RESEARCH HANDBOOK OF INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY FOR MARKETING MANAGEMENT BY ERIC SHIU (ELGAR, 2017)
1. WHAT THIS BOOK IS ALL ABOUT
The connection between innovation and creativity has been taken for granted. Innovation and Creativity for Marketing Management looks into the nature of this connection and its implications. How and when it happens have puzzled the research community and innovation practitioners. There are still those who confuse innovation, invention and creativity. Thus, Shiu’s collection of articles is timely and it will continue to be so for a long while. The book brings together works from both fields, backed by cases and discussions, illuminating how to manage creativity for innovation in marketing.
2. HOW DID THEY DO IT?
Authors in this collection have a global background, although their affiliations are mostly EU based. The papers cover several fields where creativity and innovation are central components: product design, service industry and music in advertisement among others. In addition the authors cover consumer role, strategy, organization, resistance and the role of personality in creativity.
3. HOW YOU CAN USE THIS BOOK
It is clear that Shiu’s book is an useful reading for managers who realize that, without creativity there is no innovation. It also opens the path for further research about the interfaces between creativity and innovation, a non trivial subject. So, it is a must reading for graduate students looking for new paths. We do have a critical issue, for without creativity, there is no innovation. Societies, cultures and companies that restrict creativity will not be competitive in a world economy which is driven by innovation. Political and social systems that do not allow individuals, groups and companies to be creative are risking their own future, their dynamic stability and their own well being. So this book is good reading for those interested in background information on political and social developments. Furthermore, we need to quantify the relationships between innovation and creativity. While this book does not address this issue, its articles provide inspiration in our efforts to identify these variables for the functions liking the two processes.
4. MY PITCH
Creativity is not innovation, but without creativity there is no innovation. At the same time, innovations may motivate, inspire and generate the settings where creativity flourishes.
From my perspective, which is not the authors’, innovation is the new element introduced in a network which reduces the transaction costs, or increases the value of transactions, between at least two nodes in the network. So, within this perspective, what is creativity? Consider that the new element must come from somewhere, from one of the nodes in the network. This node may be an individual, a group, a company, or a culture. The new element is a function of several variables, one of which is creativity. In a simple case I consider creativity as behaving like a delta function. When it does not exist, or does not reach a certain level, its value is zero – nothing happens despite other events in the network. It is from this perspective that I read the papers in this handbook collection.
The article by Klausen, ”What is innovation?” would certainly have gained if author would have taken my approach. Klausen’s definition, ”innovation occurs if and only if there is an intentional production of something which is new and fairly useful (to a novel degree) to a person or (preferably) a larger group” (p. 27) can be consider a particular case of the transaction cost – network approach. His discussion about what is and what is not innovation, as well as on the relationship between innovation and creativity, is very useful. As Klausen points out, innovation is related to what is new, including as we look into the origin of the word.
Shiu’s paper on product design innovation is informed by field work in the UK. It identifies four variables of relevance: functionality, sustainability, aesthetics and self-identity with a not straightforward trade offs between them. Functionality is favored by consumers.
Rasulzada points out that there are plenty of myths about creativity. Some elements are true. For instance trust and safety may encourage creativity. More important, it is possible to have an organizational structure which will promote creativity. ”Being creative is … to prefer the unsafe” ( p. 75). For Tran, the customer can play a crucial role in innovation. Co-innovation has received increased attention by the research community, but more empirical work is needed. Customers have evolved from buyers in the 1970s to co-creators of value after 2000.
Salari’s piece is of great interest to me, given my view of creativity with a kind of delta function behavior. Culture, both at the broader level and at the company and family levels, is fundamental in the support or the resistance to innovation. A framework is presented but the article is too short. It would really need further development to fit a handbook collection. Hoff and Carlsson’s is a more solid piece, discussing the influences of personality in creativity. As I read it, I can only think that, depending on the person, the needed level of the delta function is never reached. But why or why not? In this respect the table on Goldberg’s big five factors is very informative (p. 171). The article discusses several approaches and insists on the need to combine them in our support to Leaders and managers who want to promote creativity in their organizations.
