Improving attitudes toward creative problem solving among manufacturing engineers

Abstract

<p>This field experiment investigated the effects of training on attitudes of manufacturing engineers toward creative problem solving. Training in a complete process of creative problem solving was administered to two groups of manufacturing engineers working in a large food processing manufacturing organization. The first group (N=65) were from various locations in the organi­ zation and the second group (N=47) were from intact work groups. The second group served as placebo control for the first group and vice versa. Measurments of attitudes toward the use of creative problem solving techniques were taken at three points in time (baseline, following the first training intervention, and following the second training intervention). Results showed that the training positively affected engineers' attitudes toward creative problem solving. In addition, the use of intact work groups for training purposes was found to result in more persis­ tent long-term effects. Implications of these results for the literature on training in creative problem solving are discussed.</p>