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Article
Publication date: 9 January 2023

Mieszko Olszewski

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how agile project management can foster creativity in project teams.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how agile project management can foster creativity in project teams.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on an extensive literature review of agile project management and team creativity and is matching these two to answer the following research questions: (1) how agile project management approach can foster creativity in project teams? and (2) which principles and practices promoted by the most popular agile methodologies enhance creativity in project teams?

Findings

Five creativity-conducive spaces in agile project management were identified and integrated into a conceptual framework, namely, a space for generative social interactions, a space for learning, a space for change and adaptation, a space for exploration and a space promoting team members' well-being. In the next step, based on a thorough analysis of seven widespread agile project management methods, a large number of agile principles and practices were mapped into each of the five conceptual spaces.

Originality/value

This study provides new insights into how agile project management can foster creativity in project teams. The conceptual framework developed in this paper might be utilized to enhance creativity in agile teams, it can also serve as a starting point for future research.

Details

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 16 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8378

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 December 2020

Olajumoke A. Awe and E. Mitchell Church

The purpose of this paper is to study project management performance measures by analyzing how training utility affects the relationships between mutual trust, social interaction…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study project management performance measures by analyzing how training utility affects the relationships between mutual trust, social interaction and creativity as well as mutual trust, social interaction and flexibility in projects.

Design/methodology/approach

Using training utility and organizational support theory, eight hypotheses were developed. Responses from 279 project management professionals in the USA were collected. The hypotheses were then tested using partial least squares (PLS) and regression with the PROCESS macro approach.

Findings

The results suggests that the communication environment indeed has an important role in fostering creative and flexible project managers. Additionally, the study shows that organizations can actively improve the influence of the communication environment on project management creativity through training efforts. Interestingly, these findings may not hold for project manager flexibility.

Practical implications

In today's project management world, organizations need project managers who quickly adapt to changing project management scenarios. To do this, project managers need to be creative, generating new and novel ideas, as well as flexible when converting ideas into action. Organizations often possess large amounts of knowledge, and project managers rely on good communication practices to access this knowledge in response to the required changes in the project domain.

Originality/value

The study includes contributions to theory and empirical research in project management by analyzing the critical role training utility has on the firm communication environments and its outcomes. The study shows that organizations can take an active role by investing in resources to promote flexibility and creativity in projects.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 59 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 August 2017

Lucía Muñoz-Pascual and Jesús Galende

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the influence that two variables related to human resources (HR) have on employee creativity – namely, knowledge management (KM) and…

2450

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the influence that two variables related to human resources (HR) have on employee creativity – namely, knowledge management (KM) and motivation management (MM).

Design/methodology/approach

The linear regression analyses are based on a sample of 306 employees from 11 Spanish companies belonging to three innovative clusters. In addition, “creativity” is considered an antecedent of technological innovation.

Findings

KM and intrinsic MM are shown to inform creativity, whereas extrinsic MM has no such effect.

Practical implications

Although this study is based on cross-sectional data, the findings might induce researchers to investigate the effects of other HR variables, such as the types of relations between employees and their long-term impact on creativity. Management should encourage KM and intrinsic MM across employees, as the results indicate that tacit KM, explicit KM and intrinsic MM encourage a positive attitude toward creativity among employees.

Originality/value

The main contribution is new empirical evidence on the joint influence of aptitudes (KM) and attitudes (MM) on employee creativity. In addition, the study includes a key measure of employee creativity. The evidence reveals the types of KM and MM that encourage or inhibit creative employee behavior. The results show that once employees have reached a medium-high level of extrinsic MM, creativity will be affected solely by intrinsic MM.

Details

Employee Relations, vol. 39 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0142-5455

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 July 2020

Zhanat Burayeva, Kamalbek Berkimbayev, Botagoz Kerimbayeva, Kenan Semiz and Burhan Umur Atikol

Considering the urgency of creativity development in the higher education system, this article justifies an effective model of creativity management for students and teachers at…

Abstract

Purpose

Considering the urgency of creativity development in the higher education system, this article justifies an effective model of creativity management for students and teachers at universities. The model is based on an empirical assessment of the difference between the creativity potential and its actual level. The data was taken from the managing factors playing an important role in the development of creative potential. The study was carried out in Kazakhstan.

Design/methodology/approach

The method of surveying 872 teachers and 944 students in Kazakhstan quantified the levels of actual creativity of students and their potential, as well as the gap between the two parameters. The authors identified the nature of the influence of the creativity development factors, contributing to the achievement of the creativity potential of teachers/students.

Findings

The gap between the levels of actual and potential creativity at universities for both teachers and students was found to be one of the main factors governing the creativity management in the education system. The main problems hindering the efficient management of actual and potential creativity at education institutions are personal and institutional factors.

