Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the Degree of Master of Technology: Quality, Durban University of Technology, 2014. / Creativity and innovation drive organisational progress and is being heralded as the next competitive frontier for organisations. This study was initiated by current research which showed that the soft (infrastructure) quality management practices which focuses on people and culture had a greater effect on the pursuit of quality and innovation than the hard (core) quality management practices which focuses on techniques and methodology. Adopting a culture of innovation and creativity in quality instead of mere compliance, should drive the corporate quality strategy. This study made use of qualitative and quantitative research techniques by reviewing national and international related literature and used a questionnaire to investigate 54 ISO 9001 accredited South African organisations, respectively. It also investigated the degree to which creativity and innovation are practiced in these organisations, thereby exploring the gap between the importance of a factor to an organisation and the practice of the same factor. Results from Chapter 4 show that implementing innovation, the role of management and the role of government in encouraging innovation are very important but insufficiently practiced. The questionnaire revealed that hard/core factors are sufficiently practiced in quality but that the soft/infrastructure factors, which are important to innovation, are not. The respondents indicated that pursuing both quality and innovation simultaneously is an important goal and that the external and internal environment impact on innovation as much as the characteristics of the individual does. A model which attempts to consider all the factors that impact on innovation and quality is proposed. The model, called the Qic Model, consolidates previous research on innovation and quality through the Composite Model of Innovation and Quality and then proposes a tool called the Qic Assessment Matrix which can be used to strategically position an organisation or assess effort in innovation and quality. / Durban University of Technology

Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / This research project investigated differences in hypnotic suggestibility between young adults of different ethnic groups, and between male and female subjects. Further, the relationship between creativity and suggestibility in young adults was examined. Therefore, 15 white female, 11 white male and 10 black female students participated in the study. For this research, the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, the Abbreviated Torrance Test for Adults, and a biographical questionnaire on Individual Creative Background were utilized. Analyses of variances and regression were used as statistical procedures in order to analyse the data. From the findings it appears that young black South Africans are more suggestible than white South Africans. Gender differences were found regarding suggestibility, but no significant differences between white and black females. Regarding the outcomes on suggestibility and creativity, it can be concluded from the regression analysis that there is no relationship between suggestibility and creativity in this sample. It can be said that suggestibility cannot predict creativity and vice versa. It appears that young South Africans do not differ in creativity regarding cultural group or gender. Nevertheless, creativity and relationship to the parents in childhood were significantly related. Further, creativity was highly correlated with the amount of time for unstructured playtime in childhood. Reasons for results obtained are discussed and suggestions for future research made.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Innovasie is een van die sinvolste strategiese benaderings wat ’n organisasie kan ontgin om ’n mededingende voordeel te bekom. Ondanks wye belangstelling en volop literatuur, verstaan baie organisasies ongelukkig nog nie hoe om innoverend te wees nie. Innovasie is ‘n ingewikkelde konsep wat nie altyd behoorlik verstaan word of toegepas word nie. Hierdie navorsing verken die benutting van innovasie vir mededingende voordele deur dit ’n kernbevoegdheid van die organisasie te maak. Hierdie studie is op ‘n gevallestudie-strategie gegrond, en gebruik semigestruktureerde en ongestruktureerde individuele onderhoude, waarneming en dokumentêre ontledings om data in te samel. Drie gevallestudie-organisasies is doelspesifiek gekies uit organisasies wat in Namibië gebaseer is, en onderhoude is met twaalf mense oor die hiërargie van elke organisasie gevoer. Hierdie mense is op grond van doelgerigte en kriterium-gebaseerde steekproefneming gekies. ‘n Literatuurstudie is onderneem om vorige navorsing oor innovasie in konteks te plaas, en om ’n oorsig te kry van die huidige stand van innovasie-verwante navorsing. Literatuur oor die onderwerp van kernbevoegdhede met spesifieke verwysing na die verwantskap tussen kernbevoegdhede en strategie, en gevolglik ook innovasie as ‘n kernbevoegdheid van ‘n organisasie, is ook bestudeer. ‘n Spesifieke model vir die benutting van innovasie as ‘n organisatoriese bevoegdheid is deur die literatuurstudie geïdentifiseer. Hierdie model sluit ‘n raamwerk van sewe elemente in wat as tersaaklik beskou word vir die vestiging van ’n innovasievermoë in ‘n organisasie. Die toepaslikheid van die model ten opsigte van die gebruik daarvan om innovasie as ’n kernbevoegdheid van ’n organisasie te vestig en die tersaaklikheid van die sewe elemente vir die model is getoets teen die inligting wat in die gevallestudie-organisasies ingesamel is. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat die pragmatiese formulering en belyning van 'n organisasie se strategie, kernbevoegdhede en innoveringspraktyke tot groter mededingendheid kan lei. Daar is ook bevind dat die voorgestelde innovasievermoëmodel meriete het om innovasie as ’n kernbevoegdheid van die organisasie te vestig. Dit blyk ook dat die grootte van ‘n organisasie nie ‘n determinant is vir die toepaslikheid van die model nie. Dit kom ook voor of al sewe elemente van die raamwerk tot ’n mate tersaaklik is vir die aanwending van die innovasievermoëmodel. Die kombinasie van die elemente kan egter verskil. Daarby kan die tersaaklikheid en toepaslikheid van die elemente ook van mekaar verskil. Dit is egter noodsaaklik dat ‘n organisasie verstaan hoe die innovasievermoëmodel werk en ook dat die model by ‘n organisasie se strategie inkorporeer word om sodoende die praktyke en prosesse in plek te stel wat die elemente van die raamwerk vereis. Alle organisasies is inherent innoverend. Hierdie innoveringsvermoë moet net op die korrekte wyse benut en bestuur word – deur die innovasievermoëmodel te gebruik – om sodoende die innoveringsvermoë aan te wend tot die volle potensiaal daarvan. Organisasies moet ook in ag neem dat die doelwit om innovasie as ‘n kernbevoegdheid te vestig, is nie ‘n korttermyn ambisie nie, die organisasie moet die voldoende wil hê om innovasie ’n kernbevoegdheid van die organisasie te maak, en die hele organisasie moet hierby betrek word. Omdat hierdie studie op ‘n gevallestudie-ontwerp gegrond is, word die veralgemeenbaarheid van die bevindinge tot die drie gevallestudie-organisasies beperk. Hierdie navorsingstudie is hoogstens verkennend van aard omdat dit van beperkte steekproewe gebruik gemaak het. Verdere navorsing is nodig om dieper insig te verkry in die konsepte wat in hierdie studie behandel is, om ’n model of raamwerk te ontwikkel vir die belyning van strategie, kernbevoegdhede en innovasie, en ook om ’n praktiese en betroubare manier te vind om innovasievermoë te meet. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Abstract Innovation is one of the most significant strategic approaches an organisation can exploit to gain a competitive advantage. Unfortunately, despite broad interest and a vast literature, understanding of innovative behaviour in organisations remains relatively undeveloped. Innovation is a complicated concept that is not always well understood or applied. This study explores how innovation can be exploited for competitive benefits by making it a core competence of the organisation. This study made use of a case study strategy, utilising semi-structured and unstructured individual interviews, observation and documentary analysis to collect data. Three case study organisations were purposefully selected from Namibian-based organisations, and twelve people across the hierarchy of each organisation were interviewed, selected on the basis of purposeful and criterion-based sampling. A literature review was also conducted in order to put the past research done on innovation into context and to review the current state of affairs of innovation-related research. The literature on the topic of core competencies, with a specific focus on the connection between core competencies and strategy, and subsequently innovation as a core competence of an organisation, was also reviewed. Through the literature review a specific model for utilising innovation as an organisational competence was identified. This model included a framework of seven elements that were found to be relevant for establishing an innovation capability (IC) within an organisation. The applicability of the model in terms of utilising it to establish innovation as a core competence of an organisation, and the relevance of the seven elements to the model, were then tested against the information collected in the case study organisations. The findings suggest that the formulation and alignment of an organisation’s strategy, core competencies and innovation practices in a pragmatic way can enable an organisation to become more competitive. The proposed innovation capability model was also found to have merit in terms of utilising this model to establish innovation as a core competence of an organisation and all seven elements of the framework seemed to be relevant to some extent with regards to the deployment of the innovation capability model. The size of an organisation was found not be a determinant in order for the model to be applicable. The combination of elements can be different and the relevance and applicability of the elements can differ from each other as well. It is also imperative that an organisation properly understands how the innovation capability model works and to incorporate the model into the organisation’s strategy in order to establish the practices and processes that the elements of the model require. All organisations are inherently innovative, this innovativeness just needs to be fostered and managed in the proper manner – through the innovation capability model – in order to exploit innovation to its fullest potential. Organisations must also realise that the pursuit of establishing innovation as a core competence is not a short-term ambition and the organisation need to have the proper intent to establish innovation as a core competence and this intent must be shared by the whole organisation. As the study employed a case study design, the generalisability of the findings is limited to the three case study organisations. This research study is, at best, an explorative one, as it used limited samples. Further research is necessary to gain more in-depth insights on the concepts discussed in the research study in order to develop a model or framework for aligning strategy, core competence and innovation and also to find a practical and reliable way of measuring innovation capability.

