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Realms of Creativity

Gopaldas Pawan Kumar

Main excerpts from “ Lifelong Creativity- An Unending Quest” By Pradip N Khandwalla

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CreativityA "new" idea is a combination of old elements.

Creativity:

• It is your ability to combine ideas in a unique way or to make useful associations among ideas.

• “Mere novelty of a product does not , however, justify its being called creative ….. It must serve to solve a problem , fit the needs of a given situation, accomplish some recognizable goal.”

-Donald W MacKinnon

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Need for Creativity

* In the present scenario:– Competition is high, thus quality becomes important;creativity leads to quality.

– Every profession needs updating, innovating and experimenting; creativity thus becomes important.

– Customer purchasing power as well as information power is high, they demand the best value for their money; creativity gives that extra edge.

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Creativity

*

Creative people are said to have:

A particular Style

Originality

Competence

Experience

Determination

Flexibility

Positive outlook

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Organizational Creativity Vs Individual Creativity

Organizations based on continuous development, on systematic research of efficiency

Successful organizations High rate of innovations

Few innovations, just imitations

Low rate of innovations, sometimes radical, based on entrepreneurial spirit of individuals

Organizational Creativity

High

Low Individual

CreativityHigh

Figure:1

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"Without innovation, new products, new services, and new ways of dong business would never emerge, and most organizations would be forever stuck doing the same old things the same old way."

InnovationInnovation is a process of taking new ideas to satisfied customers. It is the conversion of new knowledge into new products and services.

Innovation is about creating value and increasing efficiency, and therefore growing your business.

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Innovation

•*Figure:2

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Process of Innovation• The Innovation process

can be depicted as a series of funnels each getting progressively smaller.

• Typically sixty ideas into the top funnel only produces just one innovation.

• The funnels are labeled as the four phases in the process - idea generation, idea screening, feasibility and implementation.

Figure:3

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Types of Creativity

*

Kinds of creativity:

- Essential: Creativity as an ‘Idea’.

– Elaborative: What is done’ with the idea.

– Expressive: ‘How’ is the idea communicated.

– Entrepreneurial: Idea converted into a profitable ‘venture’

– Existential: Idea for survival.

– Empowering: An idea is made to grow to empower others.

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• Essential: Einstein• Elaborative: Karl Marx• Expressive :Rabindranath Tagore• Entrepreneurial: Dhirubhai Ambani• Existential: Ramakrishna Paramhamsa• Empowering: Mahatma Gandhi

There could be more than one type of creativity in some of the examples, but the major focus in each of the examples is quite clear and distinct from one another.

Examples

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Kinds of creativity :Examples

• Essential: Creativity as an ‘Idea’

• Elaborative: ‘What is done’ with the idea

• Expressive: ‘How’ is the idea communicated

• Entrepreneurial: Idea converted into a profitable ‘venture’

• Existential: Idea for survival

• Empowering: As an idea is made to grow to empower others

Einstein

Marx

Tagore

Dhirubhai Ambani

Ramakrishna Paramhamsa

Mahatma Gandhi

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What is Creative Intelligence

According to Porter, Creativity has following five elements:

1.Fluency – Fluency means the ability to provide ideas in volumes. It means having lots of ideas, but the ideas may not be necessarily unusual or uncommon.

2.Flexibility- Flexiblity means the ability to convert familiar concepts into new shapes or jump from old concepts to new ones.

3.Originality- Originality means the ability to create unusual/ uncommon ideas. It must lead to something novel or unique.

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What is Creative Intelligence?

Porter, contd:

4.Awareness- Imagination to perceive connections & possibilities beyond obvious.

5.Drive or Motivation - to think up new ideas .Passionate

Few other elements of Creativity are:

6.Value or appropriateness or usefulness - It should have some value according to some external criteria (Market). It should have some useful application.

7.Capable of being reduced to practice – It must be more than just an idea and feasible of being reduced into practice

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What is Creative Intelligence?

Others , apart from Porter’s

8. Problem Sensitivity: To notice the unexplained ,the unsatisfactory or the incongruent- i.e. ,the ability to sense problems and issues that may be unclear or camouflaged.

