chetan walia - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by chetan walia

Research paper thumbnail of Negative Creativity and Organised Irresponsibility

Springer eBooks, 2021

Corporations have been found to create negative innovations for people in society; however, due t... more Corporations have been found to create negative innovations for people in society; however, due to the organisational irresponsibility principle, responsibility has remained unattributable to the agents. Despite the ills created, the economic progress and technological advancements provided by capitalism have led its advocates to suggest there is no alternative. When the goal is to exploit individuals, groups, institutions or organisations, the resultant activity is negative creativity. In competitive situations, most strategic creativity is intended to disadvantage others. This chapter explores the creation of negative innovations in firms and its link to strategic decision-making. A model for understanding negative creativity is also discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Creativity and Strategy: An Integrative Analysis

Research paper thumbnail of Strategic Intent Undermines Creative Outcomes: Evidence from a Randomised Control Trial

Creativity and Strategy, 2021

Established firms formulate strategies to gain competitive advantage, to maximise their rent or t... more Established firms formulate strategies to gain competitive advantage, to maximise their rent or to innovate to solve problems. This study develops a framework for exploring the implications of these strategic intents for creativity and value creation. The sample of the randomised control trial in this study included 32 strategic decision makers from four established companies that generated 128 decisions for analysis by playing a negotiation game. All subjects received 1 day of prior training in negotiation skills. Those in the control group were permitted to follow their default instincts during the trial. We found that actors who were guided by the intent of competitive advantage tended to be non-explorative about other problems. Actors who were guided by the intent of maximising rent tended to be exploitative or negatively creative. Actors who were guided by the intent of problem discovery found the most non-obvious and creative solutions leading to greater value creation than other intents. The results were consistent with the prediction of our framework—that the default strategic decision-making intent would tend to be the one that is closest to maximising rent or securing competitive advantage, leads to the exploitation of other players and neutralises total value creation.

Research paper thumbnail of Creativity and Strategy

The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this p... more The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.

Research paper thumbnail of Creative–Strategic Problem Formulation

Creativity and Strategy, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Integrated Framework for Understanding Creativity

Creativity and Strategy, 2021

Firms understand creativity as the ability to produce novel and useful ideas, whereas innovation ... more Firms understand creativity as the ability to produce novel and useful ideas, whereas innovation is understood as the process of bringing such ideas to life in the form of products, processes, or services. This definitional construct of creativity situates creativity in the context of the outcome (i.e. the creation or idea) and not the process leading to creation. In separating creativity from creation, three constructs emerge: creativity (the process), creation (the outcome) and creative (the judgement). This chapter develops an integrated framework for creativity within these three constructs and highlights implications of the framework for the firm’s strategy.

Research paper thumbnail of Integrated Framework for Understanding Creativity

Creativity and Strategy, 2021

Firms understand creativity as the ability to produce novel and useful ideas, whereas innovation ... more Firms understand creativity as the ability to produce novel and useful ideas, whereas innovation is understood as the process of bringing such ideas to life in the form of products, processes, or services. This definitional construct of creativity situates creativity in the context of the outcome (i.e. the creation or idea) and not the process leading to creation. In separating creativity from creation, three constructs emerge: creativity (the process), creation (the outcome) and creative (the judgement). This chapter develops an integrated framework for creativity within these three constructs and highlights implications of the framework for the firm’s strategy.

Research paper thumbnail of Competitive Advantageous Intent While Strategising May Lead to Problem Myopia

Creativity and Strategy, 2021

Sustainable competitive advantage was challenged by research in the 1990s, showing that there are... more Sustainable competitive advantage was challenged by research in the 1990s, showing that there are many environments in hypercompetition and that hypercompetition, rather than competitive equilibrium, is the norm. Positions of advantage are temporary and are doomed to be eroded by emergent innovation elsewhere. Nokia, Eastman Kodak and Woolworth are prominent examples in the literature of companies that could not manage such transient waves. Strategy is largely considered to address the problem of competitive advantage, and creativity is supposed to provide ideas for innovations to solve this problem. At the macro level, the problem of competitiveness is static. This chapter reviews the extant literature and terms this problem a ‘problem myopia’ that may even result in negative innovations. Problem myopia is the inability to perceive a problem independently of strategic objectives. This chapter explains how the competitive dominant intent could be detrimental to fulfilling the creati...

