Re-Inventing Organizational Creativity and Innovation through Adopting a Service-Based Working Culture

Introduction

In recent years, researchers have increasingly focused on the socio-cognitive aspects of creativity and innovation management. In addition to the many observations related to organisational learning (see e.g. Cirella, Canterino, Guerci, & Shani, 2016; Lozano, 2014; Senge, 2006) and employee motivation (see e.g. Lozano, 2014) in various socially connected internal and external networks (Bergman, Jantunen, & Tarkiainen, 2015), considerable contributions have been made to the development of open communication, non-hierarchical working cultures and decentralised decision-making (Angle, 1989). Yet, more information and knowledge are needed to understand how these multiple cognitive, structural and procedural mechanisms will affect organisational creativity and innovation (Burdon, Al-Kilidar, & Monney, 2013). While the need and possibilities for learning have increased, so also have the challenges of building such capabilities (Senge, 2006).

Considering the emerging digital transformation, as well as the uncontrolled nature of information creation and sharing in globalised social networks, the influence and power of acquired information and knowledge have been substantially decentralised (see e.g. Hanna, Rohm, & Crittenden, 2011). Against the backdrop of the changing dynamism of social environments, the levels and frequencies of creative behaviours are varying accordingly (Amabile, Conti, Coon, Lazenby, & Herron, 1996a; McLean, 2005). That is, the liquefaction of many previously tangible products and services has resulted in a growing need to adapt a new, virtually connected worldview, both initiated and supported by social media (2016). Uncertain about the emerging new working environments, companies are urged to re-evaluate their organisational cultures, management practices, patterns of behaviour and structures (Anderson, Potocnik, & Zhou, 2014; Bilton, 2014).

Indeed, given the criticality of creativity for organisational competitiveness (Amabile & Kramer, 2011), more in-depth knowledge and information are needed on

• 1.

  Why and to what extent organisational culture affects creativity and innovation, and

• 2.

  How to develop creativity and innovation in the various socially connected networks of individuals, teams and institutions (Koskela-Huotari, Edvardsson, Jonas, Sörhammar, & Witell, 2016; Vargo, Wieland, & Akaka, 2015).

By manifesting increasingly informal collaborative and decision-making practices and leaderships and by taking turns or coexisting within teams and networks that render services to one another, modern (business) organisations are growing increasingly connected to the notions of value creation and service-based thinking.

In order to offer theoretical, yet practice-oriented guidance on making the required fundamental shift in thinking about cooperation, connectivity and innovation in rigorously changing working environments, this study builds on the theoretical grounds of the Service-Dominant Logic and Complex Adaptive Systems theory, both of which represent novel ways of understanding complex, digitally enabled service ecosystems (Barros & Dumas, 2006). In particular, this study examines whether adopting a service-based working culture can significantly improve organisational creativity and innovation. A framework for re-inventing organisational creativity and innovation through adopting a service-based working culture is initiated, and the potential of its practical implications is discussed.