Building blocks of innovation within a state-owned enterprise (Part Two).
- Van Zyl, E.M., Coetsee, W.J., Roodt, G.
- Authors: Van Zyl, E.M. , Coetsee, W.J. , Roodt, G.
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Building blocks , Innovation , Strategic enablers , Business enablers , Foundation enablers
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:6392 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/1134
- Description: In this article (the second part of a two-part study) the focus is on establishing a theoretical framework of state owned enterprise (SOE) managers’ espoused theory of building blocks of innovation. A qualitative approach, namely Grounded Theory, supported by Theoretical Sampling, was applied in generating the primary data for the study from different management levels in the SOE. The managers’ espoused theory, based on empirical evidence, shows that innovation consisted of five important building blocks, namely contextual setting; strategic enablers; business enablers; foundational enablers; and human resources; each with its own categories and sub-categories. The study also identified barriers to innovation. An innovation diffusion framework, specifically for implementation in a government context, was proposed.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Van Zyl, E.M. , Coetsee, W.J. , Roodt, G.
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Building blocks , Innovation , Strategic enablers , Business enablers , Foundation enablers
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:6392 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/1134
- Description: In this article (the second part of a two-part study) the focus is on establishing a theoretical framework of state owned enterprise (SOE) managers’ espoused theory of building blocks of innovation. A qualitative approach, namely Grounded Theory, supported by Theoretical Sampling, was applied in generating the primary data for the study from different management levels in the SOE. The managers’ espoused theory, based on empirical evidence, shows that innovation consisted of five important building blocks, namely contextual setting; strategic enablers; business enablers; foundational enablers; and human resources; each with its own categories and sub-categories. The study also identified barriers to innovation. An innovation diffusion framework, specifically for implementation in a government context, was proposed.
- Full Text:
What happens when organisations embrace social networking? Knowledge sharing at a multinational business solutions corporation
- Authors: Stafford, C. , Mearns, M.A.
- Date: 2009-12-07
- Subjects: Online social networking , Knowledge sharing , IBM Global Business Services , Competitive advantage , Innovation
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://ujcontent.uj.ac.za8080/10210/382539 , uj:5707 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3401
- Description: Amid widespread resistance to online social networking tools, their effectiveness in promoting knowledge sharing in a knowledge driven organisation was demonstrated in the study. Usage patterns, user attitudes and perceptions regarding online social networking technologies as a professional application for knowledge sharing within the workplace were investigated. Selfadministered questionnaires were administered to a sample of IBM Global Business Services employees in South Africa. Upon completion of the questionnaire analysis an interview was conducted with the knowledge manager for verification and clarification purposes. The results revealed the respondents' positive attitudes regarding the use of social networking tools for knowledge sharing. The culture of knowledge sharing at IBM and the contribution that social networking tools makes within the company were uncovered. Findings disclosed that the online social networking tools were effective and that management at IBM encourages employees to make more and more use of the tools for knowledge sharing and knowledge creation. The results of this study demonstrate the effectiveness of online social networking tools and serve as encouragement to hesitant organisations to adopt social networking in their business practices.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Stafford, C. , Mearns, M.A.
- Date: 2009-12-07
- Subjects: Online social networking , Knowledge sharing , IBM Global Business Services , Competitive advantage , Innovation
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://ujcontent.uj.ac.za8080/10210/382539 , uj:5707 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3401
- Description: Amid widespread resistance to online social networking tools, their effectiveness in promoting knowledge sharing in a knowledge driven organisation was demonstrated in the study. Usage patterns, user attitudes and perceptions regarding online social networking technologies as a professional application for knowledge sharing within the workplace were investigated. Selfadministered questionnaires were administered to a sample of IBM Global Business Services employees in South Africa. Upon completion of the questionnaire analysis an interview was conducted with the knowledge manager for verification and clarification purposes. The results revealed the respondents' positive attitudes regarding the use of social networking tools for knowledge sharing. The culture of knowledge sharing at IBM and the contribution that social networking tools makes within the company were uncovered. Findings disclosed that the online social networking tools were effective and that management at IBM encourages employees to make more and more use of the tools for knowledge sharing and knowledge creation. The results of this study demonstrate the effectiveness of online social networking tools and serve as encouragement to hesitant organisations to adopt social networking in their business practices.
