Training effects on the divergent thinking attitudes of Japanese managers

Abstract

A field experiment made a preliminary investigation of the effects of training Japanese managers in creative problem solving. Two attitudes associated with divergent thinking practice (an important aspect of creative problem solving) were measured before and after training. This research establishes the Japanese translations of the two attitudinal measures. It also indicates that the applicability and receptivity of the paradigms and methods of the training provided may be at least as strong in Japanese business and industry as found in previous North American research. The experimental group (n = 60) showed significant gains on both measures versus two control groups. Compared to North American managers from similar studies, the Japanese managers appear to make at least equal gains after training. Future directions for research include extending the training effect investigation beyond attitude changes to include behavior changes and longer term persistence and portability to the job.