9. Guessing Causes and Consequences: It is the ability to have root cause analysis- go to the roots of the problem , find reasons and the likely consequences.

10. Elaboration: The ability to elaborate on a theme is also a creative ability.

11. Problem Restructuring: Defining the problem beyond what is visible in a more interesting way.

Two persons may be having different ratings in each of the above

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Divergent and Convergent thinking skills

_

They are both important aspects of intelligence, problem solving and critical thinking.

Bringing facts and data together from various sources and then applying logic and knowledge to solve problems, achieve objectives or to make informed decisions is known as thinking convergently. Ex: Sherlock Holmes

Divergent Thinking is thinking outwards instead of inward. It is the ability to develop original and unique ideas and then come up with a problem solution or achieve an objective.Ex: Einstein

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Convergent Thinking

*

Figure:4

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Divergent Thinking

*

Figure:5

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Enhancing Creativity IntelligenceCreativity is not DNA ,(birth related) but could

be enhanced by orchestration of many forces like-

1. Personality Traits and Motives2. Mental Capabilities3. Environment4. Creative Problem Solving Process

Techniques.

The right combination of these will enhance the creativity intelligence.

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Creative Problem Solving Process1. Structuring and restructuring of problem.2. Cycles of Convergent and Divergent thinking3. Phases of preparation, incubation,

illumination, elaboration , evaluation, and refinement.

4. Mechanism of Convergent thinking- definition, clarification, modeling, classification , synthesis, evaluation, optimization etc

5. Mechanisms of Divergent thinking-naïve ,associative thinking, root causes, fantasizing , constraint-free etc.

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A model of Creative Achievement

Creative Problem Solving Process

Domain Knowledge

and Competenc

e

Creativity Technology

Creative Personality

Creative Environ

Creative Intelligenc

e

Creative Outcome

Figure:6

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Elements1. Creative Technology: Attributes Changing

, Morphological Analysis, Check list, Brain storming , Synectics and Breakthrough Techniques.

2. Creative Personality : Creativity , Growth , Social Contribution motives , Low blockage of creative ideas, Curiosity ,Courage , risk taking , persistency etc .

3. Creative Environment: Stimulation , Challenge, Diversity , Reward , support, facilities , resources etc .

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Techniques of Creative Problem Solving

1.Brainstorming : It is a group activity Principles

Defer evaluation ,quantity begets quality , the more fantastic the more better, build on previous ideas.

2.Check list Questions: By Alex Osborn – What can be added, deleted, altered, rearrange, adapt, etc - Cupboard

3. Attribute Changing: Useful for designing or redesigning a product or service. Developed by by Robert Crawford. – Steel Trunks-Suitcases, castors, fabric ,etc

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Techniques of Creative Problem Solving………3. Morphological Analysis: It is a variant of

Attitude Changing. Developed by Dr Zwicky.To identify some critical modifiable attributes and

write down several alternatives for each of these alternatives.- Ex : Dissemination of daily news-

1s Attribute- Newspapers, Radio, TV , Net etc2nd Attribute- Frequency- daily, twice , thrice a day.3rd Attribute -Coverage- Local , national , international.4th Attribute -Content -Political , Economical, Social,

Cultural, Scientific etc.We can go on adding attributes. The above steps help

in creative favoring attitudes and values, experimental and innovative bent of mind . Also prompts new application of ideas.

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Techniques of Creative Problem Solving………

4. Synectics : Boston based Organization founded by William JJ Gordon and George Prince. The technique specializes in finding solutions to complex technical or other problems that have defied solution by experts .

It is a remarkable technique of group problem solving and develop fresh workable approaches to difficult problems.

Examples : Closure mechanism, Writing instrument in space , Packaging in Nirma.

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Techniques of Creative Problem Solving………

5. Breakthrough: Evolved after combining many problem solving techniques by Khandwalla. More useful in people related issues. It emphasizes identification of problems stakeholders, multiple ways of defining a problem and demolition of the chosen alternative and its reconstruction.

Process : Each member to state the problem as he sees-define the stakeholders to the problem- stakeholder teams are formed- Problem redefined- Top problems selected for brainstorming- Best solution is selected- Reverse brainstorming is done (Why the idea will not work)-Each group to reward the solution considering objections – Further economics, planning and development are looked into – Finalized.

