Trends Networks, and
, Critical Thinking
in the 21st Century
QUARTER 1 – MODULE 2
Understanding Local Networks
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MODULE 2
Understanding Local Networks
What I Know
As an initial activity, you will be assess on your prior knowledge about information
communication technology. This is to find out what are the things you need to learn more
about the subject matter.
Test I. Instruction: Read each statement carefully. Write TRUE if the statement is true and
FALSE if the statement is false.
1. Intuitive thinking is known as the flashing of insight.
2. Intuition, like rationality is one of the tools of knowledge.
3. Rational thinking is better than intuitive thinking.
4. Analytical mind usually exercises strategic thinking.
5. Intuitive thinking involves a more spontaneous, instinctive, and unplanned
process of solving a problem
6. Intuitive thinking does not necessarily require a careful planning in advance.
7. Getting the right person to do a task is one of the key points of strategic thinking.
8. Intuition and reason complement each other.
9. Analytical thinking is characterized as brain-centered, focused and time-bound.
10. Analytical tools are not needed in intuitive thinking.
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Lesson Strategic Analysis and Intuitive Thinking
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What’s New
Reading 1: Strategic Analysis and Intuitive Thinking
Everyday we make choices in our lives. Sometimes our decisions are based on
impulses that we need to face along with the unfavourable consequences of our actions. We
cannot afford to commit the same mistakes at all times. This is why there are institutions that
create strategic analysis at least intuitive thinking, if the latter makes sense.
According to Urgel, E. (2017), Strategic analysis is the process of examining the
organization’s surroundings and resources to better formulate a strategy to meet the desired
objectives and improved the organization’s performance. It is the understanding of an
organization’s external and internal environments. It also deals with the creation and better
utilization of resources in the pursuit of their objectives and priorities. Such understanding is
drawn from the facts data, and instructions at hand.
Strategic analysis, for example, can be done by an organization to analyse its losing
performance. It is based on data and information about the internal profile of its employees
and their capabilities and work attitudes. It can be done by the organization to investigate the
external profile of its surrounding, opportunities, and possible rivals. Moreover, intuitive
thinking is sensing or knowing without using rational processes such as reading facts and
instructions. According to the dictionary, intuition is something that is known or understood
without proof or evidence. In short, intuitive is making choices and decisions according to
one’s hunch and gut feeling without knowing the reason why.
Good intuition results from long years of knowledge and experience which enable
you to comprehend how people think, act, and react, perceive and interpret, and interact with
one another.
A critical mind or analytical mind usually exercises strategic thinking. Samantha
Howland (2015) identified six elements of strategic thinking designed to encourage strategic
leadership among today’s executives. It is drawn from a study of more than 20,000
executives in more than 175 countries. The six key elements are abilities to anticipate,
challenge, decide, interpret, learn, and align.
1. The ability to anticipate enables the executives to not only focus on the current
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situation but also to look at the future. They should monitor the environment to
foresee significant changes in the industry to prepare them for possible threats as well
as opportunities. For instance, an executive who keeps
abreast with trends and engages in trendspotting is more likely to be open to product
changes or to beef up the company’s product strength in anticipation of trend. An
example is when a garment executive spots a consumer preference for plaid print, he
or she gradually reduces the production of apparels with floral design and shifts to
plaid print.
2.The ability to challenge involves raising questions instead of merely accepting
information as it comes. The purpose of raising questions is to trace the root causes of
problems, to challenge existing beliefs, and to find out biases and possible
manipulation of the situation. Probing and investigation may also be employed.
3. The ability to interpret is shown by testing a variety of hypotheses as well as
comparing and contrasting certain data prior to making decisions on particular issues.
The executive avoids jumping into conclusions without sound basis.
4.The ability to decide enables to executive to make a stand with courage and
conviction despite incomplete information at hand. The executive combines speed and
quality in doing this for them to avoid indecision or “analysis paralysis which prevent
a leader from acting fast, thereby missing chances of opportunities.
5. The ability to align enables the executive to have different divergent viewpoints,
opinions, and agenda to attain common goals and to pursue mutual interests. Open
communication and dialogue will help address the problem of misalignment and build
trust leading to consensus and agreements.
7. The ability to learn is demonstrated by an executive who accepts feedback,
constructive criticism, and even failure which are altogether viewed as source of
critical and valuable insights. He or she shows willingness to immediately return
to the right course when going off tract. Failures are considered lessons for
success.
Strategic analysis is useful not only to an organization but also to an individual such
as student like you. Your current situation in striving to finish senior high school can be
assessed by the following: (a) knowing your strengths such as your competencies and values,
weaknesses such as negative attitude and needs to be filled, (b) threats such as events and
situations that prevent you from focusing on your studies, and other factors that can help you
improve your skills.
