what future holds for China with regard to creativity

Comments from "The Creativity Crisis"

Jason_2010GA wrote:Comments from "The Creativity Crisis"

For decades, American is considerred as the creativity center, especially on the high-tech products, while China is playing the copy and production role. The current innovation situation in China is not optimistic although we have been enphasize on being creative for many years.
By saying innovation, it is not means we have to create something new, invent some fancy and high-tech product. We could start with something small, finding a new way to do our usual activity can also be creative. I think the first thing for us to do to enhance our creative ability is to form our creative habit from daily activity, always keep in mind that everything could be done better.

I don’t think it is optimistic for china to become one of the top creative countries in the future unless there is a big change in current education model. The passages mentions that “standardized curriculum, rote memorization, and nationalized testing” are used in America instead of China, which I can hardly agree with.

Education is always the most important factor to form a culture and thus to determine the future of a nation. The current education in China, however, is not suitable for the developing of creativity minds. As the only child of a family, one has always been filled with too much expectations and thus pressures before his birth. Regarding the fact that only the top grades can guarantee one’s only chance of examination for universities, which is almost the only means to get successful afterwards according to popular social opinion, one can never afford wasting any time to think creativity besides their overloaded homework and exercises. Thus, he can only follow the standardized curriculum, and any opportunity of being creative is being murdered by social convention, the zero tolerance of failure caused by pressure, and the judging system of current education.

However, this matter has been caused a lot attention recently, and if we take some action to change, we still have hope. I don’t see the change will be soon and thoroughly at beginning, but it will at least gradually make a difference if we act continuously from little things, not only just advocate it. The nourishing creativity nature needs to be cultivated from a very little age. Firstly, as the passage suggested, problem-finding and problem-solving have close relationships, so try to create an atmosphere to let everyone exposed to questions and make them comfortable of asking questions. Don’t embarrassed them when anyone ask any questions, or they will be afraid to raise another question again to be avoid of feeling humiliated. And in the meantime, don’t hesitate to raise your own question, the more the better. Secondly, creativity is not coming from nowhere, but could be based on one’s solitary knowledge, and then reaching out, just as the Ted Schwarzrock did in his thirties. Finally, when there is a creative thought in your mind, don’t be afraid to try, only experiments can tell you whether it is applicable or not, and only the original and useful ideas is what we are looking for as a real creativity.

Fron my opinion, if we Strengthen the divergent thinking training since childhood,China would become one of the top creative countries in the future.

Leon10GA

I think one significant difference between China and western countries in terms of the education philosophy is that in China, the thoughts or actions to take risk are normally not encouraged.
During the early years of the education, both the parents or the teachers normally require the children to be careful and not to do this and that. As the time pass by, most children feel themselves "smart" not to do something and even contemn the ones who are doing something different. Sometimes, if a child wants to implement a new idea, he would rather do it in secret.
This culture no doubt undermines or oppress the creativity. Fortunately, it can not eliminate the creativity. I became a believer on the idea that the creativity can be managed if one possess three fundamental elements: expertise, creative thinking skills and motivation.
Unfortunately, many companies in China do not realize the importance to manage and inspire the creativity. Thus the creativity in most people's mind keeps sleeping since they were young...

"...in china, the thoughts or actions to take risk are normally not encouraged"
Agreed.
However, if chinese do see the profits in copy someone's creative idea, the thoughts to take risk are surely encouraged, and the speed of action taking could be faster than anyone in the world.

“Necessity is the mother of invention.” think about our life, most of us have experienced that we had few limitations and lots of options. In current society, we have too many alternatives and it led to the lazy in us. However, give us only one or two things to work with, and we are suddenly focused, direct, and actively on the move, making progress, then we might have something new.

About Process Innovation
Let’s come back to a more original question, what’s your thoughts of INNOVATION?
For me, I seem more interested in “process innovation”. Process exists in all aspects of our life and work. I prefer to interpret this innovation to be a kind of improvement. From Six sigma to Lean, I believe all these belong to process innovation, It helps people look from a new perspective to consider how to make the organization/Biz running more effective and accuracy.

Two obstacles to china’s Innovation
1) Barriers to share
Chinese have a strong group focus, and prefer to work, communicate, and share information with people they know and trust. They often exclude anyone from another department or division even within the same company or biz unit, much less from outside the organization.
All these habits discourage appreciation of different types of thought, behavior, or people. That stifles the kind of cross-fertilization and cooperation which boost the innovation.

