...MGT 573: Creativity in Business Prof. L. Gundry Paper 1: “Myths of Innovation” Reflection Sean W. Campbell Overall, I found the book very insightful, creative, and thought provoking. Ultimately, it confirmed thoughts we already had about innovation and how novel ideas were born, it merely highlighted them for amplified recognition. We know that ideas do not just come from nothing, it is a product of our experience in every-day life and work. Innovation and inventions usually attribute their beginnings to already existing ideas and methods. The author, Scott Berkun, provides detailed ideas on how to foster innovation and creativity within the workplace. It’s also interesting to also realize Berkun’s own ideas about innovation came from past experience and knowledge of the process of creation. By studying how inventors and innovators worked and thought in the past, he was able to make educated and well-thought arguments towards the creation of the “myths.” So, what is Berkun’s message for managers? As Socrates once said, “The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing.” This definitely applies to managers: the myth that managers know what to do. Subordinates take for granted that their superiors know what they are doing in the context of their business. While it is true that managers have the power to accomplish decisions others can’t, there exists the myth that they have the wisdom or experience to to do it effectively. We often place faith in our supervisors...
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...today's decision makers are evident in this case? * Multiple criteria to be contented by a choice * Intangibles that often regulate decision substitutes * Danger and uncertainty about decision substitutes * Long-term suggestions of the effects of the selection of a specific alternative * Interdisciplinary input, which rises the number of persons to be referred before a decision is made * Joint decision making rises the number of persons playing a part in the decision procedure. * Worthy rulings by differing participants in the procedure create disagreement over whether a choice is right or incorrect, decent or bad, and ethical or unethical. * Unintended consequences happen because the consequences of purposeful activities cannot continually be anticipated. Is most of the decision making discussed in this case programmed or nonprogrammed? Explain. Maximum amount of the decision making deliberated in the case is nearly completely unprogrammed because they are completed on the foundation of creative problem-solving due to their unaware and novel nature. The President of Cirque for displays and novel ventures comments that they let the creative persons make the significant decisions concerning the running of the corporation. Unprogrammed choices normally take longer to make as of all the variables an individual need weigh; and the detail that the information obtainable is incomplete, so a manager cannot merely expect the consequence of his decision. What...
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...Introduction When people hear the word innovation they usually think of invention and creativity. While this way of thinking is not incorrect, it is more accurate to look at it from the perspective that innovation is in fact being creative and inventive and taking the outcomes of the creativity process and turning these ideas into useful products or work models. In this essay I will be looking at how innovation is often regarded as the lifeblood of an organisation. 87% of people that were surveyed from the Boston Consulting Group believe that innovation is essential to the success of an organisation. The question now is, ‘how can managers stimulate innovation within an organisation?’ I will be addressing this by looking at three variables within an organisation that a manger can manipulate – Structural, human resource and cultural variables. There are many different definitions of innovation, where Kuczmarski (1996, p.7) states a simple definition of innovation being “A new idea, method or device; a novelty.” However, this simplistic and broad definition does not help managers and employees understand the characteristics of innovation and how they can manipulate the variables to stimulate innovation. If we look at an organisation that is culture orientated, we can define innovation as a social process, as Goffin and Mitchell (2010, p.8) state that innovation in a cultural context is “the intentional introduction and application within a role, group or organisation of ideas...
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...EMPOWERING LEADERSHIP AND EMPLOYEE CREATIVITY Abstract: This paper is organized as follows. First we explain the theory on psychological empowerment and various leadership theories to develop a relationship between empowering leadership and employee creativity. Secondly it provides case studies to support the empowerment theories. We argue that the use positive psychology, specifically empowering leadership, contributes to employee success within an organization. The paper cites research by various highly esteemed professors and the primary sources were various internet articles, journals and websites. Introduction The use of positive psychology, originally proposed by Martin Seligman in his 1998 Presidential Address to the American Psychological Association, has been garnering support in recent studies. It focuses not on why people fail, but rather why they flourish and excel. Recent studies have shown that Empowering Leadership can affect employee creativity. By use of the word “creativity” we refer to the “out of the box’ ideas used in production and problem solving. Professor Alex Linley of the University of Leicester maintained that part of the empowering process calls for the leader to delegate authority which empowers the employee to make decisions and implement actions without direct supervision. This expression of confidence in the employee results in developing the employees feeling of self-efficacy which manifest “in four cognitions: meaning, competence...
