The Business Creativity Workshop

Part I: Creativity and Innovations

Dr. Tomasz Dyczkowski

Wrocław University
of Economics and Business
Task 1
Open your mind!

How many ways there exist to divide a square into four equal parts?

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 2

The agenda

• Introduction – Business Creativity & COEUR

• The act of creation
• Encouraging and training creativity
• Different thinking in business
• Amazing innovations
• Resistance against the New!
• The only constant is change

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 3

Introducing the project
Competence in EuroPreneurship

Business Development

Creative or divergent Phase Analytical or convergent Phase

Definition of Imple-
the Problem mentation
Idea-Generation Idea-Evaluation
? !
Business Creativity Business Planning

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 4

Introducing the project
COEUR Partner Universities

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 5

Culture adaptation?

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 6

Culture adaptation?

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 7

 Entrepreneurship Orientations

• Global • Local
Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship
• Following the idea of • Following the idea of
global EuroPreneurship the transnational
standardisation, enterprise, adapting
taking US strongly to local
experiences as core conditions.
benchmark

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 8

What does it mean to be European?

• democratic
• fair
• trustworthy
• visionary
• traditional
• hierarchical
• self-interested

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 9

 European Management

NORTH
Thinking „Europe‘s New Economy“ by Charles Leadbeater
Professional Manager „A new business generation is emerging in
Rationalism Europe, with shared aspirations, values and
WEST
Sensing outlooks. The common features among Europe's
Experiential Manager 20 and 30-something entrepreneurs are far more
Pragmatism striking than the differences.
They tend to create businesses with similar
characteristics although they do so in quite
different local circumstances and regulatory
EAST regimes.
Intuiting This new generation generally speaks English,
Developmental Manager runs non-unionised companies with flat
SOUTH
Wholism management structures that are international in
Feeling
outlook.“
Sociable Manager
Humanism

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 10

Creativity
in its all forms and shapes

Free, artistic creativity Problem solving creativity

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 11

Task 2 - Artistic creativity
the journey accross COEUR countires – THE PUZZLE

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 12

Task 2 - Artistic creativity
the journey accross COEUR countires – THE SOLUTION

The Finlandia Hall by Alvar Aalto

Johann
Sebastian Bach
The self-portrait of
Albrecht Dürer
Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror
Lordi
by Friedrich W. Murnau
Angry Birds

The Witcher 3 – Robert Burns

the Wild Hunt Faithlie Centre of 2020,
Aberdeenshire
The Great
The AA83 painting
The Pianist Highland Bagpipe
by Zdzisław Beksiński
by Roman Polański
© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 13
Creativity

 Creativity is the ability of people to produce ideas, products or

components whose essential characteristics are new
 Anyone can be creative, attitudes are critical
 It’s difficult, but it’s possible OR it’s possible but it’s (too) difficult
Creativity is an active, affirmative and self-responsible attitude
towards situations/problems

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 14

Creativity

 Creativity must combine with comprehension i.e. an interaction with

intelligent capabilities
 Intelligence is the ability to understand the way the world is and
guides our actions
 Creativity can exist in all fields
of activity and may be physical,
symbolic, graphic or linguistic

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 15

Why we create?

 Motivation links to the ‘Law of Harmony’

All that is emitted acts, reacts and returns
 Creativity therefore stems from our interests and inclinations
 Freedom to act/think for ourselves is vital
 Self-belief makes activity more meaningful and beneficial – all the
more so when social relationships are supportive, so help others to
help themselves

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 16

…or why we don’t?

 A ‘reactive approach’ to situations, when initiative is stifled i.e. doing

what you always do
 A lack of self-confidence/pessimism/fear
 Fear of criticism
 Forming premature judgments
 Dependency on culture
 Lack of time
 Complacency/comfort with what you know and conform to

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 17

Ways to remove creativity blocks

 Self-belief/displaying individuality
 Positive attitudes
 Have fun! View life as a challenge
 Accepting mistakes/imperfection i.e. learn and gather experience
Accept and learn from criticism
 Offering incentives
 Providing resources/training
 Establishing internal/external
communication networks

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 18

Five levels of creative performance

1. (Spontaneous) expressive creativity

2. Productive creativity – target and purpose oriented i.e. better
solutions
3. Inventive creativity i.e. new solutions
4. Innovative creativity i.e. new solutions opening up new business
segments
5. Emergentive creativity – changing world views e.g. Darwin, Freud,
Einstein, Picasso, Gates, Jobs

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 19

Task 3 - Breakout session 1
How to brain-storm productively

Seven basic principles

1. Free flow of thoughts
2. Take up the ideas of others
3. No criticism allowed
4. Produce as many ideas as possible
5. Make a pre-selection of best ideas
6. Further develop the suggestions given preference
7. Find new results in forming idea combinations

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 20

Task 3 - Breakout session 1
Innovate!

