Philosophical ties that bind practice: the case of creativity

J R Bailey, C M Ford, Jonathan D Raelin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

conception, adoption, and implementation of critical actions such as creativity. Delineating positivism and interpretivism, it is argued that the former treats the world as an objective system that can be studied through scientific methods, whereas the latter conceptualizes the world as an ambiguous social construction that cannot be readily apprehended via standard empirical inquiry. This distinction is not drawn to aim another invective against positivist science but to connect it to scientific realism and scientific instrumentalism, revealing iterative mutuality. With the cultural value afforded positivism and the formal training delivered in professional schools, practitioners largely adhere to positivist assumptions. Therefore, after identifying and briefly reviewing the creativity literature as it relates to organizational change and innovation, three contrasts are drawn to illustrate how underlying assumptions prevent practices necessary for effective introduction of creative ideas and actions.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)27-38
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of Management Inquiry
Volume18
Issue number1
Early online date21 May 2008
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2009

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