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...Executive summary This essay is aim to identify main factors that contribute to Pixar Animation Studio’s victory in animation industry from a motivational theory perspective and illustrate the close relationship between Pixar’s creativity practices and its empowerment management. The company has conducted a serious of motivational strategies including Financial Reward, Recognition and others, Job Design, Empowerment. And all those strategies help foster creativity and form a healthy organizational culture based on teamwork and trust. This paper will also evaluate Pixar’s empowerment from both individual and organizational aspects. Finally, we will also use Pixar’s experience to analyze Nokia’s collapse. Table Content Executive summary…………………………………………………………………….……………..1 1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………..3 2 Theoretical arguments.……………………………………………………………………………4 2.1 Motivational factors…………………………………………………………………………….4 2.2 Empowerment management…………………………………………………5 3. Practical Implications…………………………………….…………….…………………………7 4. Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………………8 5. Reference........................................................................................................... 9 Introduction It has been generally realized that motivation plays a critical role in finish tasks and objectives for companies that base on teamwork or workplace comprised of various positions, and it is a necessary skill used by managers and executives to...
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...Orpheus Orchestra unique is the fact that it practices and performs without a conductor, making it in some ways when compared with other orchestras, leaderless. But the Orpheus Orchestra has many leaders; in fact all its members are leaders. They each contribute to the creativity and innovation of the musical performances and through rotating leadership for coordination of practices and by sub groups that focus on piece delivery, the groups organizational structure promotes a form of trust and control that is intertwined, ultimately producing an exceptional output, and nurturing members whose creativity is not stifled and unlike most orchestras, have high satisfaction in their jobs. There are many lessons that large business organizations such as Kraft that can learn from the governance structure in place for the Orpheus Orchestra. Large corporations are constantly looking for ways to light a creative spark in their teams, to be more innovative and more productive. We learned how Electrolux did this in our last case study, by creating cross functional development teams. The structure in the Orpheus Orchestra also promotes creativity. Often organizations exercise control over their employees to ensure that operations run smoothly, goals are reached efficiently, and employees cooperate with managers and each other. (Khodyakov, 2007) Hierarchical control often stifles creativity, fosters dissatisfaction, and de-motivates employees which may negatively influence the quality...
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...objects, emotions and thoughts, to create a harmonious organization, which endeavors for excellence together? Pixar appears to be one of the rare organizations whose methods resolve this question. They have managed to attain a global reputation for their employees’ satisfaction and assiduousness. This report delves into some of Pixar’s secrets of creating an environment that is incalculably favorable to innovation. It begins by introducing Pixar to the readers and advances to an analysis of some of the Pixar’s philosophies that have contributed to their success. The first theoretical analysis section begins with an evaluation from the perspective of employee empowerment. The report reveals the features of Pixar’s empowerment management and creativity practices and their contribution to Pixar’s success. It proceeds to assess Pixar’s productivity from the viewpoint of emotional intelligence, attitudes and behaviors. The second section...
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...Reflective portfolio Module: Creative thinking Task: Final assignment Campus: ESE Rome Tutor: John Wyse, MBA, MA Student: Nadezhda Novikova Deadline: 12-12-2012 Amount of words: 4 470 Table of contents Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………..3 1. The important role of creativity and innovation in the entrepreneurial process………...4 2. Creativity and marketing strategy……………………………………………………….6 3. Development of creative skills…………………………………………………………..8 4. Creative thinking and solving problem…………………………………………………11 5. Companies which foster creative processes……………………………………………..12 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………….13 References…………………………………………………………………………………….....14 Introduction Creative thinking is the significant part of humans’ characters. Creative people are more balanced and tolerant of others, because they know that everyone sees the world differently. Using of creative skills means not only to develop new and interesting ideas (for a better life or some of its aspects), but also for the improvement and development of the whole person. Any creative activity helps us to find personal meaning and to comprehend the own values. And this is the most important spiritual need of man, which distinguishes it from other living creatures. By studying the biographies and stories of successful people, David Galenson (economist, researcher) concluded that the peak of creative abilities can be achieved at any age. Galenson identified...
