Creativity and Innovation in Organizations
Middle East Technical University
Course Syllabus
Creativity and Innovation in Organizations
Instructor: Dr. Patricia Schroeder
Contact: 0 506 155 73 21
Office Hours:
Class Hours:
1
Creativity and Innovation in Organizations
Course Description
This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the characteristics of innovative
organizations and the processes involved in corporate innovation. Case studies of innovative companies
allow students to explore how creativity and innovation is made actionable in contemporary organizations.
Article reviews develop student knowledge of creativity and innovation concepts through selected
literature. Students also learn how they may contribute to an organization through personal creativity.
Course Learning Outcomes
By completing this course, students will be able to:
 Describe the roles of individuals, teams, and the organization in innovation.
 Identify the elements within the organization that foster creativity and innovation.
 Explain the elements of design thinking and the steps to the design thinking process needed for
innovation.
 Discuss how key analytics may be used to measure an organization’s success in fostering
creativity and implementing innovation.
Course Content
The content of this course includes the study of: the role of innovation in organization sustainability; the
characteristics of creativity and innovation; the challenges in developing a culture, structure, and HR
processes conducive to innovation; and, organizations that currently demonstrate successful innovation.
Course Materials
Course Text:
Kuratko, D. F. Goldsby, M. G., & Hornsby, J. S. (2012). Innovation acceleration: Transforming
organizational thinking. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Recommended Readings from:
Furr, N., & Dyer, J. (2014). The innovator’s method: Bringing the lean startup into your
organization. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing.
Recommended Articles:
Amabile, T. M., & Khaire, M. (2008). Creativity and the role of the leader. Harvard Business
Review, 86(10), 100-109.
Aycan, Z. (2001). Human resource management in Turkey: Current issues and future challenges.
International Journal of Manpower, 22(3), 252-260.
Cakar, N. D., & Erturk, A. (2010). Comparing innovation capability of small and medium-sized
enterprises: Examining the effects of organizational culture and empowerment. Journal
of Small Business Management, 48(3), 325-359.
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Creativity and Innovation in Organizations
de Jong, J. P. J., & Den Hartog, D. N. (2007). How leaders influence employees’ innovative
behaviour. European Journal of Innovation Management, 10, 41-64.
doi:10.1108/14601060710720546
Denning, S. (2005). Transformational innovation. Strategy & Leadership, 33(3), 11-16.
Drucker, P. F. (1999). Knowledge worker productivity: The biggest challenge. California
Management Review, 41(2) 79-94.
Gilley, A., Dixon, P., & Gilley, J. W. (2008). Characteristics of leadership effectiveness:
Implementing change and driving innovation in organizations. Human Resource
Development Quarterly, 19, 153-169. doi:10.1002/hrdq.1232
Hirst, G., Van Dick, R., & Van Knippenberg, D. (2009). A social identity perspective on
leadership and employee creativity. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 30, 963-982.
doi:10.1002/job.600
Jassawalla, A.R., & Sashittal, H.C. (2002). Cultures that support product-innovation processes.
Academy of Management Executive, 16(3), 42-54.
Tierney, P., & Farmer, S. M. (2011). Creative self-efficacy development and creative
performance over time. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96, 277-293. doi:10.1037/
a0020952
Course Policies

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Late assignments receive a 10% deduction for each day they are late. Assignments submitted
more than 4 days after the due date will not be accepted.
Several of the assignments in this class will be completed in Learning Teams of five to seven
students. Team members are expected to collaborate and function well in team settings as both
leaders and followers. It is expected that you will actively participate with your learning team and
contribute to the team assignments by a) contributing original work b) participating in the project
from assignment organizing through meaningful final review of the team project for submission,
and c) ensuring to your team that your contributions are properly quoted, cited, and referenced.
The instructor reserves the right to grade team members individually if an individual does not fully
participate in a team assignment.
Attendance is an official requirement. Unauthorized absences (without a medical report) in
excess of 4 weeks will result in automatic failure in the course.
Make-up exams will only be offered if you have a doctor’s report that has been authenticated by
the health center of the university or a hospital.
Plagiarism or cheating on assignments or exams may result in academic disciplinary action
and/or a grade of zero for the course.
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Creativity and Innovation in Organizations
Week One
Understanding the Innovative Mindset
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Describe the concept of innovative thinking.
Differentiate between creativity and innovation.
Explain the challenges of managing innovative individuals.
Course Assignments
1. Readings
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Read Ch. 1 of Innovation Acceleration.
2. Recommended Reading:

Read Ch. 1 of The Innovator’s Method: The Innovator’s Method.
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Drucker, P. F. (1999). Knowledge worker productivity: The biggest challenge. California
Management Review, 41(2) 79-94.
Week Two
The Process of Corporate Innovation
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Identify the obstacles to corporate innovation.
Identify the critical elements of corporate innovation as a strategy.
Explore how corporate innovation is sustained.
Course Assignments
1. Readings

Read Ch. 2 of Innovation Acceleration.
2. Recommended Reading:
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Read Ch. 2 of The Innovator’s Method: Leadership in the age of Uncertainty.
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Denning, S. (2005). Transformational innovation. Strategy & Leadership, 33(3), 11-16.
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Creativity and Innovation in Organizations
Week Three
Unleashing Individual Creativity
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Understand misconceptions about creativity.
Identify the three elements of creativity.
Explain the four phases of the creative process.
Course Assignments
1. Readings

Read Ch. 3 of Innovation Acceleration.
2. Recommended Reading:

Read Ch. 3 of The Innovator’s Method: Savor Surprises.

