BSBCRT611 APPLY CRITICAL THINKING FOR COMPLEX PROBLEM SOLVING

Assessment Task 1 Guidelines

1. Complete the table outlining reliable information relevant to workplace processes.

Information Example May be obtained by

source
Legislation Corporations Act 2001 internet research
The Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) https://compliance.une.ed
is the principal legislation u.au/directory/summary.p
regulating business entities hp?legislation=551
(primarily companies) in Australia.
It regulates matters such as the
formation and operation of
companies (in conjunction with a
constitution that may be adopted
by a company), duties of officers,
takeovers and fundraising.

The Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)

amendments to whistle-blower
provisions commenced on 1 July
2019. These provisions expand
the protections available to
whistle-blowers and the liabilities
of board members and senior
managers of corporations,
including the penalties for
breaches. The provisions apply to
a regulated entity, which includes
corporations to which the
Commonwealth constitution
applies.
Organisational Organizations need to develop Internet search around 3
policies and policies and procedures that or 4 source and mix all
procedures reflect their vision, values and data together.
culture as well as the needs of
their employees. Once they are in
place, enforcing these guidelines
is even more important. However,
accomplishing these goals can be
tougher than it sounds.

Policies and procedures go hand-

in-hand but are not
 interchangeable.

A policy is a set of general

guidelines that outline the
organization’s plan for tackling an
issue. Policies communicate the
connection between the
organization’s vision and values
and its day-to-day operations.

A procedure explains a specific

action plan for carrying out a
policy. Procedures tells
employees how to deal with a
situation and when.

Using policies and procedures

together gives employees a well-
rounded view of their workplace.
They know the type of culture that
the organization is striving for,
what behavior is expected of
them and how to achieve both of
these.
Stakeholders Stakeholders are directly affected Internet search
by the actions and results of a
company and can have a major
impact on the overall success of a
company. Because of this,
knowing who a company’s
stakeholders are, how they
impact and are affected by the
company, and how to properly
communicate with them is
extremely important to the overall
success of a company. In this
article, we discuss what a
stakeholder is, how to identify
different types of key
stakeholders and how to
effectively communicate with your
stakeholders.

2. Describe (in 60 to 80 words) how legislation may be applicable to workplace

problems (provide an example as part of your answer).
 The government use legislation to regulate businesses’ behavior and prevent them from
exploiting people. Laws protect consumers who buy from businesses and workers employed
by businesses.

Businesses are affected by all sorts of legislation, including Legislation that sets up new
public bodies, such as the Legal Services Commission and the Public Defender System.
Consumer Protection legislation that gives rights to consumers. Taxation legislation that
creates a framework for taxing business.

Costs and profits

Businesses must comply with government legislation, but this means that they incur a
range of additional costs in terms of time and money. Some of these costs are incurred
because of the time required to produce documents, follow procedures and make sure legal
obligations are met. Additional costs come from:
 supply training and safety equipment
 test products to ensure that they meet minimum safety standards
 pay staff higher wages
 provide product warranties
 employ additional staff to cover hours required
 make financial contributions to employee pensions
 quality assurance procedures
Additional profits can be made through an enhanced brand image, giving the business a
better reputation and increasing the amount of sales they make. In addition, if a business is
acting ethically and within the law, employees are likely to work harder and stay working for
the business for a long period of time.

Reference by https://businesscasestudies.co.uk/legislation/

3. Describe (in 50 to 60 words) how organisational policies and procedures may be

applicable to workplace problems (provide an example as part of your answer).

As your organization’s leaders create and enforce policies, it’s important to make sure
your staff understands why following policies and procedures is critical. Policies and
procedures keep operations from devolving into complete chaos.

When everyone is following policies and procedures, your organization can run smoothly.
Management structures and teams operate as they’re meant to. And mistakes and hiccups in
processes can be quickly identified and addressed.

Moreover, when your staff is following policies and procedures, your organization will use
time and resources more efficiently. You’ll be able to grow and achieve your goals as an
organization.

Finally, When employees follow procedures, they perform tasks correctly and provide
consistent customer service. This enhances the quality of your organization’s products and
services. And, in turn, improves your company’s reputation. Employees can know they are
fulfilling their roles and take pride in their work.
Reference by https://i-sight.com/resources/policies-and-procedures-in-the-workplace-the-
ultimate-guide/

4. Identify and describe two (2) critical thinking methods that may be used to identify
complex issues in the workplace using the table below (there is an example to get you
started).