Tan takes a direct approach and considers how meditation can be a factor in the management of creativity. Meditation, chan or zen is to reach the middle ground in the management towards happiness. But chan is not zen, the meaning differences lost in translation due to the poverty of the English language, as our same word is use for both meanings. Tan is inspired by the theory to convert creativity, which expands on both meanings. Tan’s point of departure is the Hu’s chan – Suzuki’s zen debate. So, should management consider the staff’s full life to promote creativity? How do we consider this in a world where work is considered an outsider to life’s necessity of survival? ”The practice of chan / zen for social engagement is about creative synthesis of cultural practices (for example, customs and traditions) and a modernized way of managing life of the collection” (p. 219).
In all the chapters, the authors struggle with the problem of circularity in definitions. How to discuss innovation without using the word innovation? But it is clear , without creativity there is no innovation, and this book solidly argued for this, despite the non-linearity of the relationship.
5. WHAT IS NEXT?
As long as the debate on the relationship between innovation and creativity is not closed, this book is an important reading. Thus, it provides inspiration for research. Some article should be further expanded, and this may be carried out by other authors. The book raises the very important issue of the limitations of the English language as an operational language for reporting on research and its results. If we are going to continue to use English, further words need to be imported. The handbook also inspired our search for the variables that are relevant as inputs to the function describing the relationship between innovation and creativity.
6. WHERE TO FIND IT?
Research Handbook of Innovation and Creativity for Marketing Management
Edited by Eric Shiu, Director of Education, Department of Marketing, University of Birmingham, UK (Cheltenhamn, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, 2017). ISBN: 9780857937940
https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/research-handbook-of-innovation-and-creativity-for-marketing-management
7. HOW MANY CABRAL POINTS FOR THIS BOOK?
In a scale from 0 to 10, where ten is the absolute best, Research Handbook of Innovation and Creativity for Marketing Management by Shiu receives 7.5.
Review by Regis Cabral, 19 July 2018
1. WHAT THIS BOOK IS ALL ABOUT
The connection between innovation and creativity has been taken for granted. Innovation and Creativity for Marketing Management looks into the nature of this connection and its implications. How and when it happens have puzzled the research community and innovation practitioners. There are still those who confuse innovation, invention and creativity. Thus, Shiu’s collection of articles is timely and it will continue to be so for a long while. The book brings together works from both fields, backed by cases and discussions, illuminating how to manage creativity for innovation in marketing.
2. HOW DID THEY DO IT?
Authors in this collection have a global background, although their affiliations are mostly EU based. The papers cover several fields where creativity and innovation are central components: product design, service industry and music in advertisement among others. In addition the authors cover consumer role, strategy, organization, resistance and the role of personality in creativity.
3. HOW YOU CAN USE THIS BOOK
It is clear that Shiu’s book is an useful reading for managers who realize that, without creativity there is no innovation. It also opens the path for further research about the interfaces between creativity and innovation, a non trivial subject. So, it is a must reading for graduate students looking for new paths. We do have a critical issue, for without creativity, there is no innovation. Societies, cultures and companies that restrict creativity will not be competitive in a world economy which is driven by innovation. Political and social systems that do not allow individuals, groups and companies to be creative are risking their own future, their dynamic stability and their own well being. So this book is good reading for those interested in background information on political and social developments. Furthermore, we need to quantify the relationships between innovation and creativity. While this book does not address this issue, its articles provide inspiration in our efforts to identify these variables for the functions liking the two processes.
4. MY PITCH
Creativity is not innovation, but without creativity there is no innovation. At the same time, innovations may motivate, inspire and generate the settings where creativity flourishes.