2) Far away from the practice
Chinese higher education, with the assumption that you never have to get your hands dirty. This has led to automotive engineers who have never driven a car and mechanical engineers don't know how to operate CNC machine tools. Students only hold theoretical knowledge out of the practice, this, to a large extent hindered innovation.

yanjie wrote:I think one significant difference between China and western countries in terms of the education philosophy is that in China, the thoughts or actions to take risk are normally not encouraged.
During the early years of the education, both the parents or the teachers normally require the children to be careful and not to do this and that. As the time pass by, most children feel themselves "smart" not to do something and even contemn the ones who are doing something different. Sometimes, if a child wants to implement a new idea, he would rather do it in secret.
This culture no doubt undermines or oppress the creativity. Fortunately, it can not eliminate the creativity. I became a believer on the idea that the creativity can be managed if one possess three fundamental elements: expertise, creative thinking skills and motivation.
Unfortunately, many companies in China do not realize the importance to manage and inspire the creativity. Thus the creativity in most people's mind keeps sleeping since they were young...

Creativity is up to culture undoubtedly, although there are other factors.But in China, it is the biggest obstacle. One pessimistic point: if we do not change on the culture or society, all creativity were not expected to occur.

what you described are all true, very precisely!

Chinese culture has been long putting emphasis on collectivism, whereas Western culture cherishes individualism a lot. It will not been easily and sufficiently rewarded in China for personal innovation, meanwhile, as soon as the innovation is created and launched into the market, piles of competitors will follow to be the copycats.

Culture will not be easily changed to boost creativity, however, institution will still play the role. Government should establish rules and regulations to promote the cluster of creative people, to encourage innovation in various industries and to push the process of innovation learning from other countries.
With the establishment of creativity-encouraging institution, the value of innovative ideas will be approved in the whole society, thus more innovations will be guaranteed to produce and Chinese economy will become more competitive.

(Student Number: 2010960117
2010 GA Sarah Lu)

Creativity means expense and risks to fail, while imitation is much safer and less expensive. More and more people choose imitation, but not creativity, so creativity crisis appeared. Besides, modern people live faster and don't have time or mood to think deeply. Therefore, imitation becomes a better choice, because it is easier. In order to change such situation, the society must protect creative achievements better and punish the action to steal other's patent seriously.

by 10GA Wu Xiaoli 2010962385

I think if no further education reform, China will have been the world's factory for a long time till the cost raised as high as all the manufacturers move to other countries . And no creativity, no innovation.

allywoo wrote:Creativity means expense and risks to fail, while imitation is much safer and less expensive. More and more people choose imitation, but not creativity, so creativity crisis appeared. Besides, modern people live faster and don't have time or mood to think deeply. Therefore, imitation becomes a better choice, because it is easier. In order to change such situation, the society must protect creative achievements better and punish the action to steal other's patent seriously.

by 10GA Wu Xiaoli 2010962385

Good question! You know what? Today, even in the first grade in the primary school, if you are asking the children to draw something , for example a duck, what you will get? you will find the children tell you they don't know how to draw a duck unless you give them some sample.

Why? They don't know what is duck? No, they know what is duck. then why they can't draw their own duck? Because they are taught to copy in the school! If you are not copying, you are wrong!

This is the problem we have in China! The root cause is the education. the current education is killing the imagination.

GA_WangYue_ 2010961628 wrote:About Process Innovation
Let’s come back to a more original question, what’s your thoughts of INNOVATION?
For me, I seem more interested in “process innovation”. Process exists in all aspects of our life and work. I prefer to interpret this innovation to be a kind of improvement. From Six sigma to Lean, I believe all these belong to process innovation, It helps people look from a new perspective to consider how to make the organization/Biz running more effective and accuracy.

Two obstacles to china’s Innovation
1) Barriers to share
Chinese have a strong group focus, and prefer to work, communicate, and share information with people they know and trust. They often exclude anyone from another department or division even within the same company or biz unit, much less from outside the organization.
All these habits discourage appreciation of different types of thought, behavior, or people. That stifles the kind of cross-fertilization and cooperation which boost the innovation.

2) Far away from the practice
Chinese higher education, with the assumption that you never have to get your hands dirty. This has led to automotive engineers who have never driven a car and mechanical engineers don't know how to operate CNC machine tools. Students only hold theoretical knowledge out of the practice, this, to a large extent hindered innovation.