Think of a new design OR functionality

of the (extra)ordinary products
RANDOMIZE

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 21

Task 3 - Breakout session 1
Innovate!

Think of a new design OR functionality Time:

of the (extra)ordinary products 10 minutes

Team 3 Team 4

Team 1 Team 4

Team 1 Team 2

Team 3 Team 2

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 22

Different thinking

 seeking for new ideas, clever strategies and

new ways!
 learning to strive for changes and innovations
as intensively as you used to avoid it so far!
 constant readiness to question what used to
be successful and to introduce and implement
new ways!
 observe the market and learn from existing
innovations

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 23

Task 4
Understand the world!

Think of 3 words which may have the highest number of matches in the
Google search engine
at least 8 letters
any language
any parts of speech
common words or proper names

Time: right away

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 24

Task 4 – feedback
Understand the world!
communication engineering restaurant November
birthday subscribe
Instagram corporation differentparticularPinterest computer
California entertainment government navigation
education environment
international
electronics organization copyright children
discussion download director transport
beautiful football
business hospital
activity
knowledge European

Facebook
Japanese Microsoft examples understand
something document personal
president
development festival
learning shopping industry February marketing
software
December
students
apartment pictures
services university
Christian individual information foundation
everything professional newsletter
Washington
anything financial
Internet location translate LinkedIn
research American
commercial officialtechnology advertising planning
direction
exchange
customer Halloween important
mountain management
department
association together property application clothing
production Christmas September
condition password
© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 25
Different thinking
360°-view: Find inspiration in other industries

Conventional thinking: We‘re looking for new business

ideas/innovations in our close surrounding
 Different thinking: Get inspired
by completely different branches
 Example: Starbucks concept
 Example: easyGroup: easyJet,
easyCar, easyHotel...

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 26

Different thinking
Live ‚light’: Do what you are best at

Conventional thinking: You try to integrate as many value adding

activities as possible
 Different thinking: focus on what you can do best – and let the rest
be done by partners, suppliers or even your own clients!
 Example: Smartville, Hambach
 Example: Puma – development,
design, marketing!
Find out about your core competences!

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 27

Different thinking
Product DNA: Question existing products concepts

Conventional thinking: You accept existing product concepts and try to optimise your
offer within these limitations.
 Different thinking: Question these concepts and create new space for innovative
offers!
 Example: Dyson bag-free vacuum cleaner
 Example: Restaurant Ikarus in Salzburg
– guest chef concept
„Never trust an expert saying he‘s doing things
in a certain way for 20 years, because he is
possibly doing it wrong for already 20 years!”
(Kurt Tucholsky)

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 28

Task 5 – breakout session 2
Change the rules!

Breaching the rules

 Think of a concept which involves illegal or criminal activity
 The idea should generate big bucks!
Time:
10 minutes

 and now convert your illegal business into the legal one, which will
also generate decent profit!
Time:
5 minutes

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 29

Different thinking
Ways of Looking at the Problem

Minaturization

Technology

Shape

Culture

Space

Time
© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 30
Task 6
Innovations accross COEUR countires – THE PUZZLE

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 31

 Task 6
Innovations accross COEUR countires – THE SOLUTION

Linux OS by Contact Lenses

Linus Torvalds X-Rays Dr. Adolf Gaston
by Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen Eugen Fick
Safety reflectors
by Arvi Lehti

Dish draining closet

Accordion by Christian
by Maiju Gebhard
Friedrich Buschmann

Walkie-talkie
by Henryk Magnuski

The overdraft by
Esperanto artificial language The Royal Bank of Scotland
by Ludwik Zamenhof

Tarmac road surface by Penicillin by Sir

Paperclip inspired by a treble clef John Loudon McAdam Alexander Fleming
by Józef Hofmann
© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 32
Amazing innovations
Let’s discover their story

 banknote
 colour photography
 dental drill
 dictionary
 glue
 hydrogen-powered automobile
 scissors
 toilet paper
 vending machine
 zipper
© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 33
Amazing innovations
The quiz

