Creativity, Innovation, Design Thinking: Individual Employee's Role

This essay critically evaluates the statement that successful creativity, innovation, and design thinking activities within organizations are solely dependent on the work of individual employees. The essay defines creativity, innovation, and design thinking, arguing that while individual contributions are crucial, organizational culture, team dynamics, and leadership also play significant roles. It explores theories such as the creative process model and the componential theory of individual creativity to support its arguments, using real-world examples from companies like Google and Tesla to illustrate how employee empowerment, a positive work environment, and innovative problem-solving skills contribute to organizational success. The essay emphasizes that fostering creativity requires a multifaceted approach, including individual skills, team collaboration, and supportive organizational structures.

Successful creativity,
innovation, and design
thinking activities within
organizations are dependent
on the work of individual
employees only

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Introduction
The main purposes of writing this essay are to provide argument and critically evaluate the fact
of creativity, design thinking activities and innovation that will only been depend on the work of
the individual staff members in the organization. Thus from this fact, I can say that the given
statement is agreed by me as I also think all these qualities such as innovation, creativity, and
design thinking activities will actively depend on the working procedure of individual employee.
The essay will provide that if the organizational culture is positive and team members in the
workplace work together, then it easily enhances the employees thinking ability. In order to
depict that some theories such creative process model and the componential theory of individual
creativity will be briefly discussed in this context. With the help of this theory and model, the
statement should be explained briefly. Furthermore, the literal meaning of creativity, design
thinking and innovation will also provide in this context.
Main context
Creativity is considered as a novel work which is accepted by the group of employees only when
it became useful for them (Farmer and Tierney, 2017). In other words, creativity also refers to as
the production of a novel that generates various useful ideas which may diminish the working
context of the employees in the firm. Apart from this, many scholars suggested that creativity
demonstrates as the process of developing the original ideas that provide a socially recognized
contribution to the firm so that the employees can get various benefits from it. Thus it is quite
evident that creativity eventually brings positive aspect over the organizations as well as
employees respectively. Creativity not only means to develop new work but it also defines as the
perspective of developing the old process into a given domain which is socially accepted
(Cooperrider and Srivastva, 2017). Thus the prerequisite for creativity refers to the ability of a
generation of unusual as well as new ideas that generate various benefits to both people and
organization respectively. In other words, innovation refers to the successful implementation of
several creative ideas within a firm. From this aspect, it is clear that innovation and creativity are
related to one another.
Besides this, workplace innovation demonstrates as the application process that helps an
individual and team to implement new ideas in the firm. Hence innovation refers to as the
combination of opportunity and problems which means it either provide positive or it provides

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negative results over the organization. Innovation not only defines the adoption, introduction as
well as modification of new ideas but it also demonstrates the implementation and promotion of
these ideas in a practical situation (Amabile and Pratt, 2016). On the other hand, design
techniques refer to the creative and analytic process that engages an individual in several
opportunities to create and experiment with a prototype model. In order to define whether this
prototype model is effective or not the person has to collect feedback from experts and again
redesign it if some changes are required (Hon and Lui, 2016). Hence this is referred to as the
design thinking technique of an individual. From this aspect, it is clear that creativity, design
thinking process, and innovation all these are related to one another. Thus it can be said that if an
individual can create something, then he or she also must possess the ability to innovate and
design something new that should be beneficial for the firm.
After reviewing all the features of creativity, innovation as well as a design thinking process, I
have agreed on the fact that successful creativity, design thinking activities and innovation only
depend on the working prospect of individual employees. In order to demonstrate my opinions, I
have provided various facts that help to provide a clear explanation regarding my preference. In
today's environment of the digital world, the environment is very complex as technology is
improving day by day. Thus it is necessary for the employees to create something new that
should be beneficial for the organization in order to reduce the complex technological procedure.
According to the World Economic Forum, 2019 creativity must be one of the top three skills of
individual employees and that should be developed with their own understanding attitude (Uhl-
Bien and Arena, 2018). As per this forum rule, for maintaining the competition rate in the
market, it is necessary for the employee to create new things that may provide various advantage
to the firm. For example, the Google Company offers giant nurtures of learning cultures to the
employees. This factor help the employees to make good balance between personal life and work
life. Hence it not only helps the employees to enhance their performance but also helps them to
enhance their creativity skills (Marmol, 2016). Thus according to my opinion, the employees
must have their ability to create something new for the organization, and this is the reason I am
agreed in this particular statement.
For achieving positive results, it is necessary that the employees should understand the creative
process model. This theoretical model enhances the thinking ability of an employee by which he

