Critical thinking requires that we dig beneath the surface of organizational issues to explore multiple views, context, and aspects of knowing. In this exercise, students explore these deeper issues with the question: Are incentives effective? A hypothetical case unfolds to show how two consulting groups can arrive at very different recommendations regarding incentives. Systems thinking is used to demonstrate how issues of interrelationships, complexity, and time can alter our views. The exercise can be used as a general critical thinking exercise or to support topics in systems thinking, organizational dynamics, and research design.
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