This research paper sets out the dissension between the corporate world and the scientific world concerning the versatile impingements of time pressure on creativity. On the one hand, the corporate world is widely assuming that time pressure is beneficial to creativity. On the other hand, literature reveals that creativity is disheartened by time pressure. Based upon an examination of existing literature and an exploratory study within international organizations, an interesting outcome arose. The viewpoints from both parties, the corporate world and the research world, need to be nuanced. It is interval pressure that encourages organizational creativity the most.
Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Purpose of the study
2.0 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
2.1 Theoretical background of organizational creativity
2.2 Measuring creativity and innovation
2.3 Time pressure and creativity
3.0 RESEARCH DESIGN
3.1 Research Methods
3.2 Limitations
4.0 DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
4.1 Interview with Accenture
4.2 Interview with Dinana Fashion BV.
4.3 Interview with Ernst & Young
4.4 Interview with Falco BV
4.5 Interview with Vodafone
5.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
6.0 REFERENCES
Research Objectives and Themes
This research aims to investigate the relationship between time pressure and organizational creativity, challenging the corporate assumption that constant pressure uniformly enhances creative output.
- The divergence between corporate perspectives and academic research on time pressure.
- The impact of "Corporate Anorexia Syndrome" on employee workload and perceived pressure.
- The effectiveness of interval pressure versus constant pressure for fostering innovation.
- Nuancing the "inverted-U" relationship between time pressure and creative performance.
Excerpt from the Book
2.3 Time pressure and creativity
Nowadays, pressure on the work floor is not rare. Moreover, research points out that time pressure in the corporate world is ever increasing. An important reason that is bedrock to this occurring is commonly referred to as ‘The Corporate Anorexia Syndrome’ (Andrews, 1996). This term is used to describe a situation in which the ‘fat’ has been cut from a firm beyond a level that is healthy for existence (Wysocki, 1995). In other words, getting rid of to many people has the consequence of shifting extra work to other employees. As a result, these employees experience more pressure as more work needs to be done in a shorter timeframe.
For many executives believe that time pressure encourages people to come up with best ideas, the process that results in more time pressure is unlikely to be altered. However, the assumption that is made by many executives, namely that time pressure positively influences creativity is rather questionable. In his article, Andrews (1996) state that time is an important aspect when it comes to creativity and that time pressure is a ‘creativity killer’. In addition, creativity researchers agree that ideas that seem to come ‘out of nothing’, have been percolating subconsciously for some time (Starker, 1985). Furthermore, in her article Amabile (2002) suggests that under pressure, people will not be able to come up with creative ideas. Furthermore, there is a theory called ‘activation theory’ that agrees with many other creativity researcher that the shape of an inverted ‘U’ might best characterize the time pressure-creativity relation (Gardner & Cummings, 1988). This means that after certain threshold of pressure, creativity is not encouraged. Rather, it is getting killed.
Summary of Chapters
1.0 INTRODUCTION: This chapter defines the core concepts of creativity and innovation while establishing the research problem regarding the impact of time pressure on organizational value creation.
2.0 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: This section reviews existing literature on organizational creativity, the challenges of measuring innovation, and the established theories regarding the negative effects of time pressure.
3.0 RESEARCH DESIGN: This chapter outlines the exploratory qualitative methodology, including secondary data analysis and interviews conducted with employees from five international organizations.
4.0 DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS: This chapter presents the findings from the five company interviews, highlighting diverse perceptions of pressure and its effects on creative performance in practice.
5.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: This final chapter synthesizes findings to argue that interval pressure, rather than constant pressure, is the most effective driver for organizational creativity.
Keywords
Creativity, Innovation, Time Pressure, Corporate Sustainability, Corporate Anorexia Syndrome, Value Creation, Interval Pressure, Organizational Culture, Performance, Research Methodology, Qualitative Analysis, Business Strategy, Employee Satisfaction, Teamwork, Management Practices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines the impact of time pressure on organizational creativity and questions the corporate assumption that higher pressure consistently leads to better creative outcomes.
What are the central thematic areas covered?
The research explores corporate management practices, the influence of "Corporate Anorexia Syndrome," the role of teams in creative processes, and the effect of time-pressure frequency on innovation.
What is the primary research question?
The study seeks to answer: "In which way is organizational creativity affected by time pressure under the current economic conditions?"
Which research methodology was utilized?
The author employed an exploratory qualitative approach, combining secondary literature review with primary data gathered through interviews with employees from five different companies.
What is covered in the main discussion section?
The main section details findings from interviews with employees at Accenture, Dinana Fashion BV, Ernst & Young, Falco BV, and Vodafone to contrast their experiences with academic theory.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Creativity, Innovation, Time Pressure, Corporate Sustainability, and Interval Pressure.
What is "Interval Pressure" as defined in this study?
It refers to a work pattern where periods of high pressure are interspersed with periods of low pressure, which the research identifies as the most conducive environment for creativity.
How does the "Corporate Anorexia Syndrome" affect creativity?
The syndrome, characterized by extreme management cutbacks, increases individual workload and persistent time pressure, which the interviewees suggest often hinders rather than helps the creative process.
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- Michael Margosyan (Autor:in), 2009, The Multifaceted Outcomes of Time Pressure on Creativity, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/133917
