Creative Problems Solving for Managers

Citation

Rausch, E. (2000), "Creative Problems Solving for Managers", Journal of Management Development, Vol. 19 No. 1, pp. 89-90. https://doi.org/10.1108/jmd.2000.19.1.89.1

Creativity is probably the most tantalizing subject in management and management education. It clearly plays an important role in effective decisions and sound problem solutions. There is no doubt that it is somehow related to the potential for outstanding achievement. Like leadership, however, it has thwarted all attempts to get a solid handle on a widely acceptable definition, and the search for ways to help people develop higher levels of creative powers has, so far, been rewarded with only limited success. The plethora of subjective, often speculative views and theories can frustrate all but the most persistent learners.

Writing about creativity, and even about the more specific subject of creative problem solving, in management or elsewhere, can be a thankless task.

Creative Problem Solving for Managers, however, sidesteps the theoretical discussions which the definitions and theories invite, to concentrate on its objective – what managers can do to become more creative when addressing the challenges they face.

After some discussion of the role of creativity in business, blocks to creativity, and an overview of several theories of creativity, it offers a framework for the exploration of techniques for stimulating creativity. This framework of the creative problem‐solving process that, according to the author is generally accepted, consists of six stages:

1. 1.

   (1) objective finding;

2. 2.

   (2) fact finding;

3. 3.

   (3) problem finding;

4. 4.

   (4) idea finding;

5. 5.

   (5) solution finding;

6. 6.

   (6) acceptance finding.

Referring to those of the six steps which each technique addresses, the book then offers its description of morphological analysis, brainstorming variations, lateral thinking, synectics, various miscellaneous procedures, computer assisted problem solving and, somewhat tangentially, evaluation (of creative ideas) and implementing of ideas.

All chapters are richly sprinkled with examples and diagrams to illustrate techniques, and they provide examples to illustrate points. There are many challenging questions, brief exercises, and short cases for the reader to analyze.

All in all, the book approaches this difficult subject in a reasonable way. It does not offer a “royal road” to creative problem solving. However, for the serious readers who seek to improve their problem‐solving competence, it can be a rich lode of ideas from which those can be selected for trial use, that most appeal to the individual. Then the reader can use the book as a reference from which gradually to cull complimentary techniques to add to his or her “bag of tricks” for approaching challenging decisions, whether they are of the problem or of the opportunity kind.

It is in this opportunity for referring back, time and again, for additional ideas, that I see the real benefit this book can bring. It is not an easy read, nor are its examples always as relevant as one wished they were.

Sometimes there is not enough of the bridge between the exposition of a technique and its practical application, and sometimes a reader will disagree with the conclusions that are drawn from the cases.

Still on balance, it is not likely that anyone who gives this book a fair chance, even if it is read only selectively, will lay it down again without at least some idea that can, and probably could be applied profitably. While there is no known technique that, by itself, can easily bring an increase in creative juices, the cumulative effect of trying more and more of the suggestions which are discussed in this book, will undoubtedly lead to steady expansion of the reader’s repertory for approaching problems in management.