Creativity and Innovation in Organizations.
Creativity and Innovation in Organizations.
a) Creativity is the origination of novel and useful ideas in any domain (Amabile, 1996, p.1). In order for an idea to qualify as creative, it must be unique, appropriate to the goal at hand, valuable, correct, and expressive of meaning. Creativity is the starting point for innovation, which is the implementation of creative ideas successfully within an organization. Creativity is a quality of products, processes, and persons. There are misconceptions about creativity (Ibid, p.2).
Firstly, creativity is not eccentric personality; it is not a quality of personality. Second, it is not art; creativity applies to painting, business management, science, social interaction, and other domains of human activity. Third, creativity is not intelligence; intelligence contributes to creativity, but creativity is much more than intelligence. Fourth, creativity is not only applicable to constructive intentions, but also serve destructive purposes.
b) Creative entrepreneurship is the implementation of novel, useful ideas to deliver products or services or to establish a new program or business (Amabile, 1996, p.10). The primary creative ideas may involve product or service design, market identification, means to deliver products of services, or ways to obtain resources to deliver services or products. Organizations offer certain programs to foster creativity.
Creativity solving process involves the use of checklists, forced relationships, and principles of brainstorming for idea generation. Synectics is the other process that involves the use of analogy and metaphor in generation of creative ideas. In the modern times, techniques used to foster creativity include exploring nature, electronic brainstorming, cutting off people’s ties, and painting with certain colors to stimulate thought.
2) Tales of Creativity and Play.
a) Playfulness or the predisposition to play promotes enhancement of the strength of the human character (Brown, 2008). It relates to positive psychology and encouraging the expressive and spontaneous nature of human character promotes creative thinking. Staying in playful environment with the people we trust makes us feel optimistic. It gives the security to take risks. Seriousness is when one is not in the mood to enjoy, and, therefore, strained to work and creates new ideas.
b) As a future manager, I will ensure that the work environment has decorative symbols that make the employees feel comfortable, familiar, and relaxed. This ensures that employees work devoid of pressure and have the capacity to think and create useful ideas (Ibid).
3. Collective Creativity.
a) According to Catmull (2008), Pixar has principles that foster collective responsibility (p.71). First, at Pixar everyone has the freedom to communicate with anyone. This fosters the understanding that communication structure and decision making hierarchy are separate processes in an organization. Second, at Pixar it is safe for anyone to propose ideas.
Pixar attempts to express the idea that the work is constantly in progress and provides equal opportunity for persons regardless of position or discipline. The third principle is that the Pixar personnel must keep in touch with innovations happening in the academic world. Pixar encourages its researchers to publish ideas and participate in industry conferences as a way to keep in touch with the academic world.
b) Introspection is self-analysis. This is essential to an organization because it discourages complacency. It makes it possible to uncover problems even when the organization seems to be doing well. Being introspective involves creating clear values and fostering routine postmortems, constant communication, and regular input of outsiders who help discourage status quo. Introspection encourages creativity and constant strife for improvement.
References
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