Overview Learning Unit 2

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28760 - IC -1-2004-1- UK – ERASMUS – EUC –1

Learning Unit Title Creative problem solving strategies (coordinated by Ursula Liebsch, Steinbeis Knowledge Transfer Center, Germany)

SECTION ONE: Introduction Learning unit (LU) 2 forms part of the IICEE project whose institutional partners, framework and aims and objectives are outlined in the overall module guide. 1.1 Summary of LU 2 This learning unit offers an overview of the history, the tools and fundamental aspects of creative problem solving strategies and focuses on the development of skills in creativity techniques and strategic thinking. This unit highlights the importance of creative solution finding techniques in contemporary management and introduces the students to examples of best practise in this area.

1.2 LU Statistics LU Code: Module Level: Learning Hours: Semester Availability: Length of the Module: Core or Option: Prerequisites:

to be designated by each participating university as specified in the module guide 65-100 hours, including lectures, tutorial contact, independent study, teamwork, e-learning activities each semester 15 weeks Mandatory or optional according to the syllabus of the participating universities. None; a foundation course previous to enrolment for this 1

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Credits awarded the module: Named Pathways: Professional Accreditation: Timetable:

LU in business or business-related studies recommended for 3 ECTS; to be finalized by each participating university

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will vary according to each institution will be integrated into each institution’s accreditation process to be arranged by the participating institutions

Learning Unit Members: Alavoine, Claude, IPAG*, Nice, France Petkeviciute, Nijole, Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania Sola, Nicolas, Thames Valley University, London, UK Szollos, Peter, Budapest Business School, Hungary Van Vlierden, Marianne, Education, Netherlands

Windesheim

University

of

Professional

SECTION TWO: Learning Experience 2.1 Aims Apart from subscribing to the general goals of the IICEE project, LU 2 unit seeks to provide current and future practitioners with a sound grounding in the area of creative problem solving strategies and a high level of cross-cultural expertise. It has been tailored to the needs of the learners who are preparing to work in an international environment. 2.2 Learning outcomes The learning outcomes listed below constitute the rationale of this unit. On its completion, the participants will  be aware of the importance of innovation and creativity in a companies process of change in both reactive and pro-active ways  learned about prevailing conditions for innovation and creativity in intercultural different environments (establishing environments for creativity)  learned about the theory and the practice of creative problem solving-techniques,  be able to choose the right management tool of problem solving in a specific situation.  be familiar with strategies of conflict resolution in order to bring consensus in negotiation and strategies of problems solving to transform ideas into realisation.

SECTION THREE: Contents of Learning Unit 2 2

3 This unit comprises three parts:

1.Theoretical background in > Introduction to Strategic Management (PPT) > Introduction to Creativity Techniques (PPT) > Negotiation (PPTs)

2. Creative Problem Solving Strategies (Compendium including questions and case studies)

3. Articles about intercultural aspects in problems solving

1. Part: Theoretical background in 1.Introduction to Strategic Management (PPT) 2.Introduction to Creativity Techniques (PPT) 3.Negotiation (PPTs)

2. Part: Creative Problem Solving Strategies (Compendium including questions and case-studies) 3

4 1. Introduction 2. History of Theoretical Approaches of Strategic Management Methods 2.1 The importance of strategy in prehistoric times (Sun Tzu) 2.2 Strategy by Carl von Clausewitz 2.3 Strategy in the 50th and 60th ( Design School) 2.4 Strategy in the 70th (Planning School) 2.5 Strategy in the 80th (School of Systemic Management, Scenario Technique, Positioning School) 2.6 Strategy in the 90th (Entrepreneurial School, Cognitive School, Learning School) 2.7 Strategy in early 2000 (configuration school) 3.

Creativity Techniques

3.1. Introduction to Creativity and Intuition 3.2. Conditions for Creativity 3.3. Logic of Failure or Creativity Blockades 3.4. Step 1: Introduction into the Process of Creative Problem Solving 3.5. Step 2: Problem Analysis with Systematic-Analytic Techniques of Creativity 3.6. Step 3: Developing Ideas with Brain Intuitive Creativity Techniques 3.7. Step 4: Generating Ideas with Psychological Creativity Techniques 3.8. Step 5: Selection of Ideas and Systematic Integration of Elements of Solution 3.9. Step 6: Evaluation and Decision 4. Creative Problem Solving Roadmap 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.5.1 4.5.2 4.5.3 4.6 4.6.1 4.6.2 4.5.

Problem analysis Prepare for a change Mission Statement Aims and objectives Strategic Analysis: External strategic analysis: outside-in reflection: company’s environment: chances and risks Internal strategic analysis: inside-out reflection: company’s strengths and weaknesses SWOT-Analysis Strategic choice Evaluation the options Selection of the best ideas or strategies Planning of Implementation

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5 3. Part: Articles about intercultural aspects in problems solving 3.1 Understanding the cultural environment in order to bring the appropriate problem solving strategy 3.2 Managing diversity as a tool in order to increase performance through creativity 3.3 Competition or cooperation as cultural orientations in negotiation 3.4 Cultural influence on management behavior + tools leadership 3.5 Developing intercultural competence as a condition for career development in enlarged Europe 3.6 Transformation process, sociology aspects and IC communication 3.7 Decision making process in Intercultural negotiation: interaction between cultures and situational context 3.9 The nature and exchange of information: building trust in intercultural negotiation Red marked articles are not yet delivered!