1. When and where was the first banknote invented?

A) around 2000 BC in Sumer
B) around 500 BC in Greece
C) in 7th century in China
D) in 18th century in Britain

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 34

Amazing innovations
The quiz

1. When and where was the first banknote invented?

A) around 2000 BC in Sumer
B) around 500 BC in Greece
C) in 7th century in China
D) in 18th century in Britain

Answer: In the 7th century in China during

the Tang Dynasty merchants issued receipts
of deposit to wholesalers to avoid using
the copper coins in large transactions
© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 35
Amazing innovations
The quiz

2. When and where was the first colour photography invented?

A) In 9th century in China
B) In 1850s in Britain
C) In 1900s in France
D) In 1950s in the United States

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 36

Amazing innovations
The quiz

2. When and where was the first colour photography invented?

A) In 9th century in China
B) In 1850s in Britain
C) In 1900s in France
D) In 1950s in the United States

Answer: In 1855 James Clerk Maxwell suggested

in his paper the method for three-color photography
used by Thomas Sutton to produce a ‚a tartan ribbon’
photograph for Maxwell’s lecture in 1861

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 37

Amazing innovations
The quiz

3. When and where was the first dental drill invented?

A) around 7000 BC in Asia
B) in 2nd century in the Roman Empire
C) in 1700s in Japan
D) in 1930s in Germany

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 38

Amazing innovations
The quiz

3. When and where was the first dental drill invented?

A) around 7000 BC in Asia
B) in 2nd century in the Roman Empire
C) in 1700s in Japan
D) in 1930s in Germany

Answer: The earliest discovered tools

considered to function as dental drills were
discovered in the Indus Valley site of Mehrgarh
in present Pakistan. They date back to 7000 BC.
© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 39
Amazing innovations
The quiz

4. When and where was the first dictionary invented?

A) around 2600 BC in Ancient Egypt
B) around 2300 BC in Sumer
C) in the 8th century in Arabia
D) in the 19th century in France

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 40

Amazing innovations
The quiz

4. When and where was the first dictionary invented?

A) around 2600 BC in Ancient Egypt
B) around 2300 BC in Sumer
C) in the 8th century in Arabia
D) in the 19th century in France

Answer: The oldest known dictionaries from 2300 BC

took the form of cuneiform tablets with bilingual
Sumerian–Akkadian wordlists, and were
discovered in Ebla, at the current territory of Syria
© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 41
Amazing innovations
The quiz

5. When and where was the first glue invented?

A) some 200 thousand years ago in Europe
B) around 6000 BC in India
C) around 1200 BC in current Mexico
D) In the 13th century in Mongolia

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 42

Amazing innovations
The quiz

5. When and where was the first glue invented?

A) some 200 thousand years ago in Europe
B) around 6000 BC in India
C) around 1200 BC in current Mexico
D) In the 13th century in Mongolia

Answer: Compound adhesives are regarded as the first

sign of cognitive advancement of homo sapiens. Traces
of use were found in Africa and date back to 70k years ago.
However, simple glue-like substances were already used by
Neanderthals some 200 thousand years ago in Europe.
© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 43
Amazing innovations
The quiz

6. When and where was the first hydrogen-powered automobile

invented?
A) In 1800s in Switzerland
B) In 1870s in Germany
C) In 1980s in the United States
D) In 2010s in Japan

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 44

Amazing innovations
The quiz

6. When and where was the first hydrogen-powered automobile

invented?
A) In 1800s in Switzerland*
B) In 1870s in Germany
C) In 1980s in the United States
D) In 2010s in Japan

Answer: In 1807 a *French inventor and politician

François Isaac de Rivaz patented the first internal
combustion engine fuelled by hydrogen and
installed it into a working vehicle in 1802
© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 45
Amazing innovations
The quiz

7. When and where was the first scissors invented?

A) more than 3000 BC in Mesopotamia
B) In the 1st century in the Roman Empire
C) In 1650s in current Finland
D) In 1760s in Britain

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 46

Amazing innovations
The quiz

7. When and where was the first scissors invented?

A) more than 3000 BC in Mesopotamia
B) In the 1st century in the Roman Empire
C) In 1650s in current Finland
D) In 1760s in Britain

Answer: The earliest scissors appeared in Mesopotamia

3,000 to 4,000 years ago. These 'spring scissor’
consisted of two bronze blades connected at the
handle by a flexible strip of curved bronze

