ИСТИНА

A study of innovative thinking as the social and cultural phenomenon and a factor of professional success is one of the newest areas of sociological research. Despite the concept of innovative thinking is widely spread in sociological and business literature, the essence of it is not finally defined. Many sociologists tend to determine innovative thinking as a modification of creative thinking, in fact, considering them synonymous. However, the differences in the processes of formation of innovative and creative thinking, as well as in their products and dependence on stakeholders’ background suggest otherwise. Hence the need for additional studies aimed at clarifying the concept of innovative thinking and its role in human life in modern society becomes urgent. This article presents the program of sociological research aimed at defining the nature and value of innovative thinking for employees of modern organizations, developed by the author in January - April 2015. The program provides several directions of innovative thinking research by using of sociological methods, including online survey of students, questioning the teachers of secondary schools, conducting expert interviews with employees and managers of innovative companies, and others. The first results have been received. Online survey of students of School of Public Administration (Lomonosov Moscow State University) and students of the Department of International Relations and Geopolitics of Transport (Moscow State University of Railway Engineering), held in May - September 2015, allowed to provide additional grounds for distinguishing the innovative and creative thinking, to determine the role of innovative thinking in the professional activities of the respondents after graduation, to identify the factors contributing to the development of students’ innovative thinking.