Managing Networks Of Creativity

The aim of the Managing Networks of Creativity is to improve our understanding of creativity and the management of creativity, as discussed in the fields of management (including strategic management, organization science, organizational behaviour, and entrepreneurship), economics, sociology, regional studies, and political science. While research on creativity has made several important contributions to the theoretical literature, little attention has been paid to the development and testing of formal theoretical models, especially in those cases where creativity is the result not so much of individual behaviour than the outcome of collective efforts, connecting individuals in organizations, social networks, projects, geographic clusters, and so forth. The proposed volume includes studies, both conceptual and empirical, which, as a whole, "deconstruct" the concept of creativity and the management of creativity by identifying specific situations, contexts, firms, clusters, and districts in which creative processes evolve. The reader is provided with in-depth discussions of theoretical issues and a range of descriptive cases and survey data that the authors use to explore or test concepts and models. Overall, the volume aims to integrate current debates concerning the role of creativity (and innovation) in economic and social development.

The aim of the Managing Networks of Creativity is to improve our understanding of creativity and the management of creativity, as discussed in the fields of management (including strategic management, organization science, organizational behaviour, and entrepreneurship), economics, sociology, regional studies, and political science. While research on creativity has made several important contributions to the theoretical literature, little attention has been paid to the development and testing of formal theoretical models, especially in those cases where creativity is the result not so much of individual behaviour than the outcome of collective efforts, connecting individuals in organizations, social networks, projects, geographic clusters, and so forth. The proposed volume includes studies, both conceptual and empirical, which, as a whole, "deconstruct" the concept of creativity and the management of creativity by identifying specific situations, contexts, firms, clusters, and districts in which creative processes evolve. The reader is provided with in-depth discussions of theoretical issues and a range of descriptive cases and survey data that the authors use to explore or test concepts and models. Overall, the volume aims to integrate current debates concerning the role of creativity (and innovation) in economic and social development.

'In many organisations creativity is so often seen as the preserve of a small number of people with "artistic temperaments" but in my experience all sorts of people have creative abilities which can be used to the benefit of a "creative" organisation. The task of a manager is to find ways of exploiting this. This Handbook provides the reader with insights to help them and others to promote the kind of creativity that adds real value.' - Greg Dyke, Chair, British Film Institute; Chair, Football Association; Chancellor, University of York, UK and Director-General of the BBC 2000-2004

From authors used to operating between the commercial, public and independent sectors of the mixed cultural economy, Understanding Creative Business bridges the gap between creative practice and mainstream business organisation, entrepreneurship and management. Using stories, case studies and exercises it discusses the positioning of creative practice within professional and business development, cultural policy-making and the wider cultural economy, and suggests what the broader field of business and management studies can learn from the informal structure and working practices of creative industries networks. Consideration is given to how ethical and moral value orientations animate creative practice and how they play into the wider debate about social responsibilities within business and public policy. The authors also explore the way creative business practices often coalesce around emergent and self-organized networks and how this signals alternative approaches to management, entrepreneurship, business organisation and collaboration. Above all else this book is about relationships; the practical examples expose the ways creative business can professionalise research, develop and sustain routes to growth through 'open' collaborative innovation and the lessons this holds for more general business innovation and policy engagements with the public domain. Written in accessible language, this book will be useful to researchers, students, educators and practitioners within the creative industries; to those working within cultural policy, arts and cultural management; and to all with an interest in management and leadership.

In the past, ‘Global Management’ meant optimizing production and commercialization activities around the world in an international business context. With the emergence and rise of the creative economy, the global game has changed. This book is about the global management of creativity and related innovation processes, and examines how companies, organizations and institutions can foster the transformation of an original idea to its successful execution and international diffusion. The Global Management of Creativity gives a clear framework for analyzing creativeness in organizations in an international context, and pinpointing important key elements that should be tracked. Comprising expert contributions and written by a wide array of leading scholars in economics, management of innovation and creativity, this book is an insightful resource. This volume provides empirical and theoretical material for managers, students and academics in the field of international management of creativity and innovation. It is also suitable for those who are interested in industrial economics, management of technology, and innovation and industrial studies.

Creativity is the emergence of something novel and appropriate, from a person, a group, a society. A creative idea or product must be novel. Yet, novelty is not enough (a novel idea may be ridiculous or nonsensical). In addition to novelty, to be creative an idea or product must also attain some level of social recognition. The individualist approaches to creativity overestimate the role of the individual and of his/her abilities (the myth of the genius). On the contrary, the socio-cultural approach emphasizes the role played by contexts in the creation process: societies, cultures and historical periods. Accordingly, the individual is seen as a member of many overlapping social groups, each of them has its own network, with a specific structure and organization, which influences the creation of networks of—potentially creative—ideas. Each individual is also a member of a culture, which gives him/her the categories used to understand the world. Finally, each individual is representative of a specific historical period. From a managerial perspective it is important to deepen the knowledge of the contexts, both spatial and cognitive, which favor ‘‘situated creativity’’ in the realm of the cultural industries. This special book offers both theoretical and empirical contributions in an attempt to build such knowledge.

Managing Creativity in Organizations addresses the notion of organizational creativity and innovation in general, and explores in some detail how it is achieved. The first part of the book critically reviews the literature on creativity. The second half explores the management of organizational creativity in the pharmaceutical industry. Here issues such as technology, cognition and leadership are introduced as central resources and practices in the management of organizational creativity and innovation. The research is based on management practices in four companies, all of whom have demonstrated a significant ability to exploit their organizational creativity.

Networking methods and the needs for competence demand flexibility and adaptability of the education systems. This text argues that every country's authority should promote networking throughout the education process in order to create a suitable environment for life-long learning.