However, good decision-making will result only when critical-thinking is applied. Decision-making is affected by various factors often making the process extremely complex and difficult. Quality decisions are a result of balancing quantitative and qualitative data, and personal judgment.
Authors view on Critical Thinking and Decision Making.
In authors view, critical thinking is about the awareness of a set of interrelated critical questions, and the individual's ability to ask and answer critical questions at appropriate times, and desire to actively use the critical questions. Critical questioning provides a structure to critical thinking by supporting a continual, ongoing search for better opinions, decisions or judgments. It is a systematic evaluation of what one heard and read. In addition, the author states that critical thinkers are the ones who are able to control their emotions and personal opinions from taking over their reasoning ability. And, critical thinkers are very open to ideas and will be willing to change their current beliefs.
As for decision-making, the author states that figuring out what the problem is half the battle on decision making. The rest is to come out with a solution, which is the role of decision maker. In workplace, the authors say that the managers have to act and decide on highly diverse problems. He says as the managers in the work place today faced with more than one problem in hand at any point of time, it is important to identify the problem early before it gets worsen. This early detection helps in decision-making and avoids crisis situation. The author states that the managers are prone to act more quickly on problems that look easy to solve and procrastinate over tackling issues that are ambiguous. He also discusses about the impact of politics and power on decision-making. He concludes that decision-making is not merely a thought process that balances goals and means, but also a political process that balances various power sectors.