Creativity and Innovation

Creativity is not just for artists. In fact, it is a fundamental requirement for success regardless of functional role, place in the organizational hierarchy, or industry sector. In the world of business, creativity manifests as innovation. According to a recent survey of 1,500 C-level executives by IBM, creativity is the number one leadership competency required to effectively navigate our increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world. Given this, creativity has become as important as literacy. Whether operating in the corporate, startup, social entrepreneurship, not-for-profit, or public sectors, organizations increasingly need people who understand the creative process; know how to manage, motivate, and engage creative professionals; and can develop an organizational culture that encourages experimentation, considers the inevitable failures as learning opportunities, and enables innovative outcomes. This course focuses on best practices in creativity and innovation, exploring the interplay between creativity, organizational processes and systems, and successful innovation. Throughout the course we explore tools and techniques for fostering individual and group creativity, management practices that foster (or inhibit) innovation, methods for developing and evaluating ideas for new products and services, the business models to execute these ideas, and principles and practices for leading innovation. Using a variety of readings, case examples, discussions, experiential exercises, and a team project, students explore and apply the principles of creativity and innovation.