2011年11月24日 星期四

SELF-REGULATION OF CREATIVITY AT WORK: THE ROLE OF FEEDBACK-SEEKING BEHAVIOR IN CREATIVE PERFORMANCE

Author(s): De Stobbeleir, KEM (De Stobbeleir, Katleen E. M.)1; Ashford, SJ (Ashford, Susan J.)2; Buyens, D (Buyens, Dirk)1,3
Source: ACADEMY OF MANAGEMENT JOURNAL Volume: 54 Issue: 4 Pages: 811-831 Published: AUG 2011
Abstract: Using 456 supervisor-employee dyads from four organizations, this study examined how employees use one proactive behavior, feedback seeking, as a strategy to enhance their creative performance. As hypothesized, employees' cognitive style and perceived organizational support for creativity affected two patterns of feedback seeking: the propensity to inquire for feedback and the propensity to monitor the environment for indirect feedback. Feedback inquiry related to supervisor ratings of employee creative performance. These results highlight the importance of employees' self-regulatory behaviors in the creative process and show that feedback seeking is not only a strategy that facilitates individual adaptation, but also a resource for achieving creative outcomes.

Power, stability of power, and creativity

Author(s): Sarkar, P (Sarkar, Prabir)1; Chakrabarti, A (Chakrabarti, Amaresh)1
Source: DESIGN STUDIES Volume: 32 Issue: 4 Pages: 348-383 DOI: 10.1016/j.destud.2011.01.002 Published: JUL 2011

Abstract: Creativity is crucial for designing products and enabling innovation. Assessing creativity can help identify innovative designers and products, and support improvement of both. The literature variously defines creativity as a function of degree of novelty, usefulness, or both. Most methods for assessing creativity, however, focus only on assessing novelty of products. This research proposes a new method for assessing the creativity of products as a function of their novelty and usefulness. We develop individual methods for assessing novelty and usefulness of products. and then combine these into a method for assessing creativity of products. The proposed methods have been evaluated by benchmarking them, and other methods available from literature, against the collective, intuitive assessment of product creativity of experienced designers. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

IN THE MOOD FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL CREATIVITY? HOW OPTIMAL GROUP AFFECT DIFFERS FOR GENERATING AND SELECTING IDEAS FOR NEW VENTURES

Author(s): Perry-Smith, JE (Perry-Smith, Jill E.)1; Coff, RW (Coff, Russell W.)2
Source: STRATEGIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP JOURNAL Volume: 5 Issue: 3 Pages: 247-268 DOI: 10.1002/sej.116 Published: SEP 2011

Abstract:
Superior entrepreneurial creativity arises when teams are effective at both generating diverse alternatives and culling them to select the best solution. We develop theory about how the optimal group mood varies for the generation and selection stages of creativity. Using data from an entrepreneurial creativity task, we find that these stages require distinct collective moods. While an activated-pleasant mood promotes variance generation, idea selection requires a very different mood. Findings suggest that some teams fail to make transitions to the appropriate mood. We conclude by discussing implications for promoting entrepreneurial creativity. Copyright (C) 2011 Strategic Management Society.

Creativity and personality in professional dancers

Author(s): Fink, A (Fink, Andreas)1; Woschnjak, S (Woschnjak, Silke)1
Source: PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES Volume: 51 Issue: 6 Pages: 754-758 DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2011.06.024 Published: OCT 2011

Abstract: In this study three different groups of professional dancers (ballet, modern/contemporary and jazz/musical), which considerably vary with respect to the creativity-related demands involved in the respective dancing style, are compared with respect to psychometrically determined creativity, general mental ability and different facets of personality. Results indicate that modern/contemporary dancers, who are often required to freely improvise on stage, exhibited relatively high levels of verbal and figural creativity (as it was measured by means of psychometric creativity tests), followed by jazz/musical and finally by ballet dancers. With respect to personality, modern/contemporary dancers can be characterized as being less conscientious, higher on psychoticism and more open to experiences than the remaining experimental groups. In line with relevant research in this field, this study reveals some central personality characteristics of highly creative individuals which may be considered as important ingredients in the acquisition or actualization of exceptional creative potential. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Leadership behaviors and group creativity in Chinese organizations: The role of group processes

