Creating possibilities for collective creativity : Brokerage Functions in Practice-Based Innovation

Abstract

In the network era, creative achievements like innovations are more and more often created in
\ninteraction among different actors. The complexity of today‘s problems transcends the individual
\nhuman mind, requiring not only individual but also collective creativity. In collective creativity, it is
\nimpossible to trace the source of new ideas to an individual. Instead, creative activity emerges from
\nthe collaboration and contribution of many individuals, thereby blurring the contribution of specific
\nindividuals in creating ideas. Collective creativity is often associated with diversity of knowledge,
\nskills, experiences and perspectives. Collaboration between diverse actors thus triggers creativity
\nand gives possibilities for collective creativity.
\nThis dissertation investigates collective creativity in the context of practice-based innovation.
\nPractice-based innovation processes are triggered by problem setting in a practical context and
\nconducted in non-linear processes utilising scientific and practical knowledge production and
\ncreation in cross-disciplinary innovation networks. In these networks diversity or distances between
\ninnovation actors are essential. Innovation potential may be found in exploiting different kinds of
\ndistances. This dissertation presents different kinds of distances, such as cognitive, functional and
\norganisational which could be considered as sources of creativity and thus innovation. However,
\nformation and functioning of these kinds of innovation networks can be problematic. Distances
\nbetween innovating actors may be so great that a special interpretation function is needed – that is,
\nbrokerage.
\nThis dissertation defines factors that enhance collective creativity in practice-based innovation and
\nespecially in the fuzzy front end phase of innovation processes. The first objective of this
\ndissertation is to study individual and collective creativity at the employee level and identify those
\nfactors that support individual and collective creativity in the organisation. The second objective is
\nto study how organisations use external knowledge to support collective creativity in their
\ninnovation processes in open multi-actor innovation. The third objective is to define how brokerage
\nfunctions create possibilities for collective creativity especially in the context of practice-based
\ninnovation. The research objectives have been studied through five substudies using a case-study
\nstrategy. Each substudy highlights various aspects of creativity and collective creativity. The
\nempirical data consist of materials from innovation projects arranged in the Lahti region, Finland, or
\nmaterials from the development of innovation methods in the Lahti region. The Lahti region has
\nbeen chosen as the research context because the innovation policy of the region emphasises
\nespecially the promotion of practice-based innovations.
\nThe results of this dissertation indicate that all possibilities of collective creativity are not utilised in
\ninternal operations of organisations. The dissertation introduces several factors that could support collective creativity in organisations. However, creativity as a social construct is understood and
\nexperienced differently in different organisations, and these differences should be taken into
\naccount when supporting creativity in organisations. The increasing complexity of most potential
\ninnovations requires collaborative creative efforts that often exceed the boundaries of the
\norganisation and call for the involvement of external expertise. In practice-based innovation
\ndifferent distances are considered as sources of creativity. This dissertation gives practical
\nimplications on how it is possible to exploit different kinds of distances knowingly. It underlines
\nespecially the importance of brokerage functions in open, practice-based innovation in order to
\ncreate possibilities for collective creativity. As a contribution of this dissertation, a model of
\nbrokerage functions in practice-based innovation is formulated. According to the model, the results
\nand success of brokerage functions are based on the context of brokerage as well as the roles, tasks,
\nskills and capabilities of brokers. The brokerage functions in practice-based innovation are also
\npossible to divide into social and cognitive brokerage.