1.7 CREATIVITY TECHNIQUES
A number of techniques exist to help generate new ideas and, in general, entrepreneurs identify more ideas than opportunities. The notion that creativity can be learned or enhanced holds important implications for entrepreneurs who need to be creative in thinking for decision making, problem solving and idea generation.
According to Timmons (1999), there is evidence that one can enhance creative thinking. He cites the example of the group called Synectics of Cambridge, Massachussetts, one of the first organisations to conduct training in creative thinking applied to business. The Synectics approach to developing creativity encompassed the following theories:
The efficiency of a person’s creative process can be markedly increased if he or she understands the underlying psychological processes.
The emotional component in the creative process is more important than the intellectual and the irrational more important than the rational.
The emotional and the irrational elements need to be understood in order to increase the probability of success in problem solving situation.
Approaches to unleashing creativity include brainstorming, focus groups, analogy, Attribute listing, Gap Analysis, and so on.
1.7.1 Brainstorming
This is one of the main techniques used for group creativity. Osborn (1953) is often credited as being the inventor of brainstorming. He described it as a technique that helps to overcome the restrictive nature of evaluation in business meetings. He further believed that social pressures prevented people from freely expressing their ideas. To remedy this situation, he proposed to have structured meetings where ideas could be expressed freely prior to evaluation, that is, judgement was defe...
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Stating the problem in reverse, that is, changing a positive statement into a negative one, for example, if you want to reinforce the behaviour required to satisfy customers, ask your front office staff to list the ways one can offer a bad customer service.
Figuring out what everybody else is not doing. When American manufacturers were designing large, powerful cars, their Japanese counterparts focused on small, fuel efficient cars.
Turning victory into defeat or defeat into victory. The 3M Post-IT Note was developed following a flop. A 3M engineer put some glue on small colourful pieces of paper and these could not ‘stick’ hard. This glue was originally termed an "innovative failure".
If you forget the attributes of the right brain in an exams question, ask yourself about those of the left brain and then extrapolate for the opposite characteristics.
Shaughnessy, M. F., & Wakefield, J. F. (2003). Creativity: Assessment. In N. Piotrowski & T. Irons-Georges (Eds.), Magill's encyclopedia of social science:Psychology (pp. 459-463). Pasadena, CA: Salem Press.
... Unquiet Mind, p.72). Such unique ideas and associations provide significant evidence for aid in all types of creativity.
Edgar, D. W., Faulkner, P., Franklin, E., Knobloch, N. A., & Morgan, A. C. (2008). Creative Thinking: Opening Up a World of Thought. Techniques: Connecting Education & Careers, 83(4), 46. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
The need for college graduates with creativity skills is “changing how the workplace” is structured or managed and “what people do.” These “changes” are the “center” of interpreting the basis for ideas. The future of the company depends on “how well it acquires, interprets, and acts” on the given “information.” “Today the spread of information technologies is bringing about a sea of change in the business” environment (Goleman and Kaufman par 43). “Since creative problem-solving requires the psychological commitment of the whole person, the modern workplace must undergo vital changes” (Goleman and Kaufman 46). Creativity has been a major influence when dealing with these changes brought on by the innovative technologies and that is why we should have creativity studies to guide the transition. Also, for students to have these skills before they enter the workforce will benefit them on so many levels. They won’t have to spend more time learning these skills because they already have what the job
Creative people’s openness and sensitivity often exposes them to suffering and pain, yet also to a great deal of enjoyment.
Creativity is defined as the generation of ideas that are both useful and original (Ritter & Ferguson, 2017). Creativity is tested through the measurements of two different types of thinking – divergent and convergent (Ritter & Ferguson, 2017). Divergent thinking is being able to generate new ideas and perspectives; it is measured through the Unusual Uses test in which subjects are given an object and must list all uses, even unusual ones, for an object (Ritter & Ferguson, 2017). The Unusual Uses test in a no noise condition is commonly used to create a baseline for assessing individual creative potential (Toplyn & Maguire, 1991). Convergent thinking is the ability to
Often, creativity phase plays critical role in providing good opportunity to familiarize the client with the team work. Moreover, they share potential ideas and proposals to reduce cost; without affecting quality or functionality negatively. Accordingly, there will be a base of ranked and classified ideas and views.
Augustus Saint-Gaudens once said, “What garlic is to salad, insanity is to art.” This quote summarizes the stereotype of the creative world as being whimsical and a bit loony; furthermore, one must consider if there is any merit to this opinion. Much debate is focused around this topic. Specifically, this paper will focus on the merit of a connection between bipolar disorder and creativity. Irwin G. Sarason and Barbara R. Sarason (2005) define bipolar disorder as a mood disorder classified by an alteration between a state of mania and depression. In addition, Albert Rothenberg, M.D. (2001) gives insight into the scientific definition of creativity. He believes januvial processes (brain’s ability to conceive multiple opposites simultaneously) and homospatial processes (conceiving two or more discrete entities occupying the same space, which results in a conception leading to the articulation of new identities) are necessary in creativity. The New York Times questioned the general populations’ definition of this potentially lucrative trait. The writers questioned, “What separates humans from animals and ever more advanced machines?’ and [it] gives the answer: ‘We make art” (as cited in Rothenberg, 2001). With these general definitions of bipolar disorder spectrum and creativity, this paper will look into the history, causes, and effects of the disorder on creativity.
There is a magnitude of research put behind trying to find the link between creativity and...
Nolley , S. (1999). A piagetian perspective on the dialectic process of creativity. Taylor &
Harris, Cullen. (1998, July 1). Introduction to Creative Thinking. Retrieved Jan. 10, 2012, from: http://www.virtualsalt.com/crebook1.htm
Our society is evolving at a fast pace. We require more skills, knowledge and creativity more than ever before. Those who are incapable of change will be left behind and organisations will be forced to replace them with people that are more receptive to creative and innovative thinking. It is not organisations that adapt to change; rather it is the people within organisations who are required to change. Therefore, it is not surprising that a number of studies and reports have identified creative thinking and creative problem solving as fundamental workplace skills. (Kaufman, Sternberg 2010).
Kirby, G.R. & Goodpaster, J.R. (2007) Creative Thinking. Fourth Edition Thinking. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Paulus, P, B and Brown, V,R (2003) Enhancing Ideational Creativity in Groups. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Every great invention, business, book, or song has all had on thing in common. They share the fact that they were founded on a successful idea that first started out in the imagination of a certain individual. Obviously it’s not just seeing the idea that makes someone successful, it’s how they go about turning their thoughts into reality, which can take a lot of hard work and planning to finally reach ones ultimate goal. Imagination is a constant companion throughout that journey to success, it’s a key aspect in this ever-changing world to find new and innovative ways to improve ones ideas, and problem solving along the way.