Creative Problem Solving and Innovation

Creative problem solving (CPS) is an idea whose time has come— once again. A popular topic in the 1950s and early 1960s, CPS faded from the scene as many users became disenchanted with the inconsistent results the then-existing methods seemed to produce. Now, however, CPS is being seen in a more positive light; more techniques have become available, and managerial problems have increased in both complexity and in scope.

A growing number of conferences, workshops, films, books, articles, newsletters and consultant services are available today for managers in¬terested in improving their CPS skills. Furthermore, the media have begun to emphasize the need for more creativity and innovation in Ameri¬can business and industry. Continue reading

Innovation and Productivity : Lessons from Texas Instruments

No U.S. company is working harder than Texas Instruments, Inc., to foster innovation and to boost productivity, a crucial factor in an era of seemingly endemic inflation. And they’re pretty successful at it. Some observers point to TI as the prototype of what a U.S. company must be to compete in the surging, worldwide electronics market of the 1980s. Others suggest that only TI—of the major U.S. consumer electronics corporations— can compete effectively with the Japanese. How successful is TI? Continue reading