you used for your group presentations then that would lead to above average performance and assessment.

• If you consistently add insights based on additional research (beyond the book and course articles) then that would lead to an excellent assessment (use University Online Library or Google Scholar).

• When you write this report it would be ideal if you would adopt a critical mindset; i.e. you don't have to agree with the recommendations given by the research you introduce. If you criticize anything make sure you back your criticism with sound argumentation or academic/practical sources of information.

• Make sure you organize your report in a professional way. At least include the basic components such as title page, name and student ID, table of content, page numbering, paragraph headings, tables, figures and other ways you consider useful for improving the presentation of your report.

The structure of the consultancy report comprises three main sections (each section has paragraphs). These sections are explained next.

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION: Scenario Analysis (500 words)

• Section 1.1 Scenario Description: This is the introduction of your client report. Describe the scenario in terms of thought processes and how systems 1 and 2 are currently playing their respective roles in the client's crisis. Any information you believe you require for your advice but which is not given in the scenario you may creatively add it yourself. If your scenario provides options, explain the options that you will address. For example, in the scenario of Arwa the nutrition expert you may compare the options of giving up on the business and the option of relocating to another part in the Kingdom. You may also wish to suggest additional choices not mentioned in the scenario and provide other details as you describe your scenario.

• Section 1.2 Overview of Identified Issues:

At the end of your introduction briefly introduce the main issues you have identified in the form of a list, table or bullet points. Try to answer these questions:

• What are the critical thinking issues which the client is currently facing? What are the implications for the success of their career?

• Which measures does the client need to take to save their career and prevent similar crises in the future?

CHAPTER 2 BODY: Analysis of Career Solutions (2,000 words)

After the introduction, you will elaborate on the earlier introduced issues and provide solutions to your client. The second chapter should follow this general outline:

• Section 2.1 - Identification of Issues: List at least three important critical thinking issues that are impacting or could impact your client's decisions. For each issue you will later have to provide solutions.

o One of your three issues should consider how the client should be better aware of how biases of intuition are currently affecting their career. Use references and ideas from the book part 1 and any other relevant academic articles you can access through the E-Library.

Another issue should be related to issues in the client's thinking related to deductive or inductive reasoning, excessive confidence in certain beliefs, and issues with statistical thinking. Use references and ideas from the book parts 2 and 3 and any other relevant academic articles you can access through the IAU E- Library.

o A third issue should be about how uncertainty is affecting the client's thinking and how it may be clouding their judgment in preferring some options others. Use references and ideas from the book part 4, the book "Originals" from Adam Grant and any other relevant academic articles you can access through the IAU E-Library.

• Section 2.2 - Proposed Solutions to Issues: provide solutions to the abovementioned issues. Make sure your solutions take into account the specific context of your assigned scenario. Avoid generalized solutions which have no connection to the scenario or are not related to the ideas of the course.

• Section 2.3 - Critique of the implications of each solution: once you've developed your solutions also explain to the client how each solution has its limitations or implications. Or illustrate how each solution will only work given certain circumstances.

CHAPTER 3 CONCLUSION (500 words)

• Write a conclusion summarizing your thoughts on the solutions proposed and explain how the implementation of the proposed solutions may lead your client to positive and sustainable outcomes; commercially, culturally and socially.

• Mention any extraordinary insights gained from writing the consultancy report.

• Mention any criticisms of the tools and theories given in the course readings if any.

Perhaps writing this client report made you think differently about the ideas of these authors.

• Please cite all of your references in Harvard format.

SCENARIOS:

1. Arwa's growing nutrition business:

Arwa is a nutrition expert and the owner of a health and nutrition shop in Dhahran. She helps clients with in- depth consultancy to improve and maintain good health. She also sells food supplements and complete nutrition packages. Her business is growing rapidly and although she wanted to keep her business a 1- person endeavor, she is now forced to hire employees to keep up with the growth. Arwa has identified the following major tasks:

- Hire an operations manager for production of the nutrition.
- Move to a larger accommodation to have shop and production under one roof.
- Hire a customer service representative to handle online orders and customer complaints.

Arwa is part of an influential tribe in the Kingdom. She was raised in an environment with considerable importance given to tribal relationships and preservation of the tribal heritage and family tree. Now that her business is expanding she will have to work with employees from other parts of the Kingdom and perhaps even from other nationalities. This is a completely new experience to Arwa. Moreover, her father has told Awra to not hire employees from certain countries because "those people cannot be trusted". Arwa's father led a construction business 18 years ago and suffered some losses because a group of managers were cooking the books. Arwa does not have the capital to hire a recruitment agency but cannot deal with the number of orders. She needs a quick and effective solution which does not seem to be coming her way anytime soon. Her worries have started to shake her belief that she can build a lasting business with products that make a difference for the Saudi society. She is even thinking about closing the shop because of all the questions she does not seem to be able to answer.