Learn six important rules on how organizations can use creativity and innovation to boost performance. Nancy Napier, professor of strategy and executive director of the Centre for Creativity and Innovation in the College of Business and Economics, shares insight gained from her research into that question in this week’s Beyond the Blue faculty podcast “Effective Use of Creativity and Innovation.”
Listeners can access the website featuring a series of faculty podcasts at BeyondtheBlue.BoiseState.edu or go directly to Napier’s presentation. Visitors can listen/watch podcasts directly on the site or link to iTunesU, where they can download all podcasts and subscribe to receive automatic downloads of new content whenever they open iTunes.
Napier’s book, “The Creative Discipline”(2008), examines diverse organizations — from theater to software to football — to identify common creative characteristics, while “Insight” (2010) shows how to encourage ‘aha’ moments, which help speed learning and problem solving. The high performing, highly creative organizations studied in this research are called “The Gang.” Members range from the Boise State football program and Trey McIntyre dance group to health information provider Healthwise and the Ada County (Idaho) Sheriff’s Office.
This podcast covers six important “Gang” rules that are crucial elements for organizations looking to incorporate creativity and innovation in their operations. The rules also will appear in a book that Napier is currently writing in conjunction with other members of the group.
The Beyond the Blue website has been developed to showcase the expertise and innovative spirit that exists in many fields at Boise State. Known for its unique blue turf and nationally ranked football program, Boise State is demonstrating creativity beyond the blue in faculty podcasts intended to introduce a variety of topics to casual listeners.
New faculty podcasts are being added on a regular basis, including:
- Scott Yenor, Marriage and Modern Thought
- Heidi Reeder, Attraction in Male-Female Friendship
- Michelle Sabick, Joint Replacement
- Jonathan Brendefur, Mathematical Minds
- Troy Rohn, Alzheimer’s Disease
- Gary Moncrief, Congressional Redistricting
- Evelyn Johnson, Learning Disabilities
- Will Hughes, DNA Nanotechnology
- John Gardner, Energy Efficiency
- Cheryl Jorcyk, Breast Cancer
- Mitch Wieland, Creative Writing
- Cindy Clark, Civility in Nursing
- John Freemuth, Public Lands
- Greg Hampikian, DNA Forensics
- Shelton Woods, Rise of China
- Jill Gill, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Brian Greber, America’s Economic Policy
The website contains bonus video and editorial content about the university, including its growth, research initiatives and student life. A related collection of faculty interviews also is accessible from the Reader’s Corner radio show hosted by Boise State President Bob Kustra on Boise State Public Radio.
