| In business, it's success or failures boil down to | | | | idea what to do next. By marking the letter X like |
| one thing and that is money. Was there profit | | | | pirates do on a treasure map, the group can |
| after the campaign, did it break even or is the | | | | adapt to the challenges then overcome it. |
| company in the red? This is the reason managers | | | | The task ahead will not be easy. This involves |
| have to be critical thinkers because this is the only | | | | evaluating and understanding the current internal |
| way for any firm to survive. | | | | and external environments. This may serve as a |
| Heads of companies and the executives do this | | | | hindrance or a way to further make the company |
| once or twice a year planning ahead for the | | | | reach the goal faster. |
| succeeding months. Current project are assessed | | | | Those on the internal side will focus on employee |
| and competitors are being reviewed so that a | | | | competence, productivity and systems integration. |
| weakness can be spotted and used to the | | | | Those outside will depend on the demand of the |
| organization's advantage. | | | | people, the economy of the United States and |
| A good example will be focusing on another | | | | the world at large and of course, government |
| target market aside from the existing one. Since | | | | policy. |
| coffee is often drank by those who are older, | | | | These things may not always be in favor of the |
| perhaps coming up with something that has less | | | | company but there are ways to go around it and |
| caffeine that can be served cold will work for the | | | | those who are working will not lose focus given |
| younger generation. This approach is exactly what | | | | that goal which may be still to far ahead is kept in |
| Starbucks did. | | | | mind at all times. |
| This lesson was learned very well because a | | | | The only way for critical thinkers to succeed in |
| study by a consultancy firm showed that a lot of | | | | this endeavor is to get the necessary information. |
| businesses in the 1990's did not practice this. More | | | | This can be done through surveys to get the |
| than half the firms reviewed had poor revenue | | | | opinion of the people, sales reports from various |
| cost and profits models. These companies were | | | | government agencies that have data on rival |
| also poor in thinking of a competitive advantage | | | | firms and the opinions of the employees. |
| and were not concerned that much consumer | | | | When all the information is there, it is time for the |
| benefit. | | | | critical thinkers to make projections based on the |
| Strategic planning by critical thinkers involves not | | | | current assets. Money will be spent no doubt |
| looking in the short term but farther on into the | | | | about that and proper pricing and marketing will |
| future such as where the business will be five to | | | | be the only way to make sure the new product |
| ten years from now. This will mean making up for | | | | and campaign will be successful. |
| the mistakes in the past then improving it for the | | | | It is never too late to plan ahead. Everyone is a |
| future. | | | | critical thinker and it just takes some time for it |
| Critical thinking must always begin with the end in | | | | to come out so the employee or the |
| mind. Some people get lost thinking of how to | | | | entrepreneur can succeed in any business. |
| pass the possible obstacles first and then have no | | | | |