Are you failing or getting poor grades? What good habits can you develop to address
this problem? Whom can you approach to help you improve your grades? Strategic analysis
can be a way to turn your weakness into strengths and to take
advantage of situations that will boost your confidence as a student. It will guide you in
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staying on course toward finishing senior high school.
The honing and nurturing of a critical mind or strategic thinking must start at an early
age. Students like you should be provided with opportunities to develop this ability for self-
improvement. It can also guide you in giving service to others (for example as an officer in
the student council). In such case, the students develop strategic thinking which is reflected in
his or her abilities to anticipate, decide, challenge, learn, align, and interpret.
Intuitive thinking involves a more spontaneous, instinctive, and unplanned process of
solving a problem. Evaluation of the situation and the perceived alternative course of action
are quick and board. Actions and decisions spring from hunches and gut feeling based on
unpremeditated ideas or experiences rather from facts and hard data. This type of thinking
tends to be imaginative and more applicable in situations where facts are insufficient and
previous related decisions are not readily available.
Intuitive thinkers do certain things which other do not. Carolyn Gregorie (2014),
senior writer of The Huffington Post provided the Ten Things Highly Intuitive People Do
Differently. The following activities are as follows:
1. Listening to an inner voice. They pay attention to intuition and allow it to guide
them.
2. Taking time to be alone and to reflect. Spending time in solitude is their way of
engaging in deeper thoughts and creative thinking. It is also called “mindfulness”
which means looking into one’s current experience without making judgement.
3. Listening to their bodies. They tune in to their bodies for gut feeling and physical
sensation or emotion associated with intuition.
4. Observing everything. They take note of the occurrence of odd things and keep an
eye on the frequency of coincidences, unexpected connections, and instantaneous
decisions or actions done.
5. Paying attention to their dreams .It refers to the way of getting in touch with their
“unconscious thinking process” and of capturing information on how to live their
lives.
6. Connecting deeply with others and staying in a positive mood. They can read a
person’s mind through his or her words, feelings, and actions. Avoiding negative
emotions helps boost their intuitive judgement.
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Analytical thinking applied in strategic analysis is brain-centered and focused. It deals
with one thing and is concerned with time. It is linear and inclined toward the abstract. It
efficiently works in a condition with sufficient time, relative stability, and established criteria
for analysis such as rules. It comes in handy when an explanation is needed. The process can
be taught and learned in the classroom.
Intuitive thinking, on the other hand, possesses characteristics which mostly run in
contrast to analytical thinking. It is heart-centered, unfocused, and is not time- bound. It view
many things simultaneously, is nonlinear, and is inclined toward the concrete and the real. It
efficiently works in dynamic conditions, under time pressure, and is instantaneous. It works
well when the observer has gained experience in a particular situation and he is ready to act
on hunches and feeling, especially when an explanation is not needed.
What is it
Strategic Thinking
According to Urgel, E (2017), Strategic analysis and planning have five essential
components. These components are the following:
1. Committed people. The initial step in strategic planning is getting the right
people at the right time. They are essential in effectively carrying out a strategy.
These people comprise the management staff, officers, and stakeholders. They are
also called engagers.
2. Long-term strategic objectives. The objectives are poised to enhance the
organizations performance. There is need to identify the beneficiaries in the
operation who will receive the benefit from the gains brought by improved
efficiency in the operations and delivery of services of the organization. The
people involved in setting the objectives are referred to as aimers.
3. Strategic alternatives. The planning team should be able derive options from
brainstorming and SWOT Analysis. These alternatives may be of higher quality than
the current strategy or may enable the organization to respond with the ease, speed,
and effectiveness when changes occur in the environment.
4. Evaluation and choice of strategies. The process of formulating a strategy which
involves evaluating and picking out which strategies could facilitate the attainment of
long-term improvements. It should include all those revealed by Strength, Weakness,
Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis of the organization. From the evaluation
of alternative strategies, options which are superior to the current approach may be
found, and change for organization’s
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improvement can be undertaken. Those who participate in searching for and selecting
strategic alternatives are called option generators.
5. Monitoring of strategy implementation. There should be a plan for formal and
regular reporting and other measures of plan implementation. These will enable the
organization to know whether or not the plan is carried out properly and the
objectives are met. The monitoring system should provide ample room for correction
when improper implementation of the strategies is observed and when objectives ar
not being met. Strategizers are those who implement and monitor strategy.
Intuitive Thinking
The components of intuitive thinking differ from those of strategic analysis and
planning. According to Amy Baylor (1997), there are three components of intuition and
intuitive thinking: immediacy, sensing relationship, and reason.
