Kuhlmann: Organizing for Creativity in Research 1 The Challenge of Organizing for Creativity in...

Kuhlmann: Organizing for Creativity in Research 1Fraunhofer

ISI

InstituteSystems andInnovation Research

The Challenge of Organizing for

Creativity in Research

Stefan KuhlmannDirector, Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI),

Karlsruhe, Germany Professor, Utrecht University, Copernicus Institute, Innovation Studies

Group, The Netherlands

“The future of research: New players, roles and strategies”,Six Countries Programme Conference,

20/21 April 2005, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Fraunhofer

ISI



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What is creativity?


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Overview

Frontier research The CREA project What is creativity? Organizing for creativity: Hypotheses Consequences for research policy


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Pasteur’s Quadrant, according to Donald Stokes (1997)


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Frontier Research (HLEG on ERC, 2005)

The term ‘Frontier Research’ reflects the fact that: it is at the leading edge in developing new

knowledge it is intrinsically risky, in that it is often not yet

clear which approach may eventually prove most fruitful;

there are no boundaries between disciplines, nor between basic and applied research; frontier research is concerned both with both new knowledge about the world and with generating potentially useful knowledge at the same time, and

by its very nature, it transcends national borders.


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http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/future/pdf/hleg_fullreport_frontier_research_april2005.pdf


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CREA: A NEST project

"Creativity capabilities and the promotion of highly innovative research in Europe and the United States" (CREA) (2005-06); (http://www.cordis.lu/nest)

Project sponsored by EU FP6 NEST (Anticipation of scientific and technological needs)

Basic assumption: Institutional factors have a serious impact on creativity in research Supportive factors?

Team Stefan Kuhlmann; Thomas Heinze - Fraunhofer ISI,

Karlsruhe Philip Shapira & colleagues – Georgia Tech, Atlanta Jacqueline Senker & colleagues – SPRU, Brighton


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CREA: Project goals Identify creative researchers and research groups

in two fields human genetics nano S&T

Study their work environment systematically bibliometric profiles in-depth interviews

Understand institutional factors either supporting or impeding creativity in research

e.g. work group environment e.g. organisational structure

Make tentative recommendations for policy instruments in and beyond NEST


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What is creativity?

"Creativity is the ability to produce work that is novel (original, unexpected), high-quality, and appropriate (useful, meets task constraints)." "Creativity (..) is largely something that people show in a particular domain."

"At a societal level, creativity can lead to new scientific findings, new movements in art, new inventions, and new social programs. The economic importance of creativity is clear because new products or services create jobs."

Source: Sternberg (2003)


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What is creativity in research? (1 of 3)

Incremental or radical steps

Within or across knowledge domains

Exploration or exploitation

Tensions and resistance


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CREA definition:"Highly creative, current research is conducted by individual researchers or groups undertaking novel work with major implications or potential".


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Type of creativity Examples Formulation of new ideas or a new set of ideas, that open up a new cognitive frame or bring theoretical claims to a new level of sophistication.

Theory of relativity (Physics), Einstein (1905)

Discovery of new empirical phenomena that stimulated new theorising

Biodiversity Theory of evolu-tion (Biology), Darwin (1859)

Development of a new methodology, by means of which theoretical problems could be empirically tested.

Factor analysis (Psychology), Spearman (1927)

Invention of new instruments, that opened up new search perspectives and research venues.

Raster Scanning Microscopy Nanotechnology (Physics), Bin-nig/Rohrer (1982)

Synthesis of formerly dispersed ideas into general theoretical laws, that enabled analyses of diverse phenomena within a common cognitive frame.

General systems theory (Biology, Kybernetics, Sociology), Berta-lanffy (1940), Ashby (1956), Luhmann (1984)


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Creativity at the individual levelSocial personality approaches point to: Knowledge base

deep domain-relevant knowledge and know-how knowledge of heuristics for generating novel ideas

Motivation base intrinsic goal-orientation need for achievement high energy level and self-confidence

Creativity skill base cognitive style that welcomes complexity spontaneity risk taking ability to be selective and persistent, and to concentrate effort


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CREA unit of analysis

A research group is the smallest independent unit undertaking research in a specified problem area within a formal organisation. Research groups can be departments or sub-units of university institutes, non-university institutes, industrial research facilities or other free-standing types of research organisations.


