POINT TO CONSIDER

WHO OUTSIDE MY ORGANIZATION SHLD I INVOLVE TO HELP ON OUR JOURNEY?

THE VALUE OF CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION

Innovation is defined as adding something new to an existing product or process. The key words
are adding and existing. The product or process has already been created from scratch and has
worked reasonably well. When it is changed so that it works better or fulfils a different need,
then there is innovation on what already exists. Innovation is the successful exploitation of new
ideas. All innovation begins with creative ideas. Ccreativity is the starting point for innovation.
Creativity is however necessary but not sufficient condition for innovation. Innovation is the
implantation of creative inspiration.

CREATIVITY

Creativity is marked by the ability to create, bring into existence, to invent into a new form, to
produce through imaginative skill, to make to bring into existence something new. Creativity is
not ability to create out of nothing (only God can do that), but the ability to generate new ideas
by combining, changing, or reapplying existing ideas. Some creative ideas are astonishing and
brilliant, while others are just simple, good practical ideas that no one seems to have thought, of
yet. (Harris, 1998). Everyone has substantial creative ability including you the reader. So you
should count yourself and believe it that you are a creative genius. All you need is to be
reawakened and be highly committed to creativity. I want you to start thinking now, in the
process something new will flow. Explore that something new today and you will be a different
personality tomorrow. Creativity is also an attitude, the ability to accept change and newness, a
willingness to play with ideas and possibilities, a flexibility of outlook, the habit of enjoying the
good, while looking for ways to improve it, we are socialized into accepting only a small number
of permissible or normal things, like chocolate-covered strawberries, for example. The creative
person realizes that there are other possibilities like peanut butter and banana sandwiches, or
chocolate-covered prunes. Harris (1998). Creativity is also a process. Creative person work hard
and continually to improve ideas and solutions, by making gradual alterations and refinements
to their works. Contrary to the mythology surrounding creativity, very few of creative excellence
are produced with a single stroke of brilliance or in a frenzy of rapid activity. Much closer to the
real truth are the stories of companies which had to take the invention away from the inventor
in order to market it because the inventor would have kept on tweaking it and fiddling with it,,
always trying to make it a little better, (Harris, 1998). A product is creative when it is “novel” and
“appropriate”. A novel product is original, not predicable. The bigger the concept, and the more
the product stimulates further work ideals, the more the product is creative (Stermbering and
Lubart). Creativity requires passion and commitment. Out of the creative is born symbols and
myths. It brings to our awareness what was previously hidden and points to new life. The
experience is one of heightened consciousness-ecstasy”- Rollow May.

REATIVE THINKING

Creative thinking has various definitions. Okpara (2000). However, it is the art of generating
solution to problems by the force of imagination and reasoning. It is an activity of the mind
seeking to find answer to some of life’s questions. In a dynamic and changing world, the
challenges of man are also not static. They take on new forms and require a deep creative
thinking approach. It is necessary to know that we live in a thinker’s world. It is therefore, not
surprising to see that the men/women who are ahead are those who see ahead with the eyes of
their mind. Men and women who have engaged their minds in resourceful thinking to generate
idea and products, which stand the test of time. Every idea is a product of thinking and every
product is the manifestation of idea naked in a thinker’s mind. These are people who see
problems as opportunities to improve and do something new or something better, people who
keep these two vital questions on their mind. “What can I do to make things better, or what can
I do to make better things? This is the product of thinking. In making things better, the goals are
usually to improve productivity And efficiency, achieve speed, enhanced comfort and
convenience, influence returns positively, and so much more. While in making better things,
thinking can produce various alternative leading making better things, thinking can produce
various alterative leading to the evolution of a completely new idea, new production processes,
or a total departure from the conventional. Whatever the goal, thinking is an indispensable tool
in the life of all successful entrepreneurs. The celebrated discoveries of man are not accidents.
The minds of men/women were engaged in creative thinking to deliver the visible products we
enjoy today. Name them: Bill Gate and the computer, Graham Bell and the telephone, Michael
Faraday and electricity, Isaac Newton and physical law of science, the Wight brothers and
Aeroplane, Adenuga and Consolidated oil, Atedo peterside and Investment Banking and Thrust
Company, Raymond Depokesi and Dear Communications. The list is endless. You too can join
them as you begin to “ponder the path of your feet, that all your ways may be established.”
Thinking begins with engaging yourself in a conversation with yourself by yourself, in yourself.
That is to reach a conviction and conclusion as to what steps to take and what strategies to
employ. It is advisable to always have a pen and paper at hand to document your thoughts. It
unveils every illusion around you. The place of asking the right and relevant questions in thinking
process cannot be overemphasized. Questions remain the string tool to provoke the mind to
respond to issues ands discover new things. Creative thinking must, therefore, lead to the
articulation of a strategy. A strategy is a way of organizing available resources to achieve results,
what to do, what steps to take, the approach, the timing, positioning, all come to play when
developing strategy. It is a common knowledge that successful entrepreneurs emerge not by
strength or force but by superior strategy through creative thinking. There are great business
opportunities in applying creative thinking to solving mankind’s crying need for basic products
and basic support services –better homes, better jobs, and a better way of life. There are going
to be tremendous opportunities in education because we need fundamental and radical changes
in Nigeria if we are going to be competitive with other countries. However, being able to adapt
ideas is what makes an entrepreneur successful. There is nothing wrong with learning from
others ideas. Creativity comes in when you expand upon it, when you take an idea and make it
move. The only way forward is to make our education to be adaptive and qualitative at all levels.