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...achieve this, major characteristics of an organization, such as shared mission, vision and goals, bureaucracy, inclusiveness in decision-making process, work specialization and collective bargaining power will be analysed. Shared mission, vision and goals Every formal organization has mission, which highlights the reason why such an entity exists. The mission statement explains what an organization is out to do, and to achieve (Scott, 2008, p. 90). The vision on the other hand explains what an organization plans to do in order to achieve its mission. Goals are specific, measurable and timely targets that each organization has put forwards to improve its status quo. In order to realize the mission, vision and goals, it is vital that all the stakeholders work as a team. The management ensures that every employee understands the goals clearly, and that each is working towards their realization. The shared mission, vision and goal are achieved through monitoring and evaluation. The management has a role of monitoring the performance of every employee in an effort to know whether they are working in the right direction. Any activity that employees engage in must be geared towards the achievement of the organization’s goals. With the shared vision, mission and goals, an organization is able to avoid confusion and conflicts. It also fosters discipline in the workplace, and providing employees with a sense of direction. Through evaluation, goals could be readjusted when...
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...The Boss less office An article for HR MESH – The monthly e-magazine by the HR Forum@SCMHRD THEME: Creativity in HR Submitted by: Sunil Pandey PGP1 Mob: 9920302951 Batch 2012-14 GOA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT The Boss less office: Future Reality or Dream. ‘Every organization has to prepare for the abandonment of everything it does.’ Peter Drucker Are you angry at your boss? Be boss less... I have always loved my bosses, but most of the time we all have some or other kind of problems with our bosses. Imagine work environments where there are no bosses and no titles, where employees decide among themselves which projects to pursue and which people to hire and fire, and where each employee is responsible for deciding his or her own salary, raises and vacation days. Sounds different and quiet awkward but this is the recent talk of town of an innovation in HR. The boss less vision is being discussed on both theoretical and practical terms. Some see it as the democracy of the office place. E.g.: Valve Corp, a videogame maker in Washington State, has been boss free since 1996. It also has no managers and no official project assignments. How do the 300 employees coordinate their work? They self manage: they recruit each other for worthwhile projects, and they roll their desks around (all are on wheels) to reconfigure their work teams as they wish. Salaries and raises are set by...
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...decided to write the book, Innovate the Pixar way, which provides “business lessons from the world’s most creative corporate playground”, being Pixar. When asking Ed Catmull, cofounder of Pixar and the president of Pixar and Disney Animation Studios, in a Harvard Business Review paper about how to foster creativity in his organization, three main points are raised; Culture, leadership and collaboration. In the book under our analysis, the same points are raised. However, the authors believe that the key factor of Pixar’s great creativity is the fact that everyone thinks like a child and acts like a child within the organization. In fact, Pixar will inspire the readers to (Bill Capodagli and Lynn Jackson, 2010): - Dream like a child. - Believe in your playmates. - Dare to jump in the water and make waves. - Do unleash your childlike potential. The book is then divided into four parts and deal with the four main components that will help readers enhance their creativity: Dream, believe, dare and do. The first part talks about a supportive organization, where leadership plays a great role. Then, collaboration is the company is touched on. After, three aspects of creativity that are risk-taking, play and imagination are dealt with. Finally, the key points to create a “playground” similar to Pixar’s have been introduced. In order to review the book we will analyze the four sections of it, namely Dream, believe, dare, do. In addition, we will relate the book to...
