Analytical thinking

  • Stéphane THION
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Cognitive skills
Cognitive skills 150 150 Stéphane THION

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.

  • Stéphane THION
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Analytical Thinking
Analytical Thinking 150 150 Stéphane THION

The world is changing. Rapidly. The production of knowledge, for example, through academic publications, is evolving exponentially. Technology, of which AI is the most emblematic example, is also following this trend. And what about the proliferation of dubious or even false information?

Unfortunately, in this complex and uncertain world, we all suffer from many prejudices. Within organisations, decision-making is becoming increasingly complex and risky.

As early as 1973-74, the work of Tversky and Kahneman highlighted the cognitive biases to which decision-makers were subject. Hogarth identified some thirty of these in 1987. And the work of Eisenhardt and Zbaracki, in 1992, showed that rationality was not the norm in decision-making processes within large organisations.

In this context, a skill is emerging: analytical thinking.

According to the World Economic Forum’s ‘Future of Jobs’ 2025 report, analytical thinking is and will remain the skill most in demand by large companies. This report is based on a sample of more than 1,000 large international companies. This skill has thus become a training priority for half of them.

So, what is analytical thinking?

According to the taxonomy of skills created by the World Economic Forum, analytical thinking is the ability to break down complex concepts and ideas into basic or fundamental principles. This skill encompasses critical thinking, which allows one to make judgements by analysing and interpreting facts and information.

The world of research has, of course, taken an interest in this skill. According to Facione (1990), analytical thinking involves skills such as classification, relating concepts and organising information, with the aim of identifying solutions or solving problems in a systematic way. According to Paul and Elder (2006), critical thinking covers skills such as clarifying concepts, analysing arguments and evaluating evidence and counter-arguments. It involves the ability to identify biases, prejudices and logical flaws.

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