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News Release Dec. 15, 2006
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| International Business professor Nancy Napier on Bronco Stadium's famous blue turf. |
Ever wonder what
lies behind the Bronco football team’s success? Definitely hard work and stellar
coaching. But a Boise State University researcher also has found that creativity
plays a role.
The team’s successful journey to a berth in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl January 1
isn’t much different than journeys undertaken by a successful arts group or a
successful business. They all employ similar creative techniques to get the job
done.
Boise State international business professor Nancy Napier has spent time over
the last couple of years studying the creative processes of the winning Bronco
football team, the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, ProClarity (now Microsoft) and
Healthwise to see what makes them tick. Although very different organizations,
she found several common elements.
“There was more overlap than you can imagine,” she said.
She found that all four organizations brainstorm, plan, test and test again
before rolling out a new game plan, play, software program or health
information. In the football team’s case, players test new plays a great deal on
the blue turf during practice before using them in a game. Given the number of
plays they must know, and know well, this allows them to be comfortable when a
new play is introduced.
In addition to testing, members of each of the organizations Napier profiled see
part of their role as being creative and innovative. Given that the Boise State
football program has fewer resources than some of the larger schools with which
they compete, training coaches have to be innovative in providing the right
training but without some of the equipment other teams might have.
Finally, members of each group talk about the importance of mastering their
fields to be the best players, actors, programmers or writers, or players. Then,
once they have built their expertise, can they think “beyond the fundamentals”
to become creative.
People such as Richard Florida, who wrote the best-selling Flight of the
Creative Class, has popularized the idea of creative communities. Napier has
presented her findings that include her work with the Bronco football team both
within the United States and Europe. She and her Swedish co-author are writing a
book to be completed in 2007.
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Contact: Nancy Napier,
(208) 426-1314, nnapier@boisestate.edu
Media contact: Sherry Squires, University Communications, (208) 426-1563,
ssquires@boisestate.edu
We’re proud to be the home of the undefeated, Fiesta Bowl‑bound Broncos, the
national champion student speech and debate team, and the nation's 12th‑ranked
engineering program among public, comprehensive universities.
The Office of Communications and Marketing
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Boise State University
1910 University Drive -
Boise Idaho 83725-1030
Located in Capitol Village, 2225 W. University Drive
208-426-1577
(fax)208-426-4001
email communications@boisestate.edu
Last reviewed on Wednesday, January 03, 2007
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