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 47

Amazing innovations
The quiz

8. When and where was the first toilet paper invented?

A) Around 2000 BC in Ancient Egypt
B) Around 200 BC in Persia
C) In the 6th century in China
D) In the 19th century in Germany

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 48

Amazing innovations
The quiz

8. When and where was the first toilet paper invented?

A) Around 2000 BC in Ancient Egypt
B) Around 200 BC in Persia
C) In the 6th century in China
D) In the 19th century in Germany

Answer: Toilet paper was already in use at the

times of Sui Dynasty China. It was mentioned by
Yan Zhitui in 589 AD. It is evidenced that
the paper was use in subsequent dynasties, too
© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 49
Amazing innovations
The quiz

9. When and where was the first vending machine invented?

A) around 500 BC Greece
B) In the 1st century Roman Empire
C) In the 17th century Britain
D) In 1890s in Germany

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 50

Amazing innovations
The quiz

9. When and where was the first vending machine invented?

A) around 500 BC Greece
B) In the 1st century Roman Empire
C) In the 17th century Britain
D) In 1890s in Germany

Answer: The first vending machine was designed by

Hero of Alexandria an engineer and mathematician
living in the first-century Roman Egypt. His machine
accepted a coin and then dispensed holy water.

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 51

Amazing innovations
The quiz

10. When and where was the first zipper invented?

A) around 600 BC in Babylon
B) In 15th century in current Turkey
C) In 1780s in the Spain
D) in 1890s in the United States

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 52

Amazing innovations
The quiz

10. When and where was the first zipper invented?

A) around 600 BC in Babylon
B) In 15th century in current Turkey
C) In 1780s in the Spain
D) in 1890s in the United States

Answer: The zipper was invented by American

machine salesman, and mechanical engineer
Whitcomb Judson in 1891. He was a holder
of 30 patents.
© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 53
Amazing innovations
The HISTORY of innovations…
dictionary
dental drill banknotes hydrogen-powered
(2300 BC) zipper
(7000 BC) (700 AD) automobile
(1890s AD)
(1850s AD)

Ancient 2000 BC 1000 BC 0 AD 1000 AD 2000 AD

glue colourful
(200.000 scissors toilet paper
(3000 BC) photography
years ago) Vending machine (600 AD) (1850s AD)
(100 AD)
© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 54
Amazing innovations
… never ENDS
dictionary
dental drill banknotes hydrogen-powered
(2300 BC) zipper
(7000 BC) (700 AD) automobile
(1890s AD)
(1850s AD)

Ancient 2000 BC 1000 BC 0 AD 1000 AD 2000 AD

scissors colourful
glue toilet paper
(3000 BC) photography
(200.000 Vending machine (600 AD)
(1850s AD)
years ago) (100 AD)
© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 55
The Inspirational Speech 2
Joichi Ito’s Seeing the Future

• End of traditional power distribution

– global corporations share the fate of dinosaurs (too big to survive)?
– start-ups as pioneers of revolution (lean and agile)
• Mass communication technologies make company-frontiers and structures to disappear
– β-isation of New Product Development
– enterprises give public access to patents
– crowd funding
• Industry 4.0 opens new reality
• intangibles over tangibles
• disappearing border-line between
a human and technology
• artificial intelligence driving evolution
[Link]

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 56

Importance of Innovations

 Organisations operate in a constantly

changing environment – changing
technology, customer tastes and competitor
product ranges.
 An organisation’s products will be in
different stages of their life cycle and
although potentially modified, inevitably
new products are needed.

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 57

The economic evolution
Phase Problem Focus
Hand-to-mouth- Survival None
economy
Specialisation Exchange of goods Local trade
Discoveries Availability of new goods Long-distance trade
Industry Controlled production Capacity and cost
Sales as „bottleneck” Market conditions and Customers
competition
? ? ?

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 58

Principles and forms of a change
• Change has always been ignited by external forces
• Changes let different forms of organisation become
strategic factors of success
• Change is speeding

Innovations enable and require an adaptation of existing

companies in order to survive
• Deterministic change
• Stochastic change
• Open Change

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 59

Change and system behaviour

Change System Adaptation Knowledge

dynamics category
deterministic rigid reaction and factual
execution knowledge =
information
stochastic dynamic observation and behavioural
adaptation knowledge =
qualification
open chaotic creativity and structural
empowerment knowledge =
competence

© Materials prepared by the Business Creativity Module (BCM) Team, 2007-2023 p. 60