Relevance of Critical Analysis in Business Organizations

REFLECTION ON CONSULTANCY COURSE: THE RELEVANCE OF CRITICAL ANALYSIS
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Date Introduction             Management Consultation Services (MCS) is a critical aspect of modern business organizations. At its core, management consulting is the practice of selling consultation services to improve the performance of organizations or achieve organizations' goals (Cerruti et al., 2019). The purpose of consultation services is to help organizations solve problems, create value, improve business performance, and maximize growth. Because of this relevance, the MCS industry is growing steadily with developments in business organizations. The industry consists of establishments engaged primarily in advising and assisting organizations on management and strategic issues. Between 2016 and 2020, the industry grew at an average rate of 5.6%, highlighting both the growth of opportunities and the increasing relevance of the industry (Barnes_Reports, 2018). The current course covers vital areas of consultancy and, therefore, adds to the student's preparation for involvement in the corporate world. Throughout the course, several highlighted skills are necessary for success in the sector. Among these skills, critical analysis ability stands out the most in my view. In this regard, the purpose of the current paper is to reflect on the relevance of these skills and their importance in the sector. Relevance of Reflection Reflection is a vital aspect of modern-day teaching and learning. According to Reynolds (2011, p. 10), reflection is central to the theory and practice of learning grounded in past and current experiences. It involves thinking about past and ongoing events or situations to reinforce relevant lessons. In this case, the current reflection seeks to unveil critical analysis as a core skill in consultancy services and outline its relevance and applicability in the consultation process. In agreement with this view, Finlay (2008, p. 11) argued that reflective practices offer ways to make sense of the uncertainty in our experience. It allows individuals to make connections among relevant information, expand on ideas, or even expand on the currently held knowledge. The current reflection is, however, guided by Hibert (2012, p. 809), who established the four principles of preparation or making space for reflection, enabling & simulating critical thinking, unsettling comfortable viewpoints, and supporting the development of different, critical perspectives through engagement with sociological imagination and ideological explorations. These principles have been widely accepted, particularly in the teaching of business management courses, and have been accepted and even appraised by other scholars. Through critical appraisal, business management education scholars like Cotter (2014, p. 463) have upheld the relevance of these principles in modern teaching and learning strategies. Core Skill for Improvement Primarily, organizations hire consultants because they are well-placed to capture detailed information and develop solutions (or recommendations) through them. When considered and implemented, such recommendations are supposed to enhance business performance. Because of the vast amount of information involved in projects, for instance, there is a need for critical analysis skills to capture and make sense of details that less keen eyes would otherwise miss. Reflection, among other elements like observation, evaluation, explanation, inference, and problem-solving abilities, form part of critical analysis dimensions (Karantzas et al., 2020). Critical analysis is a widely accepted goal of any educational program. Skill Justification However, the skills have unique relevance in the field of consultancy services. Throughout the course, I have encountered different sources of information, including recommended books, course journals, reports, media sources, peer perceptions, and educator verbal and written content. To better grasp this information, it was necessary to analyze it critically to make sense of it and make connections that enhanced my understanding of the course. In the same manner, as gathered through the course, consultancy involves gathering data and information, critically analyzing it, and presenting it to inform decision-makers. For instance, one of the primary individual activities in the course was to produce and consultancy report on the feasibility of the Temple Bar University Online Initiative. In this initiative, the university was looking to deploy an online service to enhance access to quality education and its competitive advantage by targeting underserved regions in Central Africa, Latin America, and Australia. In this activity, gathering information was a challenge. However, the main challenge emerged in making sense of this information, establishing connections, determining relevant details, and providing actionable recommendations. For example, Central Africa and Latin America's social and political characteristics are different, meaning online learning programs deployed by the university are unique to each region. The critical analysis allows such details to be captured and unveiled to those seeking consultancy services. This also forms a basis for the relevance of the second of Hibert’s principles. The third principle calls for students to simulate a...