Social and cultural research has changed dramatically in the last few years in response to changing conceptions of the empirical, an intensification of interest in interdisciplinary work, and the growing need to communicate with diverse users and audiences. Methods texts, however, have not kept pace with these changes. This volume provides a set of new approaches for the investigation of the contemporary world. Building on the increasing importance of methodologies that cut across disciplines, more than twenty expert authors explain the utility of 'devices' for social and cultural research – their essays cover such diverse devices as the list, the pattern, the event, the photograph, the tape recorder and the anecdote. This fascinating collection stresses the open-endedness of the social world, and explores the ways in which each device requires the user to reflect critically on the value and status of contemporary ways of making knowledge. With a range of genres and styles of writing, each chapter presents the device as a hinge between theory and practice, ontology and epistemology, and explores whether and how methods can be inventive. The book will be a valuable resource for students and scholars of sociology and cultural studies.

Methods texts in social and cultural research have not kept pace with the increasing importance of interdisciplinary work, changing conceptions of the empirical, and the need to communicate with diverse users and audiences. This volume proposes a set of new approaches for the empirical investigation of the contemporary world. Building on the increasing importance of methodologies that cut across disciplines, authors explain the utility for social and cultural research of 'devices' including the list, the pattern, the event and the anecdote.

This book provides both an overview of, and an insight into, the rapidly expanding field of creative research methods. The contributors, from four continents, range from doctoral students through to independent and practice-based researchers to senior professors, providing a clear view of the applicability of creative research methods in all types of research work. Chapters offer examples of creative research methods in practice, and advice on how to transfer or adapt those methods for different disciplines and settings. Research ethics and research quality are considered throughout. This is a timely handbook which provides information for novice researchers and inspiration for experienced researchers, and is essential reading for anyone interested in creative research methods.

This book offers a collection of cutting-edge research on the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ). Introduced by Genrich Altshuller in 1956, TRIZ has since been used by engineers, inventors and creators as an essential structured innovation method at businesses and organizations around the globe. The chapters of this book showcase work by selected authors from the 'TRIZ Future' conferences, which are organized by the European TRIZ Association (ETRIA). The chapters reflect an international mix of new ideas on TRIZ and knowledge-based innovation, highlight recent advances in the TRIZ community, and provide examples of successful collaboration between industry and academia. The book first introduces the reader to recent methodological innovations, then provides an overview of established and new TRIZ tools, followed by a collection of case studies and examples of TRIZ implementation in various scientific and social contexts.

A comprehensive, comprehensible treatment of TRIZ, Engineering of Creativity provides a valuable opportunity for engineers, R&D managers, and consultants to learn and apply innovative concepts and techniques. The author covers every aspect of TRIZ, from the basic concepts to research and developments. He provides step-by-step guidelines, case studies from a variety of engineering disciplines, and first-hand experience in using the methodology. The book addresses both the theoretical and the practical aspects of each concept, heuristic, and tool, giving readers the ability to formulate the best possible solutions for technical systems problems and predict future developments.

This introductory book describes the initial (first) level of studying the theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ) from the series “TRIZ from A to Z,” and presents the most general methods for solving inventive problems and generating new ideas. Chapter 1 examines traditional technologies for problem solving, based on trial and error. Chapter 2 describes the general concept of TRIZ, while Chapter 3 explains the main notions of “system” approaches, like system thinking, system and its hierarchy, system effect, emergency, synergetic effect and systematicity. In turn, Chapter 4 describes the notion of “ideality” and Chapter 5 addresses the notion of resources, their types, and methods for using them. Chapter 6 acquaints readers with one of the most important aspects of TRIZ: contradiction. Chapter 7 describes the inventive principles, while Chapter 8 includes descriptions of the systems of trends proposed by G. Altshuller and the author. In closing, the author makes recommendations on how to most effectively use TRIZ tools, on how readers can improve their knowledge, skills and habits concerning the use of TRIZ, and on how they can hone their inventive thinking skills. The book also features Appendices that include analyses of selected problems, a list of the main websites related to TRIZ, and lists of examples, problems, illustrations, tables and formulae.

The work presented here is generally intended for engineers, educators at all levels, industrialists, managers, researchers and political representatives. Offering a snapshot of various types of research conducted within the field of TRIZ in France, it represents a unique resource. ​It has been two decades since the TRIZ theory originating in Russia spread across the world. Every continent adopted it in a different manner – sometimes by glorifying its potential and its perspectives (the American way); sometimes by viewing it with mistrust and suspicion (the European way); and sometimes by adopting it as-is, without questioning it further (the Asian way). However, none of these models of adoption truly succeeded. Today, an assessment of TRIZ practices in education, industry and research is necessary. TRIZ has expanded to many different scientific disciplines and has allowed young researchers to reexamine the state of research in their field. To this end, a call was sent out to all known francophone research laboratories producing regular research about TRIZ. Eleven of them agreed to send one or more of their postdoctoral researchers to present their work during a seminar, regardless of the maturity or completeness of their efforts. It was followed by this book project, presenting one chapter for every current thesis in order to reveal the breadth, the richness and the perspectives that research about the TRIZ theory could offer our society. The topics dealt with e.g. the development of new methods inspired by TRIZ, educational practices, and measuring team impact.