THE PRINCIPLES OF CREATIVITY

People become more creative when they feel motivated primarily by the interest, satisfaction,
and challenge of the situation and not by external pressures; the passion and interest – a person’s
internal desire to do something unique to show-case himself or herself; the person’s sense of
challenge, or a drive to crack a problem that no one else has been able to solve. Within every
individual, creativity is a function of three components: 1. Expertise 2. Creative thinking skills 3.
Motivation. Expertise encompasses everything that a person knows and can do in the broad
domain of his or her work- knowledge and technical ability. Creative thinking refers to how you
approach problems and solutions- the capacity to put existing ideas together in new
combinations. The skill itself depends quite a bit on personality as well as on how a person thinks
and works. Expertise and creative thinking are the entrepreneur’s raw materials or natural
resources. Motivation is the drive and desire to do something, an inner passion and interest.
When people are intrinsically motivated, they engage in their work for the challenge and
enjoyment of it. The work itself is motivating. People will be most creative when they feel
motivated primarily by the interest, satisfaction and the challenge of the work itself-“the labour
of love”, love of the work- “the enjoyment of seeing and searching for an outstanding solution –
a break through. Creativity, according to Robert Gahim, consists of anticipation and commitment.
Anticipation involves having a vision of something that will become important in the future
before anybody else has it. Commitment is the belief that keeps one working to realize the vision
despite doubt and discouragement.

The entrepreneur is primarily concerned with developing new products, processes or markets,
the ability to bring something new, product, processes or markets, the ability to bring something
new into the market. The entrepreneur indulges in original thinking more than any other person
thinks and he is able to produce solutions that fly in the face of established knowledge.
Entrepreneurs are inclined to be more adaptable and are prepared to consider a range of
alternative approaches. They challenge the status quo, which can sometimes bring them into
conflict with their colleagues. They dismiss their detractors and are sometimes regarded as aloof.
Stoner and Wankel(1986). Creative outcomes seldom emerge in an instant: a recognized process
is involved, even if it appears to be rather chaotic. It begins with recognition of a problem or
anticipation of an opportunity, and then, through understanding the situation and reflecting on
the issues, new linkages are contemplated and possible new combinations of components are
aired: From this emerge visible solutions or possibilities that are subjected to valuation, which
may be continuous with judgment being suspended while the search process is prolonged in
pursuit of genuine newness. Entrepreneurs take bold creative steps but situations encourage
creativity. Creativity is, however, enhanced when people have some freedom, but not too much;
high internal commitment to the task; but not too high a commitment; high proportion of intense
rewards, but some extrinsic rewards as well; some competition but not winnertake-all
competition. Thompson (2001). Entrepreneurial activity depends on the process of innovation
following creativity, not on creativity alone.

