An individual-differences model of managerial creativity was developed. Based on a
review of the creativity literature, four traits and abilities were identified as having relevance for
creativity in managers: divergent thinking, evaluative thinking, work motivation, and openness to
change, risk and ambiguity. The model was constructed by specifying behavioural descriptions
of the creative management types that were predicted to arise from various combinations of high
and low standing on these four traits and abilities. The initial model was presented to groups of
managers in order to get their input and feedback. Moving forward with a model that met the
approval of practicing managers, a concurrent validity study was designed. Tests and
questionnaires designed to measure Divergent Thinking, Evaluative Thinking, Work Motivation,
and Openness to Change, Risk and Ambiguity were administered to 223 incumbent managers,
and criterion ratings of on-the-job creative behaviour were provided by the supervisors of these
participating managers.
Results of the research indicated that the traits and abilities included in the Creative
Management Model were, indeed, important to managerial creativity. Managers who were
consulted about the model fully endorsed the importance of these traits and abilities.
Furthermore, two of the traits and abilities, Divergent Thinking and Openness to Change, Risk
and Ambiguity, demonstrated solid validity in predicting prototypical aspects of creative
management behaviour. In combination, these two variables provided a level of validity of
sufficient magnitude (in the high .40's) to provide substantial utility to organizations seeking to
increase the creativity of their management ranks by using this predictor combination for
personnel-selection purposes.
Despite the importance of the traits and abilities specified in the Creative Management
Model, the empirical linkages between these individual-difference factors and the behavioural
descriptions of the creative management types provided in the Creative Management Model were
not strong. These weak linkages are largely attributed to inaccuracy in the behavioural descriptions. Psychometric weaknesses in some of the variables also contributed.
Recommendations are made for revising the Creative Management Model and some of its
concomitant measures. The implications of the research findings for management selection and
creativity training are also discussed.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/8606 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Scratchley, Linda Sharon |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Relation | UBC Retrospective Theses Digitization Project [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/retro_theses/] |
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