SECTION FOUR: Learning Resources 3.1 Materials to be provided This LU constitutes besides Powerpoint presentations a complete course book which is also suitable for usage as an e-learning compendium. The body of its text has been supplemented by examples taken from managerial practice and by detailed diagrams and illustrations. Additional materials (e.g. exercises, multiple choice questions, critical incidents) will be provided in class. 3.2 Essential texts for Learning Unit 2. Probst, Gilbert J. B., Integriertes Management, Bern, 1985Ulrich, Hans. Bern u.a., Anleitung zum ganzheitlichen Denken und Handeln, 1990 Gomez, Peter, Systemmethodik, Malik, Fredmund, Strategie des Managements komplexer Systeme, Bern u.a., 1989 Dörner, Dietrich, On the logic of failure: thinking, planning and decision making in uncertainty and complexity, Bamberg, 1987 Paul Watzlawick John Weakland Richard Fisch, Lösungen Zur Therapie und Praxis menschlichen Wandel, Bern 1997 Dorothy Leonard Walter Swap,When Sparks Fly - Igniting Creativity in Groups Harvard Business School Press. Boston 1999 Edward de Bono, Serious Creativity, Schäffer Poeschel Stuttgart 1996 5

6 Klaus Linneweh, Kreatives Denken – Techniken und Organisation produktiver Kreativität, Rheinzaubern, 1996 Helmut Schlicksupp, Ideenfindung, Wuezburg 1992 Goleman, Daniel / Paul Kaufmann / Michael Ray, Kreativität entdecken, München 2000 Joyce Wycoff, Gedankenstriche, Freiburg 1993 David Perkins, Geistesblitze, New York, 2000 Tony Buzan, Kopftraining English title: use your head, München 1989 Klaus Doppler / Christoph Lauterburg, Change Management, Frankfurt/Main 2002 Peter Senge, The Dance of Change, London 2002 Michael Hammer, Reeinginering the Corporation, London. 2001 Michael Hammer, Agenda, London. 2001 Robert S. Kaplan ; David P. Norton, The balanced scorecard : translating strategy into action, Boston, Mass. : Harvard Business School Press, 1999 Fredmund Malik, Management-Perspektiven : Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft, Strategie, Management und Ausbildung, Bern, 2001. Reinhard Krug, Aufbau eines Ideenmanagements - Mitarbeiterbeteiligung am Veränderungsprozess, 2002 Franz Yaver Bea/ Jürgen Haas, Strategisches Management, München,2001 Günther Müller-Stewens/Christoph Lechner, Strategic Management Schaeffer-Poeschel Stuttgart 2003 Fred R. David, Strategic Management, New Jersey.2003 Henry Mintzberg, Bruce Ahlstrand and Joseph Lampel, Strategy Safari London,1998 Slawomir Magala, Cross Cultural Competence, Routledge UK, 2005, P. Harris, R. Moran, S. Moran, Managing Cultural Difference, Elsevier, 2004 Geert Hofstede, Culture’s Consequences, Sage Publications, 2001 Michael J. Hicks, Problem solving and decision making,Thomson Business Press, 2005 F. Trompenaars, P. Woolliams, Business across Cultures, Capstone Publishing Ltd, 2003 Donald W. Hendon, R. Hendon, P. Herbrig, Cross Cultural Business Negotiations, Greenwood Publishing Group, 1996 P. Ghauri, J.C Usunier, International Business Negotiations, Elsevier, 2003 Bert Kapteijn, Probleemoplossing in organisaties (Problem solving in organisations)–, Bohn Stafleu van Loghum, 1996 6

7 Frank Kwakman and Albert Postma, Het team als probleemoplosser (The team as problem solver), Kluwer Bedrijfswetenschappen, 1996, Ineke Walravens, Probleem oplossen met creatieve technieken (Problem solving using creative techniques, Uitg. Lemma), 1994 Eastern Europe Borgulya, I. (1996): Üzleti kommunikáció kultúrák találkozásában. Janus Pannonius Kiadó, Pécs, 237 p. (Business communication in meeting point of cultures) Borgulya, I. (szerk.) (2004): Kultúraközi, szakmai és szervezeti kommunikáció. Pécsi Tudományegyetem Közgazdaságtudományi Kar, Pécs, p.283. (Intercultural, professional and organisational communication) Falkné Bánó, K. (1999): Meeting the Intercultural challenge in Hungary. In: Meeting the Intercultural Challenge. Knapp, K., Kappel, B., Eubel-Kasper, K., Salo-Lee, L. (eds.), Wissenschaft & Praxis, Berlin, 128-138 Falkné Bánó, K. (2001): Kultúraközi kommunikáció. Nemzeti és szervezeti kultúrák, interkulturális menedzsment aspektusok. Budapest, Püski Kiadó. (Intercultural communication. National and organisational cultures, intercultural management aspects) Falkné dr. Bánó, K. (2006): Interkulturális útmutató nemzetközi cégek és projektek vezetői és tagjai számára. EUWorking Papers, 1. BGF. Budapest. (Intercultural guideline for international companies and projects) Falkné Bánó, K. (200?): Miért es hogyan tanítsuk a kultúraközi kommunikáció tárgyat? Külker. Főisk. Füzetek, Vol. 13. Budapest. Felföldi, B. (200?): A szervezeti kultúra kutatásának újabb fejleményei: a kommunikáció-központú megközelítésekről. Tudasmenedzsment. … Hidasi, J. (200?): Ertekvalsag es ertekvaltas Japanban. Polyák, I. (2004): Cross-cultural Communication, Budapest, Perfekt Munt, I. (200?): AZ INTERKULTURÁLIS KOMMUNIKÁCIÓ SZEREPE AZ IDEGENNYELV-OKTATÁSBAN Külker. Főisk. Füzetek, Vol. 13. Raykova, A., Schachinger, C. (200?): Az interkulturális tanulás és az európai értékek 3.3 Other Learning Resources (journals, databases, websites): Journals Harvard Business Review on Innovation Harvard Business School Press 7