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Organizational features conducive to creativity in research (1 of 3)

Scientific Diversity moderate variety of different disciplines and sub-

specialties, proportion of people with research experience in different

disciplines and/or paradigms; Depth

number of scientists in each area of diversity, diversity of talents in each scientific area (e.g., genetics: Drosophila, neurospora, maize, mice);

Differentiation the number of departments and other kinds of units, delegation of recruitment to department or other subunit, responsibility for extramural funding at departmental or

other subunit level; Source: Hollingsworth (2000, 2002, 2004)


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Source: Hollingsworth (2000, 2002, 2004)

Low Hierarchical and Bureaucratic Coordination low standardization of rules/procedures, no centralized budgetary controls, no centralized decision-

making about research programs and about number of personnel;

Visionary Leadership: strategic vision for integrating diverse areas, ability to secure funding for these activities, ability to conduct recruitment of sufficiently diverse

personnel so research groups are constantly aware of what are significant and "doable" problems,

ability to provide rigorous criticism in a nurturing environment


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Integration of Multi-disciplinary Perspectives. Across specialties…

high frequency and intensity of interaction, many publications of papers, existence of journal clubs, sharing of meals and leisure

time activities; High Quality

high proportion of scientists in the nation’s most prestigious academy of science,

high research funding per scientist

Source: Hollingsworth (2000, 2002, 2004)


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Factors impeding creativity in research

Source: Hemlin, Martin, Allwood (2004)

Lack of core funding for research Heavy dependency on external project funding Limited time for research due to other priorities Narrow range of expertise or disciplinary perspectives Unclear research goals Excessive evaluation and accountability pressures Bureaucratic research management and

administration Overemphasis on extrinsic motivation e.g. financial

rewards Poor leadership


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Hypotheses at work group levelH1: High frequency and intensity of interaction

within a workgroup fosters creativity on the individual level.

H2: High number of different subfields in a workgroup, coupled with several tools of intellectual integration, make individual researchers more productive and creative.

H3: High number of external contacts or collaborations enhances number of individual contributions judged by peers as creative.

H4: Good leadership is beneficial to creativity in work groups.


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Hypotheses at organisational level (1 of 2)

H5: Flat structure and small size foster knowledge transfer and thus emergence of creative ideas.

H6: Decentralised decision-making supports intellectual pluralism, scientific competition and thus creative work.

H7: Clear research goals are beneficial to intellectual innovations.

H8: Lack of core funding impedes creative work.


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Hypotheses at organisational level (2 of 2)

H9: Excessive evaluation/ accountability pressures impede creative work.

H10: Scientific reputation and visibility of organisation attracts creative individuals.

H11: Flexible labour markets for researchers and job turnover enable knowledge transfer and organisational learning.


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Consequences for research policy (1 of 3)

External governance: Combination of public and market governance Relevant shares of performance/excellence based

funding Differentiation shares of institutional and contract-

based funding depending on life cycle of scientific / technological development

Reliable regulatory frame for inter-institutional collaboration and ventures

Facilitation of inter-institutional career development Open, fluid international labour market, not hampered

by national legislation


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Internal governance (meso level): Open interfaces; networking; “Porous boundaries”

(Rip) "Smart mix" of frontier research, development, links

with academic and other education (see some US universities)

Mobility of staff across heterogeneous institutional borders (e.g. university, national labs, RTO, industry, ...)

Internationalisation of research staff Relevant shares of performance-based programme

and project funding, beyond institutional funding


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Cultural orientation: Clear mission identity (“Leitbild”) and mission, e.g.

“problem-oriented”; industrial innovation; break-through scientific insights – but don't prevent heterogeneous combinations!

Profile: scientific and technological core competencies International alliances and mergers: “Go European and

beyond!”


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Contact

[email protected]@isi.fraunhofer.de

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