From my perspective, which is not the authors’, innovation is the new element introduced in a network which reduces the transaction costs, or increases the value of transactions, between at least two nodes in the network. So, within this perspective, what is creativity? Consider that the new element must come from somewhere, from one of the nodes in the network. This node may be an individual, a group, a company, or a culture. The new element is a function of several variables, one of which is creativity. In a simple case I consider creativity as behaving like a delta function. When it does not exist, or does not reach a certain level, its value is zero – nothing happens despite other events in the network. It is from this perspective that I read the papers in this handbook collection.
The article by Klausen, ”What is innovation?” would certainly have gained if author would have taken my approach. Klausen’s definition, ”innovation occurs if and only if there is an intentional production of something which is new and fairly useful (to a novel degree) to a person or (preferably) a larger group” (p. 27) can be consider a particular case of the transaction cost – network approach. His discussion about what is and what is not innovation, as well as on the relationship between innovation and creativity, is very useful. As Klausen points out, innovation is related to what is new, including as we look into the origin of the word.
Shiu’s paper on product design innovation is informed by field work in the UK. It identifies four variables of relevance: functionality, sustainability, aesthetics and self-identity with a not straightforward trade offs between them. Functionality is favored by consumers.
Rasulzada points out that there are plenty of myths about creativity. Some elements are true. For instance trust and safety may encourage creativity. More important, it is possible to have an organizational structure which will promote creativity. ”Being creative is … to prefer the unsafe” ( p. 75). For Tran, the customer can play a crucial role in innovation. Co-innovation has received increased attention by the research community, but more empirical work is needed. Customers have evolved from buyers in the 1970s to co-creators of value after 2000.
Salari’s piece is of great interest to me, given my view of creativity with a kind of delta function behavior. Culture, both at the broader level and at the company and family levels, is fundamental in the support or the resistance to innovation. A framework is presented but the article is too short. It would really need further development to fit a handbook collection. Hoff and Carlsson’s is a more solid piece, discussing the influences of personality in creativity. As I read it, I can only think that, depending on the person, the needed level of the delta function is never reached. But why or why not? In this respect the table on Goldberg’s big five factors is very informative (p. 171). The article discusses several approaches and insists on the need to combine them in our support to Leaders and managers who want to promote creativity in their organizations.
Tan takes a direct approach and considers how meditation can be a factor in the management of creativity. Meditation, chan or zen is to reach the middle ground in the management towards happiness. But chan is not zen, the meaning differences lost in translation due to the poverty of the English language, as our same word is use for both meanings. Tan is inspired by the theory to convert creativity, which expands on both meanings. Tan’s point of departure is the Hu’s chan – Suzuki’s zen debate. So, should management consider the staff’s full life to promote creativity? How do we consider this in a world where work is considered an outsider to life’s necessity of survival? ”The practice of chan / zen for social engagement is about creative synthesis of cultural practices (for example, customs and traditions) and a modernized way of managing life of the collection” (p. 219).
In all the chapters, the authors struggle with the problem of circularity in definitions. How to discuss innovation without using the word innovation? But it is clear , without creativity there is no innovation, and this book solidly argued for this, despite the non-linearity of the relationship.
5. WHAT IS NEXT?
As long as the debate on the relationship between innovation and creativity is not closed, this book is an important reading. Thus, it provides inspiration for research. Some article should be further expanded, and this may be carried out by other authors. The book raises the very important issue of the limitations of the English language as an operational language for reporting on research and its results. If we are going to continue to use English, further words need to be imported. The handbook also inspired our search for the variables that are relevant as inputs to the function describing the relationship between innovation and creativity.
6. WHERE TO FIND IT?
Research Handbook of Innovation and Creativity for Marketing Management
Edited by Eric Shiu, Director of Education, Department of Marketing, University of Birmingham, UK (Cheltenhamn, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, 2017). ISBN: 9780857937940
https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/research-handbook-of-innovation-and-creativity-for-marketing-management
7. HOW MANY CABRAL POINTS FOR THIS BOOK?
In a scale from 0 to 10, where ten is the absolute best, Research Handbook of Innovation and Creativity for Marketing Management by Shiu receives 7.5.
Review by Regis Cabral, 19 July 2018
Inga kommentarer:
Skicka en kommentar