Doktorski studij na FSB: Uvod u znanstveno istraživački rad 2014/2015

Damir Muslić

CREATIVE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN INDUSTRIAL

ENVIRONMENT

UDC 62:65.01:159.954

Essay

Summary

Aim of this paper is to analyze creative research processes that are conducted within

industrial environment. At the beginning chapter behaviour which successful industry should

implement in order to keep its market advantage, is described. Further in the paper some

definitions of creativity given by several different authors are cited with aim to explain the

term creativity. Knowing that creativity is not only a result of individual gift but also of

environment creative knowledge, environment is described showing that it is important to

understand what factors in the environment can provoke creativity and inventiveness. In the

final chapter is shown that it is very important for the industry to keep close relations with

academic institutions, in order to develop novel, and creative product and maintain its market

position.

Key words: creativity; creative environment; creative industry; inventiveness; engineering;

research and development.

1. Introduction

"Unless man can make new and original adaptations to his environment as rapidly as

his science can change the environment, our culture will perish".

Carl R. Rogers [1]

As stated in the above citation, key for successful and prosperous industry lies in its

ability to adapt to new environment and requests from outer world. Namely our consumer

society is always seeking something new and attractive in products that are being presented to

the market. In today’s highly competitive world, business success depends increasingly on the

ability to innovate. Business leaders are already recognising the importance of design thinking

in shaping business strategy. Forward thinking professionals with the ability to integrate

creativity and design thinking in the business functions of engineering, management,

communication and commerce will be sought after by employers across multiple sectors. It is

clear now that just new design of an "old product" will not sell it unless there is something

that attracts consumers, and this is point where creativity comes in place. But before we can

further examine industrial environment and its creative side let's have a look into some

definitions of creativity.

Damir Muslić Creative Scientific Research in Industrial Environment

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2. Definitions of creativity

Throughout the history creativity has been observed from many different standpoints

and defined by many intellectuals. It is very difficult to say which definition is right and can

be generally accepted. Creativity as complex cognitive sociological act has been studied at

many different levels and therefore each science discipline has "its own" acceptable definition

of creativity. In ancient times creative act was conceived as divine inspiration and "Gods will"

expressed through an artist. Works of Leonardo da Vinci attract admiration of individuals

even today, although nearly five hundred years has passed since their creation. If we take a

look at some recent definitions of creativity we will find that Torrance, the “Father of

Creativity”, 1960 defined creativity as “the process of sensing problems or gaps in

information, forming ideas of hypotheses, testing, and modifying these hypotheses, and

communicating the results. This process may lead to any one of many kinds of products verbal

and nonverbal, concrete and abstract”. Much later in 1991 Goldsmith described creativity as

“The production and disclosure of a new fact, law, relationship, device or product, process,

or system based generally on available knowledge but not following directly, easily, simply,

or even by usual logical processes from the guiding information at hand” [2]. According to

Hartley (2005) "the profit of creative industries lies in nonmaterial work". It is important to

notice that term "creative industries" is related to creative sector that according to UK

Department for Culture, Media and Sport comprise:

1. advertising

2. architecture

3. arts and antique markets

4. crafts

5. design (includes also communication design)

6. designer fashion

7. film, video and photography

8. software, computer games and electronic publishing

9. music and the visual and performing arts

10. publishing

11. television

12. radio

In general terms according to Mumford and Gustafson we can define "creativity as

generation of product that is not only novel and imaginative but also useful and of good

quality". To better understand process of creative production it is important to define and

describe environment in which this takes place. The Fig. 1. shows an creative approach to

solve problem of plastic waste while making useful product, in this case a toy.

Fig. 1 Toy made from used plastic bags and old wire [3]

Creative Scientific Research in Industrial Environment Damir Muslić dipl. ing. str.

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3. Creative knowledge environment

Generation of novel and imaginative product of any kind usually takes place in

surrounding which practically provokes its formation. Preconditions which lead to this point

must not be considered as random event but rather as result of the influence of the

environment where this creative process is taking place. Knowledge environments depend on

a wide range of overlapping and interacting conditions and circumstances that are shown in

Table 1.

