BBI of Chicago
December 2021

The importance of creativity for problem solving

By: Gabriel de Azevedo.

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The business world has always been challenging due to the numerous problems that can arise during the planning and executing of activities, such as the evolution of information, trends, and technologies. Although some of these problems are solved systematically, using previous knowledge, or already written processes as a basis, they can influence the initial project scheduling. Creativity proves to be a necessary solution for solving uncharted problems because there are so many variables involved, some of which the business cannot control.

According to Chávez-Eakle et al. (2007), creativity is described as the result of the diffuse use of various brain regions, or specific systems, which control different forms of behavior and cooperate in carrying out a task. In other words, creativity is characterized by the junction of different knowledge, experiences, ideas, feelings, and sensations to carry out a task. According to Mouchird and Lubart (2002), creativity can be conceptualized as a set of capabilities that allow a person to behave in new and adaptive ways in certain contexts. Innovation is different from creativity, considering that innovation is more linked to companies, while creativity is an inherent attitude of the individual.

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Consequently, the individual's creativity has been considered the fundamental factor for innovation, of interest to the organization, constituting the first ideational component of innovation while this would encompass the implementation and application of new ideas (Alencar, 1995). Industrial competitiveness and factors not previously mapped, which can generate problems during an activity, require a solution different from the traditional ones, thus requiring the use of creativity by the individuals involved in the solution. Such as when a product is active in the market but does not have the revenue expected by the company, if the market in which it is inserted is the correct one, the problem may be that the true customer demand is not being understood and supplied through the product. In cases like this, the application of design thinking, where the professional uses design tools to create better solutions, focused on the user, can solve the problem.

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Using design thinking, those involved use creativity to apply the framing tool, putting themselves in the client's shoes to have a new point of view and understand the pains of the persona. Thus, they work better on the concepts needed to create a product that is more relevant to the user. This method, and several other current tools, have the creation of creative thinking as a basis, generating innovation for the business and soft skills, which are increasingly important for the financial health and for the market gain process of any company in the current scenario.

Thus, it is highlighted that the use of creativity is very important for any business that aims to become more competitive. Traditional processes and problem-solving are efficient in some activities, but to adapt, evolve and maintain the health of the organization, innovation is the best tool, however, it is only applied when the people involved in planning and execution are encouraged to create so that activities and problem solving are resolved in the best possible way.

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BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES

ALENCAR, Eunice Lima Soriano. DESENVOLVENDO A CRIATIVIDADE NAS ORGANIZAÇÕES O DESAFIO DA INOVAÇÃO: Um clima favorável à criatividade, aliado à prática intencional do processo de resolução criativa de problemas, facilita a mudança e a introdução bem-sucedida da inovação no contexto organizacional.. RAE - Revista de Administração de Empresas, São Paulo, 1995, v. 35, n. 6, p. 6-11, November 3rd, 1995. Available in: https://www.scielo.br/j/rae/a/kcyZbN7gXtNLVFYFnKWh7QN/?lang=pt&format=pdf. Access in: August 5th, 2021.

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Chávez-Eakle, R.A., Graff-Guerrero, A., García-Reyna, J.-C., Vaugier, V., Cruz-Fuentes, C. (2007) Cerebral blood flow associated with creative performance: A comparative study. NeuroImage,38 (3), 519-528. 

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Mouchiroud, C. e Lubart, T. (2002). Social creativity: A cross-sectional study of 6-to 11-yearold children. Int. J. Behav. Develop., 26 (1), 60-69.

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