This course will involve participatory problem solving in design and merchandising; critique of proposed solutions as a positive process of evaluation. The central focus will be creativity which might be defined as “applying your mental ability and curiosity to discover something new .. the act of relating previously unrelated things.” Rapid technological change and global economic and social transformations swirl around us. Creativity and innovation have replaced physical labor and organizational bureaucracy as key sources of economic success. All entrepreneurial groups are hunting the “next big thing” as a key to growth. Increasingly, economic development experts agree “the next big thing” is creativity. This course introduces creativity principles so that students develop an entrepreneurial mindset.