Creative Problem Solving
In modern organizations, there have been many issues regarding the procedure through which problems are solved. It is a fact that problem-solving in many organization determines the quality of the utilization of business opportunities they pursue. In the recent past, research has been done to determine reasons for the differences in problem-solving techniques used utilized conventionally. However, what is more intriguing is the research that has focused on the creative problem-solving techniques that apply to organizational problems of the modern world. Due to issues of globalization, multiculturalism, and technological advancements, the nature of problems facing organizations worldwide has become diverse (Triantaphyllou, 2011). This diversity has brought about a myriad of problems that have dictated the market and the competitive advantage between organizations as they place significant manpower to solve such problems in a creative manner. It would be prudent to say that the nature of the problems will dictate the nature of their solutions. Consequently, problems that most companies face today have been said to need ‘modern’ solutions as opposed to the train of traditional problem-solving techniques that are widely used by modern companies that have placed them at a great economic disadvantage in both local and international markets.
This paper will focus on an existing organizational problem (incorporating important strategies in the face of this global change) that seems to affect many organizations globally. Furthermore, the paper will strive to place emphasis on the multi-criteria decision making in creative problem solving with the aim of illustrating existing problem-solving techniques that are multi-criteria and creative in their own respect. Consequently, one important feature of this paper will be the scrutiny of existing research materials that form the basis of undermining or praising various problem-solving techniques and providing relevant evidence for their arguments.
To accomplish the purpose(s) of this paper, it would be prudent to focus on a given organizational problem and envision how the implementation of a creative problem-solving technique would put the victim organization in an upper hand. The main problem that organizations face in the wake of globalization, technological advancements, and the multi-culturalism is the integration of team efforts to ensure collaboration and cooperation exist in a multi-functional organization. This challenge has invariably affected different aspects of many organizations. According to (Triantaphyllou, (2011), many organizations face numerous challenges during the decision making process in the face of the changing business environment. Other significant aspects of job satisfaction, organizational culture, staff retention, and communication are largely affected by various challenges that amount to the larger scope of the organizational problem mentioned above.
The global business environment is changing rapidly. Modern companies are mostly faced with the challenge of incorporating important strategies in the face of this global change. These inevitable changes mean that challenges are bound to arise in the near future. In turn, these challenges bring with them the opportunity of competitive advantage that will be measured by the organization’s ability overcome challenges in an effort to advance their business. It will, therefore, be crucial to place the business at a point of advantage if the organization seeks not to be negatively affected by the changes. Therefore, creative problem solving, in view of the challenges mentioned above would be a great tool to regaining control of the market and standing an edge above your competitors in the local and international business environment. Consequently, this would be the ultimate measure of success in the near future as more challenges arise.
The multi-criteria decision making has been proved to be one of the fastest growing problems that have been the basis of creative solutions in the last decade (Triantaphyllou, 2011). In business terms, the process of making decisions has changed from traditional to modern. Previous decision-making procedures were focused on the top most managerial position and the single economic gain of the organization, which was profit. This traditional method of decision making can, therefore, be said to be narrow in a way and considers few factors that guide the means to making the decision (Triantaphyllou, 2011). In the light of the modern and diverse business environment, traditional procedures of decision making could not survive, and therefore, research was necessary to come up with modern ways to guide the same.
In the modern business environment, decision environments have become diverse and have, therefore, developed into multi-criteria and multi-person situations as opposed to the singular driven decision environments of the past. Therefore, the empirical awareness of such issues in the modern business world has brought about the need for creating problem-solving procedures that are creative and provide the attribute of multi-criteria to involve multiple parties (Triantaphyllou, 2011). In business practice, professionals have come up with diverse ways in which the multi-criteria decision-making problem can be viewed and divided into sections where creative solving problem techniques can be applied to achieve positive results on various business aspects.
Theoretical underpinnings on the issue of decision making have shown that there has been an increasing drift towards the application of creative problem-solving techniques. For instance, studies show that various techniques have been employed. These techniques include synthesis of scientific data and information from the business and implementing various mathematically derived formulas of economic significance in an effort to come up with new ways to tackle problems of scientific nature (Triantaphyllou, 2011). Furthermore, two main streams of thought have been distinguished in matters concerning multi-criteria decision making. These streams of thought are divided along two main models. The first model assumes that multi-criteria decision making is implemented through multi-objective decision making which tends to assume the aspect of spacious continuous spaces (Triantaphyllou, 2011). This first model is arguably based on continuous mathematics.
The first model of multi-criteria decision making assumes that the problem being tackled can be placed in the form of a mathematical model which can then be transformed into a mathematical programming model (Triantaphyllou, 2011). This assumption dictates that mathematics be utilized in the process of coming up with creative solutions to the particular problem of multi-criteria decision making. This tactic of using mathematical models has been widely accepted by theoreticians as being the powerful and elegant use of continuous mathematics. Therefore, the model would seem to allow for the numerous modifications of a basic method or model.