1. Immediacy. This refers to the timing in intuitive thinking. The time involved in
intuitive thinking is quick where decisions, actions, and solutions come up fast
without planning or deliberation. Baylor quotes George Mandler (1995), named it as
“mind popping” when thoughts, ideas, and solutions come to mind non-deliberately.
2. Sensing Relationship. This refers to the establishment or formulation of
connections among ideas. This is basic in intuition. The establishment of
connection is necessary is associated with a person’s knowledge, and
3. Reason. It deals with intuition which involves certain type of reasoning.
The table below shows the differences between strategic thinking and intuitive
thinking based on Urgel, E. (2017)
Element Strategic Analysis Intuitive Thinking
Logic Logical mind needed Logical mind not
needed
Reason Starts from an idea or concept Focuses on the idea or
and moves on to what can be concept and its attributes
associated with
Center Brain-centered Heart-centered
Basis Hard facts, data, instruction Hunch, instinct, gut
feeling
Time Needs time to finish in one or Spontaneous, quick,
more sittings or sessions finished at one time
Tools SWOT, PEST and other Experiences
analytical tools
Planning Well-planned unplanned
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What’s More
Direction: Individual Work: Answer the following questions below:
What I Have Learned
Activity: Picture Analysis
Direction: Write an essay on the picture that you think based from the
supplementary reading picture.
Answer Sheet:
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INFORMAL ESSAY RUBRIC
Features 4 3 2 1
Expert Accomplished Capable Beginner
Quality of Piece was Piece was Piece had little Piece had no
Writing written in an written in an style or voice style or voice
extraordinary interesting style Gives some new Gives no new
style and voice and voice information but information and
Very Somewhat poorly very poorly
informative and informative and organized organized
well- organized organized
Grammar, Virtually no Few spelling and A number of So many spelling,
Usage & spelling, punctuation spelling, punctuation and
Mechanics punctuation or errors, minor punctuation or grammatical
grammatical grammatical grammatical errors that it
errors errors errors interferes with
the meaning
https://www.thoughtco.com/essay-rubric-2081367
What I Have Learned
Discovery of Non-Intuitive Things
There are three ways of discovering non-intuitive things. The following are as follows:
1. Gaining more experience.
Experience is a great teacher. More experiences you have the easier it is for you to see
the similarities between new ideas and previous learning.
Experience teaches you to identify if various kind of projects, objectives or problems
are straight forward or not. It also teaches you which one employs non- intuitive (or counter
intuitive) issues to address. In other words, experience hones your intuition. It can make non-
intuitive thinking become intuitive thinking.
2. Experimentation.
Experimentation can help you uncover inconsistencies. Tinkering is a great
way to discover something that isn’t consistent with what you thought.
3. Learn by reading, studying & teaching and learning process with your
mentors.
The more you build your foundation, the more you learn about the nuances,
differences and subtleties of a wide array of mysteries. Then, intuitive thinking and non-
intuitive thinking become easier in the real life context.
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What I Can Do
Activity 1.
Instruction: What will you do if you confronted are with this situation below. Use
your intuitive and rational thinking in your explanation. Write them on the four boxes
provided below.
1. 2.
4.
3 4.
Processing Questions:
1. How do you find the activity?
2. Are your response-answers automatic or well-thought?
3. What realizations you have learned after the activity?
4. Does this activity affect or change your worldview in looking certain situation like
this?
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Additional Activities
Do research about SWOT and PEST as examples of analytical tools.
Assessment
Test I. Instruction: Read each statement carefully. Write TRUE if the statement is true
and FALSE if the statement is false.
1. Strategic analysis and intuitive thinking both use reason but in different ways.
TRUE
2. Strategic analysis works best only for bigger organizations like business
institution. FALSE
3. Intuitive thinking is not accepted in the scientific world. FALSE
4. Rational reasoning is better than intuitive thinking. FALSE
5. Critical tools are needed in instinctive thinking. FALSE
6. Intuitive thinking is hunch-based and spontaneous. TRUE
7. Intuition is something known as infused knowledge. TRUE
8. Strategic analysis must be used always to ensure success in life. FALSE
9. Individuals engaged in strategic analysis apply all cognitive processes in the
orientation towards attainment of success in future. TRUE
10. Only the internal environment is important in strategic analysis FALSE
11. The honing of a critical mind must start at an early age. TRUE
12. . In a business organization, strategic analysis may mean understanding of its
external and internal settings. TRUE
13. Analytical thinking views things simultaneously in a nonlinear way. FALSE
14. Experience can be considered as a tool of intuitive thinking. TRUE
15. SWOT and PEST are good examples of analytical tools. TRUE
TRUE
FALSE
FALSE
FALSE
FALSE
TRUE
TRUE
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FALSE
TRUE
FALSE
TRUE
TRUE
FALSE
TRUE
TRUE
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