Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Grade 10
Term 3 topics
• Week 1 - 2: Creative thinking and problem solving- page 102 -111
• Week 3: Business opportunity and related factors- page 72-77
• Week 4: Presentation of business information- page 86-92
• Week 5 – 6: Business plan- page 92- 100
1. Creative thinking and problem solving
1.1 Contribution of creative thinking to
sustainable and successful practice
• Thinking about something new or original.
• Creative thinking can help entrepreneurs to come up with better
ideas than their competitors.
• Existing products can be improved through creative thinking.
• Helps to develop innovative marketing strategies.
• Problems can be solved through creative thinking.
1.2 Creative thinking can be developed by the
following:
- Consider constantly what is happening around you and question people’s decisions.
- Listen to what other people say and you can develop it into useful product or business idea with a bit of
planning.
- Write down ideas you have.
- Continuously ask questions about something that you have taken for granted.
- People tend to do things the same way. Break away from this “habit” and try something else.
- Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
- Surround yourself with creative people.
- Assume there is more than one method to tackle issues.
- Creativity is not just required from the owner
- Employees should be encouraged to come up with new ideas
- Encourage creativity as an approach to all situations.
- Stimulate and develop employees to be more creative.
- Welcome flexibility and innovative ideas from employees.
1.3 Benefits of creative thinking in the
•workplace
Problems can be met thoroughly before final decision is made.(A variety of ideas can be discussed
before making a final decision.)
• Advantages and disadvantages of each proposed strategy can be highlighted.
• The problem is looked at by different people with different perspectives and so the best solutions can
be obtained.
• Better/unique/unusual ideas/solution can be obtained.
• Give businesses a competitive advantage because unique strategies are applied.
• Complex business challenges can be solved effectively.
• Productivity and profitability can increase.
• Managers and employees are more confident as creative thinking gives them the opportunity to reach
their full potential.
• Managers become better leaders as creative thinking enables them to handle challenges positively and
quickly.
• new approaches can be develop through creative thinking that can be applied to their respective
tasks.
• Lead to positive attitude in the business because managers and employees feel they have made a
contribution to problem solving.
1.4 Ways to create an environment that
creates creative thinking.
• Businesses should emphasize the importance of creative thinking by ensuring all staff
members ae aware that their ides will be heard.
• Encourage staff to come up with new ideas.
• Make time for creative thinking technique sessions.
• Propose containers at different places in the workplace where employees can submit
ideas/suggestions.
• Keep communication channels open for new ideas.
• Training sessions for staff to develop innovative techniques/ creative skills.
• Encourage employees to find alternative ways to do tasks.
• Respond positively and enthusiastically to all ideas so that no one who comes up with an
idea feels inferior.
• Reward creativity by using incentive schemes.
• Create a work environment that can promote creativity.
1.5 Creative thinking to identify business
opportunities and solve business problems.
• 1.5.1 Problem solving
- When does a problem arise? When things go differently than
planned.
- To solve a problem, you need to know exactly what the problem is.
- some problems can be predicted, such as annual industrial action by
trade unions for salary increases.
- Natural disasters cannot be predicted.
- Regular evaluation of the business’s performance will indicate if there
are any problems.
• 1.5.2 Research skills get information on the problem
- Managers must have necessary skills to determine the cause and
reason for a problem.
- Use creative thinking to determine the cause.
- The following can help to identify the problem before they become
threats:
Get consumer feedback
Quality control in manufacturing company
Reports on inventory turnover and specific inventory items
News reports on TV, radio and newspapers
Business Analysis
Monitor the actions of employees
1.5.3 Problem solving against decision making
• Management of a business must perform different tasks that includes
problem-solving and decision making.
• Employees also make decision during their normal tasks and solve
problems that may arise.
• These two tasks are closely related in a business setup.
• Problem-solving = the systematic analysis of the situation,
development of solutions, implementation of the chosen solutions
and evaluating the results of the implemented solution.
• Decision- making = taken during problem-solving steps.
PROBLEM SOLVING DECISION MAKING
Requires alternatives to be evaluated after research Often done by one person/ senior management who
into the problem makes it authoritarian
More inclusive because there is usually a group of Decide which of the proposed ideas will work best
people involved.
Encourage creative thinking to find innovative Form part of the problem-solving cycle, because
solutions decisions need to be made in each of the steps.
Consists of the following steps: Three basic steps in decision making:
- Identify problem - Identification of the problem
- Define the problem - Consider possible solutions
- Formulate possible solutions - Make a decision
- Determine the resources needed to run the
suggested solutions
- Implement the solution
- Monitor the implementation process
- Evaluate the strategy
1.5.4 Problem solving VS Creative thinking
TOTAL