That's quite accurate analysis for the topic.
In the current society , too much competition occured.If your share your advantage or innovation to others , soon others will copy or directly use your idea to conquer you.
Meanwhile , due to lack of law or regulations protection , copyrights and petents are ignored and breakdown by the people. That leads no one dare to share good idea or information with others ,except you all have the same target and you could share the profits one another.
Secondly , it's chinese education systems problems.
From the kindergarden , parents and teachers tell us to be No.1 in your class , in your school, even in your district
And the society just recognise the winner of your field , No.2 will be forgotten quickly whatever you are so excellent.
It make competition from childhood in China.
"Three cobbles make a smart man."
But all of us forget this ancient proverb.
We need change from now on.

Agree with Zhangliming. China need to improve its law system to protect the intellectual property. Otherwise, people would have less motivation to "create new things".
Also as someone mentioned before, our enducation system needs transfermation. We should try to shift the "score focused" enducation to "ability focused" education. Schools should focus teaching student on how to use the knowledge instead of only know the knowledeg itself. The creative think model should be enducated in the early beginning of primary school (even in Kindergarten ).

I see both Creativity and innovation in process happen a lot in China, even for the little things. Sometimes you just have to keep calling until someone gives you the answer you want. But sometimes Chinese companies, although are delighted to can tap into this pool of hard-working talents, who could deliver according to their quality standards. However, they did not realize that these low-wage workers were also entrepreneurs. The success of an operation really depends on the management team. It has really been very important and are focusing on improving the creativity in China.

I feel that Chinese people are still full of creative ideas. If we can manage these ideas and turn it to productive solutions~~~What we lack is the culture and methodology, as a result a lot of the creative ideas are wasted

The creativity is based in three elements education innovation practice and the interest .

Firstly,The creativity needs the enough knowledge and the experience ,we cannot imagin the New creation creat from an ignorant person .

secondly,Advocate innovation practice vigorously ,The new attempt needs to be encouraged, even if it was failure.

Lastly,people should study to obtain the pleasure from the creativity., let it become the driving force of life .

As everybody said ,Chinese were educated into a same pattern .It's difficult to raise an creative idea.But we believe if most of us understand that creativity is the most important core impetus of person and contury's delelopment,chinese will and must enhances the innovation ability from these three elements education innovation practice and the interest .

Chinese children stand last in immagination, and fifth-worst in creativity in the world rankings. Why? Maybe China is one of countries that place biggest emphasison on education, the problem is that chinese children's creative is killed by the tranditional education. We all know that creativity is very very important for a our nation's future, so the education reform is an instant need.

From my experience, the students in china are always quite passive, not as hard working as they could be, not quite creative enough. To be honest, I don’t find myself to be as hard working and creative as I would like to be.
I think the reality of China today is faced toward creative, which inspired more than the Western countries, which also invited a number of long-term do not "success" but the feelings is not because we lack talent, but we just simply imitate Western

Correct, Now, China faces a hard situation to change its direction to more innovation business rather than the current low technology or copy business.

In the future, China will become a creative country. The most important thing is that let people kown what is creativity.When the creativity becomes a normal thing like eating, creativity will not be a important thing.

China has been regarded as a low-labor-cost country for a long time. It was China's advantage to develop the processing industry, but China's products were low-margined.

In the long run, if China wants to win out in the global economic competition, we have to change and develop the high-margined product. Innovation is the key to it.

I listened one lecture spoken by one famous history professor last week. The topic is the theory and thinking of Chairman Mao. He said Mao's most great contribution for China was his theory guiding the war and struggle in the revolutionary ages. Mao was one of seldom people who really know about China at that time. For this they regard Mao as an great strategist .

But after thirty years of reformation, no one has predicted the result of China in nowadays.
Deng Xiao Ping said reformation was going through the river by touching the stones.

What Pro.Ali said empressed me mostly was one sentence. It's also one question."What China will be in the future? " Maybe the course of thinking answer is creativity. It's easy to think one new idea,but hard to transfer into business model, even harder benifit for most people.

No theory and prediction can reveal the future of China,full of potential and challenge! We are the generation after reformation,including 80's post,90's post. Maybe what we think and what will do are the future of China. Creativities happen every day!

Chinese investor almost invest for short-term profit.
If more VCs are willing to invest creative ideas for long-term business.
Things should be changing.