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Structure of MindUnconscious Mind

(instincts, Self preservation and reproduction, no regulation)

Preconscious Mind (Fantasizing and Imagining prominent in

childhood , motivated to fulfill dreams dropping real life constraints like getting into IAS, acting with Deepika , playing in

IPL) Conscious Mind is highly orderly, logical,

evaluative and analytical . aware of realities and

constraints and manages entire personality and responses

Figure:7

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Roots of Human Creativity- Biological

1. Limbs- write, climb , handle ,paint , carve etc

2. Vocalizing System- articulate , sing, shout etc

3. Brain- cortex is the seat of intellectual activity like recalling, reasoning, analyzing , categorizing , associating , weighing, dreaming etc

Left hemisphere- vocalizing, analyzing, reasoning , categorizing ( in right handed person)

Right hemisphere- integrating, intuiting, visualizing etc

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Roots of Human Creativity- Mental

1. Subconscious roots of creativity- As per Sigmund Freud roots are in the recess of subconscious mind.

Unconscious : Compulsions of Wilder Impulses Vs Compulsions of conscience

Preconscious : analogy (comparison) , memories , playful , trial and error thinking- help in creative thinking.

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Roots of Human Creativity- Mental(Cont)

As per Alfred Adler, creativity is a way of compensating for feelings of inferiority.

Carl Gustav Jung opined that human race has collective unconscious in which archetypal (typical , representative) shadows lurk.

These archetypes are the primal shared experiences of mankind. They include Persona- Mask, Anima- Feminine side of man , Animus – masculine side of women’s nature, Shadow- animal side of human psyche and Self- individuals striving for completeness.

Human creativity is always accessing and expressing , in many ways , all the above potent and shadowy archetypes.

PAASS

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Roots of Human Creativity-Mental(Contd)

2. Closure need and creativity: Humans feel uncomfortable if there are no answers to problems . When there are no answers to Why , What , How, When or Where , humans go into problem solving overdrive .

• Gaps between what it is and what ought to be.• Questions asked are a response to perceived

gaps.• Asking a good question is an art. It prioritizes

the knowledge and focuses on the search more sharply.

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Roots of Human Creativity- Mental(Contd---)

3. Dialectical sources of Creativity: Another root of creativity is the urge to synthesize earlier

antagonistic (hostile)perspective into a new integrated perspective.

As per Hegel’s ‘Dialectical Phenomenology’ it involves finding what are the oppositions , conflicts, contrasts, contradictions , the otherness ,estrangements that are possible in the context.

Imagination , Emotion or Passion also play critical role in creativity.

Spiritual advances take place when thesis(Idea, opinion) and anti-thesis is resolved productively .(like humans and animals-the others concept of differentiating).

Ex: Wood outside the house transformed into a threshold. Otherness of wood is not lost but uplifted/ upgraded.

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Roots of Human Creativity- Mental(Contd..)

4. Intuition as a source of Creativity: Intuition is more or less correct conclusion reached on the basis of neither conscious logic or noticeable evidence.

Intuition could be in many forms:a. Premonition- seeing in advance without evidence or

rationale- Ex : like expecting a calamity.b. Guessing repeatedly on thin basis.-Ex: Stock

investorc. Creative intuitions- inspiration, vision, conviction,

hunch , law , hypothesis etc.Thus , creative intuition is a stimulating pointer , an

initial awareness for creative work. Dreams and meditation could be a source of intuitions.

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Roots of Human Creativity- Spiritual

A . Variety of Spiritual CreativityThe Spiritual Impulses variety for creativity are

1. Quest for divine2. Sense of Human Brotherhood and Sisterhood3. Altruism- doing good with expecting reward4. Deep moral sense of what is right or wrong5. Love of Humanity and all living beingsB . Spiritual Fraternity and Creativity: Forms of Yoga and TM increase our creativity when

practiced for longGroups of people come together for good and humane

deeds- Green movement, Ramakrishna Mission, Sarvodaya , Red Cross, Lions Club , Swadhyaya (empowering the poorest), Krushibhakhti (Devotion through farming). Aam Admi Party (against corruption)

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Roots of Human Creativity- Social

Variety of Social Creativity looks at how tolerant are the societies to promote creativity.