Method Description

Interview This method uses a formal or informal interview process

to obtain information about a workplace issue (such as
how a product is used). It asks relevant questions to
relevant stakeholders and documents the answers.
Identifying To make good decisions we need to start by identifying
good information. With more and more information
available, we need to ensure we are using reliable or
credible information - not just the first information that
comes up in a Google search. In an age of fake news and
powerful algorithms, we need to scrutinize information
and its sources so that our decisions are based on
reliable reasoning and evidence.
Analysing Analysing means carefully examining information in order
to understand, interpret and explain it. This can involve
identifying assumptions, gaps and connections between
such things as data, reasoning or evidence. A thorough
analysis prepares you well for a final evaluation, where
you form judgements and draw conclusions.

In the identifying stage, you will have asked critical

questions to determine what kind of information you are
working with, who produced the information, and for
whom. Analysing involves thinking very carefully about
this information and the claims being made.

This involves looking beyond the surface of what is said

and examining assumptions and reasoning behind a
perspective.
Evaluation Evaluation skills help you make good judgements on the
reliability of information and the soundness of arguments.
They allow you to reach conclusions and make decisions,
while justifying them with reasons. This process requires
you to act like a judge, weighing all of the information
available and reaching a final conclusion.
 Method Description
Reflection Reflection is a metacognitive process, which means it
involves thinking about our thinking. At university you may
be asked to reflect on your thinking involving a task, a
process or your practice. This is a form of analysis with a
focus on you, your thinking, behaviour and actions. This
module provides some reflective models which may assist
you undertake reflective tasks. It also illustrates how our
thinking may be limited by cognitive biases.
Reasoning Reasoning is the ability to think logically to formulate fair
judgements and justify a position. In other words, it is
about identifying, analysing and evaluating arguments.

5. Identify and describe two (2) critical thinking methods that may be used to generate
solutions to complex issues in the workplace using the table below (there is an example to get
you started).

Critical thinking Description

technique

Brainstorming This method uses a group of people to think of as

many solutions (even the crazy ones) in a
predetermined time.
Creativity Critical thinking is an art, and like any art form, its
lifeblood is creativity. To really learn critical thinking,
you need to include elements of creativity in the
process.
Communication Communication is a key technique for critical thinking
as it gives you access to the thoughts of people
around you.

Data can be communicated through audio and visual

means and in many cases, through careful
observation of body language.
Open-Mindedness It’s easy to say you’re open minded but is your
mind open?

To get an idea,

 Be brutally honest about your strengths and

weaknesses, and how these will impact the
matter at hand.
 Hear an opinion that conflicts with your own
without forming a response before the opinion
is fully voiced.
 Acknowledge that there may be more than one
approach to solving a problem and that they
may all be right in some way.
 Consider your true feelings when you will
implement any required changes.
 Disregard your long-held beliefs and
assumptions and let go of habits.
 Imagine the decision-making factors placed on
weighing scales. Are they balanced?
 Open-mindedness is a powerful technique for critical
thinking. New possibilities can be uncovered, helping
you resolve personal and professional matters in a
manner that doesn’t frustrate you or alienate the other
party.

Problem-Solving Critical thinking is heavily dependent on problem-

solving. An effective critical thinker will be a problem
solver with the foresight to anticipate roadblocks and
negative outcomes, and the experience and presence
of mind to resolve them quickly and move on.

One of the most effective problem-solving

methodologies is the 5 Whys Analysis. Invented by
Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of Toyota Motors in the
1950s, it has been used successfully by the
automobile giant to get to the root cause of problems.

The idea behind this is simple: start with the end

problem and keep asking why until you get to the root
cause of it.

6. Summarise the steps associated with a decision-making process. You may answer
using a written paragraph or diagram.
7. List three (3) advantages of addressing complex issues in the workplace.

1. Better thinking:
During team problem-solving process, a person might think of certain solutions which can
be used to solve such issue for a temporary basis. But in case of team problem-solving
sessions a team or group of people will try to put in all their individual thinking in that particular
matter so that they can get an answer and solution for their problem.
Therefore, team problem-solving techniques helps to conclude with a better solution with
better thinking.

2. Better risk handling:

It might seem a bit confusing for people that when it comes to risk, more people can
handle a higher amount of risk. And that is very true because when a group person tries to
handle the severity of the risk, it is quite possible that they can grow better in their professional
outputs.
Therefore, team problem-solving methods can increase the risk factor in a very positive
manner and moreover because of such team problem-solving ability, one can create better
growth.