Research paper thumbnail of Creativity and Strategic Decision-Making by Top Management Teams

Creativity and Strategy, 2021

The strategic decision-making (SDM) research is rooted in the case study approach and therefore m... more The strategic decision-making (SDM) research is rooted in the case study approach and therefore may not have considered actual SDM behaviour. The strategy literature understands creativity within a limited cognition and stresses competitive advantage as the unit of analysis. Research on creativity has largely centred on creative individuals as generators of novel ideas. It is not known whether the selectors of these ideas enhance or compromise creative potential (4Ps—person, product, process, press). This chapter examines decision-making, strategy and creativity as one movement to explore whether SDM (context, content and process) undermines one aspect more than another.

Research paper thumbnail of Creative–Strategic Theoretical Model: Conclusions and Implications

Creativity and Strategy, 2021

This chapter presents the creative–strategic model which is the intersection of strategic intents... more This chapter presents the creative–strategic model which is the intersection of strategic intents with the creative process, creative outcome and creative judgement. The result is a nine-grid model that captures creative–strategic outcomes for the strategic intents of maximising profit and competitive advantage and for problem discovery. The creative–strategic model explains and analyses the difference between the realisation of creative potential, neutral creative outcomes and negative creative outcomes. Conclusions from the book are summarised, and open questions for future research are discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Creative or destructive: The perspective may be a matter of convenience

Research Outreach, Apr 15, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of A Dynamic Definition of Creativity

Creativity Research Journal, 2019

The aim of this article was to review the definitions of creativity on which many previous studie... more The aim of this article was to review the definitions of creativity on which many previous studies have been based. Prior literature has merged creativity and creation into its understanding of the construct. By describing creativity with reference to its end result, that is, a creative outcome, theorists have not been able to pay attention to the dynamic process of creativity that may or may not lead to creation. This article reviews critical literature in creativity and departs from accepted definitions of creativity. Considering the various elements that are involved in creative acts, a dynamic definition is proposed; it emphasizes providing insights into the creative act itself, a factor that has been neglected in earlier definitions of creativity.

Research paper thumbnail of If it's destructive, it's not creative.pdf

Paper presented at the SOU Creativity Conference 2019. The paper argues that if an act is destruc... more Paper presented at the SOU Creativity Conference 2019. The paper argues that if an act is destructive, it is not creative. Further that the act itself is influenced by decision makers, and as ends the creative process.

Research paper thumbnail of Negative Creativity and Organised Irresponsibility

Springer eBooks, 2021

Corporations have been found to create negative innovations for people in society; however, due t... more Corporations have been found to create negative innovations for people in society; however, due to the organisational irresponsibility principle, responsibility has remained unattributable to the agents. Despite the ills created, the economic progress and technological advancements provided by capitalism have led its advocates to suggest there is no alternative. When the goal is to exploit individuals, groups, institutions or organisations, the resultant activity is negative creativity. In competitive situations, most strategic creativity is intended to disadvantage others. This chapter explores the creation of negative innovations in firms and its link to strategic decision-making. A model for understanding negative creativity is also discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Creativity and Strategy: An Integrative Analysis

Research paper thumbnail of Strategic Intent Undermines Creative Outcomes: Evidence from a Randomised Control Trial

Creativity and Strategy, 2021

Established firms formulate strategies to gain competitive advantage, to maximise their rent or t... more Established firms formulate strategies to gain competitive advantage, to maximise their rent or to innovate to solve problems. This study develops a framework for exploring the implications of these strategic intents for creativity and value creation. The sample of the randomised control trial in this study included 32 strategic decision makers from four established companies that generated 128 decisions for analysis by playing a negotiation game. All subjects received 1 day of prior training in negotiation skills. Those in the control group were permitted to follow their default instincts during the trial. We found that actors who were guided by the intent of competitive advantage tended to be non-explorative about other problems. Actors who were guided by the intent of maximising rent tended to be exploitative or negatively creative. Actors who were guided by the intent of problem discovery found the most non-obvious and creative solutions leading to greater value creation than other intents. The results were consistent with the prediction of our framework—that the default strategic decision-making intent would tend to be the one that is closest to maximising rent or securing competitive advantage, leads to the exploitation of other players and neutralises total value creation.

Research paper thumbnail of Creativity and Strategy

The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this p... more The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.

