@@@@@Read the following passage and answer the questions 11 to 15:

( 2005 - December)

Knowledge creation in many cases requires creativity and idea generation.
This is especially important in generating alternative decision support
solutions. Some people believe that an individual’s creative ability stems
pr
imarily from personality traits such as inventiveness, independence,
individuality, enthusiasm, and flexibility. I lowever, several studies have found
that creativity is not so much a function of individual traits as was once
be
lieved, and that individual creativity can be learned and improved. This
understanding has led innovative companies to recognise that the key to
fostering creativity may be the development of an idea-nurturing work
environment. Idea-generation methods and techniques, to be used by
individuals or in groups, are consequently being developed. Manual methods
for supporting idea generation, such as brainstorming in a group, can be very
successful in certain situations. However, in other situations, such an approach
is either not economically feasible or not possible. For example, manual
methods in group creativity sessions will not work or will not be effective
when (1) there is no time to conduct a proper idea-generation session; (2) there
is a poor facilitator (or no facilitator at all); (3) it is too expensive to conduct
an idea-generation session; (4) the subject matter is too sensitive for a face-to-
face session; or (5) there are not enough participants, the mix of participants is
not optimal, or there is no climate for idea generation. In such cases,
computerised idea-generation methods have been tried, with frequent success.
Idea-generation software is designed to help stimulate a single user or a group
to produce new ideas, options and choices. The user does all the work, but the
software encourages and pushes, something like a personal trainer. Although
idea-generation software is still relatively new, there are several packages on
the market. Various approaches are used by idea-generating software to
increase the flow of ideas to the user. Idea Fisher, for example, has an
associate lexicon of the English language that cross-references words and
ph
rases. These associative links, based on analogies and metaphors, make it
easy for the user to be fed words related to a given theme. Some software
pa
ckages use questions to prompt the user towards new, unexplored patterns of
thought. This helps users to break out of cyclical thinking patterns, conquer
mental blocks, or deal with bouts of procrastination.