Understanding, Measuring, Enhancing Collective Creative Problem-Solving Efforts

Abstract Accumulated theories and research findings about the various attributes of groups and organizations that do creative problem solving (CPS) well, systems models of CPS activity that occurs in social settings, and efforts to measure and enhance joint CPS efforts are reviewed. Conclusions that can be drawn from this review about the nature of CPS and about the persons, groups, and organizations that do CPS well are discussed. A 'tri-level matching theory' is proposed as a way of integrating and explaining these findings. Creatively solvable problems vary widely in their complexity, knowledge needs, and the amounts of divergent and convergent thought that are needed, and so the theory predicts that persons, groups, and organizations with different preferences and abilities, knowledge and work arrangements will best match the character of particular problems. CPS research usually found individuals superior to groups, but this pattern of findings may have resulted from the tasks, concepts, and research methods used. Limitations in conceptualization, research methods, and resulting knowledge about collective CPS efforts are identified and discussed, and extensions of existing research as well as new directions for future study are proposed.