Organisations need to foster continuous innovation in order to effectively compete in today’s global marketplace. Corporate Entrepreneurship (CE) can be seen as an effective strategy in ensuring organisation performance and sustained competitiveness. It is common understanding that top management guide and shape strategy however very little understanding exists on the role that middle managers play in its execution. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences/similarities in middle management perceptions of the internal CE environment within four South African industry sectors. A further aim was to identify the effect of biographical variables within the middle management level on the perception of CE. The eight-factor 34-item solution for the Corporate Entrepreneurship Assessment Instrument (van Wyk & Adonisi, 2011) was used to collect data from 172 respondents. This study identified significant differences and similarities in middle manager perceptions on CE within the four industries. It becomes evident that understanding the economic sector constraints on organisational culture plays a crucial role in determining organisational CE environment. It was also discovered that biographic variables such as age, tenure and gender play no signifficant role in determining middle manager perceptions of CE. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / zkgibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / Unrestricted

Um dos pontos de relevância do Relatório da Comissão Mundial do Meio Ambiente e Desenvolvimento, de 1987 diz respeito a utilização não predatória dos recursos naturais e com a degradação do meio ambiente. As inovações surgem como meio de se atingir estes objetivos e as organizações tem um importante papel a cumprir neste sentido. Os estudos organizacionais sobre ecoinovação (EI) estão concentrados em países desenvolvidos e a literatura tem recomendado novas pesquisas para se analisar fatores e condições específicas em países em desenvolvimento. Seguindo esta recomendação a pesquisa buscou identificar os direcionadores de ecoinovações, nas indústrias instaladas no Polo Industrial da Zona Franca de Manaus e concomitantemente os obstáculos e orientação à inovação dessas organizações. Do ponto de vista metodológico a pesquisa se desenvolveu sob a forma de estudo de caso, a ser analisado sob as perspectivas qualitativa e quantitativa. A abordagem qualitativa e exploratória foi desenvolvida através de entrevistas e analisadas por meio de análise de conteúdo. A abordagem quantitativa foi realizada por meio de survey em uma amostra de empresas industriais instaladas em Manaus. A pesquisa contribui com a teoria de ecoinovação na Zona Franca de Manaus, identificando direcionadores regionais de ecoinovação conforme proposto em estudos anteriores. A biodiversidade amazônica é o principal fator potencial que pode direcionar ecoinovações, através do desenvolvimento de novos produtos, por meio de biotecnologias, biofármacos, biocosméticos e fitoterápicos (plantas medicinais). Outros direcionadores identificados estão relacionados às mudanças na legislação local, recursos para Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, cursos inovadores, desenvolvimento de processos reversos (reutilização de resíduos em processos produtivos), certificação ambiental, competitividade, criatividade e continuidade dos negócios. As dificuldades e obstáculos mais relevantes estão relacionados à desarticulação entre empresas, academia e órgãos governamentais decorrentes da falta de um sistema de inovação estruturado e de um modelo de inovação consolidado. Outros entraves decorrem de problemas de natureza econômica e gerencial, razões de ordem cultural, operacional e política. Por fim, a pesquisa proporcionou insights para a proposição de estudos futuros relacionados a direcionadores de ecoinovações, deficiências e entraves à consolidação dos sistemas de inovação e seus impactos sobre o desenvolvimento de novos produtos e processos, obstáculos a integração entre os agentes da tríplice hélice (academia, empresas e governo) e seus reflexos sobre o desenvolvimento de inovações, orientação e obstáculos a inovação relacionados com a performance organizacional (performance, financeira, tecnológica e ambiental). / Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas, FAPEAM. / One of the points of relevance of the Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development of 1987 concerns the non-predatory use of natural resources and the degradation of the environment. Innovations emerge as a means to achieve these goals and organizations have an important role to play in this regard. Organizational studies on eco-innovation (EI) are concentrated in developed countries and the literature has recommended new research to analyze specific factors and conditions in developing countries. Following this recommendation, the research sought to identify the drivers of eco-innovations in the industries installed in the Industrial Pole of the Manaus Free Trade Zone and concomitantly the obstacles and orientation to the innovation of these organizations. From the methodological point of view the research was developed in the form of a case study, to be analyzed under the qualitative and quantitative perspectives.The qualitative and exploratory approach was developed through interviews and analyzed through content analysis. The quantitative approach was performed through a survey of a sample of industrial companies located in Manaus. The research contributes to eco-innovation theory Manaus Free Trade Zone, identifying regional drivers as proposed in previous studies. Amazonian biodiversity is considered the main potential factor that can guide eco-innovations, through the development of new products, through biotechnologies, biopharmaceuticals, bio-cosmetics and herbal medicines. Other identified drivers are related to changes in local legislation, resources for Research and Development, innovative courses, development of reverse technologies (reuse of waste in productive processes), environmental certification, competitiveness, creativity and business continuity. The most relevant difficulties and obstacles are related to the disarticulation between companies, academia and government bodies due to the lack of a structured innovation system and a consolidated innovation model. Other obstacles stem from economic and managerial problems, cultural, operational and political reasons. Finally, the research provided insights for the proposal of future studies related to drivers of eco-innovations, deficiencies and obstacles to the consolidation of innovation systems and their impacts on the development of new products and processes, obstacles to integration among the agents of the triple helix (universisties companies, and government) and its reflections on the development of innovations, orientation and obstacles to innovation related to organizational performance (financial, technological and environmental).

