investigate metrics for determining success in an innovative organization

Investigate metrics for determining success in an innovative organization as well as critical factors that can help identify organizations that will be successful at innovating. Over the next two weeks, you will apply and discuss Göran Ekvall’s method for measuring the creative climate at an organization by examining ten climate dimensions he identified.

In Module Seven, review the creative climate document and then complete the Dimensions of Creative Climate worksheet (both the document and worksheet are located in the resources area of Module Seven), which assesses Ekvall’s ten dimensions of a creative climate for your current organization; alternatively, you can measure another organization by interviewing one of its employees.

Then, write about your thoughts and address the following in your initial post:

• Were you surprised by the inclusion of any of Ekvall’s ten dimensions? Are there any additional dimensions that you think should have been included?
• Which dimension of creative climate was the hardest to evaluate?
• Share any insights or thoughts about the creative climate for the organization you evaluated. Discuss the one to two dimensions that received the highest and lowest scores.

In addition, upload the following file:

• Your completed Ekvall’s dimensions of a creative climate assessment using the dimensions of creative climate worksheet

A
 Quick
 Look
 at…
 
Creative
 Climate
 
Internal
 Conditions
 for
 Creative
 Behavior
 &
 Performance
 

 

 
What are the dimensions of a creative climate?

 
Swedish
 researcher
 Göran
 Ekvall
 identified
 10
 climate
 dimensions
 (nine
 positively
 correlated,
 and
 one
 negatively
 correlated)
 that
 
affect
 creativity
 in
 organizations.
 His
 conception
 has
 been
 validated
 by
 repeated
 studies
 in
 the
 United
 States
 and
 internationally.
 
Dimension
 
Description
 
Your
 Rating
 
Challenge
 
The
 degree
 to
 which
 members
 of
 the
 organization
 are
 involved
 in
 its
 daily
 operations
 and
 long
 term
 goals.
 
In
 a
 high
 challenge
 climate,
 people
 are
 intrinsically
 motivated
 to
 make
 contributions,
 and
 find
 joy
 and
 
meaningfulness
 in
 their
 work
 and
 invest
 much
 energy.
 

 
Dynamism
 
 
and
 Liveliness
 
The
 eventfulness
 of
 the
 life
 of
 the
 organization.
 A
 highly
 dynamic
 situation
 is
 when
 new
 things
 occur
 
often
 and
 alternations
 between
 ways
 of
 thinking
 about
 and
 handling
 issues
 often
 occur.
 The
 
atmosphere
 is
 lively
 and
 full
 of
 positive
 energy,
 “full
 speed,”
 “go.”
 

 
Playfulness
 
 
and
 Humor
 
The
 spontaneity
 and
 ease
 that
 is
 displayed.
 A
 relaxed
 atmosphere
 with
 jokes
 and
 laughter
 characterize
 
the
 organization
 which
 is
 high
 in
 the
 dimension.
 

 
Freedom
 
The
 independence
 of
 behavior
 exerted
 by
 the
 people
 in
 an
 organization.
 In
 a
 climate
 with
 much
 freedom,
 
people
 are
 given
 autonomy
 to
 define
 much
 of
 their
 own
 work.
 People
 are
 able
 to
 exercise
 discretion
 in
 
their
 day-­‐to-­‐day
 activities,
 and
 people
 take
 the
 initiative
 to
 acquire
 and
 share
 information.
 

 
Risk
 Taking
 
The
 tolerance
 of
 uncertainty
 and
 ambiguity
 exposed
 in
 the
 workplace.
 In
 the
 high
 risk-­‐taking
 climate,
 bold
 
new
 initiatives
 can
 be
 taken
 even
 when
 the
 outcomes
 are
 unknown.
 People
 feel
 as
 though
 they
 can
 “take
 
a
 gamble”
 on
 some
 of
 their
 ideas.
 People
 will
 often
 “go
 out
 on
 a
 limb”
 to
 put
 ideas
 forward.
 

 
Idea
 Time
 
The
 amount
 of
 time
 people
 can
 use
 (and
 do
 use)
 for
 elaborating
 new
 ideas.
 In
 the
 high
 idea-­‐time
 situation,
 
the
 possibilities
 exist
 to
 discuss
 and
 test
 impulses
 and
 fresh
 suggestions
 that
 are
 not
 planned
 or
 
included
 in
 the
 task.
 

 
Idea
 Support
 
The
 way
 new
 ideas
 are
 treated.
 In
 the
 supportive
 climate,
 ideas
 and
 suggestions
 are
 received
 in
 an
 
attentive
 and
 kind
 way
 by
 bosses
 and
 workmates.
 People
 listen
 to
 each
 other
 and
 encourage
 initiatives.
 
Possibilities
 for
 trying
 out
 new
 ideas
 are
 created.
 The
 atmosphere
 is
 constructive
 and
 positive.
 

 
Trust
 and
 
Openness
 
The
 emotional
 safety
 in
 relationships.
 When
 there
 is
 a
 strong
 level
 of
 trust,
 everyone
 in
 the
 organization
 
dares
 to
 put
 forward
 ideas
 and
 opinions.
 Initiatives
 can
 be
 taken
 without
 fear
 of
 reprisals
 and
 ridicule
 in
 
case
 of
 failure.
 The
 communication
 is
 open
 and
 straightforward.
 

 
Debate
 
Encounters,
 exchanges,
 or
 clashes
 among
 viewpoints,
 ideas,
 and
 differing
 experiences
 and
 knowledge.
 In
 
debating
 organizations,
 many
 voices
 are
 heard
 and
 people
 are
 keen
 about
 putting
 their
 ideas
 forward.
 
Where
 debates
 are
 missing,
 people
 follow
 authoritarian
 patterns
 without
 questioning.
 Debate
 focuses
 
on
 issues
 and
 ideas.
 

 
Conflict
 
(negatively
 
correlated)
 
The
 presence
 of
 personal,
 interpersonal,
 or
 emotional
 tensions
 (in
 contrast
 to
 idea
 tensions
 in
 the
 debate
 
dimension)
 in
 the
 organization.
 When
 a
 level
 of
 conflict
 is
 high,
 groups
 and
 individuals
 dislike
 or
 hate
 
each
 other
 and
 the
 climate
 can
 be
 characterized
 as
 “warfare.”
 Plots
 and
 traps
 are
 common,
 gossip
 and
 
back-­‐stabbing
 occur.
 

 
Source: Ekvall, G. (1996). Organizational climate for creativity and innovation. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 5 (1), 105-123.
Questions to ask about your climate






 
How
 important
 is
 creative
 behavior
 and
 performance
 in
 our
 organization?
 
How
 does
 my
 team
 rate
 on
 the
 ten
 facets?
 (Use
 the
 right-­‐hand
 column,
 above)
 
What
 happens
 in
 our
 environment
 now
 that
 is
 helpful
 and
 supportive
 to
 our
 creativity?
 
What
 happens
 in
 our
 environment
 now
 that
 is
 hindering
 our
 creativity?
 
How
 might
 we
 improve
 the
 climate
 for
 creativity?
 

 
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