The Contributions of Different Groups of Individuals to Employees’ Creativity

This article provides a current review of the research on the social factors for creativity and explores the relevance of sets of other individuals, both inside and outside the boundaries of the organization, that have the potential to influence creative performance. In addition, the author discusses two alternative ways in which these individuals might have an impact on creativity. First, others may encourage a person’s creativity by providing support and assistance for his or her new ideas. Second, they may stimulate creativity by presenting new information and knowledge to the employee, which in turn trigger novel ideas and alternative solutions. Implications of these relationships for human resource development (HRD) practice are discussed.