Research paper thumbnail of Creative–Strategic Problem Formulation

Creativity and Strategy, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Integrated Framework for Understanding Creativity

Creativity and Strategy, 2021

Firms understand creativity as the ability to produce novel and useful ideas, whereas innovation ... more Firms understand creativity as the ability to produce novel and useful ideas, whereas innovation is understood as the process of bringing such ideas to life in the form of products, processes, or services. This definitional construct of creativity situates creativity in the context of the outcome (i.e. the creation or idea) and not the process leading to creation. In separating creativity from creation, three constructs emerge: creativity (the process), creation (the outcome) and creative (the judgement). This chapter develops an integrated framework for creativity within these three constructs and highlights implications of the framework for the firm’s strategy.

Research paper thumbnail of Integrated Framework for Understanding Creativity

Creativity and Strategy, 2021

Firms understand creativity as the ability to produce novel and useful ideas, whereas innovation ... more Firms understand creativity as the ability to produce novel and useful ideas, whereas innovation is understood as the process of bringing such ideas to life in the form of products, processes, or services. This definitional construct of creativity situates creativity in the context of the outcome (i.e. the creation or idea) and not the process leading to creation. In separating creativity from creation, three constructs emerge: creativity (the process), creation (the outcome) and creative (the judgement). This chapter develops an integrated framework for creativity within these three constructs and highlights implications of the framework for the firm’s strategy.

Research paper thumbnail of Competitive Advantageous Intent While Strategising May Lead to Problem Myopia

Creativity and Strategy, 2021

Sustainable competitive advantage was challenged by research in the 1990s, showing that there are... more Sustainable competitive advantage was challenged by research in the 1990s, showing that there are many environments in hypercompetition and that hypercompetition, rather than competitive equilibrium, is the norm. Positions of advantage are temporary and are doomed to be eroded by emergent innovation elsewhere. Nokia, Eastman Kodak and Woolworth are prominent examples in the literature of companies that could not manage such transient waves. Strategy is largely considered to address the problem of competitive advantage, and creativity is supposed to provide ideas for innovations to solve this problem. At the macro level, the problem of competitiveness is static. This chapter reviews the extant literature and terms this problem a ‘problem myopia’ that may even result in negative innovations. Problem myopia is the inability to perceive a problem independently of strategic objectives. This chapter explains how the competitive dominant intent could be detrimental to fulfilling the creati...

Research paper thumbnail of Creativity and Strategic Decision-Making by Top Management Teams

Creativity and Strategy, 2021

The strategic decision-making (SDM) research is rooted in the case study approach and therefore m... more The strategic decision-making (SDM) research is rooted in the case study approach and therefore may not have considered actual SDM behaviour. The strategy literature understands creativity within a limited cognition and stresses competitive advantage as the unit of analysis. Research on creativity has largely centred on creative individuals as generators of novel ideas. It is not known whether the selectors of these ideas enhance or compromise creative potential (4Ps—person, product, process, press). This chapter examines decision-making, strategy and creativity as one movement to explore whether SDM (context, content and process) undermines one aspect more than another.

Research paper thumbnail of Creative–Strategic Theoretical Model: Conclusions and Implications

Creativity and Strategy, 2021

This chapter presents the creative–strategic model which is the intersection of strategic intents... more This chapter presents the creative–strategic model which is the intersection of strategic intents with the creative process, creative outcome and creative judgement. The result is a nine-grid model that captures creative–strategic outcomes for the strategic intents of maximising profit and competitive advantage and for problem discovery. The creative–strategic model explains and analyses the difference between the realisation of creative potential, neutral creative outcomes and negative creative outcomes. Conclusions from the book are summarised, and open questions for future research are discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Creative or destructive: The perspective may be a matter of convenience

Research Outreach, Apr 15, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of A Dynamic Definition of Creativity

Creativity Research Journal, 2019

The aim of this article was to review the definitions of creativity on which many previous studie... more The aim of this article was to review the definitions of creativity on which many previous studies have been based. Prior literature has merged creativity and creation into its understanding of the construct. By describing creativity with reference to its end result, that is, a creative outcome, theorists have not been able to pay attention to the dynamic process of creativity that may or may not lead to creation. This article reviews critical literature in creativity and departs from accepted definitions of creativity. Considering the various elements that are involved in creative acts, a dynamic definition is proposed; it emphasizes providing insights into the creative act itself, a factor that has been neglected in earlier definitions of creativity.

Research paper thumbnail of If it's destructive, it's not creative.pdf

Paper presented at the SOU Creativity Conference 2019. The paper argues that if an act is destruc... more Paper presented at the SOU Creativity Conference 2019. The paper argues that if an act is destructive, it is not creative. Further that the act itself is influenced by decision makers, and as ends the creative process.