The dissertation explores and explains the design and development of the researcher's Real Value© methodology, through participative action research. The action research (participative exploratory research) was undertaken in the form of professional pilot projects as real world commercial research, for the formulation and emergence of the value-based business development leadership metrics system: The Real Value© Methodology. The outcomes of the action research are captured in select strategic knowledge reports (i.e. client pilot project research reports) which demonstrate the emergence of the Real Value© methodology, in the client and commercial context, through the entire action research process. The clients were contracted on a professional basis and the fees generated from the commercial projects were utilised to fund the resources required to do the knowledge investigations of the client organisations. The methodology was intended as a strategic management system, and subsequently developed, through the action research and pilot projects, into a value-based business development leadership metrics system. The Real Value© methodology aims to create, develop and measure the real value of intangible assets (vs. physical assets) in a continuous and discontinuous process of business development: value that is created and sustained through the highest and best application and utilisation of intangible assets in the knowledge (and industrial) economic context. (Intangible assets herein classified as brand, intellectual property, technology, and human and customer capital). The participative action research was originally inspired by the first Module of the MSc programme 'Managing Complexity' facilitated by Professor Steen Martiny (Copenhagen Business School) during the comparative exercise on 'Extraordinary and Ordinary Management', and specifically during the reading of the first precept of Stacey's (2000) 'Extraordinary Management Theory': "Detect and attract attention to important external and internal issues, ordinarily not noticed." The above precept captures the essence and intrinsic motivation of the researcher for undertaking and performing the participative action research of the dissertation. The dissertation explains the real world professional pilot projects and participative exploratory action research that was undertaken by the researcher in the design and development of the Real Value© methodology. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-Unversity of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

Past research has shown that both creativity and religious orientation are related to psychological wellbeing. There has also been some support for the idea that a relationship exists between creativity and religiosity. The present study sought to determine whether the interaction between creativity and religious orientation would be a significant predictor of psychological wellbeing. Psychological wellbeing, in the current study, was defined as the linear composite of life satisfaction, meaning in life, and purpose in life. The independent variables were measured using the Religious Orientation Scale, the Religious Orientation Scale Revised, and the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. Dependent variables were assessed via the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Scales of Psychological Wellbeing Short Forms, and the Life Attitude Profile Revised. Questionnaires were administered to 291 college students at a mid-western university. Individuals were identified as being either high or low in creativity and as either intrinsic or extrinsic with respect to their religious orientation. A final participant sample participant sample of 120 participants was retained for analysis and a two by two factorial MANOVA was performed to determine if creativity and religious orientation would interact. While the results of the study suggested that creativity and religious orientation were both significant predictors of psychological wellbeing, the interaction of these variables was not found to be a significant predictor of psychological wellbeing. The independent factor of creativity was found to be a significant predictor beyond the .05 level for psychological wellbeing, satisfaction with life, purpose in life, and meaning in life. Similarly, religious orientation as an independent factor was found to be a significant predictor beyond the .05 level for psychological wellbeing, purpose in life, and having meaning in life. While this data is consistent with the current literature, religious orientation was not a significant predictor of life satisfaction. It was postulated that the lack of interaction may have been attributed to low variability in test scores, developmental characteristics of the sample, and/or the more precise psychometric properties of the instruments used in the current study. Recommendations for future research were suggested. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

This study was an attempt to answer the following specific question. With posttest creative fluency total (F tot) scores and posttest internal control (I+, I-) subscale scores as dependent variables, are there main effects for psychotherapeutic treatments and for sex differences? In order to answer this question, univariate and multivariate analyses of variance statistics were computed and associated F statistics were tested for significance.The subjects (4-6 graders, N=101) were drawn from a suburban public school. Some were enrolled in general education programs, others were enrolled in special gifted/ talented education programs. The ethnic breakdown of subjects was approximately 60% white, 30% black and 10% from other ethnic backgrounds.The study consisted of a think-aloud treatment group (N=34), a tension-relaxation treatment group (N=33) and an untreated control group (N=34). A 3 x 2 fully-crossed factorial design with random assignment (by sex and grade level) to the aforementioned groups was the basis for data collection.It was found that the posttest mean Ftot, I+ and I- scores for the three treatment conditions did not differ significantly. Moreover, the posttest mean Ftot, I+ and I- scores for males and for females were not significantly different. Thus, it appears from these findings that neither the psychotherapeutic treatments administered nor the sex of the subjects had an effect on creative fluency and internal control scores. However, this study did demonstrate the feasibility of: (1) self-administering psychotherapy using an audio-tape approach, (2) administering psychotherapy to large groups using a teacher to model the desired behavior and (3) administering the think-aloud treatment and the tension relaxation treatment to teach students self-management skills.

