An examination of the interaction between intrinsic motivation and the fostering of creativity in adults within a high-technology organization.

Abstract

Organizations that utilize the knowledge and creativity of their professionals will have the greatest success in gaining competitive advantage, profits, and leadership in the global marketplace. The purpose of this investigation was to explore the role of creativity in performance, specifically, the interaction between intrinsic motivation and the fostering of creativity in adults within a high technology organization. A sample of sixty experienced Research and Development (R&D) designers from Bell Northern Research (BNR) were evenly divided into two categories: high performing and solid performing designers. A two stage research design employed quantitative and qualitative methods to conduct the study. The results indicated while the designers at BNR scored high on creativity there was no significant difference between high and solid performers on the level of intrinsic motivation and creativity. Instead other factors like taking initiative, the need for interesting and challenging work, hands-off management, and recognition and encouragement, differentiated high performers from solid performers. Conditions highlighted by R&D designers as being necessary to facilitate intrinsic motivation, therefore creativity, were: freedom and control versus constraint; challenge and interest in the work versus the lack of challenge or keeping things the same; various organizational characteristics such as collaboration and cooperation versus the organizational characteristics of lack of support from others; good versus poor management or supervision; pressure versus insufficient time; and recognition and encouragement versus inappropriate or no evaluation. Several recommendations for Human Resources professionals and organizations who want to improve employee satisfaction, productivity and their competitiveness in the global marketplace, are provided.