Creative Problem Solving for Managers - Developing Skills for Decision Making and Innovation, 2nd Edition

310 Pages·2005·1.52 MB·English

by  Tony Proctor

Creative Problem Solving
for Managers
Second edition
How can managers tackle complex problems?
How do you encourage innovation?
How do you implement new solutions?
Is creativity the key to management success?
This accessible text provides a lively introduction to the essential skills of creative problem solving.
Using extensive case studies and examples from a variety of business situations, Creative Problem
Solving for Managersexplores a wide range of problem solving theories and techniques, illustrating
how these can be used to solve a multitude of management problems.
Thoroughly revised and redesigned, this new edition retains the accessible and imaginative approach
to problem solving skills of the first edition. Features include:
■ Blocks to creativity and how to overcome them
■ Key techniques including lateral thinking, morphological analysis and synectics
■ Computer-assisted problem solving
■ Increased coverage of group problem solving techniques
■ New website containing in-depth cases and a PowerPoint presentation
As creativity is increasingly being recognised as a key skill for successful managers, this book
will be welcomed as a readable and comprehensive introduction for students and practising
managers alike.
Tony PProctoris Professor in Marketing at Chester University College Business School and was
formerly Senior Lecturer in Marketing and Head of the Department of Management at Keele
University.

Creative Problem
Solving for
Managers
Developing skills for decision
making and innovation
Second edition
Tony Proctor
First published 1999
by Routledge
2 Park Square,Milton Park,Abingdon,Oxon OX14 4RN
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
270 Madison Ave,New York,NY 10016
Reprinted 2002 (twice),2003
Second edition 2005
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2006.
“To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s
collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.”
All rights reserved.No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised
in any form or by any electronic,mechanical,or other means,now known or
hereafter invented,including photocopying and recording,or in any information
storage or retrieval system,without permission in writing from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Proctor,Tony.
Creative problem solving for managers :developing skills for
decision making and innovation / Tony Proctor.– 2nd ed.
p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Problem solving. 2. Management. I. Title.
HD30 .29.P763 2005
658.4(cid:1)03–dc22 2004020264
ISBN 0–415–34541–3 (hbk)
ISBN 0–415–34542–1 (pbk)
Contents
List of figures xi
Preface to the second edition xv
1 CREATIVITY AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN BUSINESS 1
Introduction 1
Some definitions of creativity 2
Invention and creativity 3
Ideas and how they arise 5
The importance given to creativity in business 6
Conditions in which creative thinking is required most 10
Paradigm shift 12
Characteristics of creative thinking and creative thinkers 15
Questions 19
Cases 20
2 BLOCKS TO CREATIVITY 23
Introduction 23
The need to be ready for change 24
Problem solving 24
Mindset 26
Other barriers to an individual’s creativity 29
Dealing with an individual’s blocks to creativity 29
Diagnosing whether someone is blocked in their thinking 30
How techniques help to overcome blocks 31
Blocks to organisational creative thinking and ways of dealing with them 34
Elements and conditions of creative organisations 35
Questions 36
Cases 37
v
CONTENTS
3 THEORIES OF CREATIVITY AND THE CREATIVE
PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS 46
Introduction 46
Creative thinking 48
The brain as an information processor 49
Convergent and divergent thinking 52
The conditions of creative thinking 52
Problem solving 55
Theories of creative problem solving 56
The cognitive theory of creativity 59
How we get ideas: the index metaphor 61
Problem solving mechanisms 63
Analogical reasoning 64
The problem solving process 64
The problem solving process and the creative process 66
The creative problem solving process 67
Questions 69
Cases 69
4 OBJECTIVE FINDING, FACT FINDING AND PROBLEM
FINDING/DEFINITION 72
Introduction 73
Objective finding 73
Fact finding 76
Dimensional analysis 77
Problem finding/definition 79
Redefinition approaches 81
Redefinition approaches: laddering 84
Redefinition approaches: goal orientation 85
Redefinition approaches: boundary examination 86
Redefinition approaches: progressive abstractions 87
Redefinition approaches: ‘why’ method 88
Analytical techniques: decomposable matrices 89
Analytical techniques: cause-and-effect diagrams 92
Questions 92
Cases 93
5 MORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS AND RELATED TECHNIQUES 97
Introduction 97
Checklists 98
Attribute listing 101
Morphological analysis 103
Force-fitting triggers 107
Heuristic ideation technique 109
vi
CONTENTS
Component detailing 111
Sequence-attribute modification matrix 111
Questions 113
Cases 114
6 BRAINSTORMING AND ITS VARIANTS 118
Introduction 118
Classical brainstorming 118
The process of brainstorming 121
Wildest-idea variant 125
Stop-and-go brainstorming 125
Round-robin brainstorming 125
Gordon–Little variation 125
Trigger method 127
Problems with brainstorming 127
Brainwriting 127
Brainlining 128
Questions 130
Cases 130
7 LATERAL THINKING AND ASSOCIATED METHODS 137
Introduction 137
Overview 138
Awareness 139
Assumptions 141
Alternatives 144
Provocative methods 146
Metaphorical thinking 152
Analogy 153
The discontinuity principle 155
Questions 155
Cases 156
8 SYNECTICS 160
Introduction 160
Synectics 160
Conducting synectics sessions 165
Synectics in action 170
Questions 173
Cases 174
vii
CONTENTS
9 PARADIGM-BREAKING TECHNIQUES AND SOME
MISCELLANEOUS IDEATION METHODS 179
Introduction 180
Vision building 180
Symbolic representation 181
Miscellaneous ideation techniques 185
Clichés, proverbs and maxims 186
Storyboarding 187
Scenario writing 188
Scenario day-dreaming 191
Bionics 194
Two words 195
Free association 196
Story writing 198
Mind map 200
Lotus blossom technique 203
Fishbone diagram 204
Questions 205
Cases 206
10 EVALUATION 212
Introduction 213
Sorting 213
Evaluation methods 216
Advantage–disadvantage tables 216
PMI: Plus/Minus/Interesting 217
Castle technique 218
Sticking dots 218
Creative evaluation 220
Force-field analysis 220
Weighting systems 221
The process of choosing 222
Qualitative evaluation: reverse brainstorming 224
Financial/mathematical evaluations 226
Pay-off tables 226
Decision trees 227
Questions 228
Cases 229
11 IMPLEMENTING IDEAS 238
Introduction 239
Ideas are not readily implemented 239
Sources of resistance to change 241
Role of communication in overcoming resistance to change 242
viii
CONTENTS
Putting ideas into practice 243
Reducing resistance to change 246
Climate for change 251
Questions 254
Cases 255
12 COMPUTER-ASSISTED CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING 258
Introduction 258
History of development 259
Structured approach to creative problem solving in computer programs 260
Types of program 261
Group creative problem solving aids 266
Conventional software 267
Questions 269
Cases 270
Appendix to chapter: notes on some creativity programs 270
Bibliography 277
Author index 284
Subject index 286
ix