Brilliant Blog

Judging Merit

• By Warren Thorngate, Robyn Dawes, Margaret Foddy

Merit-based tests and contests have become popular methods for allocating rewards – from trophies to contracts, jobs to grants, admissions to licenses. With origins in jurisprudence, methods of rewarding merit seem fairer than those rewarding political or social connections, bribery, aggression, status, or wealth. Because of this, merit-based competitions are well-suited to the societal belief that people should be rewarded for what they know or do, and not for who they know or are; however, judging merit is rarely an easy task – it is prone to a variety of biases and errors. Small biases and errors, especially in large competitions, can make large differences in who or what is rewarded. It is important, then, to learn how to spot flaws in procedures for judging merit and to correct them when possible.

Based on over 20 years of theory and research in human judgment, decision making and social psychology, this unique book brings together for the first time what is known about the processes and problems of judging merit and their consequences. It also provides practical suggestions for increasing the fairness of merit-based competitions, and examines the future and limits of these competitions in society.

ISBN: 9780805858358

Published November 20 2008 by Psychology Press.

The Routledge Companion To Creativity

• Edited by Tudor Rickards, Mark A. Runco, Susan Moger

Creativity can be as difficult to define as it is to achieve. This is a complex and compelling area of study and this volume is perfectly poised to explore how creativity can be better understood, and used, in a range of contexts. The book not only centres on creativity in wider organizational theory, but also defines the conditions in which creativity can flourish, and assesses how the contemporary business environment has an impact on creative solutions.

The volume grounds the concept of creativity in a sound theoretical framework and explores issues of practical and theoretical consequence covering a range of themes, including:

• innovation and entrepreneurship
• creativity and design
• environmental influences
• knowledge management
• meta-theories of creativity
• personal creativity
• structured interventions

Comprising articles written by an unusually wide array of leading creativity scholars, The Routledge Companion to Creativity is an insightful and cutting edge resource. It is an essential purchase for anyone with an interest in creativity from a business, psychology or design perspective.

ISBN: 9780415773171

Published November 20 2008 by Routledge.