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Title: | DETERMINANTS OF FIRM-LEVEL CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION, AND IMPLICATIONS FOR SINGAPORE | Authors: | LIM TONG HAI | Issue Date: | 1998 | Citation: | LIM TONG HAI (1998). DETERMINANTS OF FIRM-LEVEL CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION, AND IMPLICATIONS FOR SINGAPORE. ScholarBank@NUS Repository. | Abstract: | In a world of increasing competition, knowledge is a crucial factor in sustaining competitiveness. In that competition, being efficient in producing goods and services is not sufficient. The competitiveness of a firm lies also in its ability to generate and to utilize knowledge, thus requiring the firm to learn continuously and 'explore' ways to maximize the untapped mind in the organization. It is argued in the paper that to be continuously innovative and creative, there has got to be continual learning in an organization. In contrast to prevalent linear organizational perspectives, a learning organization framework which is both holistic and system-linked in reflecting the interdependent nature of learning in the organization is presented. At the heart of the learning model is the organization's learning dynamics that support and interact with the other four subsystems, namely, organization, people, knowledge, and technology. These five subsystems are dynamically interrelated and complement each other. A mail questionnaire survey was conducted on Singapore-based firms to collect information and data on the possible determinants of creativity and innovation at firm. level. The identification of determinants of firm-level creativity and innovation uses a self-modified index adapted from Ceserani and Greatwood (1995)'s Innovation Quotient and Marquardt (1996)'s survey of the profile of the learning organization. To further scrutinize the characteristics and determinants of firms' creativity and innovation, case studies of two foreign world-class innovative organizations, 3M and Hitachi, and interviews with 11 local-owned firms were conducted. The case studies of 3M and Hitachi, found that both organizations possess many of the characteristics of a learning organization. The interviews, showed that staff turnover, rewards and awards, cross departmental cooperation, and training do have some bearing on a firm's innovative and creative capability. Arising from the survey, case studies, and interviews, it was found that firm-level creativity and innovation are influenced by a collective set of mutually interacting factors and circumstances, such as organizational factors (e.g. culture, structure, vision), people (e.g customers, employees, managers), knowledge management (e.g acquisition, creation and application), technology management, and learning. Although the government may assist in creating awareness and a conducive environment that promotes innovation and creativity, ultimate success in becoming a creative and innovative organization rests with the firms themselves. Success at creativity and innovation requires each firm to sift the above determinants through its own cultural, technological and other contexts, and come up with its own unique recipe for success. | URI: | https://scholarbank.nus.edu.sg/handle/10635/175903 |
Appears in Collections: | Master's Theses (Restricted) |
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