Innovation, Change & Entrepreneurship

SUDHIR BHATNAGAR

SESSION III
Chapter I Entrepreneurship Development Perspective

Creative Thinking & Problem Solving

CREATIVITY

Creativity is a mental and social process involving the generation of new ideas or concepts, or new associations of the creative mind between existing ideas or concepts. Creativity is fueled by the process of either conscious or unconscious insight. An alternative conception of creativeness is that it is simply the act of making something new. Although popularly associated with art and literature, it is also an essential part of innovation and invention and is important in professions such as business, economics, architecture, industrial design, graphic design, advertising, music, science and engineering, and teaching. Despite, or perhaps because of, the ambiguity and multidimensional nature of creativity, entire industries have been spawned from the pursuit of creative ideas and the development of creativity techniques.

Social Attitudes to Creativity

Although the benefits of creativity to society as a whole have been noted, social attitudes about this topic remain divided. Wealth of literature regarding the development of creativity & the profusion of creativity techniques indicate wide acceptance, at least among academics, that creativity is desirable. There is, however, a dark side to creativity, in that it represents a "quest for a radical autonomy apart from the constraints of social responsibility". In other words, by encouraging creativity we are encouraging a departure from society's existing norms and values. Expectation of conformity runs contrary to the spirit of creativity. Nevertheless, employers are increasingly valuing creative skills. The ability to "think outside the box" is highly sought after. However, the above-mentioned paradox may well imply that firms pay lip service to thinking outside the box while maintaining traditional, hierarchical organization structures in which individual creativity is not rewarded.

CREATIVE THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING

Creativity is an important attribute of any successful entrepreneur. Creativity tends to decline with age, education, lack of use and bureaucracy. Creativity generally declines in stages, beginning when a person starts going to school. It continues to deteriorate through the teens and continues to progressively lessen through ages 30, 40 and 50. Moreover, the latent creative potential of an individual can be stifled by perceptual, cultural, emotional and organizational factors. Creativity can however, be unlocked and creative ideas and innovations generated by using any of the creative thinking & problem-solving techniques discuss in following slides.

Creative Thinking & Problem-Solving Techniques

Problem inventory analysis Brainstorming Reverse brainstorming Brainwriting

Free association Forced relationship Collective notebook method Attribute listing method

Gordon method
Checklist method

Big-dream approach
Parameter analysis

Focus Group

This method has been used for a variety of purposes since 1950s. A moderator leads a group of people through an open, indepth discussion rather than simply asking questions to solicit participant response. For a new product area, he focuses the discussion in either a directive or non-directive manner. The group of 8 14 participants is stimulated by comments from other group members in creatively conceptualizing and developing a new product idea to fulfill a market need. In addition to generating new ideas, the focus group is an excellent method for initially screening ideas and concepts. Using one of the several procedures available, the results can be analyzed more quantitatively, making the focus group a useful method for generating new product ideas

Problem Inventory Analysis

In this method instead of generating new ideas themselves, consumers are provided with a list of problems in a general product category. They are then asked to identify and discuss products in the category that have the particular problem. This method is often effective since it is easier to relate known products to suggested problems and arrive at a new product idea then to generate an entirely new product idea by itself. This method can also be used to test a new product idea. Results from product inventory analysis must be carefully evaluated as they may not actually reflect a new business opportunity.

To ensure best results, this method should be used primarily to identify product idea for further evaluation.

Brainstorming

Brainstorming, is probably the most well known and widely used for both idea generation & creative problem solving. In creative problem solving, brainstorming can generate ideas about a problem within a limited time frame through the spontaneous contribution by participants.

A good brainstorming session starts with a problem statement that is neither too broad (which would diversify and scatter the idea too greatly so that nothing specific would emerge) nor too narrow (which would tend to confine response). Once the problem statement is prepared, 6 to 12 individuals are selected to participate. To avoid inhibiting responses, no group member should be a recognized expert in the field of the problem. All ideas, no matter how illogical, must be recorded.

When using brainstorming, four rules should be followed:

No criticism is allowed by anyone in the group no negative comments. Freewheeling is encouraged the wilder the idea, the better. Quantity of ideas is desired the greater the number of ideas, greater is the likelihood of emergence of useful ideas. Combinations and improvements of ideas are recognized; idea of others can be used to produce still another new idea.

Reverse Brainstorming

Reverse Brainstorming is similar to brainstorming, except that criticism is allowed. In fact, the technique is based on finding fault by asking the question In how many ways can this idea fail? Since the focus is on the negative aspects of a product, service or idea, care must be taken to maintain the groups morale. Reverse brainstorming can be effectively used before other creative techniques to simulate innovative thinking. The process usually involves the identification of everything wrong with an idea, followed by discussion of ways to overcome these problems.

