1) What are the various obstacles to idea generation?

The first obstacle is group think. We think we are being creative, when in reality we are only coming up with ideas that our group will find acceptable. Remember that we are not trying to find the conventional wisdom “ but truly original ideas.
The second obstacle is targeting error. We keep going back to the same simple demographic targets (for example under- 35 or under 50-markets. Great new product opportunities may be missed as a result.
The third obstacle is poor customer knowledge. Despite the money spent on market research by the top firms, the reality is that little is understood about prospective customers. Lavish research spending doesn’t guarantee that is was well done.
The fourth obstacle is complexity. Creative types within organizations, as well as senior management, often think that the more complex the idea, the better it is (or the smarter and more promotable they seem.
The fifth obstacle is lack of empathy. These same managers are also well-educated, high-income individuals accustomed to an upscale lifestyle. They may be simply not understood that “typical” customers they are trying to sell to.
The sixth obstacle is too many cooks. A small new product team works fine, but large companies especially are prone to internal competition for power and influence. This is not a healthy climate for a new product in the earliest phases of development.

2) Discuss the barriers to firm creativity.

There are four barriers to firm creativity. The first is cross- functional diversity. A diverse team means a wide variety of perspectives and more creative stimulation, but also can lead to difficulties in problem solving and information overload. The second barrier is allegiance to functional areas. The team members need to have a sense of belonging and to feel they have a stake in the team’s