Creative problem solving styles and learning strategies of management students: Implications for teaching, learning, and work

Scope and method of study. Business organizations face increased complexity and rapid change. Researchers have identified competencies needed by workers in order for the workers and the organizations to survive and thrive in this environment. Three of these competencies are the ability to perform creative problem solving, to work effectively as a member of a team, and to be a lifelong learner. Managers need to develop these competencies within themselves and their employees. The purpose of this study was to describe the problem solving preferences and learning strategy preferences of management students at Oklahoma State University. This was accomplished by identifying the problem solving styles and learning strategy preferences of 478 graduate and undergraduate students in management classes. Data for the study were collected using the Creative Problem Solving Profile Inventory and the Assessing The Learning Strategies of Adults (ATLAS) instrument.; Findings and conclusions. This study found that over half of the participants prefer the Implementing phase of creative problem solving. They may skip important steps of creative problem solving. In addition, the largest group identified by ATLAS consisted of Navigators, who are focused learners with an emphasis on efficiency. Cluster analysis and discriminant analysis were used to identify four naturally-occurring groups. Some participants are real-time learners who prefer to immediately apply what they are learning while others are off-line learners who prefer to defer application to a future time. Within each of these groups, some participants prefer to learn by doing while others preferred to learn by thinking. Those who prefer to defer applying what they learn and spend time in reflective thought may be perceived of not being responsive to the pressures of business. Managers and workers who prefer to immediately apply what they learn by doing may appear to cope with the rapid pace of business but may lack adequate thought and reflection to adequately identify a workable solution to the problem. Both types of managers and workers are necessary but not sufficient in an organizational world of permanent white water.