One of the most interesting things I learned from “Decision Making” from Principles of Management” is how structured and intentional the creative process actually is. I had always thought of creativity as something spontaneous or purely based on inspiration, but the five steps outlined (problem identification, immersion, incubation, illumination, and verification) show that creativity follows a process similar to rational decision making. Crazy!

The idea of incubation was also interesting. Which is where a person steps away from the problem and lets their unconscious mind work on it. The story about the NASA scientist discovering his solution while sitting outside a McDonald’s is a perfect example of how insights often come when we least expect them. It reminded me that giving your mind time to rest can actually enhance creativity rather than hinder it. I also found it fascinating how creativity can be measured through fluency, flexibility, and originality. This framework gives a concrete way to evaluate what makes an idea truly creative. For instance, the example of Reed Hastings, the founder of Netflix, shows how having diverse and unique ideas across different industries demonstrates both flexibility and originality. His journey from developing software tools to transforming the entertainment industry highlights how creative thinking can lead to innovation that changes entire markets.

“Decision Making” from Principles of Management. [PDF]Moodle. https://moodle-courses2527.wolfware.ncsu.edu/pluginfile.php/476511/mod_resource/content/2/Decision%20Making_Chap11_Principles%20of%20Managment.pdf