Creativity

 

What better way to begin a study of creativity and problem solving than with an example of both?  This project is not about art, and there are no articles or other references dealing with the artistic use of creative and problem-solving processes included here.  However, the painting by Picasso pictured above can be interpreted as a creative solution to a problem, i.e, how to communicate an idea in the mind of the artist to a visual expression of it, given the constraints of color, light, medium, surface, and intrinsic attributes including value, beauty, place, time, the viewing public, etc.

 

This introduction is a brief synopsis of 20 articles annotated for this project.  Each article is like a piece of artwork, in that it solves the problem of communicating the authors’ ideas about their subject matter – creativity and problem solving – to the reader.  Several major themes are depicted among the annotations, including creativity theory (Ford and Runco), creativity research (Sternberg, and Baer and Kaufman), enablers and barriers to creativity (Bilalic, McLeod, and Govet, and King), training to enhance creativity and creative problem solving (Birdi, Goltz et al., Wang and Horng, and Zimmerman and Gallagher), creative problem solving methodology (Evans, and Basadur et al.), and creativity in the workplace (Grawitch et al., Mostafa and El-Masry, Napier and Nilsson, Probst et al., Tierney and Farmer, and Rego et al.).

 

As a means of introducing these annotations, the reader is encouraged to begin with the articles by Ford and Runco.  Ford’s seminal and eloquent discussion of his theory of creative individual interaction and multiple domain theory of creative action will give the reader an introduction to some of the theoretical constructs related to creativity, along with a firm grounding in creativity theory.  Runco, writing in the Annual Review of Psychology, provides an excellent overview of creativity research, issues, and trends since 1981.  

 

Sternberg introduces and summarizes creativity research occurring throughout the world.  Baer and Kaufman summarize creativity research trends in the United States. Mostafa and El-Masry compare workplace creativity practices in Egypt and Britain.  Bilalic, McLeod, and Govet discuss the Einstellung effect as a barrier to creativity. 

 

Birdi provides an analysis of creativity training programs.  Evans presents the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) process in a two-part series.  Two articles about teaching creativity and problem solving are annotated here, including Goltz, Hietapelto, Reinsch, and Tyrell, and  Zimmerman and Gallagher.  Two articles by Grawitch et al. discuss the effects of mood and autonomy in the workplace on creative performance.  Napier and Nilsson compare the development of creative capabilities in three diverse workplaces.  Probst, Stewart, Gruys, and Tierney investigated the effect of job insecurity on creativity, and Tierney and Farmer discuss their research into the Pygmalion effect on worker creativity.  

 

Rego, Sousa, Pina e Cunha, Correia, and Saur-Amaral studied the relationships among leadership, emotional intelligence, and creativity.  Basadur, Pringle, Speranzini, and Bacot developed the Simplex collaborative problem solving model that emphasizes developing a creative problem definition early in the problem-solving process.  King suggests characteristics of both individuals and organizations which lead to creativity and problem solving, and suggests ways in which an organization’s Human Resource Development function can foster creativity and problem solving within the organization.  Wang and Horng reported research indicating that CPS training has positive effects on aspects of creative thinking ability, cognitive type, and work performance.

Tags: Creativity