1. Conservative Society- Conformance , and Why Change?

2. Entrepreneurial Society – Creative destruction

3. Authoritarian Society- Creativity supporting power

4. Democratic Society- tinkering with existing things, growing and actualizing their potential.

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Conservative Society

Dark Age Creativity

Authoritarian Society

Entrepreneurial Society

Centrally directed

Renaissance

Popular RenaissanceDemocratic

Society

Explosive Renaissance

Society – Creativity Types

1 2

3 4

A great deal of state

entrepreneurship in defense ,

security , economic

development like in erstwhile

USSR and China

Incremental, permitted

creativity in traditional

domains like in Mynamar , Afghan etc

Widespread creativity in all

its forms. Presence of

breakthrough and

incremental creativity like in US and UK

Incremental creativity in traditional as well as

modernization related

domains like in BRICS

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Figure:8

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Forms of Creativity :Essence Creativity

1. It is distilled creativity . It is transparent and visible expressed compactly with clear meaning. Succinct expression of a novel idea. Result of individual effort

2. It is insightful and a product of distinctive contexts, personality traits, cognitive (relating to the process of acquiring knowledge by the use of reasoning, intuition, or perception) process and mental giftedness.

3. It can be graded from moderate to exceptional.

Nicely expressed by proverbs- No Risk No Gain, Necessity is the mother of invention etc

Ex: Eureka- Archimedes discovery of law of floatation is example of creative discovery. Darwin’s survival of the fittest is also an example of Essence Creativity

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Forms of Creativity: Elaborative Creativity

• It is the distinctive elaboration of an idea , principle, law, view point that render it not only novel but useful in a context.

• The mechanisms include seeking reasons and causes for the elaboration relevant to the idea .

• Epics, poems , fiction ,essays are creative elaborations.

• Legal governance, Management systems ,work flow are also elaborations.

• Essence creativity is the labor of individual and Elaborative is a collective effort. (Mahabharata)

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Forms of Creativity: Expressive Creativity

It consists of fresh , effective communication to move , restore , delight , stun or amaze. Mechanisms:

1. Like suggestion and statement: Images, Associations Vs Sentences

2. Virtuality and Realism : Words, Voice, Gestures Painting of Horse Vs Real horse, , Painting of Ship Vs Sailing Ship

3. Hype and Understatement- Attention Vs Implied . (Greatest, best or an understatement like “Give me liberty or give me death”.)

4. Metaphor and Imagery- Symbols Vs GraphicsEx: Symbol –Flag representing a nation Metaphor :A Lion- hearted King conveys meaning of

a King having the courage of a lion but not the heart of a lion.

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Forms of Creativity : Existential Creativity

It is concerned with the development of one’s own creativity , effectiveness and self actualization potential. It arises when the individual is open to all of his experiences.

Self-actualized persons have a creative personality. It can be enhanced by increasing the

consequences of peak experience which is one of intense happiness and joy, love and passion, great achievement.

The ratio of ‘Living’ to ‘Existing’ may be a scoreboard of existential creativity . Living experiences are worth cherishing whereas Existing experiences are every day activities that could be called drudgeries.

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Forms of Creativity : Entrepreneurial Creativity

The process of creating , operating a venture constitutes entrepreneurship.

Terese Amabile has defined Entrepreneurial Creativity as the generation and implementation of novel, appropriate ideas to establish a new venture. It covers novel offerings of Product and services.

As per Mathew Manimala the High Pioneering and Innovative (HPI) entrepreneurs stressed much more on Idea sources, Criteria of choice, Idea development , Persistence with ideas, Stress Management ,HRM , Growth Strategy , Risk Management , Networking etc for creativity.

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Forms of Creativity : Empowering Creativity

It is concerned with the development of the effectiveness , creativity and self actualization potential of others. –spouse, children , customers , relatives etc

A distinctive kind of creativity where in altruism , mission , empathy and understanding of the human hood is the motive.

Various approaches that could be considered are empowerment through the following activities:

Poverty alleviation, better health and population control ,collective action , education and skilling , training to learn and innovate, transformational leadership , transformation of human nature etc.

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