Factors affecting brainstorming: towards the development of diagnostic tools for assessment of creative performance

To test a model of creative behaviour in teams, twenty five problem-solving groups were assembled from a Business School graduate programme, trained in creative problem-solving techniques and given a realistic product development task. Self-assessment ratings were collected for factors perceived as influencing performance. Three experienced trainers rated the ideas produced. Four major factors were identified from the self-assessed statements, each mentioned as positive and negative influences. The study provides a foundation for developing diagnostic tools for assessing creative performance in problem-solving teams, and gives pointers to factors which are important for improving performance.     

全球股市低迷 亚洲首当其冲

一年前，当信贷危机在美国和欧洲刚刚崭露头角时，许多投资者都将亚洲股票视为了天堂。时至今日，全球股市经历了6个多月的下跌，而亚洲市场的跌幅位居前列。     

PROCEDURES FOR MANAGERS IN IDEA-DEFICIENT SITUATIONS: AN EXAMINATION OF BRAINSTORMING APPROACHES

The literature of brainstroming procedures has been examined in order to obtain guidlines for managers in idea-deficient situations. Various techniques and procedures have developed and are often incorporated into larger systems of managerial problem-solving. There seem two main reasons for utilizing the processes. The first is as an aid to creativity. The second is as an effective means of amassing ideas. These underlying principles have not been satisfactorily validated in the literature, but use of the technique for the latter, variety generating purpose, may be easier to justify than use as a creativity spurring device. It is suggested that further research is needed into expectations of practitioners and clients of brainstorming sessions.     

Identification of Marketing Needs and Means of Communication of Romanian Marketing Companies in the Context of the Knowledge Society

A few decades ago, academics and economic pundits used to say that information is the main source of power. However, in the Knowledge Society, as we experience it today, information is readily available for everyone, and the real challenge is to master modern and complex information analysis tools, which can make sense of the information overflow of modern society, thus constituting the true competitive advantages of major economic players. For a competent analyst, data generated by a survey, for instance, can reveal paramount information about consumer behavior, competitive strategies, or any other economic and social environment-related aspect deemed important. The marketing needs of Romanian marketing companies are very diversified, commencing with the research of the needs and demand on the target market, going down to the 4Ps (Product, Price, Promotion, and Placement) and their components. The present marketing research was performed using seven categories of information sources: specialized publications in marketing; specialized publications in economics; information provided by specialized institutions in consultancy and marketing research; information provided by individual marketing specialists; information provided by advertising agencies; information provided by the economic sections of the daily newspapers; and job Websites.     

Dairy-Substitute Products: Impact on the Canadian Industry

Any opinions and positions expressed in this paper are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Agriculture Canada or of the Government of Canada     

Innovation and creativity: woods, trees and pathways

The terms 'innovation' and 'creativity' are in danger of complete degeneracy into a single blurred catch-all concept. This paper examines 'potted thinking', and some of the main sources of confusion in everyday thinking, and then considers four current theories which help resolve aspects of the confusion. Creativity is studied as intrinsically motivated behaviours and as a form of intelligence. Creativity and Innovation are compared within a systems framework, and as examples of complex problem-solving. The models help distinguish the highly personal nature of the creative process and the essentially social nature of the innovation process.     

Testing the impact of trading volume on market return and volatility： The case of the Romanian stock market

This paper examines both the return-volume and volatility-volume movements on Bucharest stock exchange, in order to evaluate the impact of changes in stock market liquidity on stock returns and on volatility of returns. We employ linear Granger-causality tests to investigate the dynamic relation between trading volume, stock returns and returns volatility on the Romanian stock market, using daily logarithmic returns for the composite index BET-C, as a proxy for the market, and daily logarithmic change in trading volume during the period January 2004-July 2008. As a proxy for return volatility we employ absolute values of daily deviation of return from its mean value during the considered time period. We can report unidirectional linear causality from returns to volume and also from volume to volatility.