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.
Creative people’s openness and sensitivity often exposes them to suffering and pain, yet also to a great deal of enjoyment.
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.
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
As part of the college curriculum, we are taught to use the “creative thinking” process, a fundamental core teaching aspect that students are taught to use. This process is to develop the students understanding of the problem in front of them and come up with varied solutions to the problem, rather than the standard cookie-cutter solutions commonly given.
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.
... Unquiet Mind, p.72). Such unique ideas and associations provide significant evidence for aid in all types of creativity.
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
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).
There is a magnitude of research put behind trying to find the link between creativity and...
There is an overwhelming amount of evidence of the human race realtion to, creativity and that we all have an interest in education. Education is so important to us because it is the only thing we can use for this unpredicted future. All children have talents, but the education system crushes our creativity because we are taught to think a certain way. Due to the fear of being wrong has led children to no longer be creative which is why many adults lose that “capacity” to be able to be creative. The very few children who are allowed to continue using their creativity tend to not to be as dissatisfied their lives as much as other adults who were not able to pursue passions they truly enjoyed.
Creative thinking is a process is one that is more mental than logical. Creative people make more use of their mental raw material and practice less intellectual regulation (Baumgartner, 2013). In the creative thinking process, there is a lack of seriousness and more playfulness during ...
This is one of the types of thinking styles. Creative thinking involves creating something new or original. It involves the skills of flexibility, originality, fluency, elaboration, brainstorming, modification, imagery, associative thinking, attribute listing, metaphorical thinking, and forced relationships. The aim of creative thinking is to stimulate curiosity and promote divergence. When an individual learns to expand their way of thinking to incorporate metaphorical ideas, they will spark the creative thinking process...
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.