culture: enabling creativity and innovation

Question 1

define culture according to Schneider 1988?

Answer 1

the values that lie beneath what the organization rewards, supports and expects; the norms that surround and/or underpin the policies, practices and procedures of organizations; the meaning incumbents share about what the norms and values of the organization are.’

Question 2

what are the three dominant characteristics of culture?

Answer 2

1. culture is a shared phenomenon
2. culture is exists at two levels; the visible level(artefacts, decor, buildings) and the less visible level (shared values and norms that establish behaviours)
3. culture is learned

Question 3

how does culture contribute to the promotion of creativity and innovation?

Answer 3

the components of culture are key in promoting the generation and implementation of novel and useful ideas.

innovative companies tend to have cultures which emphasis and reward values and norms, that support the implementation of new and useful ideas

Question 4

What are the 6 norms that promote creativity and innovation ? (Tushman and O’reilly 2002)

Answer 4

1. focus on idea generation
2. supporting a continuous learning culture
3. risk taking
4. tolerance of mistakes
5. supporting change
6. conflict handling

Question 5

What are the 4 norms that promote implementation (Tsunami and O’reilly 2002)?

Answer 5

1. Teamwork and effectiveness group functioning
2. speed and urgency
3. flexibility and adaptability
4. a sense of autonomy

Question 6

What are the fire pitfalls that managers are said to avoid? (Pfeffer, 2002)

Answer 6

1. over emphasis individual accountability
2. overemphasising quantitative budgets and goals
3. punishing mistakes
4. promoting internal competition
5. striving to be the same

Question 7

what are the principles of creativity and innovation? (Zen and Buckler 2004)

Answer 7

1. sustain faith and treasure identity as an innovative company
2. be truly experimental in all functions especially at the from end
3. structure real relationships between marketing and technical people.
4. generate customer inimacy
5. engage the whole organisation
6. never forget the individual
7. tell and embody powerful and purposeful stories

Question 8

Can strong, cohesive cultures hinder innovation?

Answer 8

At first glance, strong cultures that demand employees to conform to and continuously follow established norms would seem to be an anathema to creative employees

Many innovative companies are known for their strong, cohesive cultures (3M, Apple, etc.)

Strong cultures may therefore promote conformity but not uniformity (Nemeth and Staw, 1989)

It depends on the nature of the behavioural norms that prevail within the organization

Social cohesion is necessary in order to implement creative ideas and to translate creativity into innovation (Caldwell and O’Reilly, 1995).

Question 9

What is required for culture to catalyse change, innovation and creativity?

Answer 9

what are required are strong cultures that foster innovation-enhancing norms and at the same time promote the social cohesion necessary for turning ideas into product innovations.