Assessing Organisational Creativity: An Innovative Benchmarking Approach

1998 ◽  
Vol 02 (03) ◽  
pp. 367-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tudor Rickards

Organisational creativity remains an ill-defined concept. Studies have failed to arrive at a convincing general theory of creativity and, more recently, attention has turned to the possibilities of middle-range theories in which creativity is treated as a context-specific phenomenon. A new approach for exploring the nature of creativity of organisations is reported with preliminary empirical results. The method draws on signalling theory applied to a database of companies generated from citations and executive nominations. Companies such as 3M, IBM, Sony, Disney and Proctor & Gamble were found to yield strong and frequent signals over extended time periods. Strong signals have also been detected from younger firms such as Microsoft, Virgin and Nike. The approach offers the possibility of industry-specific benchmarking for corporate creativity, and for testing the relationship between an organisation's creativity, innovativeness and other change-related features.

2021 ◽  
Vol XII (2) ◽  
pp. 173-179
Author(s):  
Caroline Jeffra ◽  

Investigations tackling the production techniques used by ancient potters often rely upon experimental archaeology to clarify the relationship between surface morphology, surface topography, and the techniques, methods, and gestures used in the potting process. These experimental archaeology programmes focus on creating collections of experimental vessels to compare against archaeologicallyrecovered vessels, thus allowing production techniques to be identified. Often times, however, the typesets generated are designed to address a specific intersection of qualities; replica vessels adhere to a tight range of shapes, dimensions, paste recipes, and/or forming techniques. As such, the applicability of those typesets remains narrow and context-specific. How, then, can researchers tackle assemblages with diverse vessel types? Or contexts composed of competing potting traditions? Or contexts with significant proportions of vessels from many different origins? This paper presents a new approach to the way that experimental typesets are designed, developed specifically to address the problem of reliably identifying forming techniques across multiple assemblages. By focusing on accommodating common geometric possibilities of vessel shapes, a generalised typeset can allow individuals to make use of well-documented experimental data. The typeset for the Tracing the Potter’s Wheel project was designed for broad applicability, and has been made freely accessible as a reference collection. Through the creation of and comparison against a generalised typeset, heterogeneous assemblages can be better understood and resources can be directed toward answering specific questions. This paper presents the theoretical foundations supporting the concept of a generalised typeset, as well as the practice of using a generalised typeset for analysis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 401-421
Author(s):  
David Swanson ◽  
Lakshmi Goel ◽  
Kristoffer Francisco ◽  
James Stock

PurposeGeneral theories have been criticized for their inability to explore the mechanics of more specific domain knowledge and understand how, when and where general theory applies to and extends domain knowledge in supply chain management (SCM). Middle-range theorizing (MRT) is a potential solution to this limitation. This paper aims to assist researchers in understanding the relationship between MRT and general theorizing (GT) and connecting MRT research findings to general theory.Design/methodology/approachThis research provides a structured literature review of 518 articles, from eight journals in logistics, SCM and operations management. Theoretically based articles are analyzed by primary domain and SCM context.FindingsThere are frameworks for conducting MRT; however, the literature does not sufficiently assist researchers in understanding how middle-range (MR) theory should relate to general theory. Findings include a better understanding of underserved areas in SCM, guideline frameworks for understanding when to apply MRT, when to apply GT and how MRT knowledge can be connected to SCM domain knowledge.Originality/valueThis study provides a timely and appropriate compilation of theory research in SCM, including significant implications for both theory and practice, by helping to articulate the evolving philosophy of science in SCM.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iain Mackinnon

This article employs a new approach to studying internal colonialism in northern Scotland during the 18th and 19th centuries. A common approach to examining internal colonial situations within modern state territories is to compare characteristics of the internal colonial situation with attested attributes of external colonial relations. Although this article does not reject the comparative approach, it seeks to avoid criticisms that this approach can be misleading by demonstrating that promoters and managers of projects involving land use change, territorial dispossession and industrial development in the late modern Gàidhealtachd consistently conceived of their work as projects of colonization. It further argues that the new social, cultural and political structures these projects imposed on the area's indigenous population correspond to those found in other colonial situations, and that racist and racialist attitudes towards Gaels of the time are typical of those in colonial situations during the period. The article concludes that the late modern Gàidhealtachd has been a site of internal colonization where the relationship of domination between colonizer and colonized is complex, longstanding and occurring within the imperial state. In doing so it demonstrates that the history and present of the Gaels of Scotland belongs within the ambit of an emerging indigenous research paradigm.


Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Yulia Ivanova ◽  
Anton Kovalev ◽  
Vlad Soukhovolsky

The paper considers a new approach to modeling the relationship between the increase in woody phytomass in the pine forest and satellite-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Land Surface Temperature (LST) (MODIS/AQUA) data. The developed model combines the phenological and forest growth processes. For the analysis, NDVI and LST (MODIS) satellite data were used together with the measurements of tree-ring widths (TRW). NDVI data contain features of each growing season. The models include parameters of parabolic approximation of NDVI and LST time series transformed using principal component analysis. The study shows that the current rate of TRW is determined by the total values of principal components of the satellite indices over the season and the rate of tree increment in the preceding year.


2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Mier ◽  
Miguel A. Andrade-Navarro

Abstract According to the amino acid composition of natural proteins, it could be expected that all possible sequences of three or four amino acids will occur at least once in large protein datasets purely by chance. However, in some species or cellular context, specific short amino acid motifs are missing due to unknown reasons. We describe these as Avoided Motifs, short amino acid combinations missing from biological sequences. Here we identify 209 human and 154 bacterial Avoided Motifs of length four amino acids, and discuss their possible functionality according to their presence in other species. Furthermore, we determine two Avoided Motifs of length three amino acids in human proteins specifically located in the cytoplasm, and two more in secreted proteins. Our results support the hypothesis that the characterization of Avoided Motifs in particular contexts can provide us with information about functional motifs, pointing to a new approach in the use of molecular sequences for the discovery of protein function.


Author(s):  
Talat Körpınar ◽  
Yasin Ünlütürk

AbstractIn this research, we study bienergy and biangles of moving particles lying on the surface of Lorentzian 3-space by using their energy and angle values. We present the geometrical characterization of bienergy of the particle in Darboux vector fields depending on surface. We also give the relationship between bienergy of the surface curve and bienergy of the elastic surface curve. We conclude the paper by providing bienergy-curve graphics for different cases.


2015 ◽  
Vol 808 ◽  
pp. 359-363
Author(s):  
Cristina Feniser ◽  
Florin Lungu

So far little attention has been given the differences or the compatibilities between CSR and innovation. Few works treats CSR in combination with innovation. What exactly is the relationship between CSR and innovation? Recent phenomena such as open innovation is based on the concept that the stakeholder's dialogue that overlaps with some dimensions of CSR. Being innovative means to bring organizational and technical improvements which will translate into a better position in the market. These improvements don't just aim the product, but the process by which it is obtained and its whole life-cycle. We're talking about a new approach to innovation, namely its orientation towards sustainability. Although SMEs have many features which facilitate implementation of CSR, activities of this type in such organizations are still limited. SMEs managers often make choices that are related to rational management. This leads to divergence between economical and social goals. Through a qualitative exploration of the concepts of CSR and innovation, we wanted to find out from some managers whether there is a link between innovation and CSR in SMEs and whether the activities corresponding to the two concepts overlap in a certain measure.


2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 368-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lidija Breznik ◽  
Robert D. Hisrich

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the relationship between dynamic capabilities and innovation capabilities. It links dynamic capability with innovation capability and indicates the ways they can be related. Design/methodology/approach – The relationships between dynamic and innovation capability were investigated through a systematic literature review. Findings – The review indicates that common characteristics exist between of the both fields, which demonstrate six relationships. Additionally, findings show some inconsistencies and even contradictions. Originality/value – In this paper, the authors have compared dynamic capabilities, a relatively new approach in the field of strategic management, with innovation capabilities, a widely recognised crucial domain for sustained competitiveness. Since both areas address issues that are essential to today's environment, future research should seek to clarify both concepts, by undertaking some new research and developing comprehensive and unambiguous framework.


2005 ◽  
Vol 169 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric D. Spear ◽  
Davis T.W. Ng

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) maintains an environment essential for secretory protein folding. Consequently, the premature transport of polypeptides would be harmful to the cell. To avert this scenario, mechanisms collectively termed “ER quality control” prevent the transport of nascent polypeptides until they properly fold. Irreversibly misfolded molecules are sorted for disposal by the ER-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway. To better understand the relationship between quality control and ERAD, we studied a new misfolded variant of carboxypeptidase Y (CPY). The molecule was recognized and retained by ER quality control but failed to enter the ERAD pathway. Systematic analysis revealed that a single, specific N-linked glycan of CPY was required for sorting into the pathway. The determinant is dependent on the putative lectin-like receptor Htm1/Mnl1p. The discovery of a similar signal in misfolded proteinase A supported the generality of the mechanism. These studies show that specific signals embedded in glycoproteins can direct their degradation if they fail to fold.


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