Stevern McShane

1. © 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione
C H A P T E RC H A P T E R 1010
Creativity andCreativity and
team decisionteam decision
makingmaking

2. 2
Chapter learning objectivesChapter learning objectives
1. Define creativity.
2. Outline the four steps in the creative process.
3. Describe the characteristics of creative employees.
4. Discuss the workplace conditions that support
creativity.
5. Identify five problems facing teams when making
decisions.
6. Compare and contrast the five structures for team
decision making.
7. Explain why brainstorming may be more effective than
scholars originally believed.

3. 3
Supporting creativity at IDEOSupporting creativity at IDEO
Employees at Animal Logic, the
Sydney-based visual effects
company, demonstrate their creative
talent in The Matrix, Moulin Rouge
and other blockbuster films. Hiring
people with diverse backgrounds and
living the Aussie culture seems to
contribute to the creative process.
Courtesy of Animal Logic

4. 4
Creativity definedCreativity defined
Developing an original product,
service or idea that makes a
socially recognised contribution
 part of the decision-making
process − not separate from it
 creativity is influenced by both
personal competencies and
organisational conditions,
supported by creativity
practices
Courtesy of Animal Logic

5. 5
Preparation
Creative process modelCreative process model
IncubationIncubation
Insight
VerificationVerification

6. 6
Characteristics of creative peopleCharacteristics of creative people
 Intellectual abilities
 synthetic, general, practical
 Relevant knowledge and experience
 Motivation and persistence
 Inventive thinking style

7. 7
Creative work environmentCreative work environment
 Organisational support
tolerates mistakes
encourages communication
offers job security
 Intrinsically motivating work
task significance, autonomy, feedback
self-leadership
flow − align competencies with job
 Sufficient time and resources

8. 8
Creative practicesCreative practices
•• JammingJamming
•• Review pastReview past
projectsprojects
•• Tell me,Tell me,
strangerstranger
RedefineRedefine
the problemthe problem
•• Chain storyChain story
•• Artistic activitiesArtistic activities
•• MetaphorsMetaphors
•• MorphologicalMorphological
analysisanalysis
AssociativeAssociative
playplay
•• Diverse teamsDiverse teams
•• In-houseIn-house
presentationspresentations
•• DisplayedDisplayed
thinkingthinking
Cross-Cross-
pollinationpollination

9. 9
© Photodisc. With permission.
Team decision making constraintsTeam decision making constraints
 Time constraints
 process loss
 production blocking
 Evaluation apprehension
 belief that others are silently
evaluating you
 Conformity to peer pressure
 suppressing opinions that
oppose team norms

10. 10
Team constraints: groupthinkTeam constraints: groupthink
 Tendency for highly cohesive
teams to value consensus at
the price of decision quality
 More common when the team
 is highly cohesive
 is isolated from outsiders
 faces external threat
 has recent failures
 leader tries to influence
decision© Photodisc. With permission.

11. 11
Team constraints: group polarisationTeam constraints: group polarisation
 Tendency for teams to make
more extreme decisions than
individuals
 Riskier options usually taken
because of gambler’s fallacy
− believe luck is on their side
© Photodisc. With permission.

12. 12
Decision processDecision process
High riskHigh risk
Individual
opinions
Low riskLow risk
Group polarisation processGroup polarisation process
Team decision
Team decision
Social supportSocial support
PersuasionPersuasion
Shifting responsibilityShifting responsibility

13. 13
General guidelines for team decisionsGeneral guidelines for team decisions
 Ensure neither leader nor any member
dominates
 Maintain optimal team size
 Team norms encourage critical thinking
 Introduce effective team structures

14. 14
Generating constructive controversyGenerating constructive controversy
 Form heterogeneous decision making team
 Ensure team meets often to face contentious issues
 Members should take on different discussion roles
 Team thinks about the decision under different scenarios

15. 15
Brainstorming at IDEOBrainstorming at IDEO
IDEO, a leading industrial design
firm, relies on brainstorming
sessions that generate ideas,
usually about designing products.
A typical session lasts between
one and two hours and is attended
by the design team as well as
other IDEO engineers with
relevant skills.
© E. Luse/San Francisco Chronicle

16. 16
Features of brainstormingFeatures of brainstorming
 No criticism
 Encourage many ideas
 Speak freely
 Build on others’ ideas
© E. Luse/San Francisco Chronicle

17. 17
© E. Luse/San Francisco Chronicle
Effectiveness of brainstormingEffectiveness of brainstorming
 Early scholars criticised
brainstorming
 evaluation apprehension and
production blocking still exist
 More favourable view now
 less dysfunctional conflict
 more task focus
 more decision acceptance
 more enthusiasm and customer
commitment
 evaluation apprehension not a
problem in high trust teams

18. 18
Courtesy of IBM
Evaluating electronic brainstormingEvaluating electronic brainstorming
 Benefits
 less production blocking
 less evaluation apprehension
 more creative synergy
 more decision efficiency
 Problems
 too structured
 may be costly
 lacks interpersonal dynamics
 candid feedback is threatening

19. 19
DescribeDescribe
problemproblem
IndividualIndividual
activityactivity
TeamTeam
activityactivity
IndividualIndividual
activityactivity
Nominal group techniqueNominal group technique
Write downWrite down
possiblepossible
solutionssolutions
PossiblePossible
solutionssolutions
describeddescribed
to othersto others
Vote onVote on
solutionssolutions
presentedpresented

20. 20
Overview of the next chapterOverview of the next chapter
 The communication process
 Benefits and problems with electronic mail
 Contingencies of media richness
 Communication strategies in organisational hierarchies
 Characteristics of the organisational grapevine
 Gender and cross-cultural communication
 Improving active listening

21. © 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione
C H A P T E RC H A P T E R 1010
Solutions toSolutions to
creativitycreativity
brainbustersbrainbusters

22. 22
Double circle problemDouble circle problem

23. 23
Nine dot problemNine dot problem

24. 24
Nine dot problem revisitedNine dot problem revisited

25. 25
Five letters problemFive letters problem
FCIRVEEALTETITVEERSFCIRVEEALTETITVEERS

26. 26
Burning rope problemBurning rope problem
One hour to burn completely
After first rope burned
ie 30 min.

27. © 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione
C H A P T E RC H A P T E R 1010
Creativity andCreativity and
team decisionteam decision
makingmaking