As part of its ‘Skills Revolution by 2030’ project, the World Economic Forum is working on a taxonomy of global skills. This taxonomy currently includes two main categories of skills: skills, knowledge and abilities, and attitudes.
Within the first category, cognitive skills stand out alongside managerial, technological and engagement skills.
According to the World Economic Forum’s ‘Future of Jobs’ 2025 report, cognitive skills are increasingly in demand by large companies. And they will become even more important in the years to come.
Hence the question: what do cognitive skills cover?
According to the World Economic Forum, cognitive functioning refers to multiple mental abilities, which are categorised into three groups:
(1) creativity and problem solving,
(2) mathematics and statistical thinking, and finally,
(3) speaking and writing languages.
Creativity and problem solving include analytical thinking and systems thinking, which we discussed in two previous videos, as well as creative thinking, i.e. the ability to come up with a new idea or concept.
Statistical and mathematical thinking encompasses the ability to handle numbers, calculate or estimate, use advanced mathematical techniques or solve equations, and finally data analysis and mathematical modelling.
Finally, speaking and writing languages includes the basic skills of reading, speaking, writing, editing, and finally communicating in foreign languages.
Which brings us to the second question: how can this set of skills be acquired?
Clearly, the set of cognitive skills identified by the World Economic Forum corresponds to the purpose of doctoral programmes.
These programmes, whether the academic PhD or the DBA, which aims to improve the decision-making process in organisations, generally integrate all these skills through action learning.