Thesis (PhD (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 1996. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The development of small to medium enterprises (SME's) has various advantages for a country's economy, inter alia the creation of job opportunities. South African SME's are expected to realise these advantages, as set out in the national strategy for SME's. The turbulent national and international environment offers unique challenges to SME' s, but could also be the cause of them not meeting expectations. One possible way to secure dynamic behaviour of SME's in such a turbulent environment is to stimulate creativity. The question arises whether South African SME's are creative, and what can be done to promote their creativity. This study therefore focuses on two issues, namely creativity and SME' s. Creativity is discussed on the basis of existing theories and definitions. The primary aim of the discussion is to identify elements which can explain creativity in SME's. The following four elements are discussed: • characteristics of creative persons; • creative processes; • an environment which can support creativity; and • manifestations of creativity. The second issue under discussion framework of D'Amboise and Muldoney is SME's. An adapted (1984) was used as basis to discuss characteristics of 8ME owners, 8ME behaviour practices, and how 8ME's interact with the task environment. Conclusions regarding 8ME owners and 8ME behaviour patterns indicate that an entrepreneurial approach is conducive to creativity, and that 8ME's that interact dynamically with the environment tend to be creative. These conclusions are then integrated. Characteristics of 8ME owners, 8ME behaviour practices, creative processes, and manifestations of creativity are discussed. It was not possible to provide a list of manifestations, and therefore only an instrument for identification and classification is provided. Evaluation is subjective, which supports findings in the literature that objective evaluation is probably not possible. The integrated 8ME profile is an adapted conceptual model which serves as basis for the empirical research. This model suggests that there could be associations between characteristics of 8ME owners and 8ME behaviour practices, and manifestations of creativity. It was decided on a questionnaire for data collecting, because it is inter alia less expensive, and less time consuming for 8ME owners to complete. Questionnaires were forwarded to 3310 addresses, and 342 usable questionnaires were returned. Telephone inquiries confirmed that the low response could not be attributed to either the study or the questionnaire, but rather to factors unique to 8ME's, such as owners' limited time. After the descriptive statistics were reported, a stepwise logistic regression for binary dependant variables (creativity) and multiway analysis for categorical and ordinal explanatory variables were executed in an explorative way, in order to identify possible predictors of creativity. These predictors were then compared with the descriptive statistics to establish possible deficiencies. The most important deficiency is that the present profile of SME owners is not in equilibrium with predictors, and is therefore regarded as the most important reason why SME's are not creative. There is greater equilibrium between SME behaviour factors and predictors, but this is neutralised by non-creative SME owners. Internal (SME's) and external interventions which can create an environment conducive to creativity in SME's, are finally discussed. This approach can be visualised as an iceberg, which implies that manifestations of creativity are only perceptible if the imperceptible phase has a sound basis. This development approach is not an instant, but rather a long term process. If, however, deliberate efforts are not made to promote creativity in SME's, they will not be able to meet expectations, which could have serious consequences for the economy. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dit word algemeen aanvaar dat die ontwikkeling van klein- en mediumgroot ondernemings (KMO's) verskeie voordele vir 'n land se ekonomie kan inhou, onder andere die skep van werksgeleenthede. In Suid-Afrika word dit van KMO's verwag om hierdie voordele te realiseer, soos in die nasionale strategie vir KMO's uiteengesit. Die omgewing, wat nasionaal en internasionaal turbulent is, bied egter unieke uitdagings aan KMO's, maar kan veroorsaak dat hulle nie aan verwagtinge kan voldoen nie. Een moontlike manier om dinamiese optredes van KMO's in so 'n omgewing te verseker, is stimulering van kreatiwiteit. Die vraag ontstaan of KMO's in Suid-Afrika kreatief is, en op watter aspekte klem gelê moet word om kreatiwiteit te bevorder. Hierdie studie het daarom twee fokuspunte, naamlik kreatiwiteit en KMO's. Kreatiwiteit is bespreek aan die hand van bestaande teoriee en definisies. Die primêre doel van die bespreking was om elemente te identifiseer wat kreatiwiteit in KMO's kan help verklaar. Die volgende vier elemente is bespreek: • eienskappe van 'n kreatiewe persoon; • kreatiewe prosesse; • 'n omgewing wat kreatiwiteit kan bevorder; • manifestasies van kreatiwiteit. KMO's was as tweede fokuspunt bespreek. 'n Aangepaste raamwerk van D'Amboise en Muldoney (1984) is as basis gebruik om eienskappe van KMO-eienaars, KMO-gedragspraktyke, en KMO's se interaksie met die taakomgewing te bespreek. Gevolgtrekkings oor KMO-eienaars en KMO-gedragspraktyke het daarop gedui dat 'n entrepreneuriese benadering bevorderlik is vir kreatiwiteit, en dat KMO's wat dinamies in interaksie is met hul taakomgewing is meer geneig tot kreatiwiteit. Gevolgtrekkings betreffende bogenoemde fokuspunte is daarna in 'n KMO-profiel geintegreer. Eienskappe van KMO-eienaars, KMO-gedragspraktyke, kreatiewe prosesse, en manifestasies van kreatiwiteit is bespreek. Ten opsigte van laasgenoemde was die voorsiening van 'n lys nie moontlik nie, en is slegs 'n instrument vir identifisering en klassifisering voorsien. Die beoordeling is subjektief, maar in die literatuur is aangedui dat objektiewe beoordeling waarskynlik nie moontlik is nie. Die geintegreerde KMO-profiel is omskep in 'n konseptuele model wat as basis dien vir 'n empiriese ondersoek. Hierdie model dui moontlike assosiasies tussen eienskappe van KMO-eienaars en -gedragspraktyke, en manifestasies van kreatiwiteit aan. Daar is besluit om die vraelysmetode te gebruik om data in te samel, omdat dit onder andere goedkoper sou wees, en tydsgewys meer prakties vir KMO-eienaars om in te vul. Vraelyste is na 3310 adresse gestuur, en 342 bruikbare vraelyste is teruggekry. Tydens die data-insamelingsproses is deur telefoniese navrae vasgestel dat die lae respons nie aan die studie of vraelys toeskryfbaar was nie, maar eerder aan faktore eie aan KMO's, soos KMO-eienaars se beperkte tyd. Nadat die beskrywende statistieke gerapporteer is, is stapsgewyse logistiese regressie vir binêre afhanklike veranderlikes (kreatiwiteit) en meerrigtingtabel-analise vir kategoriese en ordinale verklarende veranderlikes op 'n eksploratiewe wyse uitgevoer om moontlike voorspellers van kreatiwiteit te identifiseer. Hierdie voorspellers is daarna met die beskrywende statistieke vergelyk om moontlike leemtes te bepaal. Die belangrikste leemte is dat die huidige profiel van KMO-eienaars nie in ewewig is met voorspellers nie, en daarom as die belangrikste rede beskou word waarom KMO's nie kreatief is nie. Daar is 'n groter mate van ewewig tussen KMO-gedragsfaktore en voorspellers, maar dit word deur nie-kreatiewe KMO-eienaars geneutraliseer. Intervensies op interne (KMO's) en eksterne gebiede wat 'n positiewe omgewing kan skep vir kreatiwiteit in KMO's, is laastens bespreek. Hierdie benadering word as 'n ysberg gevisualiseer, wat impliseer dat manifestasies van kreatiwiteit slegs sigbaar is indien 'n gesonde basis in die onsigbare fase gelê is. Hierdie ontwikkeling kan egter nie eensklaps geskied nie, maar is eerder langtermyn van aard. Indien daar egter nie 'n daadwerklike poging aangewend word om kreatiwiteit in KMO's te bevorder nie, sal hulle nie aan die verwagtinge kan voldoen nie, wat nadelige gevolge vir die ekonomie inhou.