- Full Text:
Preparing undergraduate design students for complexity : a case study of the Johannesburg Art Gallery Project
- Authors: Fenn, T. , Hobbs, J.
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Complexity , Innovation , Human centered design , Indeterminacy , Johannesburg Art Gallery , Design - Study and teaching
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://ujcontent.uj.ac.za8080/10210/377645 , uj:6133 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/12478
- Description: This paper argues that preparing undergraduate design students for working with complexity, by requiring them to undertake discipline- neutral, indeterminate problems, is altogether manageable, appropriate and additionally, highly impactful on the student’s own practice and conceptualization of design. Key theories that will be introduced include Neil Johnson’s definition of complexity (2003), Richard Buchannan’s description of complexity in design and the corresponding restrictions assumptive design solutions place on innovation (1992), and Barry Wylant’s (2008) characteristations of innovative design practice. In order to exemplify the applicability of the theoretical framework this paper reflects on a complex design project that students from the University of Johannesburg’s Department of Multimedia undertook from June- September 2012. The design project sought to resolve many of the issues the Johannesburg Art Gallery, a municipal art gallery in downtown Johannesburg is faced with, as it strives to remain relevant to the city and people of Johannesburg. Issues include: communication approaches; building degradation; accessibility; operational concerns; social relevancy; politics; and economic sustainability.
- Full Text: false
- Authors: Fenn, T. , Hobbs, J.
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Complexity , Innovation , Human centered design , Indeterminacy , Johannesburg Art Gallery , Design - Study and teaching
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://ujcontent.uj.ac.za8080/10210/377645 , uj:6133 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/12478
- Description: This paper argues that preparing undergraduate design students for working with complexity, by requiring them to undertake discipline- neutral, indeterminate problems, is altogether manageable, appropriate and additionally, highly impactful on the student’s own practice and conceptualization of design. Key theories that will be introduced include Neil Johnson’s definition of complexity (2003), Richard Buchannan’s description of complexity in design and the corresponding restrictions assumptive design solutions place on innovation (1992), and Barry Wylant’s (2008) characteristations of innovative design practice. In order to exemplify the applicability of the theoretical framework this paper reflects on a complex design project that students from the University of Johannesburg’s Department of Multimedia undertook from June- September 2012. The design project sought to resolve many of the issues the Johannesburg Art Gallery, a municipal art gallery in downtown Johannesburg is faced with, as it strives to remain relevant to the city and people of Johannesburg. Issues include: communication approaches; building degradation; accessibility; operational concerns; social relevancy; politics; and economic sustainability.
- Full Text: false
Innovation-driven local economic development : in search of best practice implementation for South Africa
- Authors: Rogerson, Christian M.
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Local economic development , Innovation , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/277093 , uj:29678 , Citation: Rogerson, C.R. 2018. Innovation-driven local economic development : in search of best practice implementation for South Africa. E u r o E c o n o m i c a, 1(37):21-34. , ISSN: 1582-8859
- Description: Abstract: The aim of this study is to investigate best practice implementation frameworks for the implementation of innovation-driven local economic development in South Africa. Local economic development planning is a critical aspect of the development landscape in South Africa. The most recent national framework is strongly influenced by interventions made by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) which has positioned innovation at the heart of development planning. The international experience concerning the challenges and implementation of innovation-led strategies was analysed through a literature survey. The material collected was extracted both from academic sources and from the policy works of a range of international development agencies. The results show an increasing convergence in perspectives concerning implementation frameworks around the need for a stage-based or evolutionary approach and that policies should be highly selective in terms of “entry points” or interventions. In moving forward with the South African agenda for innovation-driven local economies much can be drawn from international experience with accompanying potential benefits for the national tourism economy.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Rogerson, Christian M.
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Local economic development , Innovation , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/277093 , uj:29678 , Citation: Rogerson, C.R. 2018. Innovation-driven local economic development : in search of best practice implementation for South Africa. E u r o E c o n o m i c a, 1(37):21-34. , ISSN: 1582-8859
- Description: Abstract: The aim of this study is to investigate best practice implementation frameworks for the implementation of innovation-driven local economic development in South Africa. Local economic development planning is a critical aspect of the development landscape in South Africa. The most recent national framework is strongly influenced by interventions made by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) which has positioned innovation at the heart of development planning. The international experience concerning the challenges and implementation of innovation-led strategies was analysed through a literature survey. The material collected was extracted both from academic sources and from the policy works of a range of international development agencies. The results show an increasing convergence in perspectives concerning implementation frameworks around the need for a stage-based or evolutionary approach and that policies should be highly selective in terms of “entry points” or interventions. In moving forward with the South African agenda for innovation-driven local economies much can be drawn from international experience with accompanying potential benefits for the national tourism economy.
- Full Text:
Towards the sixth generation of R&D management : an exploratory study
- Kensen, Alex K., Pretorius, Jan-Harm, Pretorius, Leon
- Authors: Kensen, Alex K. , Pretorius, Jan-Harm , Pretorius, Leon
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Research and development management , Innovation
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:4943 , ISSN 0-9815817-7-3 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/13043
- Description: It is apparent that understanding the link between the role of innovation in competitiveness and economic development is essential. This is because innovation ultimately holds the key to addressing the most pressing a nation’s social and human challenges. In the past, some organizations viewed research and development (R&D) as an intangible, difficult to manage and measure process and do their best to stay away from it. On the other hand, organizations that have a clear understanding and mastery of R&D management seem to have great success in exploiting R&D in commercializing new technologies with speed and precision that enabled them to achieve numerous competitive edge, such as first-to-market advantages, greater market shares for their innovations, premium prices and dominant designs relative to their counterparts). However, the upsurge in enabling technologies such as the internet is changing the perceptions on managing R&D processes, moving from technology-oriented model to a more interactive and collaborative model. While it is evident that there is increased focus on fine-tuning R&D management processes the majority of these efforts were confined to the USA, Europe, Asia and other developed economies, with limited focus on R&D management on the African continent. This paper evaluates and discusses relevant aspects of the five generations of R&D management practices using an exploratory research approach and attempts to predict some of the most appropriate practices R&D managers may adopt in the R&D sixth generation. The findings suggest that the sixth generation of R&D management will be characterized by greater multi-disciplinary approach emphasizing cross-functional communication, collaboration, greater inclusion of stakeholders, such as suppliers, customers and partners in the full life cycle of the R&D management process. That is, from conception to market development, evaluation, reporting and re-conceptualization. This research provides further insight into the next generation of R&D.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Kensen, Alex K. , Pretorius, Jan-Harm , Pretorius, Leon
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Research and development management , Innovation
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:4943 , ISSN 0-9815817-7-3 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/13043
- Description: It is apparent that understanding the link between the role of innovation in competitiveness and economic development is essential. This is because innovation ultimately holds the key to addressing the most pressing a nation’s social and human challenges. In the past, some organizations viewed research and development (R&D) as an intangible, difficult to manage and measure process and do their best to stay away from it. On the other hand, organizations that have a clear understanding and mastery of R&D management seem to have great success in exploiting R&D in commercializing new technologies with speed and precision that enabled them to achieve numerous competitive edge, such as first-to-market advantages, greater market shares for their innovations, premium prices and dominant designs relative to their counterparts). However, the upsurge in enabling technologies such as the internet is changing the perceptions on managing R&D processes, moving from technology-oriented model to a more interactive and collaborative model. While it is evident that there is increased focus on fine-tuning R&D management processes the majority of these efforts were confined to the USA, Europe, Asia and other developed economies, with limited focus on R&D management on the African continent. This paper evaluates and discusses relevant aspects of the five generations of R&D management practices using an exploratory research approach and attempts to predict some of the most appropriate practices R&D managers may adopt in the R&D sixth generation. The findings suggest that the sixth generation of R&D management will be characterized by greater multi-disciplinary approach emphasizing cross-functional communication, collaboration, greater inclusion of stakeholders, such as suppliers, customers and partners in the full life cycle of the R&D management process. That is, from conception to market development, evaluation, reporting and re-conceptualization. This research provides further insight into the next generation of R&D.
- Full Text:
Factors driving innovation strategies and long‐term capability in the financial industry
- Dlamini, Tenele, Groenewald, Darelle
- Authors: Dlamini, Tenele , Groenewald, Darelle
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Innovation , Innovation strategies , Innovation capabilities
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/399920 , uj:33352 , Citation: Dlamini, T. & Groenewald, D. 2019. Factors driving innovation strategies and long‐term capability in the financial industry.
- Description: Abstract: With innovation being one of the elements to obtain a competitive advantage, organisations in the modern business environment are primarily focused on improving existing processes and products as a means of innovation. Organisations need to go beyond product and process innovation and develop strategies specifically intended for innovation. Innovation in most organisations happens in a non‐systematic, arbitrary manner. Organisations should establish clear innovation strategies such as aggressive innovation, technological innovation, market innovation and opportunity innovation. Knowing what drives innovation strategies and capability will enhance organisations to gain an additional competitive edge. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors driving innovation strategies that would ensure long‐term capabilities within the financial industry. The study adopted a qualitative methodology, cross‐sectional and used a case study design. As the existing body of knowledge on innovation strategies is limited, an interpretivist philosophy that is descriptive in nature were used as it describes and provides insight into this field of study. Following a thematic approach and using semi‐structured interviews the empirical study was conducted on twenty top managers from twenty different organisations in the financial industry in one of South Africa’s provinces. Data was analysed using Atlas‐ti. The financial industry was selected because the industry is entering a digital phase that demands sustained innovation practices to survive in this new landscape. The industry is at the core of rapid structural changes that have a significant effect on South Africa. Prior to conducting the interviews, pretesting was conducted by undertaking pilot tests to test the viability and reliability of the questions. Empirical evidence suggests that innovation strategies and innovation success is influenced by multiple factors, mainly technology, employee motivation and leadership. The results reflected that successful innovation in organisations cannot be achieved in silo’s but organisational support is fundamental. It was found that ideapitching platforms enhance the creation of new ideas and implementation of new innovation practices.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Dlamini, Tenele , Groenewald, Darelle
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Innovation , Innovation strategies , Innovation capabilities
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/399920 , uj:33352 , Citation: Dlamini, T. & Groenewald, D. 2019. Factors driving innovation strategies and long‐term capability in the financial industry.
- Description: Abstract: With innovation being one of the elements to obtain a competitive advantage, organisations in the modern business environment are primarily focused on improving existing processes and products as a means of innovation. Organisations need to go beyond product and process innovation and develop strategies specifically intended for innovation. Innovation in most organisations happens in a non‐systematic, arbitrary manner. Organisations should establish clear innovation strategies such as aggressive innovation, technological innovation, market innovation and opportunity innovation. Knowing what drives innovation strategies and capability will enhance organisations to gain an additional competitive edge. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors driving innovation strategies that would ensure long‐term capabilities within the financial industry. The study adopted a qualitative methodology, cross‐sectional and used a case study design. As the existing body of knowledge on innovation strategies is limited, an interpretivist philosophy that is descriptive in nature were used as it describes and provides insight into this field of study. Following a thematic approach and using semi‐structured interviews the empirical study was conducted on twenty top managers from twenty different organisations in the financial industry in one of South Africa’s provinces. Data was analysed using Atlas‐ti. The financial industry was selected because the industry is entering a digital phase that demands sustained innovation practices to survive in this new landscape. The industry is at the core of rapid structural changes that have a significant effect on South Africa. Prior to conducting the interviews, pretesting was conducted by undertaking pilot tests to test the viability and reliability of the questions. Empirical evidence suggests that innovation strategies and innovation success is influenced by multiple factors, mainly technology, employee motivation and leadership. The results reflected that successful innovation in organisations cannot be achieved in silo’s but organisational support is fundamental. It was found that ideapitching platforms enhance the creation of new ideas and implementation of new innovation practices.
- Full Text:
Building blocks of innovation within a state-owned enterprise (Part One).
- Van Zyl, B., Roodt, G., Coetsee, W.J.
- Authors: Van Zyl, B. , Roodt, G. , Coetsee, W.J.
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Building blocks , Innovation , Strategic enablers , Business enablers , Human resources , Contextual setting
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:5691 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/2937
- Description: This article (part one of a two-part study) presents a literature review aimed at establishing a theoretical framework on the innovation building blocks in a state-owned enterprise (SOE). Part two of the study will focus on SOE managers’ espoused theory on the building blocks of innovation. The findings of the literature (theoretical) review, suggested that the current theoretical framework on innovation consisted of five important building blocks, namely contextual setting; strategic enablers; business enablers; foundational enablers; and human resources; each with its own categories and sub-categories. The study also identified barriers to innovation.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Van Zyl, B. , Roodt, G. , Coetsee, W.J.