Author(s): Zhang, AY (Zhang, Ann Yan)1; Tsui, AS (Tsui, Anne S.)2,4,5,6; Wang, DX (Wang, Duan Xu)3
Source: LEADERSHIP QUARTERLY Volume: 22 Issue: 5 Pages: 851-862 DOI: 10.1016/j.leaqua.2011.07.007 Published: OCT 2011

Abstract:
In seeking to understand the factors contributing to work group creativity in Chinese organizations, we explored the roles of two different leadership styles (transformational and authoritarian) that Chinese leaders play in group creativity through influencing internal group processes, i.e., collective efficacy and knowledge sharing among group members. We tested our hypotheses with a sample of 163 work groups involving 973 employees in twelve Chinese companies. We found transformational leadership to relate positively but authoritarian leadership to relate negatively to group creativity, mediated by both collective efficacy and knowledge sharing among members within the group. We discuss the implications of these findings for research on group leadership, group creativity and cross-cultural management. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Paradoxical frames and creative sparks: Enhancing individual creativity through conflict and integration

Paradoxical frames and creative sparks: Enhancing individual creativity through conflict and integration
Author(s): Miron-Spektor, E (Miron-Spektor, Ella)1; Gino, F (Gino, Francesca)2; Argote, L (Argote, Linda)3
Source: ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND HUMAN DECISION PROCESSES Volume: 116 Issue: 2 Pages: 229-240 DOI:10.1016/j.obhdp.2011.03.006 Published: NOV 2011

Abstract:
Across industries, organizations operate in increasingly complex and uncertain environments. To succeed in such environments, organizations require their members to think creatively and integrate conflicting demands. We propose that the adoption of paradoxical frames-mental templates that encourage individuals to recognize and embrace contradictions-increases creativity. In four laboratory studies using different creativity tasks and different manipulations for eliciting paradoxical frames, participants who adopted paradoxical frames were more creative than their counterparts who did not. Our results suggest that the positive influence of paradoxical frames on creativity is due to the paradoxical relationship between task elements and not merely to their joint activation. This paradoxical relationship creates a sense of conflict in individuals and enhances their ability to integrate contradictions, which in turn increases creativity.

2011年11月16日 星期三

Personal relationships and innovation diffusion in SME networks: A content analysis approach

aDEA – Università G. d’Annunzio, Viale Pindaro 42, 65127 Pescara (PE), Italy
bIESE Business School – University of Navarra, Avenida Pearson 21, 08034 Barcelona, Spain

Received 3 November 2010; revised 3 October 2011; Accepted 9 October 2011. Available online 8 November 2011.

Abstract

Networks have been hailed as a third organizational form, between markets and hierarchies. One of the main characteristics of networks is the coexistence of different kinds of relationships, personal and professional among these. The presence of multiple types of relationships modifies inter-firm dynamics, creating a space where traditional innovation activities take place in an unusual way. The present paper investigates the role played by personal relationships within networks, addressing the following research questions: how do different types of relationships existing in a network of SMEs favour the development of economic activities? And do personal relationships play a role in supporting innovative activities? To answer our research questions, we analyzed qualitative data using content analysis methodology. Content analysis allows researchers to obtain an objective, systematic, and quantitative description of the manifest content of a communication. Based on this analysis, we conclude that the coexistence of personal and professional relationships shapes a unique context that alters the usual dynamics of innovation diffusion.

Highlights

► Diffusion of innovation is enabled by personal relationships. ► Strategic and innovative activities take place in different networks: the locus of innovation is not the locus of strategy. ► Innovative activities are widely distributed within networks involving multiple network dimensions. ► Content analysis to analyze data, a research method scarcely deployed in management studies.

Keywords: Networks; Personal relationships; Innovation diffusion; Content analysis