3. Better communication:
Problems can be solved in a better way with proper communication between people. And
when it comes to a team or a group of persons, then it is easy to understand that they can
communicate better as compared to others.
Therefore, team problem-solving method increases communication and better
understanding between a group of people and this ultimately helps to solve the issues as soon
as possible.

8. Complete the table outlining the different types of risk that may be associated with
pursuing a complex issue in the workplace.
Refer to below websites for reference. Please write your answers in your own words.
https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/Governance-Risk-
Compliance/dttl-grc-exploring-strategic-risk.pdf
https://business.tutsplus.com/tutorials/the-main-types-of-business-risk--cms-22693
https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/types-risk-your-business-faces

Type of risk Description Example

It’s the risk that your
Strategic risk
company’s strategy becomes
less effective and your
company struggles to reach its
goals as a result. It could be
due to technological changes,
a powerful new competitor
entering the market, shifts in
A classic example is Kodak, which had
such a dominant position in the film
photography market that when one of its
own engineers invented a digital camera
in 1975, it saw the innovation as a threat
to its core business model, and failed to
develop it.
 customer demand, spikes in
the costs of raw materials, or
any number of other large-
scale changes.
Are you complying with all the
Compliance
necessary laws and
risk regulations that apply to your
business?
Of course you are (I hope!).
But laws change all the time,
and there’s always a risk that
you’ll face additional
regulations in the future. And
as your own business
expands, you might find
yourself needing to comply
with new rules that didn’t apply
to you before.
It’s easy to say with hindsight, of course,
but if Kodak had analyzed the strategic
risk more carefully, it would have
concluded that someone else would start
producing digital cameras eventually, so it
was better for Kodak to cannibalize its
own business than for another company
to do it.
Failure to adapt to a strategic risk led to
bankruptcy for Kodak. It’s now emerged
from bankruptcy as a much smaller
company focusing on corporate imaging
solutions, but if it had made that shift
sooner, it could have preserved its
dominance.
Facing a strategic risk doesn’t have to be
disastrous, however. Think of Xerox,
which became synonymous with a single,
hugely successful product, the Xerox
photocopier. The development of laser
printing was a strategic risk to Xerox’s
position, but unlike Kodak, it was able to
adapt to the new technology and change
its business model. Laser printing became
a multi-billion-dollar business line for
Xerox, and the company survived the
strategic risk.
The organic farm in California, and sell
your products in grocery stores across the
U.S. Things are going so well that you
decide to expand to Europe and begin
selling there.
That’s great, but you’re also incurring
significant compliance risk. European
countries have their own food safety rules,
labeling rules, and a whole lot more. And if
you set up a European subsidiary to
handle it all, you’ll need to comply with
local accounting and tax rules. Meeting all
those extra regulatory requirements could
end up being a significant cost for your
business.
Even if your business doesn’t expand
geographically, you can still incur new
compliance risk just by expanding your
product line. Let’s say your California farm
starts producing wine in addition to food.
Selling alcohol opens you up to a whole
raft of new, potentially costly regulations.
In extreme cases, a compliance risk can

Most categories of risk have a
Financial risk
financial impact, in terms of
extra costs or lost revenue.
But the category of financial
risk refers specifically to the
money flowing in and out of
your business, and the
possibility of a sudden
financial loss.
Operational risk refers to an
Operational
unexpected failure in your
risk company’s day-to-day
operations. It could be a
technical failure, like a server
outage, or it could be caused
by your people or processes.
also affect your business’s future,
becoming a strategic risk too. Think of
tobacco companies facing new advertising
restrictions, for example, or the late-1990s
online music-sharing services that were
sued for copyright infringement and were
unable to stay in business. We’re breaking
these risks into different categories, but
they often overlap.
Financial risk is increased when you do
business internationally. Let’s go back to
that example of the California farm selling
its products in Europe. When it makes
sales in France or Germany, its revenue
comes in euros, and its UK sales come in
pounds. The exchange rates are always
fluctuating, meaning that the amount the
company receives in dollars will change.
The company could make more sales next
month, for example, but receive less
money in dollars. That’s a big financial risk
to take into account.
Consider the risk that one of your
employees writes the wrong amount on a
check, paying out $100,000 instead of
$10,000 from your account.
That’s a “people” failure, but also a
“process” failure. It could have been
prevented by having a more secure
payment process, for example having a
second member of staff authorize every
major payment or using an electronic
system that would flag unusual amounts
for review.
In some cases, operational risk can also
stem from events outside your control,
such as a natural disaster, or a power cut,
or a problem with your website host.
Anything that interrupts your company’s
core operations comes under the category
of operational risk.
While the events themselves can seem
quite small compared with the large
strategic risks we talked about earlier,
operational risks can still have a big
impact on your company. Not only is there
the cost of fixing the problem, but
operational issues can also prevent
customer orders from being delivered or
make it impossible to contact you,
resulting in a loss of revenue and damage
to your reputation.
9. List three (3) barriers to effective decision-making