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Building blocks , Innovation , Strategic enablers , Business enablers , Human resources , Contextual setting
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:5691 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/2937
- Description: This article (part one of a two-part study) presents a literature review aimed at establishing a theoretical framework on the innovation building blocks in a state-owned enterprise (SOE). Part two of the study will focus on SOE managers’ espoused theory on the building blocks of innovation. The findings of the literature (theoretical) review, suggested that the current theoretical framework on innovation consisted of five important building blocks, namely contextual setting; strategic enablers; business enablers; foundational enablers; and human resources; each with its own categories and sub-categories. The study also identified barriers to innovation.
- Full Text:
Building blocks of innovation within a state-owned enterprise (Part One).
- Authors: Van Zyl, E.M.
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Innovation , Building blocks , contextual setting , Strategic enablers , Business enablers , Human resources
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:6385 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/1128
- Description: This article (part one of a two-part study) presents a literature review aimed at establishing a theoretical framework on the innovation building blocks in a state-owned enterprise (SOE). Part two of the study will focus on SOE managers’ espoused theory on the building blocks of innovation. The findings of the literature (theoretical) review, suggested that the current theoretical framework on innovation consisted of five important building blocks, namely contextual setting; strategic enablers; business enablers; foundational enablers; and human resources; each with its own categories and sub-categories. The study also identified barriers to innovation.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Van Zyl, E.M.
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Innovation , Building blocks , contextual setting , Strategic enablers , Business enablers , Human resources
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:6385 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/1128
- Description: This article (part one of a two-part study) presents a literature review aimed at establishing a theoretical framework on the innovation building blocks in a state-owned enterprise (SOE). Part two of the study will focus on SOE managers’ espoused theory on the building blocks of innovation. The findings of the literature (theoretical) review, suggested that the current theoretical framework on innovation consisted of five important building blocks, namely contextual setting; strategic enablers; business enablers; foundational enablers; and human resources; each with its own categories and sub-categories. The study also identified barriers to innovation.
- Full Text:
A recipe for national innovate entrepreneurial activity : finance and industry with a dose of self-confidence
- Authors: Reddy, C.D.
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Innovation , Entrepreneurship , Finance
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/399506 , uj:33301 , Citation: Reddy, C.D. 2019. A recipe for national innovate entrepreneurial activity : finance and industry with a dose of self-confidence.
- Description: Abstract: We study the effect of nations’ financial and industrial contexts on their innovative share of entrepreneurship. We argue that this effect is not universally strongly positive as may be assumed from extant research. This argument is supported by analysis of 333 country-year observations for 88 countries from the GEM and World Economic Forum databases. The findings highlight how a nation’s informal institutional context moderates the effect of its objective resource context on its innovative share of entrepreneurs. In particular, they contribute to the nascent interest in the cultural processes impacting on the sense making of a nation’s innovative-oriented entrepreneurs.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Reddy, C.D.
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Innovation , Entrepreneurship , Finance
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/399506 , uj:33301 , Citation: Reddy, C.D. 2019. A recipe for national innovate entrepreneurial activity : finance and industry with a dose of self-confidence.
- Description: Abstract: We study the effect of nations’ financial and industrial contexts on their innovative share of entrepreneurship. We argue that this effect is not universally strongly positive as may be assumed from extant research. This argument is supported by analysis of 333 country-year observations for 88 countries from the GEM and World Economic Forum databases. The findings highlight how a nation’s informal institutional context moderates the effect of its objective resource context on its innovative share of entrepreneurs. In particular, they contribute to the nascent interest in the cultural processes impacting on the sense making of a nation’s innovative-oriented entrepreneurs.
- Full Text:
The feasibility of adopting clothing mass customisation in South Africa
- Authors: Aoun, M. , Thomas, P.
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Technology , Innovation , Manufacturing
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/404627 , uj:33940 , Citation: Aoun, M. & Thomas, P. 2019. The feasibility of adopting clothing mass customisation in South Africa.