Research limitations/implications

The results are based on a limited sample of respondents, taking into account the higher education system in Kazakhstan.

Practical implications

Assessment and justification can be useful in determining the unused creative abilities of students and teachers in the process of developing creativity within the educational process.

Originality/value

The value of this study lies in an empirical assessment of the difference between actual creativity and creativity potential in the higher education system as an object of pedagogical management, as well as a deterministic hierarchy of causal factors of this gap. These results are valuable in the aspect that, when developing an effective management strategy, influencing these factors, in particular the institutional factor of the educational process, it is possible to increase the potential for the development of creativity of students and professors of higher educational establishments. Besides, a very useful scientific result in the framework of the development of this topic is the establishment of the primacy of ensuring the development of the creativity potential of teachers in the process of managing the development of students' creativity.

Details

International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 34 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-354X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 May 2023

Sawasn Al-Husseini

Drawing on the knowledge-based view and social exchange theory, this study aims to examine how top management support relates both directly and indirectly to employee creativity

Abstract

Purpose

Drawing on the knowledge-based view and social exchange theory, this study aims to examine how top management support relates both directly and indirectly to employee creativity through knowledge management processes (acquisition and sharing) and absorptive capacity.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 284 academics and researchers working in research centres in Iraq’s public universities to assess their perceptions of management support, knowledge management, absorptive capacity and creativity.

Findings

Performing structural equation modelling with AMOS, positive relationships were identified between top management support, knowledge management processes, absorptive capacity and employee creativity. The study findings emphasise the pivotal role of top management support in creating an environment that fosters knowledge acquisition and sharing, and enhancing absorptive capacity, in turn, amplifying employee creativity. Empirical evidence confirming the salient role of knowledge management and absorptive capacity in strengthening employee creativity in the context of Iraqi academia and researchers is presented.

Originality/value

The study shows that knowledge management processes and absorptive capacity mediate the influence of top management support on employee creativity. The premise of absorptive capacity is the individual’s ability to identify, accumulate and assimilate relevant knowledge from external sources and commercialise the gained knowledge.

Details

International Journal of Innovation Science, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1757-2223

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 April 2022

Mladen Adamovic

A dynamic and changing international business environment and higher needs for innovation have increased the importance of creativity in organizations. Organizations need creative…

Abstract

Purpose

A dynamic and changing international business environment and higher needs for innovation have increased the importance of creativity in organizations. Organizations need creative employees to develop new methods and procedures that stimulate innovation. However, prior research indicates that employees are sometimes passive and avoid engaging in creative behavior. To promote individual creative behavior, this study aims to better understand the role of task conflict and conflict management. More specifically, the authors draw on Deutsch’s conflict theory of cooperation and competition to test whether an employee’s conflict management moderates the indirect relationship between task conflict and creativity through cooperation.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the hypotheses, the authors conducted a three-phase survey study with 428 employees from different German organizations.

Findings

The results suggest that task conflict has only a positive indirect relationship with creativity through cooperation with teammates when employees avoid a competitive conflict management style.

Originality/value

The authors draw on Deutsch’s conflict theory of cooperation and competition to integrate research on task conflict and conflict management, allowing them to explain why and when task conflict with teammates influences an employee’s creativity. The findings show that task conflict is particularly beneficial for cooperation and creativity if employees avoid closed-minded discussions and competitive interactions with coworkers.

Details

International Journal of Conflict Management, vol. 33 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1044-4068

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 January 2022

Zizhen Geng, Mengmeng Xiao, Huili Tang, Julie M Hite and Steven J Hite

This study develops a cross-level moderated mediating model based on expectation-value theory to extend the knowledge on how and when organizational culture motivates employee…

Abstract

Purpose

This study develops a cross-level moderated mediating model based on expectation-value theory to extend the knowledge on how and when organizational culture motivates employee radical creativity.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on longitudinal, multisource data for 584 R&D employees in 73 organizations, the research hypotheses were tested by a multilevel analysis using hierarchical linear model.

Findings

The results showed that error management culture had a positive effect on employees' psychological safety and radical creativity; psychological safety mediated the effect of error management culture on employee radical creativity. Further, moderated path analysis revealed that employees' promotion focus moderated the positive effect of psychological safety on employee radical creativity and thus strengthened the indirect effect of error management culture on employee radical creativity via psychological safety.