INNOVATION

Innovation is the process of bringing the best ideas into reality, which triggers a creative idea,
which generates a series of innovative events. Innovation is the creation of new value. Innovation
is the process that transforms new ideas into new value- turning an idea into value. You cannot
innovate without creativity. Innovation is the process that combines ideas and knowledge into
new value. Without innovation an enterprise and what it provides quickly become obsolete. The
dictionary defines innovation as the introduction of something new or different. Innovation is the
implementation of creative inspiration. The National Innovation Initiative (NII) defines innovation
as “the inter-section of invention and insight, leading to the creative of social and economic
value” Innovation is “value” – the creation of value adding value to customer’s satisfaction-
“delighting the customers”. Innovation is the basis of all competition advantages, the means of
anticipating and meeting customer’s needs and the method of utilization of technology.
Innovation is fostered by information gathered from new connections; from insights gained by
journeys into other disciplines or places; from active, collegial networks and fluid open
boundaries. Innovation arises from organizing circles of exchange, where information is not just
accumulated or stored, but created. Knowledge is generated a new from connections that were
not there before. Wheatley (1994). Innovation requires a fresh way of looking at things, an
understanding of people, and an entrepreneurial willingness to take risks and to work hard. An
idea doesn’t become an innovation until it is widely adopted and incorporated into people’s daily
lives. Most people resist change, so a key part of innovating is convincing other people that your
idea is a good one – by enlisting their help, and, in doing so, by helping them see the usefulness
of the idea- Art Fry. Enterprises throughout the world are experiencing what can be legitimately
described as a revolution: rising energy and material costs, fierce international competition, new
technologies, increasing use of automation and computers. All these are major challenges, which
demand a positive response from the entrepreneur and management if the enterprise is to
survive and prosper. At a time when finance is expensive, the firm’s liquidity is bordering on crisis,
the need for creativity, and innovation is more pressing than ever and as competitors fall by the
way side, the rewards for successful products and process are greater. The instigation of new
development is the responsibility of the enterprises themselves, which, through experience, are
aware of the difficulties created when undertaking innovative investments in a period of great
uncertainty. Innovation calls for special entrepreneurial and management skills, the cooperation
of a committed workforce, finance and a climate which will create the optimum overall
conditions to encourage success. Joseph Schumpeter (1934) believes that the concept of
innovation, described as the use of an invention to create a new commercial product or service,
is the key force in creating new demand and thus new wealth. Innovation creates new demand
and entrepreneurs bring the innovations to the market. This destroys the existing markets and
creates new ones, which will in turn be destroyed by even newer products or services.
Schumpeter calls this process “creative destructions.”

THE ELEMENTS OF INNOVATION

Innovation is the successful development of competitive advantage and as such, it is the key to
entrepreneurship. The entrepreneurs are the “dreamers”, who take hands on responsibility for
creating innovation. It is the presence of innovation that distinguishes the entrepreneur from
others. Innovation, must therefore, increase competitiveness through efforts aimed at the
rejuvenation, renewal, and redefinition of organizations, their markets or industries, if business
are to be deemed entrepreneurial. Fiona Fitzpatrick identified the following elements of
innovation: 1. Challenge: What we are trying to change or accomplish-the “pull” 2. Customer
focus: Creating value for your customers – the “Push” 3. Creativity: Generating and sharing the
idea(s)- the “brain” 4. Communication: The flow of information and ideas –the “life blood” 5.
Collaboration: People coming together to work together on the idea(s) - the “heart.” 6.
Completion: Implementing the new idea-the “muscle”. 7. Contemplation; Learning and sharing
lessons lead to higher competency-the “ladder” 8. Culture: The playing field of innovation
includes:  Leadership (sees the possibilities and positions the team for action-the role model)
 People (diverse groups of radically empowered people innovate –the source of innovation) 
Basic values (trust and respect define and distinguish an innovative organization-the backbone).
 Innovation values (certain values stoke the fires that make the “impossible” possible-the
Spark). 9. Context: Innovation is shaped by interactions with the world.

