Vol: 1, Issue: 1 2011

Page: 001-006

A Model of Creativity and Innovation in Organizations

Rama Chandra Nayak, Ramesh Agarwal

As reported by Amabile et al. (1996:1154): “All innovation begins with creative ideas. We define innovation as the successful implementation of creative ideas within an organization. In this view, creativity by individuals and teams is a starting point for innovation; the first is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the second". As creativity is an important source of organizational innovation as well as competitive advantage (Amabile, 1988, 1996; Oldham & Cummings, 1996), organizations are increasingly seeking to foster it. Different managerial practices influence the work environment, which is one of the major factors impacting on creativity within business organizations (Couger, 1995). Therefore, managers face the challenge of creating the right context and conditions for creativity to flourish (Shalley, Gilson & Blum, 2000).