Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate creativity, innovation and certain
determining factors, which have an influence on creativity and innovation in
the micro business environment and specifically in an information technology
firm.
The information and communications technology (ICT) sector is very dynamic
and very fast paced both in the world and in South Africa. Businesses in this
sector have to adapt, almost constantly, to incessantly changing technology,
customer demands and macro-environmental variables. A vast amount of
research exists to suggest that businesses have to adapt to and embrace
change in order to survive in this environment.
Creativity and innovation are central to change in the organisation. For the
purposes of this study creativity is defined as an intellectual process evident in
four discernible components, namely the creative person, the creative
product, the creative process and the creative environment. Evidence for
creativity and innovation includes novelty and usefulness of ideas and new or
improved solutions to existing problems within a given context. Novelty and
usefulness are therefore characteristic and typical evidence for the presence
of creativity. All four components are important for the development and
facilitation of creativity and innovation. The four components have a
determining influence on creativity resulting in a feedback system.
The study specifically focuses on creative environment and in this case - the
organisational climate. Organisational climate is the observed recurring
behavioural patterns and attitudes in the organisation. This climate influences
creativity and innovation by supporting or inhibiting it. An organisation’s
climate can also influence other psychological processes such as job
satisfaction, decision-making, communication, team effort and motivation of
workers across the organisation.
The goal of this study was to identify and measure organisational climate
factors known to have a significant, determining influence on the work
environment, conducive to creativity and innovation. The organisational
climate of a firm in the South African ICT sector was measured and analysed.
The “Situational Outlook Questionnaire” (SOQ) was used to measure the
organisational climate observable in the organisation. The SOQ is employed
to assist organisations in assessing the organisational climate for its
conduciveness to creativity and innovation, as well as the climate’s ability to
foster and promote productivity and change within the organisation. The SOQ
was developed over a period of fifty years and is proven to be a reliable and
valid measuring instrument.
The SOQ assesses nine dimensions that have a direct impact on a creative
organisational climate. The nine dimensions are: Challenge/involvement,
trust, risk-taking, playfulness/humour, freedom, conflict, debate, idea support,
and idea-time.
The results indicated the organisation that has been assessed has a strong
climate supportive of and conducive to creativity and innovation. The
organisation’s SOQ results across all dimensions, except the freedom and
debate dimensions, compared very well with other innovative organisations.
This could indicate that there is too much debate around decisions, resulting
in too much talking before important issues are decided upon. The freedom
score was also somewhat low because employees are probably not allowed
to make independent decisions related to their jobs. Employees are under
obligation to report to superiors before deciding important issues.
This organisation’s management strives towards promoting and fostering a
climate that is supportive of and conducive to creativity and innovation. This is
evident in the results provided by the SOQ as well as the innovative products
and services delivered to customers.
Prof. W.M. Conradie