FORMS OF INNOVATION

In a start-up, the entrepreneur is regarded as the key actor in developing a business idea,
marshalling resources, and creating an enterprise to bring a new product or service to the market.
In a competitive business environment, the entrepreneur and the enterprise should continue to
seek lout now opportunities and make the necessary arrangement to convert them into new
goods and services. Innovation should, therefore, impregnate the entire enterprise for the
creation and invention of competitive edge and relevancy in the market place. Innovation can
take several forms: i. Innovation in processes, including changes and improvement to methods.
These contribute to increases in productivity. Which lowers cost and helps to increase demand.
ii. Innovation in products or services. While progressive Innovation is predominant, radical
innovation opens up new markets. These lead to increases in effective demand which encourages
increases in investment and employment. iii. Innovation in management and work organization,
and the exploitation of human resources, together with the capacity to anticipate techniques.
Innovation centres on people, culture, structure, process and technology. Innovation is the
process through which the entrepreneur converts market opportunities into workable,
profitable, and marketable ideas. Innovation is an application of something creative that has a
significant impact on an organization, industry or society. Entrepreneurship is the continuing
generation of Innovation in response to perceived opportunities in the business environment. In
this approach, entrepreneurship is therefore concerned with newness: new ideas, products,
services or combinations of resources aimed at meeting the needs of consumers more efficiently.
Entrepreneurship has been described in terms of the ability to create something from practically
nothing. It is initiating… and building an enterprise rather than … watching one. It is the knack for
sensing opportunities where others see chaos, contradiction and confusion. It is the ability to
build a “founding team” to complement your own skills and talents. It is know –how to find,
marshal and control resources. Finally, it is a willingness to take calculated risk. Timmons (1989).

CHALLENGE FOR INNOVATION

The place of innovation in commercial success is the development or adoption of new concepts
or idea that leads to any form of increased organizational or social benefit. Innovation is vitally
concerned with novel approaches, new ideas, and originality, and it the means by which ideas
are exploited for competitive advantage. The present economic reform of the Nigerian
Government- National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) calls for less
dependence on imported materials – goods and services and technology. However, if this
dependence is to be successfully broken, three activities should receive adequate priority
management attention and the commitment of resources in this century. 1. The need to
investigate our latent natural resources for the possibility of transmitting them into goods and
services. This would require a scientific analysis of the various resources available in the country,
the identification of their properties, and a determination of the extent to which those properties
can be harnessed. 2. The need to develop new technology which can be used to process the raw
materials which may result from the investigation of natural resources suggested above and with
a view to producing goods and services from them. 3. The need to adapt existing technology so
as make them accept local materials are substitutes. A complete change from an almost total
dependence on foreign research and technology is source of products is called for.
Entrepreneurial success in this century, therefore, depends on the seriousness with which
innovative activities are undertaken by the enterprises in terms of indigenizing input sourcing
and the development of new indigenous products. The society in general will benefit
tremendously from the individual enterprises undertaking innovative activities rather than
leaving such to government agencies. As Max Weber has observed “when innovation is
channeled through autonomous competing enterprises, risk is encouraged and the social curse
of unsuccessful innovation can be limited. Society can afford to have an enterprise failure, but
society cannot afford to have government failure. Government economic planners proceeding
by law or fiat have no flexible mechanism comparable to a market in which they can assess the
probabilities of any given risk and measure its results”. No enterprise, however diversified or big,
can therefore, rest on its oars and past achievements. It becomes imperative for an enterprise to
continuously challenge itself to finding new and better ways of doing the old things or infact
create new ways of doing new things. The new environment may therefore call for new product
designs, new production techniques, composition and packaging which take cognizance of the
dynamic business environment. Success in business today demand constant innovation.
Generating fresh solutions to problems and the ability to inherit new products or services for a
changing market are part of the intellectual capital market that gives an enterprise its
competitive edge. In a dynamic environment, success comes from looking for the next
opportunity and having the ability to find hidden connections and insights into new products or
services, desired by the customer. While brain-power is the most valuable resource, great ideas
are in short supply. Successful entrepreneurs place high premium on attracting and keeping
talent because wealth flows directly from innovation. Creativity is the root of innovation. It is a
process and a skill which can be developed and managed throughout the entire enterprise. One
of the first steps in creating a culture of innovation is unleashing the creativity in yourself. The
challenge is getting to see the is world with fresh ideas and to develop fresh solutions. Speed
innovating is a proven approach for helping you develop breakthrough solutions in the shortest
possible time. Creative ideas are not enough for your business to survive. You need a process
organization and culture that will help you maximize your creative assets. This is innovation
capability that helps your pull together the best thinking within your business, enabling you to
connect the organization dots. Shapiro argues that perpetual and pervasive innovation is the key
to long –term sustainable success in the relentless competition for customers.

To survive any competition, you must rapidly and repeatedly re-invent yourself.
The road map to reinvention starts by applying the seven R’s.
1. Rethink your underlying assumptions.

