Too often people think of creativity as being concerned with new products, new services and new markets. All of these imply a risk factor. So in difficult times people tend to reduce their creative efforts.
It could be argued that in difficult times there is more need for creativity than at other times. There may be new situations to consider and new problems to solve.
Too often it is forgotten that one of the main outcomes of creativity is 'simplification'. This may reduce costs, manpower etc. The current way of doing things may not be the best. There may even be operations which can simply be dropped. In my book on Simplicity I suggest dropping passport control on leaving the UK. Three months later this was dropped. I cannot prove any connection.
Edward de Bono
25th November 2008