ILROB 4260 - Managing for Creativity

Spring. 4 credits. Letter grades only.

B. Lucas.

Although most people can agree that creativity is an important concept, there is often very little agreement about what creativity is and how we can achieve it. This course surveys basic theories of creativity with the goal of applying this knowledge to the management of creativity in organizations. It focuses primarily on (1) cognitive theories about creative thought, (2) personality theories about exceptionally creative individuals, (3) social-psychological theories about creative groups, and (4) the points at which these approaches interact. The course concludes by questioning whether, given the costs involved, anyone would willingly follow the path of a creative individual or implement the practices of the most innovative firms.