Critical Thinking for Business (online)



Overview

You are deploying critical thinking when you use information, experience, observation and reasoning to guide your decisions, actions and beliefs. Practicioners of critical thinking can benefit from improved analytical competency and emotional intelligence. Its practice can also lead to reduced stress and interpersonal tensions, greater job satisfaction and improved team efficiencies, whilst improving the work product of your business and leading to increased client satisfaction. Critical thinking is empowerment and it invariably leads to a reduced requirement for supervision.

Critical thinking combines reflection with knowledge to evaluate and resolve challenges before they become problems. Even unexpected problems can be resolved optimally via a critical-thinking approach.  As such, the critical thinking habit is an essential component of successful business. An organisation whose members think critically is one which will benefit from improved decision-making capacities whilst avoiding costly mistakes.

This course is ideal for business leaders, managers, and team members who want to elevate their decision-making and problem-solving capabilities, as well as entrepreneurs and professionals aiming to enhance team efficiency and client satisfaction. The course is open to anyone, regardless of role, industry or background, and everyone will derive valuable benefits and insights from its real-world, practical approach. Participants will gain actionable tools to resolve challenges optimally, improve workplace dynamics, and drive measurable success.

You will learn how to:

•    Master decision-making excellence

Learn to use information, experience and reasoning to make informed, optimal decisions that enhance business outcomes and avoid costly errors.

•    Boost analytical and emotional approaches

Develop improved analytical competency and emotional intelligence, empowering you to tackle challenges proactively and efficiently.

•    Drive team morale and collaboration

Gain tools to foster shared purpose, camaraderie and stakeholder buy-in, leading to higher team morale and productivity.

•    Learn from real-world success

Analyse case studies to see how critical thinking delivers tangible business wins.

•    Audit and enhance your business

Acquire practical skills to conduct critical thinking audits, identifying deficits and strengths to streamline operations and strategy.

•    Adopt proven frameworks

Explore research-backed models like RED, Halpern's Assessment and Bloom's Taxonomy to sharpen your critical thinking processes.

•    Create an actionable plan

Leave with a tailored action plan to immediately improve critical thinking in your business, reducing supervision needs and boosting workplace satisfaction.

Programme details

This course adopts the following intensive structure to make the most of your valuable time.

Introduction

What is critical thinking, and why does it make such a difference?

Case Studies: Critical Thinking in Business

We present a number of real-life case studies in which critical thinking has led to effective business outcomes.

  • Intellectual Property
  • Music Royalties
  • Market Acquisition

The Criticality Trajectory

We explore best practice in critical thinking via an exploration of our Criticality Trajectory (depicted below).

Auditing Critical Thinking

You will first be taken through three research-backed models of assessing critical thinking:

  1. The RED (Recognise assumptions, Evaluate arguments, Draw conclusions) model from Pearson's Watson-Glaser II Critical Thinking Appraisal
  2. Halpern’s Critical Thinking Assessment
  3. Bloom’s Taxonomy.

These will serve as background knowledge during a practical activity in which you will learn how to undertake a critical thinking audit and appraise some common indicators of a deficit in critical thinking, such as:

  • An absence of business strategy
  • Rapid changes in business strategy
  • Intra-team conflicts

These indicators will be considered alongside signs of a sufficiency of critical thinking, such as work being completed on time and to an appropriate standard.

You will then be guided through the five key steps involved in an organisation audit of critical thiking.

  1. Assess a Business Product
    This can be virtually anything concrete such as a physical product, a report, or a debrief on an individual or team task.
  2. Ask all stakeholders and participants to describe the requirement to the auditor. This should ideally be done on both an individual and group basis.
  3. Invite honest judgements on the effectiveness of the product.
  4. Invite honest assessments of the implications of the work.
  5. Competencies to assess:
  • Observation
  • Problem solving
  • Team cohesion
  • Communication
  • Open-mindedness
  • Tolerance for ambiguity
  • Time efficiency
  • Deduction
  • Inference
  • Retroduction/abductive reasoning

Insight into Action

The course will end with the creation of a brief initial action plan for improving critical thinking in each participant’s business context.

Dates, times and delivery

The Critical Thinking Skills (online) course will run from 14 - 23 October 2025 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Each session will be 90 minutes.

These live video sessions will be held over Microsoft Teams at 10.30am – 12pm (UK time) on:

  • Tuesday 14 October
  • Thursday 16 October
  • Tuesday 21 October
  • Thursday 23 October

These live video sessions will be held over Microsoft Teams.

A world clock, and time zone converter can be found here: https://bit.ly/3bSPu6D

This is a ‘virtual classroom’ course, and is designed to replicate the experience of a classroom. The sessions are ‘live’ and are not recorded.

No attendance at Oxford is required and you do not need to purchase any software.

Accessing your online course 

Details about accessing the private MS Teams course site will be emailed to you during the week prior to the course commencing.  

Please get in touch if you have not received this information within three working days of the course start date. 

Digital Certification

In order to be eligible for a certificate of attendance, you will need to attend the whole course. Participants who meet this criteria will be emailed after the end of the course with a link, and instructions on how to access their University of Oxford digital certificate.

The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate, as well as share it on social media if you choose to do so.

Fees

Description Costs
Course Fee £535.00

Payment

All courses are VAT exempt.

Register immediately online 

Click the 'Book now' button on this webpage. Payment by credit or debit card is required.

Request an invoice

If you require an invoice for your company or personal records, please contact us. The Course Administrator will then email you an invoice. Payment is accepted online by credit/debit card, or by bank transfer.

Tutor

Oxford Oracle Ltd

Oxford Oracle

This course will be delivered by team members from Oxford Oracle.

Oxford Oracle is a global firm headquartered in Oxford. Its consultancy activities focus on Business Strategy, Innovation, R&D, Higher Education and Entrepreneurship. The Oracle's primary driver is to engage in truly useful innovation whilst forging lasting partnerships.

Application

If you would like to discuss your application or any part of the application process before applying, please click the 'Ask a question' button at the top of this page.

IT requirements

This course is delivered online using Microsoft Teams. You will be required to follow and implement the instructions we send you to fully access Microsoft Teams on the University of Oxford's secure IT network.

To participate you must be familiar with using a computer for purposes such as sending email and searching the Internet. You will also need regular access to the Internet and a computer meeting our recommended minimum computer specification.
It is advised to use headphones with working speakers and microphone.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support