Creating possibilities for collective creativity : Brokerage Functions in Practice-Based Innovation
Parjanen, Satu (2012-05-18)
Väitöskirja
Parjanen, Satu
18.05.2012
Lappeenranta University of Technology
Acta Universitatis Lappeenrantaensis
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-265-234-8
https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-265-234-8
Tiivistelmä
In the network era, creative achievements like innovations are more and more often created in
interaction among different actors. The complexity of today‘s problems transcends the individual
human mind, requiring not only individual but also collective creativity. In collective creativity, it is
impossible to trace the source of new ideas to an individual. Instead, creative activity emerges from
the collaboration and contribution of many individuals, thereby blurring the contribution of specific
individuals in creating ideas. Collective creativity is often associated with diversity of knowledge,
skills, experiences and perspectives. Collaboration between diverse actors thus triggers creativity
and gives possibilities for collective creativity.
This dissertation investigates collective creativity in the context of practice-based innovation.
Practice-based innovation processes are triggered by problem setting in a practical context and
conducted in non-linear processes utilising scientific and practical knowledge production and
creation in cross-disciplinary innovation networks. In these networks diversity or distances between
innovation actors are essential. Innovation potential may be found in exploiting different kinds of
distances. This dissertation presents different kinds of distances, such as cognitive, functional and
organisational which could be considered as sources of creativity and thus innovation. However,
formation and functioning of these kinds of innovation networks can be problematic. Distances
between innovating actors may be so great that a special interpretation function is needed – that is,
brokerage.
This dissertation defines factors that enhance collective creativity in practice-based innovation and
especially in the fuzzy front end phase of innovation processes. The first objective of this
dissertation is to study individual and collective creativity at the employee level and identify those
factors that support individual and collective creativity in the organisation. The second objective is
to study how organisations use external knowledge to support collective creativity in their
innovation processes in open multi-actor innovation. The third objective is to define how brokerage
functions create possibilities for collective creativity especially in the context of practice-based
innovation. The research objectives have been studied through five substudies using a case-study
strategy. Each substudy highlights various aspects of creativity and collective creativity. The
empirical data consist of materials from innovation projects arranged in the Lahti region, Finland, or
materials from the development of innovation methods in the Lahti region. The Lahti region has
been chosen as the research context because the innovation policy of the region emphasises
especially the promotion of practice-based innovations.
The results of this dissertation indicate that all possibilities of collective creativity are not utilised in
internal operations of organisations. The dissertation introduces several factors that could support collective creativity in organisations. However, creativity as a social construct is understood and
experienced differently in different organisations, and these differences should be taken into
account when supporting creativity in organisations. The increasing complexity of most potential
innovations requires collaborative creative efforts that often exceed the boundaries of the
organisation and call for the involvement of external expertise. In practice-based innovation
different distances are considered as sources of creativity. This dissertation gives practical
implications on how it is possible to exploit different kinds of distances knowingly. It underlines
especially the importance of brokerage functions in open, practice-based innovation in order to
create possibilities for collective creativity. As a contribution of this dissertation, a model of
brokerage functions in practice-based innovation is formulated. According to the model, the results
and success of brokerage functions are based on the context of brokerage as well as the roles, tasks,
skills and capabilities of brokers. The brokerage functions in practice-based innovation are also
possible to divide into social and cognitive brokerage.
interaction among different actors. The complexity of today‘s problems transcends the individual
human mind, requiring not only individual but also collective creativity. In collective creativity, it is
impossible to trace the source of new ideas to an individual. Instead, creative activity emerges from
the collaboration and contribution of many individuals, thereby blurring the contribution of specific
individuals in creating ideas. Collective creativity is often associated with diversity of knowledge,
skills, experiences and perspectives. Collaboration between diverse actors thus triggers creativity
and gives possibilities for collective creativity.
This dissertation investigates collective creativity in the context of practice-based innovation.
Practice-based innovation processes are triggered by problem setting in a practical context and
conducted in non-linear processes utilising scientific and practical knowledge production and
creation in cross-disciplinary innovation networks. In these networks diversity or distances between
innovation actors are essential. Innovation potential may be found in exploiting different kinds of
distances. This dissertation presents different kinds of distances, such as cognitive, functional and
organisational which could be considered as sources of creativity and thus innovation. However,
formation and functioning of these kinds of innovation networks can be problematic. Distances
between innovating actors may be so great that a special interpretation function is needed – that is,
brokerage.
This dissertation defines factors that enhance collective creativity in practice-based innovation and
especially in the fuzzy front end phase of innovation processes. The first objective of this
dissertation is to study individual and collective creativity at the employee level and identify those
factors that support individual and collective creativity in the organisation. The second objective is
to study how organisations use external knowledge to support collective creativity in their
innovation processes in open multi-actor innovation. The third objective is to define how brokerage
functions create possibilities for collective creativity especially in the context of practice-based
innovation. The research objectives have been studied through five substudies using a case-study
strategy. Each substudy highlights various aspects of creativity and collective creativity. The
empirical data consist of materials from innovation projects arranged in the Lahti region, Finland, or
materials from the development of innovation methods in the Lahti region. The Lahti region has
been chosen as the research context because the innovation policy of the region emphasises
especially the promotion of practice-based innovations.
The results of this dissertation indicate that all possibilities of collective creativity are not utilised in
internal operations of organisations. The dissertation introduces several factors that could support collective creativity in organisations. However, creativity as a social construct is understood and
experienced differently in different organisations, and these differences should be taken into
account when supporting creativity in organisations. The increasing complexity of most potential
innovations requires collaborative creative efforts that often exceed the boundaries of the
organisation and call for the involvement of external expertise. In practice-based innovation
different distances are considered as sources of creativity. This dissertation gives practical
implications on how it is possible to exploit different kinds of distances knowingly. It underlines
especially the importance of brokerage functions in open, practice-based innovation in order to
create possibilities for collective creativity. As a contribution of this dissertation, a model of
brokerage functions in practice-based innovation is formulated. According to the model, the results
and success of brokerage functions are based on the context of brokerage as well as the roles, tasks,
skills and capabilities of brokers. The brokerage functions in practice-based innovation are also
possible to divide into social and cognitive brokerage.
Kokoelmat
- Väitöskirjat [1105]