1. Creativity in organizations might be defined as the process by which new ideas that make innovation possible are developed
1.1. Creativity brings into being something that did not exist before, either as a product, a process or a thought
2. REASONS FOR IMPORTANCE OF ORGANIZATIONAL CREATIVITY
2.1. 4.5 THE NEED OF INNOVATION
2.1.1. THE IMPORTANCE OF INNOVATION
2.1.2. The idea of innovation is widely accepted. Innovation is part of many companies’ activities. The dominant companies have demonstrated an ability to innovate. The industrial revolution of the 19th century was fuelled by technological revolution innovations. (Trott, 2005)
2.2. Competitive edge
2.3. Find niches in the market
2.4. Reduce internal costs
2.5. Promote efficiency and effectiveness
2.6. Motivate people
2.7. Attracting or retaining staff
2.8. Problem solving
2.9. Improve morale
3. 4.7 HOW TO ENHANCE ORGANIZATIONAL CREATIVITY
3.1. TIME
3.2. COMPETENCE OF STAFF
3.3. SPACE OR RESOURCES TO PURSUE IDEAS
3.4. OPEN COMMUNICATION & FULL INFORMATION SHARING
3.5. SUPPORTIVE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
3.6. PERSONAL AUTHORITY TO INITIATE CHANGE / INDIVIDUAL EMPOWERMENT
3.7. CREATIVE LEADERSHIP
3.8. MOTIVATION OF STAFF
3.9. CLEAR ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS
3.10. APPROPRIATE REWARD
4. 4.9 ROGERS’ STAGES OF INNOVATION
4.1. KNOWLEDGE STAGE
4.2. Recall of information, comprehension of messages, knowledge or skill for effective adoption of innovation. (Exposure to its existence, and understanding of its functions)
4.3. PERSUASION STAGE
4.4. Liking, discussion of new behavior with others, acceptance of the message, formation of positive image of the message and innovation and support for the innovative behavior from the system. (The forming of a favorable attitude to it).
4.5. DECISION STAGE
4.6. Intention to seek additional information about the innovation, and intention to try innovation. i.e to reject or adopt innovation (Commitment to its adoption)
4.7. IMPLEMENTATION
4.8. Acquisition of additional info about innovation, use of innovation on regular basis, continued use of innovation. (Putting it to use); and
4.9. CONFIRMATION STAGE
4.10. Recognition of the benefits of using the innovation, integration of the innovation into ongoing routine, and promotion of innovation to others. (Reinforcement based on positive outcomes from it).
5. 4.1 THE CREATIVE THINKING PROCESS
5.1. 4.1.1 THE FOUR STEP OF PROCESS
5.1.1. Phase 3
5.1.1.1. PHASE 3: THE IDEA EXPERIENCE
5.1.1.2. The idea experience is the stage when the idea or solution the individual seeking is discovered. The ways to speed up the idea experience:
5.1.2. Phase 1
5.1.2.1. PHASE 1: BACKGROUND AND KNOWLEDGE ACCUMULATION
5.1.2.2. Investigation and information gathering need to be done to look at a variety of perspectives on the problem.
5.1.3. Phase 2
5.1.3.1. PHASE 2: THE INCUBATION PROCESS
5.1.3.2. The incubation process allows the subconscious mind to mull over the tremendous amounts of information to gather during the preparation phase.
5.1.4. Phase 4
5.1.4.1. PHASE 4: EVALUATION & IMPLEMENTATION
5.1.4.2. (Increase your energy level, educate yourself in the business planning process and all facets of business, test your ideas with knowledgeable people, take notice of your intuitive hunches and feelings,
6. 4.3 NEGATIVE ATTITUDES THAT BLOCK CREATIVITY
6.1. “OH NO, A PROBLEM!”
6.2. A problem is seeing the difference between what you have and what you want, or recognizing or believing that there is something better than the current situation or an opportunity for a positive act.