Originality/value

Literature on how organizational culture motivates workplace creativity pays little attention to employees' radical creativity. This study fills this gap by empirically examining the role of error management culture as a critical organizational culture that secures employee radical creativity. It also provides a novel mechanism, i.e., an expectancy-value mechanism to explain the link between organizational context and radical creativity by elucidating the underlying psychological process whereby error management culture drives employee radical creativity and identifying the pivotal moderating role of employees' regulatory focus in the function of error management culture.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 16 October 2017

Guiyao Tang, Bingjie Yu, Fang Lee Cooke and Yang Chen

The purpose of this paper is to examine the underlying mechanism through which high-performance work system (HPWS) influences employee creativity. In addition, this paper aims to…

35736

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the underlying mechanism through which high-performance work system (HPWS) influences employee creativity. In addition, this paper aims to examine contingent factors in the relationship between perceived organisational support and employee creativity.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample of the study included 268 employees and matched supervisors from two pesticide chemical companies in China. Hypotheses were tested with linear regressions.

Findings

The study shows that HPWS enhances perceived organisational support, which in turn promotes employee creativity. Moreover, the results also indicate that devolved management positively moderates the relationship between perceived organisational support and employee creativity.

Research limitations/implications

The unique environment of China may limit the generalisability of the findings. Future studies can extend these findings by conducting studies in other societal contexts.

Practical implications

When trying to inspire employee creativity, organisations need to pay attention to employees’ perception of organisational support. One way of enhancing perceived organisational support is to implement HPWS. In addition, organisations need to encourage devolved management in order to inspire more creative behaviours.

Originality/value

This is the first study that explores the mediating role of perceived organisational support in the HPWS-employee creativity linkage. In addition, the study provides what is believed to be the first test of the moderating role of devolved management.

Article
Publication date: 15 February 2016

Attila Sik

The purpose of this study is to examine how different disciplines and sectors approach creativity, and how to improve cross-domain collaboration efficiency. Creativity is one of…

1511

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine how different disciplines and sectors approach creativity, and how to improve cross-domain collaboration efficiency. Creativity is one of the most important factors that hugely contributes to the growth of economy, and the key to the modern organisation’s survival. There are considerable differences between disciplines regarding how they approach creativity since each discipline has a methodology which is designed to develop new ideas. Specialisation of disciplines can create difficulties when they start to interact in collaborations. Differences between sectors (Industry, Academia, Arts and Public) in definition of creativity, creativity measurement, management and collaboration motivators can hinder cross-sector collaboration efficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was distributed over the Internet, and statistical tests were performed to find differences between groups how they view various dimensions of creativity.

Findings

By analysing various disciplines, the study revealed significant differences between the reward system, the creativity measurement, the required management support and the way how various disciplines solve complex problems. Sector analysis revealed significant differences in creativity quantification, personal traits, sensitivity to idea ownership, composition and size of the ideal team, communication and incentives to increase creativity.

Research limitations/implications

In this study, only Internet users were sampled, and the majority of respondent were from Europe working in academic environment.

Practical implications

Misalignment of forces between disciplines causes inefficient cross- and multi-disciplinary collaborations, while inter-sector misalignment results in unproductive inter-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary teamwork. Special emphasis has to be placed on external factor, creativity measurement and collaboration motivator adjustment that were the most misaligned across the analysed groups.

Originality/value

The study indicates that to increase collaboration, efficiency factors that were scrutinised in this project have to be aligned across disciplines and sectors.

Details

Management Research Review, vol. 39 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8269

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 May 2015

Poul Houman Andersen and Hanne Kragh

External inputs are critical for organisational creativity. In order to bridge different thought worlds and cross-organisational barriers, managers must initiate and motivate…

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Abstract

Purpose

External inputs are critical for organisational creativity. In order to bridge different thought worlds and cross-organisational barriers, managers must initiate and motivate boundary spanning processes. The purpose of this paper is to explore how boundary spanners manage creativity projects across organisational boundaries.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors link to previous literature and present findings from a comparative case study of managerial practices for managing creativity projects. Data were collected through interviews, secondary materials, site visits and observation.

Findings

Three meta-practices used by managers to manage boundary-spanning creative projects are presented: defining the creative space, making space for creativity and acting in the creative space. These practices are detailed in seven case studies of creative projects.

Research limitations/implications

The analysis focuses on boundary spanning as a management process rather than a capability for organisations to self-organise. It extends the “boundary spanning as practice” literature by focusing on boundary spanning as a managerial practice and brings the problems related to resource mobilisation across both organisational and departmental boundaries to the fore.

Practical implications

Understanding the managerial dilemma faced by creativity managers is a first step to finding solutions. The discussed practices may inspire managers both in resolving creativity management problems and through self-reflection.

Originality/value

The authors contribute to research on boundary spanning practices by linking to creativity research, and bridge to research on management and governance in distributed and less-defined organisations.

1 – 10 of over 45000