This study aims to present a proposal to diagnose/assess the state of the creativity balance at an organisational scenario, focusing on the creativity barriers as moderators between potential and performance. Some cases of higher education institutions are used as practical examples, exploring the powerholders’ perspective.
A theoretical model was constructed to guide the empirical observation. Exploratory case studies were carried out, a mix approach was followed and data was collected through interviews, documents and websites. Content analysis was performed by applying the relative frequencies of the categories. Complementary to this procedure, the ratio method was applied.
The findings highlight the literature’s framework related to the six-Ps model, and creativity barriers as either-or factors are pinpointed. To optimise the creativity balance between potential and performance, these switching barriers should be a critical organisation’s concern. According to the current cases, the barriers as either-or factors are the internal ones, i.e. those that the organisation can directly control.
Further studies in the area of creative potential/performance and barriers are welcome to consolidate these findings and conclusions. The empirical field was the educational context, but other sectors for comparison would be significant. In addition, other actors` perception must be analysed to compare the powerholders. More in-depth studies for each category of the six-Ps model, as well as barriers as either-or factors, are also recommended. As it is a qualitative study, it would be interesting to use it as a basis for quantitative designs by applying the dimensions of the presented theoretical frameworks and by the new instrument’s development.
Some implications can be listed: As a case study design links theory to practice, becoming a roadmap for other organisations; an instrument (OC-B R) to assess the creative potential/performance at workplace is presented; a framework to discuss the tenuous links between the barriers and the conditions for creativity (drivers/barriers and creative potential/performance) is proposed; the OC-B R and the associated findings are critical for managers and academics who work in the areas of innovation and creativity management, HR management, entrepreneurship, learning processes and higher education scenario.
Due to the complexity of creative phenomenon being hard to study and to apply in organisational/social practices, this study attempts to mitigate its challenges. It should be understood as a social construction in context, reflecting the continental hierarchy and the multidimensional framework, which allows the comparison of different workplaces, guaranteeing the unique specificities.
Creativity has been studied by specialised areas. There are few studies that put together the combined dimensions and not having sufficient flexibility to allow a better understanding of creativity in context. Likewise, the intermediation of barriers to creativity between potential and performance has not yet been a research subject. The main implication is the presentation of a theoretical framework for assessing the creativity state in organisation level, as well as a management instrument to foster creativity barriers as either-or factors. The creativity literature was revisited and discussed. Although OC-B R has been tested in educational contexts, it is a holistic/integrative construct that could be applied at any organisation, boosting organisational creativity effectiveness.