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or she can understand the exact problem and thus react according to reduce the particular
problem (Dong et al., 2017). Hence with the help of this theoretical model, the employees can
investigate the problems, enhances their reflective thought and awareness, activate their different
thinking process and make them conscious over any fact. Thus by following this theory, the
individual employee can develop their creative thinking mind and these prospects provides a
clear explanation of the statement. Many researchers argue on the fact that an employee
innovates new things only when they have their interest in their work. The researcher suggested
that if the employees have the ability to unleash their imagination, then it creates vivid images in
their mind which influence them to innovate as well as create new things that should be
beneficial for the firm (Carlgren, Elmqvist and Rauth, 2016). For example, Zappos is a shoes e-
commerce organization which maintains corporate business culture that provides fun working
environment to the employees. This environment of the organization encourages the creativity
aspect of every employee working in this firm (Marmol, 2016).
In other words, if the managers of the firm use creative and indirect approaches to solve any
issue, then it develops a curiosity to the employee working under it. This fact also helps in
developing the innovative and creative thinking ability of the employees. Apart from this, when
any employee faced issues with the working procedure in the organization then by developing
various innovative ideas he or she can get rid of those problems. Thus from this aspect, a clear
explanation has provided for this statement which clarifies my opinion towards the fact. Along
with this, it can be seen that in current trend most of the organizations in the world gives tough
work for their employee’s so that they can use their brain to solve it (Elsbach and Stigliani,
2018). This technique of generating new ideas are developed their barnstorming activities which
thus enhances their design thinking activities. Apart from this, I can also suggest that by using
the componential theory of individual creativity the employee can develop their innovative,
creative and design thinking ability. The theory demonstrates that an employee must have the
ability to work under a team because it develops their thinking ability (Argote and Guo, 2016). In
other words, the theory depicts that social environment also plays an important in influencing the
frequency and level of creative work. With the help of this theory, the employees can improve
their thinking skills, and they can give their opinion for the betterment of their working
procedures as well as their firm respectively. For example, Tesla owner Elon Musk leads the

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employees by using various innovative problem solving skills so that each employee can think
out of the box and develop their own innovative skills (Werawutiwong, 2018).
In addition, various factors influence the employees to innovate and create new things and
opportunities for the organization (Bogers et al., 2017). Among the factors work, group support
and organizational engagement are the ones that can influence the thinking ability of an
employee. If the manager builds a team of skilled employees that support each other work, then
it became easier for each employee to develop their thinking ability.By these prospects, the team
along with individual employee can be successful in developing something creative for this firm
(Wallace et al., 2016). It thus helps them to provide a positive impact on the business operations,
and hence the overall business will be beneficial for these employees. Apart from this many
researchers suggested that its positive organizational culture maintained in the workplace them it
also encourages as well as promotes the creativity aspect of each employee. In order to maintain
a positive organizational culture, the managers should motivate and encourages the employee for
their small piece of work. By maintaining a good relationship, the managers can give every
employee a chance to provide their opinion regarding any process related to work (Carlgren,
Rauth and Elmquist, 2016). Thus it helps them to develop their thinking ability, and they must
influence to create as well as innovate something for the organization. From this information, I
can say that the above statement is entirely accurate and thus I have agreed on the fact. A proper
explanation has been provided by me in order to demonstrate my idea clearly to the reader.

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Conclusion
The paper critically evaluates the truth of the statement and for this various concepts and theories
are provided in this study. According to my view, I have agreed on the comment, and for this, a
clear explanation has been provided by me. With the help of models and theories, I am
successful in demonstrating my view regarding the statement. From the literal meaning of
creativity, design thinking and innovation I came to know that these features only depend on the
work of individual employees. If the managers maintain a good relationship with the employees
and always motivate them for their small piece of work, then it eventually enhances the thinking
ability of an employee.

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References
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