Exploring the Einstellung Effect: How Education Shapes Managers' Thinking Skills in Creative Problem-Solving

The Einstellung Effect is a cognitive bias in which individuals tend to rely on familiar solutions, even when better alternatives are available. It may hinder the creative problem solving process (CPS) among managers. The CPS is reliant on the effective use of thinking skills. Thus, this study investigates the influence of divergent thinking (DT) and convergent thinking (CT) on managers' effective problem-solving competency. In particular, it examines the impact of education on their use of these thinking skills during CPS. Using a quantitative mediation-moderation model derived from South African agricultural businesses, the research finds that DT significantly enhances CT at lower educational levels; however, this effect weakens as educational levels increase. This suggests that while education arguably strengthens structured analytical reasoning, it may also lead to cognitive rigidity, restraining the CPS. These findings provide empirical evidence of the Einstellung Effect in management and highlight the need for training interventions that balance expertise with cognitive flexibility. Businesses can enhance adaptability by fostering metacognitive awareness, conducting innovative problem-solving workshops, and promoting interdisciplinary learning, ensuring that education supports creativity rather than reinforcing mental rigidity.