On the other hand, the second model that is utilized in the multi-criteria decision making emphasizes on the aspects of discrete decision spaces as opposed to the earlier one of continuous solution spaces (Triantaphyllou, 2011). The determining factor of this method or stream of thought is that discrete decision spaces allow for countable alternatives to making a given decision. This basically alludes to mathematics that is not as elegant and powerful as the former. Therefore, this second stream of thought focuses on the rather uniquely discrete mathematics that primarily does not focus on optimal solutions to a specific problem (Triantaphyllou, 2011). However, the emphasis is placed upon the procedure of finding the most optimal solution among a given rank of existing decision alternatives that guide the view of multi-attribute decision making. Research shows that this type of decision making is more complex as opposed to the case. Nonetheless, decision alternatives seem to be more frequent in business practice as opposed to continuous and their quality is much harder to determine.
Čančer and Mulej (2013) argue that there is an aspect of holistic thinking attached to the efforts of mastering the interdisciplinary issue of the corporation between different entities of a decision making process. This statement is said to be found in contemporary Creative Problem Solving (CPS) methods through the utilization of informal as well as formal principles. This interdisciplinary approach places emphasis on the creativity and critical thinking incorporated into the problem-solving process. Only through this incorporation, would it be able to design and develop new and useful solutions to problems. In short, the CPS techniques in mostly applied to problems that seek an enhanced creative touch in finding their solutions (Čančer & Mulej, 2013). It is a view to being a methodological approach whose framework is designed to achieve set goals and widely support the problem solvers with the utilization of creativity as a means to realize organizational and personal creativity and eventually increase the creative performance.
A deeper look into the CPS technique shows that the context of most solutions to problems using this technique is 80% creative (Čančer & Mulej, 2013). The remaining percentage of the context owes to the technique used in problem-solving. Consequently, the definition of creativity in respect to CPS is tied down to the leadership style, culture, and values (Čančer & Mulej, 2013). This definition widely touches on various intricate aspects of an organization which includes the skills, resources, system, and structures in place. The article mentioned above proposes a unique menu of easy to use techniques. These are further divided into the different phases of the CPS process. However, much emphasis is placed upon techniques whose basis stands to be the definition of the existing problems and the opportunities that arise from solving them. Ideally, the six-question technique is utilized with respect to the emphasized CPS techniques. The business application of the CPS problem will, therefore, be utilized in solving the organizational problem mentioned in earlier sections of this paper.
The six question technique, also known as the 5Ws and H technique used in the business application of the CPS process, is mostly used in an effort to solve a problem in a creative context (Čančer & Mulej, 2013). This means that various aspects most of which include creative thinking among others are utilized in this process. Furthermore, empirical evidence suggests that the CPS process creative approach is not limited to problem structuring and problem definition as mentioned in the paragraph above (Triantaphyllou, 2011). In definition, CPS can be analytical in nature with respect to the framework of the decision making procedure. The next paragraph will introduce the business application of the 5Ws and H technique in an effort to establish the weights of criteria. Through the adaptation and completion of the analytical steps of this technique, the importance of criteria is robustly established (Čančer & Mulej, 2013).
The phases of the CPS process include a problem or rather opportunity definition, generating ideas, choosing ideas and solution implementation. These phases are implemented in a creative context through the utilization of various techniques. With each technique being particularly significant or important to the outcome of a given phase. To understand the phases and the tools used therein, a comprehensive elaboration of the four phases of the CPS technique would be valuable (Čančer & Mulej, 2013). This comprehensive elaboration would stand to define the various motives of the different phases of the CPS process for the purposes of attaining basic abilities to explicitly define problems, guide the production and selection of useful and creative ideas and how to verify such ideas.
Problem or opportunity definition is attributed to an activity that is an alternative definition of the problems or the opportunities of solving them. This activity majorly entails the creation of or the selection and definition of the problems or opportunities. Generating ideas, on the other hand, strives to accomplish the obvious generation of numerous ideas. However, apart from generation, the ideas can sometimes be analyzed, decomposed, systematized, verified, ranked, evaluated and defined (Čančer & Mulej, 2013). The third phase, choosing ideas, refers to an activity that entails the development of the most promising ideas that are generated and defined in the second phase of the CPS process. The third phase generally involves the final decision on which ideas are to be used for the purposes of the CPS process.
Lastly, the end phase of the CPS process s solution implementation. This last phase majorly includes activities aimed at drawing up a detailed plan of activities to be executed. This plan is made from information gathered from the former phases of the CPS process. The drawing up of the plan entails the foreseeing of potential blockages as well as appropriate strategies for the reduction or elimination of their negative impact. After a quite inclusive elaboration of the CPS phases, then and only then can we lay down the ground for the introduction of the CPS techniques to be employed for the purposes of accomplishing and realizing the activities and purposes of each phase respectively.