- Description: Abstract: Mass Customisation (MC) is increasingly seen as a strategy to survive in the competitive clothing fashion markets. This importance to retail sales necessitates its consideration in the South African context. There is a paucity of literature on adopting MC so exploring the feasibility of MC for South African clothing manufacturers was a step in understanding what is required from manufacturers. Three corporate clothing manufacturers were selected for qualitative interviews to determine whether they currently exhibit identified competencies from literature considered essential to undertake MC. Two manufacturers exhibited key competencies of communication, human capital, flexibility and technology needed for MC success.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Aoun, M. , Thomas, P.
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Technology , Innovation , Manufacturing
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/404627 , uj:33940 , Citation: Aoun, M. & Thomas, P. 2019. The feasibility of adopting clothing mass customisation in South Africa.
- Description: Abstract: Mass Customisation (MC) is increasingly seen as a strategy to survive in the competitive clothing fashion markets. This importance to retail sales necessitates its consideration in the South African context. There is a paucity of literature on adopting MC so exploring the feasibility of MC for South African clothing manufacturers was a step in understanding what is required from manufacturers. Three corporate clothing manufacturers were selected for qualitative interviews to determine whether they currently exhibit identified competencies from literature considered essential to undertake MC. Two manufacturers exhibited key competencies of communication, human capital, flexibility and technology needed for MC success.
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Children's tool innovation across culture
- Neldner, Karri, Redshaw, Jonathan, Murphy, Sean, Tomaselli, Keyan, Jacqueline, Davis,, Dixson, Barnaby, Nielsen, Mark
- Authors: Neldner, Karri , Redshaw, Jonathan , Murphy, Sean , Tomaselli, Keyan , Jacqueline, Davis, , Dixson, Barnaby , Nielsen, Mark
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Tool innovation , Cross-cultural , Innovation
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/407171 , uj:34262 , Citation: Neldner, K. et al. 2019: Children's tool innovation across culture.
- Description: Abstract: Prior research suggests that human children lack an aptitude for tool innovation. However, children’s tool making must be explored across a broader range of tasks and across diverse cultural contexts before we can conclude that they are genuinely poor tool innovators. To this end, we investigated children’s ability to independently construct three new tools using distinct actions: adding, subtracting and reshaping. We tested 422 children across a broad age range from five geographic locations across South Africa (N = 126), Vanuatu (N = 190) and Australia (N = 106), which varied in their levels of exposure to Westernized culture. Children were shown a horizontal, transparent tube that had a sticker in its middle. Children were sequentially given each incomplete tool, which when accurately constructed could be used to push the sticker out of the tube. As predicted, older children were better at performing the innovation tasks than younger children across all cultures and innovation actions. We also found evidence for cultural variation: while all non‐Western groups performed similarly, the Western group of children innovated at higher rates. However, children who did not innovate often adopted alternate methods when using the tools that also led to success. This suggests that children’s innovation levels are influenced by the cultural environment, and highlights the flexibility inherent in human children’s tool use.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Neldner, Karri , Redshaw, Jonathan , Murphy, Sean , Tomaselli, Keyan , Jacqueline, Davis, , Dixson, Barnaby , Nielsen, Mark
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Tool innovation , Cross-cultural , Innovation
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/407171 , uj:34262 , Citation: Neldner, K. et al. 2019: Children's tool innovation across culture.
- Description: Abstract: Prior research suggests that human children lack an aptitude for tool innovation. However, children’s tool making must be explored across a broader range of tasks and across diverse cultural contexts before we can conclude that they are genuinely poor tool innovators. To this end, we investigated children’s ability to independently construct three new tools using distinct actions: adding, subtracting and reshaping. We tested 422 children across a broad age range from five geographic locations across South Africa (N = 126), Vanuatu (N = 190) and Australia (N = 106), which varied in their levels of exposure to Westernized culture. Children were shown a horizontal, transparent tube that had a sticker in its middle. Children were sequentially given each incomplete tool, which when accurately constructed could be used to push the sticker out of the tube. As predicted, older children were better at performing the innovation tasks than younger children across all cultures and innovation actions. We also found evidence for cultural variation: while all non‐Western groups performed similarly, the Western group of children innovated at higher rates. However, children who did not innovate often adopted alternate methods when using the tools that also led to success. This suggests that children’s innovation levels are influenced by the cultural environment, and highlights the flexibility inherent in human children’s tool use.
- Full Text:
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