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Recognising the Value of Creativity and Innovation in Organisations: Recognition is Not Enough
Anne E. Herman, M.A., Research Consultant, Kenexa; and
Jeffrey M. Saltzman, M.S., New York Practice Leader, Kenexa
Organisations have increasingly become interested in creativity and innovation, in part as a response to the pressures associated with globalisation, competition, economic factors, and technology changes.
An outcome or result is interpreted as creative if it is both novel and appropriate (Amabile, 1996). Though much of the early research on creativity focused on major breakthroughs or radical ideas in science and art (referred to as "Big C"), these kinds of creative activities would not be functional in organisations. In the context of an organisation we need creative output (e.g., solution, product) to have a suitable fit within the organisational vision and goals. Thus, the opportunity for most of us to be creative will be different. We are more likely to be presented with the opportunities to be creative in less extreme ways, such as the adaptation of a process or solving a problem (known as "little c").
Many organisational leaders see creativity as an opportunity for gaining a sustainable competitive advantage.
Creating Culturally Sensitive Behaviour Change in Organisations
Jeffrey A. Jolton, Ph.D., Kenexa; and Anne E. Herman, M.A., Kenexa
Many organisations are seeking to create a "global footprint."
This article introduces perspectives on how to create individual and organisational behaviour change in response to organisation assessments and development efforts (employee surveys, multisource feedback, etc.) in a way that is sensitive to the regional and organisational cultures where the change is desired.
In doing so, many common business practices need to be sensitive to, and adjusted for, the impact of local culture on the implementation of such practices.
Communication Strategies to Ensure Your Employee Survey is a Success
Anne E. Herman, M.A., Kenexa; Nancy Delay Ph.D., Kenexa; and Ritu Mohanka, Kenexa
Once the decision has been made to conduct an employee survey, it is important for the organisation to begin building momentum.
A well-done employee survey will rely on participation from the members of the organisation on its design, administration, participation and follow-through. Therefore, it becomes essential to ensure that communication supports the entire process from development to execution of related organisational development objectives.
How to Hire Without Regret
Esther Heinz, Ph.D., Kenexa; and Ritu Mohanka, Kenexa
When you consider the immense amount of time and resources a company puts into hiring new employees, it shows the importance of the hiring process.
It is no wonder that the existence of numerous risks during this process lead to inappropriate decisions and outcomes. These link a well-known effect in ‘decision’ literature to the field of human resources. This effect asks the question, "Do you have already too much invested to quit?" In other words, do you persist with your initial decision just because you’ve already spent too much effort, time or money on trying to make it work—your "sunk cost?"
ALAMO: A Model of Individual, Team and Organizational Performance
David Bracken, Ph.D., Executive Consultant, Kenexa
Models are often mathematical or graphical expressions of a concept that guide discussion, research, and (hopefully) action. For example, in the January issue of Kenexa Connection, my article 360° Feedback: Change is Coming referenced the Congruence Model of organizational performance introduced by Nadler and Tushman (1989), which is used to guide organization interventions through a systems perspective. This model is designed to apply to groups, such as organizational units or teams, but is not useful for guiding individual performance.
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