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...previous research on strategic thinking in diverse management fields including marketing strategy, strategic management, and human resource management, this research provides a hypothetical model that links the firm's internal and external variables regarding strategic thinking at the organizational level, which in turn links to marketing performance. The results of empirical analysis provide evidence that the attitude of firms' management toward risk taking, the CEO's emphasis on strategic thinking, interdepartmental teams in the organization, and marketing competency foster strategic thinking at the organizational level, but formalization in the organizational structure impedes it. Contrary to the proposed hypotheses, centralization in the organizational structure is positively related to strategic thinking at the organizational level. The results also show that market turbulence and technological turbulence foster strategic thinking at the organizational level and there is a positive relationship between strategic thinking and marketing performance. © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Article history: Received 1 November 2010 Received in revised form 1 July 2011 Accepted 1 September 2011 Available online xxxx Keywords: Strategic thinking Organizational culture Organizational structure Competencies Market turbulence Marketing performance 1. Introduction The ability to think...
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...company's management to make sound decisions and inspire others to perform well Democratic leadership it is also known as participative leadership. In this process every member of an organization or association can take part to select their leader. This is the best process to select a leader. Democratic leadership: Often called participative leadership Democratic leaders make the final decisions, but they include team members in the decision-making process. They encourage creativity, and people are often highly engaged in projects and decisions. As a result, team members tend to have high job satisfaction and high productivity. This is not always an effective style to use, though, when you need to make a quick decision. When is it used? When situations change frequently, democratic leadership offers a great deal of flexibility to adapt to better ways of doing things. Democratic leadership style can bring the best out of an experienced and professional team. It capitalizes on their skills and talents by letting them share their views, rather than simply expecting them to conform. organization fits for Democratic Leadership: To sum it all up, a democratic leadership style has its advantages and drawbacks. It is quite effective for manufacturing industries, professional organizations, non-profit companies and creative fields such as advertising where everyone’s opinion can make a difference while in organizations like the armed forces, where decisions must be made at the nick of...
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...Case Study 1 – “Once Upon A Time At Disney Summary: Since 1923, Walt Disney Co. has been an icon of animated and live-action films. It is because of Michael Eisner that Disney has become an entertainment conglomerate. Eisner is a very hands on manager, and under his leadership, the company adapted to the fast changing entertainment environment and played to it’s strengths. Since it’s founding in 1923, Walt and his brother Roy split their talents. Roy handed the financials, Walt the creativity. Mickey Mouse was their first major hit. In 1984, Eisner was named chairman where he immediately started transforming Disney into a learning organisation dedicated to creativity. 2. Why is it critical for Disney to be a learning organizing? Disney achieved their standing momentous status of being a leader of pure entertainment through fostering a learning attitude prevalent throughout their workforce. Their patented learning organization was derived from none other than their founder who realized that even the most beautifully crafted place in the world amounts to nothing without the people to make dreams a reality. Straying away from the orthodox image of a divided workforce, Disney revolutionized the workplace by closing the gap between corporate executives and clerical workers; all members of the workforce were mandated to participate in hands-on activities. Having all the employees involved in the most basic...
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...Bringing together creativity and literacy POSTED IN CREATIVE LITERACY We all know that literacy is the ability to read and write but the definition of creative is a little harder to define: it can be the ability to solve problems or being able to use your imagination. Bringing creativity and literacy together can be a powerful tool in teaching, writes Tonya Meers Creativity is characterised by originality and expressiveness, so it can mean making something or it can be something new and innovative. Sir Ken Robinson has said that “Creativity is about working in a highly focused way on ideas and projects, crafting them into their best forms and making critical judgements along the way.” Bringing creativity and literacy together can be a powerful tool in teaching. It allows children to be active in literacy, from acting out plays through characters that they’ve made themselves or through making props. It allows children to explore their imaginations. Getting involved in a story re-enforces the learning and can also teach practical skills, for example, working with templates or basic sewing. Children are naturally creative, if you stop and listen to them they often are natural storytellers. They love to make things up and will very often have imaginary worlds they will refer to. They also love to get involved in making things, giving them a sense of achievement. If they are engaged they will learn more, so it’s about harnessing their ability to soak up information...
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