Harvard University

Extension School

Creativity and Innovation

Management 4310
Course Syllabus – Spring 2021

About the Course

Course Description and Overview

Creativity is serious business. Whether in the business, not-for-profit, or public sector, organizations increasingly need
people who understand the creative process, know how to manage creative professionals, and can develop an
organizational climate that fosters innovation. This course focuses on creativity and innovation, examining the interplay
between individual creativity, group processes, organizational culture and systems, management attitudes and practices,
and successful innovation. Throughout the course we explore tools and techniques for fostering individual and group
creativity, management practices that foster (or inhibit) innovation, methods for developing and evaluating ideas for new
products, services, and the business models to execute these ideas, and principles and practices for leading innovation.
Using a variety of readings, case examples, discussions, experiential exercises, and a challenging project, students
explore and apply the principles of creativity and innovation.

Instructor:
Margaret Andrews
Managing Director, Higher Ed Associates [email protected]
Office Hours: After class and by appointment +1.508.359.2002

Course Materials
Listed below are the required materials for the course.

“HBP”: We will use a number of articles, notes and cases that are available at reduced cost through the Harvard
Business Press. You may purchase the course pack by following this link:
For regular/full course pack with all materials: TBA
Short pack (only for those that have a Harvard Business Review subscription and just need non-HBR
content): TBA

“Canvas”: There are a few items available (or linked) on the Canvas course website.

“Watch”: There are a few videos to watch (links provided)

Creativity & Innovation – MGMT E-4310 – Spring 2021 Page 1 of 7

Grading
A student’s final grade in this course will be based on the following weighting:

15% In-Class Participation

15% Discussion Board Participation
40% Application Exercises
30% Project

Grades reflect the quality of a student’s work throughout the course according to the Harvard Extension School’s grading
standards (http://www.extension.harvard.edu/exams-grades-policies/grades).

This is a graduate-level course and graduate-level work, which includes active participation in class discussions and
activities and high-quality written work – including Application Exercises, the Project, and Discussion Board posts – is
expected. Much of a manager’s success depends on communication; therefore, effective written and oral communication
will constitute a significant portion of a student’s grade. Written work should be clear, logical, grammatically correct, spell-
checked, persuasive, supported by examples, and backed up by citations for any data, ideas or other content used. It
should represent the student’s best effort. There are no extra credit assignments in this class.

Please note that all written assignments are due in the relevant course assignment folder (on the Canvas course
website) before 8:00pm on the due date, which is generally not on the same day as a class session.

Coursework/Assignments

In-Class Participation
This course covers a significant amount of content and much of the learning comes from in-class exercises and
discussion. Therefore, students are expected to attend all class sessions, complete all assigned readings and come
prepared and ready to participate. Attendance will be taken, and participation will be evaluated at each class session.
Cameras should be turned on during class. A student must be present in class to participate in discussions; however,
presence is not participation. Students may miss one online class session without penalty, but all other absences will
result in a zero score for class participation for that session. Please notify the instructor (via email) prior to the start of
class if you will not be in attendance. Pre-class survey, as well as your Creative Resume, and several possible pop-
quizzes on the readings, all count toward the class participation grade.

Weekly Discussion Boards

Students will participate in weekly online discussions around a variety of creativity and innovation topics. These
discussions will take place on the Canvas course website, in the Discussions area. There will be a discussion question
posted each week. Weekly online discussion topics will be posted on Fridays and close on Wednesdays at 8pm. Please
note that Canvas sometimes makes it look as if the Discussion Board is open for postings later than Wednesday at 8pm –
but all weekly Discussion Questions will close at Wednesdays at 8pm. Students are expected to use the forum to not only
post their thoughts and ideas, but to give thoughtful responses/ideas/feedback to other student posts – hence the name
“discussion boards.” Students may miss one weekly discussion board without penalty; any additional misses will result in
a zero score for that week.

Application Exercises
There are several Application Exercises that students will complete during the term – each one offers a chance to reflect
upon, apply, and practice what we are learning through the readings, exercises, lectures, and discussions. Each
Application Exercise #1 and #2 are each worth 10% of your total grade; Application Exercise #3 is worth 20% of your
grade. More information about the Application Exercises will be available at the start of class.

Project

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 By the end of class, students will complete a final project. More information about the Project will be available within the
first few weeks of class.