2. Reconfigure how you carry out work.

3. Resequence when work takes place

4. Relocate where work is done to cut down on handoffs and delays.

6. Reassign who does the work by asking if anyone else could achieve the same result more
effectively and efficiently.

7. Retool the technology that supports getting the work done. Could new software and
automated equipment transform our ways of working?

CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION IN AN ENTREPRENEURIAL ORGANIZATION

Growth and development cannot be sustained without additional innovations (usually in the
product or services or in its marketing) with additional innovations, firms become “glamorous”
Introducing new products is usually seen as part of the process of innovation, which is itself seen
as the engine driving continued growth and development. The “winning performance” of the
entrepreneur and the organization focuses on.  Competing on quality not prices:  Domination
of a market niche;  Competing in an area of strength  Having tight financial, and operating
controls:  Frequent product or service innovation (particularly important in manufacturing).
Porter (1985) argues that, while successful businesses will each employ their own strategy, they
achieve completive advantage through acts of innovation. Learning and problem-solving are
common activities in many working environments today, but some people believe that true
entrepreneurship occurs when individuals ignore the established ways of thinking and acting and
seek novel ideas and solutions that can meet customers’ needs Entrepreneurship is, therefore,
the innovatory process involved in the creation of an economic enterprise based on a new
product or service which differs significantly from products or services offered by other suppliers
in content or in the way its production is organized nor in its marketing.. (Curran and Burroughs,
1986) It has been argued that small businesses have a greater proclivity to innovate than their
large counterparts and are, therefore, crucial in helping a country respond to myriad changes in
the economic, technological and social environment. (Acs and Gifford, 1996). For instance, the
OECD points out that small firms are innovative in different ways and are especially active in
developing new’ approaches to management and marketing. (OECD/DST/IND, 2000) To grow and
prosper, most enterprises need to constantly improve their existing products and services
through continuously innovating needed changes: and for survival of the enterprise, must also
need to create new products and services to meet yet unfulfilled needs. Enterprises that rely
exclusively on innovation will prosper until their products and services “ran out of gases and
become obsolete and non-competitive. On the other hand, enterprise that are totally creative
will have their new products and services ready to launch, but often too few current products
sufficiently up-to-date and competitive to generate the cash needed to fund their creativity.
Changes are that the very successful leaders of the future will be more likely to make creativity
and innovation a strategic priority in their organization. In today’s environment where
competition requires business enterprises to be distinct and meet customer needs with better or
never products and organization becomes in critical necessity Joseph Schumpeter views
innovation as the source of success in the market economy, a view that is reinforced by today’s
changing and competitive environment. The organization that is not creative and innovative
cannot survive in the market place. Thus, entrepreneurs and enterprises are continuously
creative and innovative to remain relevant to the customers, which is the purpose of every
business.

CONCLUSION

Successful entrepreneurs require an edge derived from some combination of a creative idea and
a superior capacity for execution. The entrepreneur’s creativity may involve an innovation
product or a process that changes the existing order. Or entrepreneur may have a unique insight
about the course or consequence of an external change. Entrepreneurship is the vehicle that
drives creativity and innovation. Innovation creates new demand and entrepreneurship brings
the innovation to the market. Innovation is the successful development of competitive edge and
as such, is the key to entrepreneurship. Creativity and Innovation are at the heart of the spirit of
enterprise. It means striving to perform activities differently or to perform different activities to
enable the entrepreneur deliver a unique mix of value. Thus the value of creativity and innovation
is to provide a gateway for astute entrepreneurship—actively searching for opportunities to do
new things, to do existing things in extraordinary ways. Creativity and Innovation therefore,
trigger and propel first-rate entrepreneurship in steering organization activities in whatever new
directions are dictated by market conditions and customer preferences, thereby delighting the
customers to the benefit of the stakeholders. Innovation also means anticipating the needs of
the market, offering additional quality or services, organization efficiently, mastering details, and
keeping cost under control. No doubt, the current economic environment is a volatile and violent
one. The new environment demands renewed dynamism of approach. Creativity and innovation
is the new name of the game. Only the discerning organizations can manage the changes inherent
in the new environment. It is the duty of the entrepreneur to keep his/her organization lean,
young, flexible, and eager for new things to continuously delight the customers, which is the
purpose of every business.