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Problem representation/problem finding skills are frequently the catalyst facilitating adroit knowledge base access and subsequent positive creative outcomes in adult populations. To determine whether judged creativity is similarly enhanced through young adolescents' use of a working title representation strategy within a curriculum knowledge base, 40 Latino partyicipants at two Southern California middle schools received brief written interactive directions for one of two different types of problem representation or a third, non-representational control group.

This dissertation was the first in the field of Occupational Therapy to sub-classify and define Creativity under the headings Creative Ability, Creative Response, Creative Act and Creative Capacity, and the first to identify maximal response to challenge as the means by which Creative Growth occurs in therapy. Occupational Therapists have traditionally used the word 'Creativity' to describe a treatment medium. We seek to nurture the Creativity inherent in each individual allowing our clients to reach their full potential. While based on the philosophies of Existentialism and Phenomenology the study nevertheless suggests a psycho-analytical role utilizing Maslows Hierarchy of Needs. In defining the Philosophical-psychological, Physical, Social and Psychical Nature of Creativity the writings of early theorists including Martin Buber and H.J.V. du Toit are referenced. The 4 stages of the Creative Process (Wallas) are related to the key concepts of Awareness, Commitment and Intentionality. The final stage is presented dialectically as Verification of Existence, Meaning and Significance providing Occupational Therapists with therapeutic principles relating to values. An examination of Conformity and Creative Response presents guidelines for the grading of Human Occupations. Socially Valid and Existential Norms are defined and principles for applications are proposed. Suggestions for further work in Occupational Therapy are put forward. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 1970. / gm2013 / Occupational Therapy / unrestricted

Numerous occupation-based models and several authors have mentioned the importance for occupational therapists of taking into account the effect of, in particular, the individual environment on people‘s participation in occupations, during their assessments and treatment. Recent developments within the profession, relating to the terms 'occupational deprivation,' 'occupational justice,' and 'occupational apartheid' have further urged therapists to also consider the structural environment, its effects and ways of countering those effects; not only for individuals, but for entire communities, and not only for people living with disabilities, but for all people. In addition, the development of the World Health Organisation‘s international classification of functioning, disability and health has given health care providers a useful tool for considering various aspects of the environment and their possible health consequences; though the interaction between the various factors and their effect on participation isn‘t clearly described. Several experiences in communities of people living in poverty, both during my under-graduate studies and during my community service year, led me to consider the effect of environmental factors on the creative participation of people. Though the Vona du Toit Model of Creative Ability did acknowledge the possible effect of the environment on individuals‘ creative capacity, it failed in providing an explanation for what I was seeing. Du Toit had suggested that the effects of the environment on people should be thoroughly tested and other authors seemed to agree. Thus, this autoethnographic research study aimed to explore how internal and external factors impacted on the creative participation of people living in an inner city slum. Drawing from the experiences of a purposive, illustrative and opportunistic sample, and through passive- and participant observations, I took a glimpse into the sub-culture within, and the perceived impact of the environment on people‘s creative participation, making no claims on generalisation. The results of this study indicate that occupational therapists have underestimated the effect of the environment in terms of the range of factors that have an effect on people‘s creative participation, the complexity of the interplay between the structural- and individual environment and the importance of the perceived environment. / Dissertation (MOccTher)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Occupational Therapy / unrestricted