Academic Integrity
Common sense warning: Just as ethics and integrity are important in management practice, academic integrity is
important in this course. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with the Harvard’s policies on academic integrity,
which can be found at http://www.extension.harvard.edu/exams-grades-policies/student-responsibilities. Other resources
include, The Harvard Guide to Using Sources (http://usingsources.fas.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do), Plagiarism and the Proper
Use of Sources (http://www.extension.harvard.edu/resources/career-academic-resource-center/plagiarism-proper-use-
sources), including two very good online tutorials on what constitutes plagiarism. You are responsible for understanding
Harvard Extension School policies on academic integrity (www.extension.harvard.edu/resources-policies/student-
conduct/academic-integrity) and how to use sources responsibly. Not knowing the rules, misunderstanding the rules,
running out of time, submitting the wrong draft, or being overwhelmed with multiple demands are not acceptable excuses.
To support your learning about academic citation rules, please visit the Harvard Extension School Tips to Avoid
Plagiarism (www.extension.harvard.edu/resources-policies/resources/tips-avoid-plagiarism), where you'll find links to the
Harvard Guide to Using Sources and two free online 15-minute tutorials to test your knowledge of academic citation
policy. The tutorials are anonymous open-learning tools. Please visit and use these sites to avoid any unintentional errors.
It is important to understand the standards to which you will be held; ignorance of the standards will not be considered an
excuse for violating them.

Additional Information
Contacting Instructor: Please contact instructor through email (not through Canvas) and, in the subject line of your email,
begin with “C&I Class:” and then add the rest of the subject.

On Time. Students are expected to arrive to the online classroom on time and stay for the duration of the class session.
If you expect to be late or absent from class – or need to leave early – let the instructor know prior to the start of class.

Deadlines. All assignments must be submitted to the correct assignment folder on the Canvas course website by the
specified day and time and late submissions will not be accepted. If you experience any problems uploading your
assignment to the drop box, you should email the document to the instructors. Please note that, if you email the
assignment because you cannot upload it, the email and the relevant attachment must be received on or before the
assignment deadline to be accepted. Should you experience any internet problems, please call/leave a message for the
instructor – this call should occur before the submission deadline passes. If you are not in class the day an assignment is
due, the assignment is still due at the specified day and time. Please note that all times listed in the syllabus are based on
the Eastern Time Zone. As a reminder, all Weekly Discussion Questions (on the Discussion Boards) close on
Wednesdays at 8:00pm.

Professional Conduct. Professional behavior is expected throughout the class. This means respectful communication
both inside and outside of class. During discussions, civil discourse should be maintained at all times and comments
should be aimed at moving the discussion forward. This does not mean that students must always agree with others since
reasoned, respectful dissention may be part of the discovery process and lead to previously unconsidered options.

Disability Services: The Extension School is committed to providing an accessible academic community. The Accessibility
Office offers a variety of accommodations and services to students with documented disabilities. Please visit
www.extension.harvard.edu/resources-policies/resources/disability-services-accessibility for more information.

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 Course Outline and Schedule
Date | Deliverables (Weekly
Session Topic Area / Read & Do Prior Discussion Boards Not Listed
Time |
# Theme to Class Session Here)
Location

Do prior Class – Read through course syllabus in its entirety

to first Foundations – Take mandatory Pre-Class Survey (link posted on Canvas/Announcements)
class
0 session
– Read through Web Conference Course Guidelines: https://www.extension.harvard.edu/academics/courses/types-courses/web-
conference-course-guidelines
– Make sure that you have a working headset

Th 01.28 HBP: “Creativity Step by Step: An Interview with Twyla Tharp, Harvard Business Review, April 2008
1 Course
5:30- Canvas: “The Creativity Crisis,” by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, Newsweek, July 10, 2010 Take Pre-Class Survey
Introduction
7:30pm Canvas: “How to Manage the Top Five Global Economic Challenges,” Knowledge at Wharton, November 1, 2017 (due before 8:00pm on 01.27)
What is Canvas: “The Dark Side of Original Thinking,” by Hansika Kapoor and AEON, The Atlantic, February 10, 2019
Online
Creativity?
Why Creative Resume (A)
Innovation? (bring to class on 01.28)

Th 02.04 HBP: “The Innovator’s DNA,” by Jeffrey Dyer, Hal Gregersen, and Clayton Christensen, Harvard Business Review, December Creative Resume (B)
2 The Creative
5:30- 2009 (upload to Canvas by 8:00pm on
Process Canvas: “The Nature of Creativity,” by Robert J. Sternberg, Creativity Research Journal, 2006, Vol. 18, No. 1, 87-98
7:30pm 02.03 and bring to class on 02.04)
Individual Canvas: “Secrets of the Creative Brain,” by Nancy C. Andreasen, The Atlantic, July/August 2014
Online
Creativity Canvas: “Awesome awe: the emotion that gives us superpowers,” by Jo Marchant, New Scientist, July 26,2017

Th 02.11 Watch: David Lynch on Where Great Ideas Come From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFsBaa_MEzM (2:34) Application Exercise #1
3 Individual
5:30- Canvas: “How to Unlock the Creative in You,” The Atlantic (Aspen Ideas Festival 2014) (due before 8:00pm on 02.10)
Creativity
7:30pm Canvas: “Inspiration is 80% Mental, 40% Physical: Your Secrets of Creativity,” by Jared Keller, The Atlantic, April 11, 2012
Barriers to
Online
Creativity

Watch: Powers of 10: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fKBhvDjuy0 or http://www.eamesoffice.com/the-work/powers-of-ten/ Application Exercise #2

