1. Creativity and the Decision Making Process Business Management Chapter 8.2

2. Making Creative Decisions 1) Preparation – investigate for understanding 2) Concentration – timetable set to focus problem solving 3) Incubation – various options are assessed 4) Illumination – an acceptable solution is found 5) Verification – tests the problem’s solution

3. Encouraging Creativity  Trust  Recognition Success Failures  Safety from Persecution

4. Brainstorming  Members cannot criticize any idea  Members cannot praise any idea  Members cannot question or discuss any ideas  The purpose is to generate alternatives, not select the best

5. Practice Brainstorm  Think of Songs to Be Used on a Mountain Dew Commercial

6. Brainwriting  The group writes down a list of ideas  The team leader collects the ideas and shares them  No idea is linked to an individual  Lacks the collaborative effect of brainstorming

7. Practice Brainwriting  Think of Ideas for a Store Next to BP

8. Wish Lists  Similar to brainstorming  Focuses on solutions, whether plausible or not  Helps define the problem  Areas of compromise become apparent

9. Meyers Model  Stage 1: Recognition – create a written description of the problem or decision and factors affecting the decision  Stage 2: Fact Finding – who, what, where, when, how many, how much, etc.  Stage 3: Problem Finding – revisit the problem and look for broader scope solution

10. Meyers Model (continued)  Stage 4: Idea Finding – brainstorming or other tactic find possible solutions  Stage 5: Solution Finding – list problems in one column and solutions in another column; draw lines to determine most effective solution  Stage 6: Acceptance Finding – determining how to carry out solutions

11. Barriers to Effective Decision Making 1) Complacency – confidence or comfort with previous results 2) Avoidance – denial a problem exists 3) Panic – irrational decisions or abandoning strategies midway 4) Indecisiveness – unable to choose which solution to attempt