The techniques listed below support the first three phases of the CPs process. They include:
- The approaches and tools for a fact, mess, and problem or opportunity definition and finding. This is based on the six question technique and visualization.
- The creative thinking approaches and tools, can be either verbal or written for realizing the generation of ideas opportunities and solutions. Furthermore, these tools are utilized for the analysis and decomposition of the ideas. This is achieved through carrying out various activities which include brain-writing, nominal technique, brainstorming, idea-writing, forced relationships, morphological analysis, attribute listing and checklists.
- The operations and creative research methods for their selection, evaluation, and verification.
- Multi-attribute or multi-value theory. These are inarguably considered to be a very significant tool in problem-solving, specifically in the phase of definition of the problem. These tools are especially used to identify, define and analyze problems. Furthermore, they are used in decision making to select and verify appropriate solutions to the problem in question.
On the other hand, the fourth phase of the CPS process is possible through practical problem situations. Therefore, this fourth phase involves the use of checklists, balance sheets, and critical past analysis. Research shows that these techniques can encourage the problem solvers to develop their own techniques in various problem situations that are practical in nature (Triantaphyllou, 2011).
In the context of MCDM, the first phase of CPS process involves the description of relevant alternatives and criteria. This phase uniquely involves the definition of creativity, that is the ability to overcome assumptions, identify existing patterns, make connections, perceive in new ways among a list of other important activities (Čančer & Mulej, 2013). This first phase is named as the most important of all as in forms the basis of the ideas that will challenge the assumptions that create a basis for the formulation of the problem with the aim of reformulating the problem through perceiving the definition of the problem differently (Čančer & Mulej, 2013). This alternative to the assumed perspective is what drives the problem solver to see the problem in a new light and therefore think or perceive many ideas in different areas that relate to the problem situation with the aim of finding a solution.
The Creative Problem Solving (CPS) framework process is essential in solving problems that require critical thinking skills to construct and developing desirable and useful results. According to Čančer and Mulej (2013), the CPS process is “mainly applicable to problem-solving situations that require creativity”. Therefore, the institution of the framework aims at the achievement of set goals, providing support through the use of creativity, avoiding hindrances to individual and organizational creativity and increasing creative performance. The successful definition of problems, production, and selection of viable results using the CPS process involves a sequence of phases. These include problem definition which requires identification of the activity area for defining the opportunities, generation of ideas, and selection of the ideas (Čančer & Mulej, 2013).
The first phase which involves problem definition whereby creative thinking techniques such as cognitive mapping, 5Ws and H, and mind mapping are applies in the identification and description of a problem. While using Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM), the phase concerns the description of necessary measures and alternatives for constructing viable alternatives (Čančer & Mulej, 2013). In this phase, the assumptions of the phase involve the ability to challenge assumptions, creating patterns and making relations to the problems. Therefore, the problem solvers should have adequate knowledge in CPS techniques that can test hypotheses, create solutions from different perspectives and make viable connections using the various ideas.
The second phase of the CPS process concerns the generation of ideas. In this step, alternatives are created using one of the MCDM procedures. The phase involves evaluation of ideas through creative thinking methods using various techniques. They include brainstorming, idea and brain writing, attribute listing and using checklists. The use of such techniques not only aids problem solvers in the evaluation of the issue at hand but also assists in the elimination of undesirable alternatives before proceeding to the final phase (Triantaphyllou, 2011).
The last phase of the CPS process involves the selection of the most viable ideas using MCDM. In the event instituting MCDM through the three step CPS process, several steps have to put into consideration in this phase (Čančer & Mulej, 2013). The first step involves problem structuring whereby each problem is defined using goals or unprecedented levels of criteria and alternatives. The second step concerns measurement of values for each option from the second phase using value functions or direct comparison. The other step involves criteria weighting whereby weight is assigned to each criterion. The importance of the action stems from the establishment of proper judgment from the chosen alternatives. The fourth step involves the synthesis of the criteria for using the chosen criteria for individual ranking to select the most appropriate solution. The final step involves sensitivity analysis which assists decision makers in detecting factors that contribute to the success or failure of a preferable alternative (Čančer, V., & Mulej, 2013).
Indeed, the CPS process is uniquely able to create solutions to problems in a diverse business environment. The ability to implement multi-criteria decision making in creative problem solving has given rise to a new way of solving problems for organizations. Organizations have developed ways through which problems in an organization can be solved based on critical situational analysis and correct choice of solutions. For instance, the application of CPS process on organizations facing challenges of implementing the correct strategies for the purposes of achieving success in the modern business environment remains an important business venture. The various phases of the CPS process have a profound impact on the choice of solutions. Furthermore, the implementation of the process of finding the correct strategies to implement in modern organizations is proving not to be in vain.
References
Čančer, V., & Mulej, M. (January 04, 2013). Multi‐criteria decision making in creative problem solving. Kybernetes, 42, 1, 67-81.
Triantaphyllou, E. (2011). Multi-criteria decision making methods: A comparative study. New York: Springer.