Based on empirical evidence from numerous studies involving the cognitive components of creativity training, the Cognitive Processes Associated with Creativity (CPAC) scale was developed to efficiently and directly address the processes of brainstorming, metaphorical and analogical thinking, perspective-taking, imagery, incubation, and flow. An online pilot study (n = 226) and laboratory follow-up study (n = 120) collected responses to the newly created CPAC scale and a variety of other creativity measures. Overall, the results of this research indicate that the CPAC scale has many sound psychometric qualities, and the scale assesses creativity as a process variable. The data from both studies provide evidence for the construct validity of the scale, with a relatively stable factor structure reflecting the underlying theoretical subscales. A lack of relationships between the CPAC scale, social desirability, and several demographic variables suggested some evidence for divergent validity. There is mixed evidence for concurrent validity, as scores on the CPAC were not significantly correlated with product-focused measures of creativity but were significantly correlated with other previously established self-report creativity instruments. Further investigation of these findings indicated that different conceptualizations and design issues may be the reason for the nonsignificant results, and additional research in this area is needed. A deeper exploration of the relationships between the various self-report subscales led to a more vivid description of each cognitive process included in the CPAC, laying the foundation for a theoretical understanding of the similarities and differences of these processes. / Department of Educational Psychology

In Hong Kong, there is a growing awareness in early childhood centres that young children's learning is enhanced where they are encouraged to express and develop their creativity during the learning process. This study was principally concerned with examining (a) how young children expressed their creativity and (b) factors that contributed to their creative products and creative performances in child care centre settings in Hong Kong. This study investigated young children both individually and as a group, and it examined the approaches and teaching strategies that tended to nurture children's creative potential. / Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2009

Creative visualization is an essential attribute to be possessed by an artist to achieve success in any art endeavour. To reach its purpose in all its fields, art is made manifest and is expressed through real genuine passion. This research study acknowledges Gibran Kahlil Gibran, as a distinguished immigrant artist, with a vision. A comparison is then made of six other artists, including the researcher, who have all had similar ordeals in the successful attainment of their vision. This biographical, neo-narrative research design methodology was recorded through extensive readings and lengthy interviews, which consisted of proposing specific questions to each of the participants in order to extract valid and comparable findings. As a consequence, the art researcher was able to observe, reflect and draw some relevant conclusions towards the creative vision of Lebanese immigrants, which led to their success despite hardships, expatriation, ambition and hope. This study has provided the researcher with real insight into the characteristics of these artists and what constitutes a successful immigrant. It has confirmed her pre-conceived perceptions that success takes time and personal effort. It highlights the importance for the existence of tolerance between people, which in turn will enable the realisation of empathy.

Typescript (Photocopy) / Bibliography: leaves 239-260 / ix, 260 leaves ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Dept. of Psychology, University of Adelaide, 1990

xv, 554 leaves : ill., (part col.) tables ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Psychology, 1979

In Hong Kong, there is a growing awareness in early childhood centres that young children's learning is enhanced where they are encouraged to express and develop their creativity during the learning process. This study was principally concerned with examining (a) how young children expressed their creativity and (b) factors that contributed to their creative products and creative performances in child care centre settings in Hong Kong. This study investigated young children both individually and as a group, and it examined the approaches and teaching strategies that tended to nurture children's creative potential. / Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2009

Thesis (M.C.M.) -- Lincoln University, 2007. / Also available via the World Wide Web.