Proctor Tony. Absolute Essentials of Creative Thinking and Problem Solving

Routledge, 2021. — 137 p. — (Absolute Essentials of Business and Economics). — ISBN 2020056110, 2020056111, 9780367643454, 9781003124054, 9780367643461.This concise textbook provides a comprehensive and clear overview of the theory and practice of creative problem solving from a management perspective.The book works step by step through the creative thinking process. Beginning with theoretical frameworks, it considers ways of thinking, defining problems and structuring responses to them, techniques for generating ideas, evaluating and defining them, and finally how technology can be used within the creative problem-solving process. Pedagogical features to aid learning include objectives at the start of each chapter, further reading suggestions and practical examples.Divided into ten short chapters to suit content delivery, this textbook is designed as either core or recommended reading for advanced undergraduate, postgraduate, MBA and Executive Education students studying Creativity and Innovation, Management and Leadership and Management Skills.Theoretical frameworksWhat is creative thinking?
Early theories of creative thinking
The brain as an information processor
The Whole Brain/Four-Quadrant Model
Convergent and divergent thinking
The cognitive theory of creativity
How knowledge is stored in memory
How we get ideas
Pattern recognition
QuestionsBlocks to creativityThe need to be ready for change
Mindset
Working with teams
QuestionsProblem solvingNature of problems
Types of problems
A common-sense approach to problem solving
The problem solving process
The context of problem solving
Problem solving skills
QuestionsThe creative thinking processWallas’s model of the creative process
The creative problem solving process
The techniques
Paradigm shift and types of creative problem solving techniques
Analogical reasoning
QuestionsObjective finding, fact finding, and problem finding – definitionsObjective finding
Problem finding – definition
Analytical techniques
QuestionsIdea generating – non-analogicalChecklists
Attribute listing
Morphological analysis
Brainstorming and its variants
Lateral thinking
Provocative methods of lateral thinking
QuestionsIdea generating (analogical)Synectics
Synectics in action
Story writing
Free association
Attribute association chains
QuestionsEvaluationCreative evaluation
Culling, rating, and scoring screens
Advantage–disadvantage tables
PMI: plus/minus/interesting
Castle technique
Force-field analysis
Qualitative evaluation
Choosing an evaluation method
QuestionsImplementing ideasIdeas are not readily implemented
Sources of resistance to change
Role of communication in overcoming resistance to change
Putting ideas into practice
Post-implementation
QuestionsDigital creativityHistory of development
The World Wide Web
Crowdsourcing
Blogs and everyday activities
Visual analogy
Databases
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence and Big Data
Questions