4 Th 02.18 Individual
(9 minutes) (due before 8:00pm on 02.17)
5:30- Creativity
7:30pm Diverging and
Online Converging
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Creativity & Innovation – MGMT E-4310 – Spring 2021 Page 4 of 7
 Th 02.25 Creative Readings for This Session to Be Announced
5 Take FourSight Assessment
5:30- Problem Instructor will send link
7:30pm Solving (due before 8:00pm on 02.24)
Online Overview

Th 03.04 HBP: “Diverse Teams Feel Less Comfortable – and That’s Why They Perform Better,” by David Rock, Heidi Grant, and Jacqui
6 Creativity in
Grey, Harvard Business Review, September 22, 2016
5:30- Groups Canvas: “How Team Reflexivity Fosters Innovation,” by Michaela Schippers, Michael West, and Jeremy Dawson, Ideas for
7:30pm Leaders (based on 2012 Journal of Management article)
Online Canvas: “What Google Learned from Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team,” by Charles Duhigg, New York Times, February 25,
2016
Canvas: TBD “Anatomy of a Song”

Th 03.11 Creative Readings for This Session to Be Announced

7
5:30- Problem
7:30pm Solving
Online Clarifying

No Class This Week (Harvard Spring Break)

Th 03.25 Creative Readings for This Session to Be Announced

8
5:30- Problem
7:30pm Solving
Online Ideating

Th 04.01 Readings for This Session to Be Announced

9 Creative
5:30-
Problem
7:30pm
Solving
Online
Developing
Implementing

HBP: “Weird Ideas That Spark Innovation,” by Robert Sutton, MIT Sloan Management Review, Winter 2007 Application Exercise #3
10 Th 04.08 Innovation
HBP: “Great Innovators Create the Future, Manage the Present, and Selectively Forget the Past,” by Vijay Govindarajan, (due before 8:00pm on 04.07)
Harvard Business Review, March 31, 2016
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 5:30- Inventing the HBP: “Planned Opportunism: Using Weak Signals to Spur Innovation,” by Vijay Govindarajan, Harvard Business Review, May
7:30pm Future 2016
Online HBP: “The Flare and Focus of Successful Futurists,” by Amy Webb, MIT Sloan Management Review, March 17, 2017
HBP: “Pitching Novel Ideas: A User’s Guide,” by Shuye Lu, Kathryn M. Bartol, and Vijaya Venkatraman, Rotman Magazine,
Winter 2020

Th 04.15 HBP: “What is a Business Model?” by Andrea Ovans, Harvard Business Review (online), January 23, 2015
11 Innovation
HBP: “A Better Way to Think About Your Business Model,” by Alexander Osterwalder, Harvard Business Review (online), May 6,
5:30- Business 2013
7:30pm Model Canvas HBP: “Business Model Innovation: A Process Model,” by Jeanne M. Liedtka, Darden Business Publishing, June 30, 2009
Online HBP: “Strategy Needs Creativity,” by Adam Brandenburger, Harvard Business Review, March-April 2019
Canvas: “Disrupting Beliefs: A New Approach to Business-Model Innovation,” by Marc de Jong and Menno van Dijk, McKinsey
Quarterly, July 2015

Th 04.22 Watch “The Pixar Story” (available through Amazon and other outlets; you can rent it through this link:
12 Creating a
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq0nxmrLZdk - 1:28:31)
5:30- Culture of HBP: “How Pixar Fosters Collective Creativity,” by Ed Catmull, Harvard Business Review, September 2008
7:30pm Creativity HBP: “Collective Genius,” by Linda Hill, Greg Brandeau, Emily Truelove, and Kent Lineback, Harvard Business Review, June 2014
Online HBP: “Building Breakthrough Businesses Within Established Organizations,” by Vijay Govindarajan and Chris Trimble, Harvard
Business Review, May 2005
HBP: “Let Go of What Made Your Company Great” by Vijay Govindarajan, Harvard Business Review (online), April 13, 2016

Th 04.29 HBP: “The Weird Rules of Creativity,” by Robert I. Sutton, Harvard Business Review, September 2001
13 Managing for
HBP: “How to Kill Creativity,” by Teresa M. Amabile, Harvard Business Review, September-October 1998
5:30- Creativity HBP: “How to Pick a Good Fight,” by Saj-nicole A. Joni and Damon Beyer, Harvard Business Review, December 2009
7:30pm HBP: “Innovation Leadership: Best-Practice Recommendations for Promoting Employee Creativity, Voice, and Knowledge-
Online Sharing,” by Hannah Kremer, Isabel Villamor, and Herman Aguinis, Business Horizons (2019) 62, 65-74
Canvas: “How to Cultivate Leadership That Is Honed to Solve Problems,” by Deborah Ancona and Hal Gregersen, Strategy +
Business, October 30, 2017

No reading for this session Project

14 Th 05.06 Presentations
5:30- (due before 8:00pm on 05.05)
7:30pm
Online

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 No reading for this session
15 Th 05.13 Presentations
5:30- Wrap Up
7:30pm
Online

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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