FREEDOM AND CONTROL: THE DILEMMA OF CREATIVITY IN THE ORGANIZATIONAL ENVIRONMENT.
Abstract
The purpose of this study is the analysis of creativity in the context of organizations found in an advanced modern social system. The report deals with a critique of the literature related to the problems of creativity in organizations. With these criticisms in mind, the second part compares different organizations ranked by levels of creativity. Different factors of the environments (especially those relating to organizational control and feelings of individual freedom) which influence creativity levels are analysed. Eight environments were chosen for study to include industrial labs, government labs, and academic labs. The first case study analyses the severe constraints on creativity which can occur in an organization operated under Public Health regulation. Four labs that exhibit different levels of creativity are compared. Propositions are generated to explain these differences. These propositions are tested in three academic labs which are assumed to have more creative environments. The conclusions include recommendations for altering the theoretical framework offered by the literature, and recommendations for organizations wishing to foster creativity in their participants.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0635261
Entities
People
- Harper Brown Keeler
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology