Hogan Business Reasoning Inventory (HBRI)
Examines qualitative and quantitative reasoning, a person's ability to problem solve and make sound business decisions.
Examines qualitative and quantitative reasoning, a person's ability to problem solve and make sound business decisions.
The Hogan Business Reasoning Inventory (HBRI) is designed to assess cognitive abilities relevant to business decision-making and problem-solving. The HBRI is based on research into critical thinking, cognitive processing, and reasoning styles that are essential for effective leadership and management.
Developed to reflect the core demands of business environments, the HBRI evaluates how individuals approach, analyse, and solve complex problems. Its structure includes primary scales that measure two key types of reasoning: qualitative (verbal and logical reasoning) and quantitative (numerical and analytical reasoning).
These scales, along with their subscales, provide an objective assessment of an individual’s business reasoning strengths and development areas, supporting talent identification, leadership potential, and alignment with organisational needs.
The Hogan Business Reasoning Inventory (HBRI) provides valuable insights into how leaders approach problem-solving, process information, and apply logic in real-world business scenarios. By offering a detailed profile of an individual’s reasoning strengths and development areas, the tool supports more effective talent discussions, leadership development, and succession planning.
Organisations using the HBRI often experience:
Improved alignment between leadership reasoning skills and organisational strategy.
Enhanced self-awareness among leaders regarding their problem-solving approaches and potential blind spots.
A common language for discussing reasoning and decision-making in development conversations.
Greater transparency and consistency in leadership selection and development, supporting a robust talent pipeline.
Cognitive Style concerns a person’s characteristic ways of thinking about and solving problems in the workplace. Cognitive Style is the interaction of Qualitative and Quantitative Reasoning. The graphic below illustrates the four Cognitive Styles that result from this interaction that is measured by the HBRI.
Analytic Thinker
Tendency to focus on a problem and the obstacles to it's solution, without putting the problem in a larger context and evaluating the need for it's immediate solution.
Expedient Thinker
Tendency to analyse problems in an opportunistic way, to choose answers that are quick and easy, to make intuitive rather than reflective choices, leading to poor-quality solutions.
Critical Thinker
Ability to contextualise problems correctly in terms of the short and long term benefits of their solution, then solve them effectively.
Contextual Thinker
Tendency to identify important problems but ignore the obstacles to their solution and minimise the importance of the detailed steps needed to solve them.
HBRI Certification is a free on-demand module available in your Hogan Portal once you have completed your Hogan Personality Tools Certification. If you are new to Hogan please get in touch.
