The Practice and the Efforts of Art Thinking in Large Corporations

Abstract

Art thinking, a method that encourages questioning conventional wisdom and values to generate innovative ideas, has gained significant attention. This study investigated the actual practices of large companies that implement art thinking, aiming to provide insights for others considering its adoption. The findings revealed that art thinking was primarily practiced in the early stages of business development to generate novel ideas, as well as during the planning of mid- to long-term projects. Additionally, fostering an organizational culture that emphasizes "ownership" and "bottom-up" initiatives, along with the role of management in promoting these practices, was found to be crucial. Furthermore, secondary effects of practicing art thinking, such as increased individual motivation and enhanced organizational knowledge, were also observed.