ABSTRACT

Stimulating and developing the creative potential of all members of an organisation is widely seen as contributing to performance and results. This prestigious textbook provides a complete overview of the creative problem-solving process and its relevance to modern managers in the private and public sectors. It introduces ideas, skills and models to help students understand how creative thinking can aid problem solving, and how different techniques may help people who have different thinking and learning styles.

This updated fifth edition includes fresh case studies, exercises and suggested reading, alongside extensive diagrams and thought-provoking questions. A new chapter considers the use of heuristics in decision-making situations faced by managers, and examines how aspects of creative problem solving can relate to such situations. It also introduces a complex in-tray exercise, which demonstrates how the conflicting demands on an individual manager can be considered in practice. Supporting PowerPoint slides for lecturers are available for each chapter.

Creative Problem Solving for Managers will continue to be an ideal resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students studying problem solving, strategic management, creativity and innovation management, as well as managers looking to develop their decision-making abilities.

chapter Chapter 1|20 pages

Creativity and its importance in business

chapter Chapter 2|18 pages

Blocks to creativity

chapter Chapter 4|21 pages

Problem solving and improvisation

chapter Chapter 7|23 pages

Morphological analysis and related techniques

chapter Chapter 8|19 pages

Brainstorming and its variants

chapter Chapter 9|26 pages

Lateral thinking and associated methods

chapter Chapter 10|21 pages

Synectics

chapter Chapter 11|15 pages

Paradigm-breaking techniques

chapter Chapter 12|24 pages

Miscellaneous ideation techniques

chapter Chapter 13|27 pages

Evaluation

chapter Chapter 14|18 pages

Decision making and problem solving

chapter Chapter 15|17 pages

Implementing ideas

chapter Chapter 16|18 pages

Computer-assisted creative problem solving