Summaries after each chapter / Flourishing organisations realise that employees make a critical difference when it comes to competitiveness, performance and innovativeness. Employees are required to be dedicated, energetic and absorbed in their work (Bakker & Schaufeli, 2008). In short, organisations require employees who are engaged. The general aim of this research was to use a controlled experimental research design to establish whether the participation of employees in an emotional intelligence intervention would increase their levels of emotional intelligence and thus improve their levels of work engagement. The researcher concluded that the intervention did not result in a significant increase in the employees’ levels of emotional intelligence and work engagement. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Imagination and creative self-efficacy are important components of the creative process and outcomes but are rarely investigated together. To explore the relationship between personality factors, imaginative thinking, and creative self-efficacy, survey responses were gathered from university students in a southwestern region in the United States (n = 1,731). Personality was measured using the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP), imagination was measured using the Imaginative Capability Scale (ICS), and creative self-efficacy was measured using items based on reliability in previous studies. Participants were asked to complete the three surveys along with demographic information through an online format. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted first to confirm measurements used. After fit indices confirmed measurement models used, subsequent analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling (SEM). The model of best fit supported creative self-efficacy as a strong predictor of all three factors of imagination. Additionally, the model indicated a strong relationship between conscientiousness and conceiving imagination as well as other notable relationships with personality factors.

Creativity is a complex construct that is conceptualized and measured in multiple ways. This study examined the relationship between creativity and personality taking this into account. It was hypothesized that applying different conceptions and measures would cause variation in the creativity-personality relationship. The participants (N = 224) were undergraduate students completed six creativity measures, a personality inventory, and a demographic questionnaire. Personality predicted more creative production (R2 = .277) than creative potential (R2 = .176) and more self-reported creativity (R2 = .348) than that which was externally-rated (R2 = .149). Personality predicted creativity beyond demographic and intellect variables, but the effects varied based on the creativity measure. Openness was most consistently and strongly related to creativity. Other personality factors demonstrated suppression effects in multiple models. Overall, the results suggest that despite relatively small effects of personality on creativity, it can help strengthen prediction in creativity models. Implications for educational settings and future research are discussed.

Organizational leaders often seek to hire and retain innovative employees as a source of competitive advantage. Both transformational leadership and effectively managed workplace diversity have been theorized and shown to lead to increased employee creative performance at work; however, a full model of the relationships between leadership and the multi-dimensional construct of workplace diversity has not yet been tested. Using a sample of 371 employees in three Chinese high-technology firms matched with 64 supervisors collected at three time points, this study theorized and tested a moderated mediation path model in which transformational leadership and diversity climate were predicted to significantly interact to influence the workplace diversity constructs of organizational justice and organizational identity, which in turn, influence individual creative performance. Based on major theories of leadership, diversity, and creativity, several partial mediation hypotheses are presented, including diversity climate as a mediator of the relationship between transformational leadership and creative performance as well as organizational justice and organizational identity as mediators of the relationship between the interaction of transformational leadership and diversity climate and creative performance. Several single- and multilevel path analyses were conducted to test the model, using two measures of creative performance: self-ratings and supervisor ratings. The results showed that the interaction of transformational leadership and diversity climate significantly predicted self-rated creative performance, and organizational identity significantly predicted supervisor ratings of creative performance. In addition, transformational leadership was found to significantly predict diversity climate and organizational justice was a significant predictor of organizational identity. Finally, transformational leadership had a significant indirect effect on creative performance through diversity climate. The contributions of this study to three major bodies of literature, as well as the implications of the results for research and practice, are discussed.