6.3. “IT CAN’T BE DONE.”
6.4. It can’t be done is like surrendering before the battle.
6.5. “I CAN’T DO IT. OR, THERE’S NOTHING I CAN DO.”
6.6. I’m not smart enough, I’m not an engineer, and I’m not an expert. Therefore, I can’t be creative.
6.7. “BUT, I’M NOT CREATIVE.”
6.8. In reality, everyone is creative; it’s only how we are processing the right side of our brain.
6.9. “THAT’S CHILDISH.”
6.10. We often ridicule the creative, playful attitudes.
6.11. “WHAT WILL PEOPLE THINK?”
6.12. There is always a strong pressure to conform and to be ordinary and not creative.
6.13. “I MIGHT FAIL.”
6.14. Failures along the way should be expected and accepted.
7. 4.6 HOW TO ENHANCE INDIVIDUAL CREATIVITY
7.1. THE TOP 10 KEYS TO DEVELOPING PERSONAL CREATIVITY
7.1.1. Believe you’re Creative
7.1.2. Everyone is or has the potential to be creative.
7.1.3. Broaden Your Interests
7.1.4. Consciously seek out what you’ve not sought out before. Be open to new experiences or new sources of information.
7.1.5. Prepare To Create
7.1.6. Gather information, hunches, impressions, colors, textures, and sound.
7.1.7. Look For (Make) Connections
7.1.8. Look for relationships between things that are not related.
7.1.9. Break Habits
7.1.10. Breaking a little habits can shake up the system to allow new connections to happen, new points of view to form.
7.1.11. Provide the Right Environment
7.1.12. Some prefer to listen to music or others prefer silence once they’re in creative flow.
7.1.13. Provide Time to Create
7.1.14. Provide time to sleep on it, and time away from home’s or work’s demand.
7.1.15. Maximize All Of Your Senses
7.1.16. Utilize all of your senses to gather & process information.
7.1.17. Forget How Much You Know
7.1.18. Learn to look at things with a fresh eye.
8. 4.8 SOURCES OF INNOVATIVE IDEAS
8.1. CONSUMERS
8.2. Monitoring potential ideas and needs, or arranging for consumers to have an opportunity to express their opinions.
8.3. EXISTING COMPANIES
8.4. Monitoring and evaluating competitive products and services on market.
8.5. DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS
8.6. They’re familiar with the needs of the market. They can provide suggestions and help in market the newly developed product.
8.7. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
8.8. The files of the patent Office contain numerous new product possibilities; they can suggest other more marketable product ideas.
8.9. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
8.10. R&D department is often better equipped and enables the entrepreneur to conceptualize and develop successful product ideas.
9. 4.2 ELEMENTS OF CREATIVITY
9.1. 5 ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FOR BEING HIGHLY CREATIVE BY DAN GOODWIN
9.2. Create Every Day.
9.3. The key to this flow is creating for a minimum amount of time each and every day.
9.4. Keep a Book Of Ideas.
9.5. Keep an ideas journal / a pocket notebook you carry with you at all times & jot down your ideas as soon as they hit you.
9.6. Focus On Your Creative Strengths.
9.7. Take the time to make a list of your creative strengths, to give your confidence a boost.
9.8. Get Support.
9.9. Get available support from various creative groups or communities.
9.10. Experiment and Refine.
9.11. It takes time to learn how you can use this medium to express yourself the best ways you can, and how you can find your unique ways of letting your creativity run free.
10. 4.4 OBSTACLES TO CREATIVITY
10.1. THE BARRIERS TO CREATIVITY Barriers to creativity and how to overcome them by Bob Taylor:
10.1.1. "Tools are not my friends.”
10.1.2. "I need a new and unique solution, not one that's borrowed or adapted.”
10.1.3. “There's Just One Way To Solve A Problem.”
10.1.4. "My fears or ego interfere with my creativity."
10.1.5. "I just build it and see what happens.”