Introduction
The pace of change associated with the modern business world and recent developments in communication and information technologies highlights the importance of creativity and innovation.

Innovation plays an important role in the development of new business, process and products, therefore in the competitiveness and success of any organization. Innovation, by its turn, depends on creativity, on the emergence of new ideas, new ways of thinking and solving problems, on the ability to develop an organizational culture where people feel free to try new projects and have enough flexibility as well as time and space to think.

The rapid technological enhancements have changed the way we work, communicate, collaborate and even the nature of business market activities. Such an environmental change and dynamism increases the need for creativity and change which in turn will lead to more technological changes. In this context, it is vital to be aware of and understand what is happening in this area and help organizations and people to be prepared to face these new challenges and to be sensitive to identify the new opportunities that will emerge. This book intends to contribute to fill this gap.

Objective of the Book
This book will aim to provide relevant academic work, the latest empirical research findings as well as examples of best practices found in the business area concerning creativity and innovation. It will be written for educators, academics and professionals who want to improve their understanding on creativity and innovation and in the role technologies can play in this scientific field.

Target Audience
The target audience of this book will be composed of educators, professionals and researchers working in the field of creativity and innovation and information technologies in various disciplines, e.g. information and communication sciences, administrative sciences and management, education, adult education, sociology, computer science, information technology, engineering, arts and psychology. Moreover, the book will provide insight and support to those concerned with the application of creativity and innovation and the use of technologies, methods and tools to develop the necessary skills and competences to work and have success in this field.

Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following: The role of creativity and innovation in today’s’ society
Creativity and innovation in different areas (education, art, science, literature, etc).
Capturing best practices on creativity
Enablers and constrainers of creativity and innovation
Development of necessary skills for creativity and innovation
Challenges and opportunities for creativity in teams
Multi disciplinary approaches to creativity
Challenges and opportunities for creativity in teams and organizations
Enhancing creativity by appropriate knowledge management
Creativity in communities
The role of ICT in creativity and innovation
Technologies, tools and methods to improve creativity and innovation
Technologies that support creativity (e.g. collaborative writing, communities and web 2.0, mobile creativity, etc.)

Submission Procedure
Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit on or before October 30, 2009 a 2-3 page chapter proposal clearly explaining the mission and concerns of his or her proposed chapter. Authors of accepted proposals will be notified by September 15, 2007 about the status of their proposals and sent chapter guidelines. Full chapters are expected to be submitted by January 30, 2010. All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a double-blind review basis. Contributors may also be requested to serve as reviewers for this project.

Publisher
This book is scheduled to be published by IGI Global (formerly Idea Group Inc.), publisher of the “Information Science Reference” (formerly Idea Group Reference), “Medical Information Science Reference,” “Business Science Reference,” and “Engineering Science Reference” imprints. For additional information regarding the publisher, please visit www.igi-global.com. This publication is anticipated to be released in 2011.

Important Dates
October 30, 2009: Proposal Submission Deadline
November 30, 2009: Notification of Acceptance
January 30, 2010: Full Chapter Submission
April 15, 2010: Review Results Returned
May 15, 2010: Final Chapter Submission
June 15, 2010: Final Deadline

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