Amabile, T. M., & Khaire, M. (2008). Creativity and the role of the leader. Harvard Business
Review, 86(10), 100-109.

Hirst, G., Van Dick, R., & Van Knippenberg, D. (2009). A social identity perspective on
leadership and employee creativity. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 30, 963-982.
doi:10.1002/job.600

Tierney, P., & Farmer, S. M. (2011). Creative self-efficacy development and creative
performance over time. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96, 277-293. doi:10.1037/
a0020952
Week Four
Managerial Skills for the Innovation Process
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Describe methods for enhancing innovation in the workplace.
Explore the approaches to innovation and sources of opportunities to innovate.
Explain how opportunities are converted into innovation.
Course Assignments
1. Readings

Read Ch. 4 of Innovation Acceleration.
2. Recommended Reading:

Read Ch. 4 of The Innovator’s Method: Problem – Discover-the-Job-to-Be-Done.

de Jong, J. P. J., & Den Hartog, D. N. (2007). How leaders influence employees’ innovative
behaviour. European Journal of Innovation Management, 10, 41-64.
doi:10.1108/14601060710720546
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Creativity and Innovation in Organizations
Week Five
The Design-Thinking Process
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Understand the misconception about the design process.
Explain the elements of design thinking.
Describe the iterations of the design thinking process.
Course Assignments
1. Readings
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Read Ch. 5 of Innovation Acceleration.
2. Recommended Reading:
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Read Ch. 5 of The Innovator’s Method: Solution – Prototype the Minimum “Awesome”
Product.
Week Six
Design-Driven Innovation
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Explain the five steps in prototyping.
Describe how the DIY movement has influenced innovation design.
List four types of prototyping
Course Assignments
1. Readings
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Read Ch. 6 of Innovation Acceleration.
2. Recommended Reading:
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Read Ch. 6 of The Innovator’s Method: Business Model: Validate the Go-To-Market-Strategy.
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Creativity and Innovation in Organizations
Week Seven
Auditing Organizational Innovation
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Discuss the tools used to assess corporate entrepreneurship and innovation.
Define innovation readiness and the role of evaluations in improving corporate innovation.
Understand how assessment may work toward employee development plans.
Course Assignments
1. Readings

Read Ch. 7 of Innovation Acceleration.
2. Recommended Reading:

Read Ch. 7 of The Innovator’s Method: Master the Pivot.

Cakar, N. D., & Erturk, A. (2010). Comparing innovation capability of small and medium-sized
enterprises: Examining the effects of organizational culture and empowerment. Journal of
Small Business Management, 48(3), 325-359.
Week Eight
Human Resource Management in Corporate Innovation
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Describe the antecedents for innovation in organizations.
Discuss the HR systems that encourage a high performance work environment.
Explain the three elements of entrepreneurial orientation.
Course Assignments
1. Readings

Read Ch. 8 of Innovation Acceleration.

Aycan, Z. (2001). Human resource management in Turkey: Current issues and future
challenges. International Journal of Manpower, 22(3), 252-260.
Week Nine
Midterm Exam
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Creativity and Innovation in Organizations
Week Ten
Team-Based Innovation
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Explore levels of work team implementation and types of teams.
Identify the stages of team formation.
Describe how personality and interpersonal skills influence person-team fit.
Course Assignments
1. Readings

Read Ch. 9 of Innovation Acceleration.
2. Recommended Reading:

Read Ch. 8 of The Innovator’s Method: Scale It.

Jassawalla, A.R., & Sashittal, H.C. (2002). Cultures that support product-innovation
processes. Academy of Management Executive, 16(3), 42-54.
Week Eleven
Innovation to Commercialization
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Describe the role of market research in understanding potential markets.
Explain how to prepare for commercialization.
Explore the role of marketing in implementing innovation.
Course Assignments
1. Readings

Read Ch. 10 of Innovation Acceleration.
2. Recommended Reading:

.
Read Ch9 of The Innovator’s Method: Making the Innovator’s Method Work for You.
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Creativity and Innovation in Organizations
Week Twelve
.
Effective Innovation Plans
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Define the innovation plan.
Describe the steps in innovation action planning.
Course Assignments
1. Readings

Read Ch. 11 of Innovation Acceleration.
Week Thirteen
Accelerating Momentum: The “I-Solution”
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Describe the role of managers and the organization in sustaining the innovation strategy.
Course Assignments
1. Readings

Read Ch. 12 of Innovation Acceleration.
2. Recommended Reading:

Gilley, A., Dixon, P., & Gilley, J. W. (2008). Characteristics of leadership effectiveness:
Implementing change and driving innovation in organizations. Human Resource Development
Quarterly, 19, 153-169. doi:10.1002/hrdq.1232
Week Fourteen
Case Study Presentations
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Teams present their research on innovative companies
Week Fifteen
Case Study Presentations

Teams present their research on innovative companies
Week Sixteen
Final Exam Review
Week Seventeen
Final Exam
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