<p>This study is a theoretical research concerning Ibn Arabi's Sufi experience and his philosophy of the &quot / unity of being&quot / (also his poetical talent). I therefore adopted the historical and analytical methodologies to analyse and reply on the questions and suggestions I have raised in this paper. Both of the methodologies reveal the actual status of the Sufism of Ibn Arabi who came with a challenging sufi doctrine. Also, in the theoretical methodology I attempt to define Sufism by giving a panoramic history of it. I have also researched Ibn Arabi's status amongst his contemporaries for example, Al-Hallaj and Ibn Al Farid, and how they influenced him as a Sufi thinker during this time.</p> <p><br /> In the analytical study I explore the poems &quot / Tarjuman al Ashwaq&quot / of Ibn Arabi, of which I have selected some poems to study analytically. Through this I discovered Ibn Arabi's Sufi inclinations and the criticisms of various literary scholars, theologians, philosophers and also sufi thinkers, both from the East and the West. In this analysis I have also focused on the artistic value of the poetry which he utilized to promote his own doctrine &quot / the unity of being.&quot / </p>

In recent years, empirical research has consistently supported an association between susceptibility to affective illness and creativity at the level of eminent achievement and at the non-eminent, or "everyday creativity" level. Although this research has provided greater evidence for the existence of this link, it has simultaneously unearthed more questions about how and why such an association exists. The purpose of this research was twofold: first, to provide further analysis of the nature of the relationship between hypomanic traits and creativity by employing a longitudinal study to determine the extent to which inter-individual differences over time in creativity are predicted by hypomanic traits. Second, the purpose of the cross-sectional analysis in the present study was to further determine how developmental components such as age and expertise may help unravel the ways in which hypomanic traits contribute to creativity and to further describe inter-individual differences among these variables. The first hypothesis, which proposed that the direction of the relationship between hypomanic traits and creativity could be predicted, was not supported by these results. The second research hypothesis was partially supported: hypomanic traits predict creativity in the combined adolescent and older adult samples. However, upon further examination of the regression analyses, the data indicate that the relationship between hypomanic traits and creativity is also influenced by age and developmental factors. Furthermore, the way in which the relationship is influenced by these other factors depends on the way in which the creativity construct is measured (e.g., process or personality. The findings suggest that the antecedents of creativity may differ between adolescents and older adults. In adolescents, the hypomanic traits measure is the only variable that predicts creative personality and creative process, while expertise is the only variable to predict creative personality and creative process among the older adults in this study. It appears expertise significantly and uniquely contributes to at least two areas of creativity in older adults, while hypomanic traits significantly and uniquely contributes to the same two areas of creativity in adolescents. Implications of these findings and limitations to this study are discussed.

An attempt will be made in this study to determine the relationship between sixth grade students' creativity in art (as measured by selected instruments) and certain socio-cultural and community factors.

The present study investigated the social adjustment (deviance), peer acceptance and academically related ability of pre-adolescent creative boys in a unique homogeneous school setting. More specifically, the study attempted to deal with the following questions: 1. What types of social deviance are characteristic of children at varying levels of creativity? 2. Is creativity more evident in children demonstrating certain socially deviant characteristics? 3. How much social acceptance is there of children demonstrating varying levels of social deviance and varying levels of creative ability? 4. What relationships exist "between creativity and intellectual ability, academic achievement and social behavior?

The purpose of this study was to compare the peer relationships of highly gifted and highly gifted-highly creative primary students in a gifted classroom of a public school. The study was conducted using thirty-one highly gifted first, second, and third graders who had scores of 140 or better on the WISC-R, WPPSI, or Otis-Lennon. At the beginning of the school year, the Creativity Assessment Packet was administered to the class. The top 20 percent scorers in the class (termed gifted-creative) and those who scored in the bottom 20 percent of the class (termed gifted) on the CAP were targeted for observation. In addition, a sociogram was administered to each student individually for the purpose of determining each child's social status. A bivariate correlation coefficient was employed to express the degree of any relationship between creativity scores and rankings on the class sociogram. Observational anecdotes were used in the discussion of the sociometric results. The following findings resulted from the study. The gifted-creative students, as a group, ranked higher on a class sociogram on measures of friendship and choice of academic work partners than did the gifted group. On sociometric measures of choice of creative work partners, there was no significant difference. During observations, the gifted students displayed approximately the same amount of positive verbal behaviors as the gifted-creative students. The gifted students did exhibit more isolated behavior, especially during academic tasks, than.did their gifted creative counterparts. The gifted-creative group displayed much more verbal and physical aggression than the gifted group. This report concludes that in the gifted classroom under investigation, gifted-creative and gifted pupils differ in their peer relationships thus supporting findings documented in past research. However, information from the sociogram seemed to suggest that the gifted-creative students, as a group, achieved higher social status within this gifted classroom than the gifted students.

"This study investigates the differences in temperament and self-concept between a group of university students scoring in the upper one-third of a distribution of creativity test scores and a group of university students scoring in the lower one-third of that distribution."--[1].