Title: Investigative thinking and creativity: an empirical study of police detectives in Norway

Authors: Geoff Dean, Ivar Andre Fahsing, Petter Gottschalk, Hans Solli-Saether

Addresses: School of Justice Studies, Faculty of Law, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld 4001, Australia. ' Norwegian Police University College, Majorstua 0301, Oslo, Norway. ' Department of Leadership and Organization Management, Norwegian School of Management, 0442 Oslo, Norway. ' Department of Leadership and Organization Management, Norwegian School of Management, 0442 Oslo, Norway

Abstract: This paper makes distinctions among four investigative thinking styles of detectives: method style, challenge style, skill style, and risk style. Based on previous research, this study empirically tested, to what extent there are cumulative relationships among these thinking styles. Furthermore, this research studied relationships between investigative thinking styles and creativity in police investigations. Significant relationships were found between the extent of the challenge and risk styles and the extent of creativity.

Keywords: creative thinking; cumulative property; investigative culture; police investigations; structural model; survey research; thinking styles; police detectives; Norway; creativity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2008.016763

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2008 Vol.5 No.2, pp.170 - 185

Published online: 22 Jan 2008 *

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