8 Harvard Business Review on Innovation Harvard Business School Press. London, 1995 http://www.feek.pte.hu/tudasmenedzsment/index.php?ulink=686 http://www.terebess.hu/keletkultinfo/hidasij.htmlhttp://www.nepfoiskola.hu/mntl ap/archiv/2003_1/tkit.htm http://interkulturalis.lap.hu/ For further learning resources see module guide. Unit specific materials and e-learning facilities will be available at the participating institutions. A unit-specific website will be developed and will be regularly updated.

SECTION FIVE: Teaching, Learning and Assessment 4.1 Learning Activities This unit has been designed to blend traditional course delivery formats (lectures, scripts) with innovative forms of learning such as interactive e-learning platforms. The participants will be able to integrate their own experience and will form part of the type of intercultural environment they are being trained for. In line with the learning activities outlined in the module guide, this LU seeks to develop all three dimensions of learning.  The course book will equip the participants, first and foremost, with a sound cognitive foundation for the contents dealt with in this unit and allow them to understand the concepts underlying creative problem solving strategies and its current approaches. Content-related end-ofchapter student activities (as shown in the following example) and individual assignments will enhance the knowledge acquired.  The experiential dimension of learning (aka “learning by doing” or “action learning”) will be supported by situational simulations, critical incidents and case studies which encourage the learners to apply their analytical skills and knowledge to resolve the problems at hand. Student presentations will improve their visualisation and communication skills.  Student interaction and the development of relational / interpersonal, skills will be encouraged by guided student interaction and team tasks which will also allow the work group members to test their ideas against those of the team and to assess their own level of interculturality in a participative learning environment. Course delivery also relies on: •

independent intensive learning based on student-centred research (e.g. bibliographical research and data collection);

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guided self-tuition (recommended reading, scripts, technology enhanced learning, i.e. TEL). This applies in particular to participants who neither have strategic theory and creativity techniques experience nor have studied this subject previously;

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reflection phases including group and self-evaluation.

Moreover, students will be able to contact their tutors during the delivery of the LU for further support and/or guidance. This will primarily be electronic and by telephone but can also be face-to-face by prior agreement. 4.2 Schedule of Work Lectures, workshops and assignments take place in the participating institutions. They may be integrated in international project weeks and concluded by an international student conference held at one of the participating institutions. The delivery of the contents will be structured as follows  Introduction and identification of the major issues of creative problem solving strategies  Critical review of the relevant literature with the participants  Regular weekly lectures based on the LU chapters  Evaluation of the learning unit delivered

SECTION SIX: Assessment 5.1 Assignments and pass requirements The contents of each of the following LU 2 assignments will be specified during the introductory session. Students attempt each component of formal assessment and are to achieve a pass mark of 50% for each. 1) Content-based individual assignments: In the course of this LU, participants will undertake a set of individual tasks (e.g. task boxes, guided exercises, end-of-chapter assignments) which carry a weighting of 60% of the overall mark. All tasks need to be submitted by week 14. 2) End-of-unit assignments: At the end of the entire learning unit, the participants will tackle one major case in small groups. Each group will present their case solutions (maximum 15 minutes) and produce a written report (3000 words) of their work to a larger audience. This task requires the application and integration of the knowledge and skills the participants have acquired in the course of this programme. It carries a weighting of 60%. The oral presentation will be given in week 15. 3) End-of-module assignment: On completing all three units of the IICEE module, the students will be able to obtain an extra credit by working on one case study that covers all the areas dealt with in the IICEE project. This case study can only be undertaken if all three units have been passed successfully. 9

10 5.2 Marking and Assessment Feedback The assignments will be marked b y the LU 2 tutors in accordance with the standard marking processes of their institutions. The participants will receive written individual feedback together with a mark for each element of the assessment. Additionally, students will be able to use the planned workshops to gain formative feedback on initial ideas and processes from their peers. 5.3 Evaluation of LU 2 LU 2 will be evaluated as specified in the module guide.

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