Brainwriting

Brainwriting is a form of written brainstorming. It differs from classical brainstorming by giving participants more time to think than in brainstorming sessions, where the ideas are expressed spontaneously. Brainwriting is silent, written generation of ideas by a group of people. Participants write their ideas on special forms or cards that circulate within the group, which usually consists of six members. Each group member generates and writes down three ideas during a five-minute period. The form is passed on to the adjacent person, who writes down three new ideas, an so on, until each for has passed all participants. Leader monitors the time interval and can reduce or lengthen the time given to the participants according to the need of the group. In a variation of this idea-generation method, the participants are located at their own workplace and the sheets are rotated by email, in which case the time interval can be longer.

Gordon Method

The Gordon Method, unlike many other creative problem-solving techniques, begins with group members not knowing the exact nature of the problem. This ensures that the solution is not clouded by pre-conceived ideas and behavioural patterns. Entrepreneur starts by mentioning a general concept associated with the problem. The group responds by expressing a number of ideas. Then a concept is developed, followed by related concepts, through guidance by the entrepreneur. The actual problem is then revealed, enabling the group to make suggestions for implementation/refinement of final solution. In the Checklist Method, a new idea is developed through a list of related issues or suggestions. The entrepreneur can use the list of questions or statements to guide the direction of developing entirely new ideas or concerning on specific idea areas.

Checklist Method

The checklist may take any form and be of any length. One general checklist is as follows: Put to other uses? New ways to use as is? Other uses if modified? Adapt? What else is like this? What other ideas does this suggest? Does past offer parallel? What could I copy? Whom could I emulate? Modify? New twist? Change meaning, colour, motion, odour, form shape? Other changes? Magnify? What to add? More time? Greater frequency? Stronger? Larger? Thicker? Extra value? Plus ingredients? Duplicate? Multiply? Exaggerate? Minify? What substitute? Smaller? Condensed? Miniature? Lower? Shorter? Lighter? Omit? Streamline? Split up? Understated? Substitute? Who else instead? Other ingredient? Other material? Other process? Other power? Other place? Other approach? Other tone of voice?

Rearrange? Interchange components? Other pattern? Other layout? Other sequence? Transpose cause and effect? Change pact? Change schedule? Reverse? Transpose positive and negative? How about opposites? Turn it backwards? Turn it upside down? Reverse role? Change shoes? Turn table? Turn other cheek? Combine? How about a blend, an alloy, an assortment, an ensemble? Combine units? Combine purposes? Combine appeal? Combine ideas?
This technique is helpful in developing an entirely new slant to a problem. First, a word or phrase related to the problem is written down, then another and another, with each new word attempting to add something new to the ongoing thought processes, thereby creating a chain of ideas ending with a new product idea emerging.

Free Association

Forced Relationship

Forced Relationship, as the name suggests, is the process of forcing relationship among some product combinations. It is a technique that asks questions about objects or ideas in an effort to develop a new idea.

The new combination and eventual concept is developed through a five-step process:

Isolate the elements of the problem.

Find the relationship between these elements.

Record the relationship in an orderly manner. Analyze the resulting relationship to find ideas or patterns. Develop new ideas from these patterns.

Collective Notebook Method

A small notebook that easily fits in a pocket containing a statement of the problem, blank pages, and any pertinent background data is distributed. Participants consider the problem and its possible solutions, recording ideas at least once, but preferably three times, a day. At the end of a month, a list of best ideas is developed, along with any suggestions.

This technique can also be used with a group of individuals who record their ideas, giving their notebooks to a central coordinator who summarizes all the material.
The summary becomes the topic of final creative focus group discussion by the group participants.

Attribute Listing

It requires the entrepreneur to list the attributes of an item or problem and then look at each from a variety of viewpoints.

Through this process, originally unrelated objects can be brought together to form a new combination and possible new uses that better satisfy a need.
It requires the entrepreneur to dream about the problem and its solution, in other words, thinking big. Every possibility should be recorded and investigated without regards to all the negatives involved or the resources required. Idea should be conceptualized without any constraints until an idea is developed into a workable form.

Big-Dream Approach

Parameter Analysis

Parameter analysis involves two aspects: parameter identification and creative synthesis. Step one (parameter identification) involves analyzing variables in the situation to determine their relative importance. These variables become the focus of the investigation, with other variables being set aside. After the primary issues have been identified, the relationships between parameters that describe the underlying issues are examined. Through an evaluation of the parameters and relationships, one or more solutions are developed; this solution development is called creative synthesis.

Market Need

Parameter Analysis Technology observation

Need analysis

Parameter identification

Creative synthesis

Realization

The Invention Process

Invention which meets the need