Date of Completion

9-1995

Document Type

Open Access Capstone

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

First Advisor

Steven Schwartz

Second Advisor

Ellen Greenberg

Third Advisor

Leslie C. Kramer

Abstract

This work was developed with the premise that a creative corporate culture can be a competitive weapon in the world market today. It postulates that unique corporate cultures do exist and explores their development and characteristics from an anthropological point of view. This work investigates tools and methods created to help facilitate creativity in corporate cultures. Multiple examples of creativity within corporate cultures are presented against the background of twelve key causal factors. These creative episodes are all recognized by outside sources as unique and innovative, it'd fulfill the heuristic characteristics of creativity as defined by Amabile (1983). This work purports that, although there is no direct correlation between creativity and profitability, the creative corporation intuitively has an advantage in today's marketplace. The levels of organizational culture examined include assumptions, beliefs and values, patterns of behavior and artifacts. These are cross-referenced with key elements of organizational culture such as heroes, jargon, and management practices. The results are presented in a typology of the socially constructed concept of corporate culture. Multiple tools to create a context from which to study and facilitate change in corporate culture are explored. Critical thinking is employed to understand the frame of reference in which each tool was created and to judge its value in facilitating change and creativity, in an existing environment. A number of intervention models are compared and contrasted and the merits of each is explored. The transition planning model (Beckhard, 1987) is chosen to study the content of other available tools and methods because it allows the opportunity to examine culture from multiple anthropological viewpoints. It seeks to understand culture so that action can be taken, and implies that culture can be managed. It also allows for unlimited creativity, in the critical ideation stage. Finally, using Beckhard's model, available tools and methods are reviewed for understanding corporate culture and facilitating creativity,' and innovation within that context.

Included in

Business Commons

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