Table 1. Components of Knowledge Environments and their Characteristics [4]

Task characteristics: short-term/long-term, simple/complex, routine/novel,

modularised/integrated

Discipline/field: natural sciences VS engineering VS social sciences VS humanities,

theoretical VS experimental VS modelling, basic/applied, single paradigm VS multiple

paradigms VS pre-paradigmatic, reductionist/‘holistic’, discipline-based/inter- or multi-

disciplinary, influence of ‘epistemic community’

Individuals: knowledge, skills, abilities, cognitive style (e.g. broad/narrow, focused/eclectic),

motivation, interests, career plans, values, beliefs, other personality properties (e.g.

introvert/extrovert)

Group characteristics: size, integrated/loosely coupled, inward looking (‘group think’) VS

outwardlooking, leadership style, degree of group tension/harmony,

heterogeneity/homogeneity of group members, ‘chemistry’ of personalities in the group,

composition of knowledge, skills and abilities, agreed on or contested beliefs or underlying

assumptions

General work situation for individuals: number of different work tasks or projects, features

of time available for research (e.g. sparse/abundant, fragmented or concentrated), job

ambiguity (total autonomy VS narrowly defined goals), quality of IT available (including the

usability)

Physical environment: facilities, buildings, architecture, location, climate, equipment

Organisation: income sources, economic situation, organisational structure and culture,

reward profile, leadership and managerial style (e.g. controlling/allowing), degree of

organisational tension/harmony

Extra-organisational environment: small/large economy, expanding/decreasing economy,

market characteristics (e.g. open/restricted, global/regional, competitive/monopoly), reward

profile, information availability (open/closed), job opportunities and mobility, regional,

national and cultural characteristics

Thus we can define this environment, context and surroundings as Creative

Knowledge Environment (CKE) the characteristics of which are such that they exert positive

influence on human being engaged in creative work aiming to produce new knowledge or

innovations whether they work individually or in teams, within a single organization or in

collaboration with others. In general previous research has shown that creativity tends to be

enhanced by new influences. Given the fact that individuals approach the task of knowledge

production from their own perspective, that is shaped by local condition it is scarcely

surprising that groups including members from different cultural or disciplinary background

tend to be more creative than groups sharing a more homogenous background. Likewise

change of environment or reference frame can often result in creative products [5].

Damir Muslić Creative Scientific Research in Industrial Environment

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One can consider CKE at different levels micro and macro. At micro level it is

environment surrounding small group or team involved in creative activity where even colour

of the room walls in which they work can have significant influence to their behaviour and

creativity, while at macro level it includes global, national or inter-organisational

environment.

Research of CKE is at a relatively early stage. Although there is several studies that

describe how conditions for CKE are shaped within different context there is still need for

research that will evaluate effects of specific constellations on creativity and creative

environment.

4. Creativity and inventiveness

Terms Creativity and Inventiveness are often being misused or misunderstood. Before

we can go any further it is necessary to make distinction between these terms.

There are many definitions of creativity and inventiveness that are pointing out

difference between these two. Some are related to the way people think, while others relate to

the gift of creativity that individuals have and how this gift comes forward. Simplest

explanation can be formulated as follows: Creative individual does not have to be inventive at

the same time, while in most cases inventive individual is at the same time creative. So we

can explain difference saying that creative individual will develop creative ideas to solve

problem while inventive individual will use these ideas to develop solution.

For example Nikola Tesla was a creative and inventive individual who developed his

creative ideas into useful product such as Alternating Current (AC) system. This is just one

example of definition of creative and inventive individual, while in the literature exists more

where each is specific and unique by its origin. There are many researches that promote

necessity to embed creativity and innovation into engineering courses. It is important to teach

engineering students how to identify and remove block to the creativity, while this

responsibility transferred to the teacher, it is crucial that teacher has ability to foster and

provoke creativity in engineering students [6].

Fig. 2 The N C Engineering Precinct Sweeper with integral hopper/water tank [7]

So in general we can conclude that creativity and inventiveness can be learned, and

most of the teaching methods are actually dealing with altering the way individuals think

about problem and environment that they may find themselves in. For their future work it is

important that engineering students have opportunity to practice these skills. If we make an

comparison with students of art we can say that they have an advantage over engineering

students because of their everyday opportunity to practice their creativity through their work

of art.

Creative Scientific Research in Industrial Environment Damir Muslić dipl. ing. str.

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In order to have creative engineers it is necessary to establish cooperation between

industry and education based on confidence and mutual respect, where creative industrial

tasks can be entrusted to engineering schools. Example of result of such a cooperation is

shown in Fig. 2 [7].

5. Industrial environment and creative research

"The need to be right all the time is the biggest bar there is to new ideas. It is better to have

enough ideas for some of them to be wrong than to be always right by having no ideas at all".

Edward de Bono [1]

Term industrial environment is usually linked to production process where machines

play main role in creation of new products. Activities preceding production are usually in

background, hidden from outer world. Hidden activities are usually research and development

(R&D) where companies are investigating products from their competition while at the same

time trying to improve their own in order to gain advantage on the market. If we would

analyze products of one kind present on the market, we would be able to say very soon who

are the market leaders with respect to R&D. Many companies are just following trends set by

market leaders and those mostly don't invest into R&D but rather "copy" and adapt ready

solutions to their own technology.

We can describe most of today's product by just one word which relates them to their

country of origin. Globalisation introduced new market rules with high demands and

necessity for cheep and flexible production that many industries can't cope with. To solve this

problem companies are moving their production into area with cheap labour, securing this

way their market position. Companies that can't move their production are forced to adopt to

market conditions by undertaking some unpopular measures. This usually results with

reduced employee satisfaction and increased production costs (often due to growing number

of bad products).

To overcome discussed problems it is necessary to find solution for product that will

provide advantage on the market, ensure stable income while keeping employee satisfaction.

There is no universal solution for this problem. If we want to define innovative and creative

research in industrial environment it is necessary to understand R&D activities in industrial

environment. Based on author's experience from R&D department of domestic appliances

best results are achieved when R&D are given freedom in development of new solutions that

are not limited with technological barriers.

In order to reach satisfactory solution it is necessary to encourage creative individuals

not to discard solutions that they don't see applicable, but rather to share idea with others who

will enrich solution with their suggestions and improvements. Such activities, one of which is

brain storming, bring up new competitive solutions for new products, some of which are

shown if Fig. 3.

Scientific research in industrial environment is performed in order to improve results of

some production processes, analyze new technologies or implement new solutions. Today's

industry does not allow much time for these activities.

Damir Muslić Creative Scientific Research in Industrial Environment

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Fig. 3 Example of creative products

Profit oriented production is forcing engineers to focus on solutions for problematic

situation that appears on everyday in production process causing loss in capacity, energy and

at the end in profit. Production engineers and operators usually take for granted processes that

are taking place in production, blocking this way their creativity. Most of engineers are

seeking solution to "sail calm waters" rather than to try to improve present situation with

some new ideas. Part of guilt for such situation is on the side of management which does not

support or rewards solutions from which company benefits, but rather considers these

activities as part of the engineer’s job.

Only really creative and inventive individuals, whose aim is not material gain,

undertake research activities and realize creative industrial solutions. This is usually just to

prove their capability to solve problem and to satisfy their inventive nature. Looking at the

creative solutions in the industrial sector, especially in the beverage production, most of them

are result of cooperation between industry and engineering schools. Such an example is

reduction in use of process water in the beer industry. Consumption of process water in beer

production is usually 10 - 15 times greater of produced quantity. Industry did not have own

solution for this problem but it was taken for granted. Cooperation with University

engendered solution that reduced water consumption for nearly 40% improving the economy

of the production.

6. Conclusion

Industry of 21st century is characterised by increased use of smart solutions that

involve use of computers and advanced machines. Goal did not change over years and that is

cheap and competitive product. Creative solutions are engendered in difficult situations that

threaten company survival, and those are mostly short term decisions. In order to achieve

development and market advantage it is necessary to introduce more scientific research in

industrial environment. Individuals that need to accomplish such researches need to look at

the problem from different standpoints to gain better view and to provoke creative solutions.

Nevertheless cooperation with Universities and their research laboratories is crucial for

further progress, due to the fact that Universities are "holders of new knowledge" and are able

to approach latest researches related to the field of interest.

Creative Scientific Research in Industrial Environment Damir Muslić dipl. ing. str.

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REFERENCES

[1] Felder RM. CREATIVITY IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION. North Carolina State University. 1988.

[2] Žiha K. Creativity and Engineering Education. In book: Experience and Sustainabilita of International

Curriculum Development in Naval Architecture, Publisher: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and

Naval Architecture. 2010(1):55-74.

[3] Creative industries. 2014. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_industries)

[4] Sven Hemlina CMA, Ben R. Martinc. Creative Knowledge Environments. 2006.

[5] Martin SHCMABR. Creative Knowledge Environments : the Influences on Creativity in Research and

Innovation. Google Books. 2004.

[6] Zhiquiang (Eric) Liu DLS. Teaching Creativity in Engineering. International Journal of Engineering

Education. 2004;20(5):801-8.

[7] Mckeag D. Embedding Creativity and Innovation In the Engineering Curriculum. European Society for

Engineering Education, Conference proceedings SEFI 2008. 2008:8.

Defined by Kalman Žiha 19.12.2014.

Supervised by Kalman Žiha 22.02.2014.

Damir Muslić

Bihaćka pivovara d.d. Bihać