The mediator role of higher order math thinking skills between lower order math thinking in financial affairs and empowering financial employees based on revised bloom taxonomy

In this paper, the importance of the mediator role of higher order mathematical thinking skills in financial affairs in relationship between lower order mathematical thinking skills in finance and empowering financial employees was investigated from employees' viewpoint in Iranian banks. After reviewing the skills, the employees’ attitudes were examined by a researcher-made questionnaire. The research method is descriptive-correlative. In order to data analysis and hypotheses testing, structural equation modeling was used. The results showed that from the perspective of participants, lower order mathematical thinking skills in finance, has directly a positive and nonsignificant effect, and indirectly a positive and significant effect on professional skills of financial staff in banking; while higher order mathematical thinking skills in financial affairs has a direct and significant effect on the skills. Due to higher order mathematical thinking skills in finance, overall effect of lower order mathematical thinking skills in finance has greatly increased. The results showed the participants believe that the higher order mathematical thinking skills in finance are more effective than the lower order mathematical thinking skills in finance. According to the importance of higher order math thinking, we suggest some recommendation to bankers and educators.