Lack of knowledge about bias and decision-making in organisations

Many in leadership roles are aware, albeit to varying degrees, that our beliefs and values
affect our decision-making ability. Therefore, the door to bias is open, and there are hundreds
of different biases that come into play which affect our decisions further. And It is important for
leaders and their organisations to be aware of how such bias affects how we interpret
information.
Poor culture of challenging decision making
To improve decision-making, organisations need to develop a culture where people feel
safe raising concerns and acting on errors. They must also be transparent, which means
sharing information and taking a diagnostic approach to identify patterns of what is going
wrong and how to improve, such as a survey.
An open and transparent culture encourages individual learning and development and
allows groups to be dynamic and creative. Forums and committees should be set up and led in
a way that encourages the contribution of individual's ideas and views, that may counter
confirmation bias and groupthink.
Diversity of thought
Here are some facts from a piece of Forbes research in 2017 on business decisions
making.
 Teams outperform individual decision-makers 66% of the time
 All-male teams make better business decisions than individuals 58% of the time
 Gender diverse teams outperform individuals 73% of the time
 Finally, gender diverse teams that include a wide range of ages and different
geographic locations make better business decisions 87% of the time.
The point here is that decisive leadership involves diversified input from your team. The
more diverse your decision-making group is, the more effective the decision.

10. Summarise (in a paragraph) the requirements for the development and
presentation of a brief.
 Developing policies and procedures is a complex and dynamic process. It requires
cooperation and commitment of the executive, policyholder, stakeholders and the employees.
But when developed and implemented the right way, the business or company can run
efficiently, and achieve its goals easily. It can also help the business or company comply with
the legal and social environment it operates in and cultivate good relationships with its
employees and customers.

11. Summarise (in a paragraph) the requirements for the development and
presentation of feedback register.

A recommendation engine (sometimes referred to as a recommender system) is a tool

that lets algorithm developers predict what a user may or may not like among a list of given
items. Recommendation engines are a pretty interesting alternative to search fields, as
recommendation engines help users discover products or content that they may not come
across otherwise.

12. List four (4) bodies you may be required to seek approval from to develop and
implement solutions.

• the executive committee

Composition of the Executive Committee

The Business Dictionary defines the executive committee as a “group of directors
appointed to act on behalf of, and within the powers granted to them by, the board of
directors. Typically, it consists of a chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary, and
treasurer.”
The executive committee is composed of senior-level executives and board
officers. The organization’s bylaws spell out exactly who serves on the executive
committee. Typically, all of the officers of the board are invited to serve on the executive
committee, along with the corporation’s President or CEO.
Most executive committees are fairly small, with three to seven members. In
some corporations, the board chair appoints the members of the executive committee,
but, usually, the board appoints the members.
It’s possible for boards to take another approach to appointing members of the
executive committee, such as appointing the chairs of each standing committee and the
chair of the board, as long as the bylaws concur. Some boards find it helpful to have
chairs from the finance, governance, program development, and communications
committees readily available for immediate input on urgent matters.

• board of directors

The subject matters of Board Meetings shall be decided by the Chairman of the
Board of Directors. The Board secretariat shall conduct the drafting of meeting agendas
and minutes, and handle other administrative matters related to Board Meetings, and
reports to the Chairman of the Board of Directors. The Company’s Board secretariat shall
be appointed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors.

• functional managers/leaders
 The functional style assumes that leadership is defined by the behavior of the
leader and its corresponding effect on the group. Leadership is something that any
individual provides to a group to meet certain needs.

• regulatory bodies
A regulatory body is a public organization or government agency that is set up to
exercise a regulatory function. This involves imposing requirements, conditions or
restrictions, setting the standard for activities, and enforcing in these areas or obtaining
compliance. Regulatory bodies cover a wide variety of professions, but not all
professions are regulated and may be self-regulated. A regulatory body might also be
referred to as a regulatory agency, a regulatory authority or a regulator.

• environmental bodies.

The UN leads environmental policy development through the work of some key
bodies.

 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development

 Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)
 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
 UN Forum on Forests
Evidence Submission Checklist

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