Review the Following Scenario

question 18

Essay

Review the following scenario.Briefly identify three techniques for fostering creativity through the use of lateral thinking,and explain which one would best fit the unique circumstances faced by Kevin with his engineering group.Provide a concrete justification for your recommendation.Be sure to clarify any assumptions that you make in developing your answer.
Kevin is the Engineering Manager in the Environmental Services Division of a multinational construction company.He believes that his organization has been losing project bids over the past three years because his staff members have become stale in their thinking.He recently read an article on techniques of promoting creativity through the application of the lateral thinking method.He has brought you in as a consultant to discuss the possibility of applying this technique in his unit.Kevin's major concern is that his engineers are very conservative and old-fashioned in their thinking.They have consistently demonstrated an unwillingness to explore problem-solving options that differ too much from the traditional,logical thinking approaches to problem solving and decision making that they learned in their university engineering programs.As a group,they denigrate such non-traditional approaches as "touchy-feeling" stuff that lacks the rigor of careful,systematic rational analysis.They do,however,demonstrate a high regard for intellectual expertise,and enjoy exploring ideas with others from any discipline that they consider to be on their own intellectual level.Kevin has asked you to explain three techniques for fostering the development of new ideas through the use of lateral thinking,and to recommend one to him for possible implementation in his group.

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Definitions:

Analyze Data

The process of inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modeling data to discover useful information, inform conclusions, and support decision-making.

Collect Data

The process of gathering and measuring information on variables of interest, in a systematic fashion that enables one to answer stated research questions, test hypotheses, and evaluate outcomes.

Identifying Problem

The initial step in the problem-solving process, involving the recognition and definition of an issue that needs resolution.

Marketing Research Process

A systematic approach to collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data about a market or potential market for a product or service, used to make informed business decisions.