THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP IN PROMOTING CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION (THE STUDY OF SELECTED MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN ENUGU URBAN

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ABSTRACT

This project work is focused on the role of leadership in promoting creativity and innovation (the study of selected manufacturing firms in Enugu urban). The project work is aimed  at  examining  the  effects  of  leadership  role  on creativity   and   innovation,   the   factors   and   challenges expected by leaders and employees during creative process. The writer employed the use of historical research method. In review of related literature in chapter two of this works. In  chapter  three,  the  researcher  made  use  of  survey research plan in which questionnaire were split into two sections:   questionnaire   on   leadership   and   employees opinion concerning creativity and innovation process. Furthermore, the writer employed the use of stratified random sampling in selecting the sample size for the study. The writer formulated four hypotheses in line with the problems and objectives of the study. However, the researcher adopted the use of chi-square statistical test in testing the hypotheses which the following results emerged: that  motivational  incentives  for  creativity  and  innovation have  encourage  the  exploration  of  hidden  talents  in  the work place, there is significant relationship between managers/leaders  and  employees  in  promoting  creativity and innovation, leaders setting unambitious tasks on employees have not reduce stress and hypotheses four indicate validate by concluding that leaders involving their subordinates  in  decision  making  process  encourage  the spirit of team work. Data collected were analyzed and presented  with  tables  and  percentages.  In  view  of  the findings made, the following recommendations accrued from the result of the research work: that leaders be democratic in their leadership styles as to create enabling environment to   improve   employees   creative   ability,   leaders   should consult their staff in taking key decisions, team members as to  achieve  set  objective  and  finally,  leaders  should  give adequate support to their employees when embarking on creative process.

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1  BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

It is obvious that by “creative”, we generally mean the words and pictures, the sound and the music, the models that are projected and may be, even associations with such sports, films and other personalities who typify such role model. This is understandable. After all, these are the most visible element of improving growth and development in organization.

Creativity is an asset impossible to financially quantify a prior in an organization (Amabile, 2002:52). Before a product or service is available to the market and sales numbers are unveiled no one can tell whether or not the money will spent or completely wanted (Sutton; 2004:10).

Creativity, as generally understood is only one, even if a very important component of generating and designing of the   service   development.   What   is   more   at   the   very beginning, must point out that all the talent that creative young aspirants for jobs for manufacturing industries are

not  sufficient  into  this  highly  demanding  work (Cannon,

2005:98).

On   the   other   hand,   the   opportunities   that   the profession offers are more varied and creativity more challenging in the wider sense of the term. In the context, it is  necessary  to  be  clearly  about  what  creativity  really means. “To create” according to Oxford Advanced Dictionary means  “Bring  into  existence,  give rise  to  originate”  “The word creation means “All created things, product of human intelligence,  especially  of  imaginative  thought”  creative means “Creating, able to create, inventive, imaginative, showing imagination as well as routine skill. Of course, even the dictionary definition refers to an actor creating a part or a product created by a designer the essential elements of creativity are really disciplined by routine skills.

Huge sum  of  capital are put into creativity (OECD,

2008). The reason for it is the outwork of many markets today, not only are they highly competitive but they are also very transmorphic. New demand appears continuously, replacing old ones. New technology generate new problems as well as opportunities to fix them. The ability to anticipate

change by all means to do something about it has more than  ever  became  a  critical factor  for  survival  (Boehlke,

2008:87).

So then, once you established that motivation is a necessity,  the next question  is, how do  you do it? After collecting bright minds and states of the art technology the trick now is to maximize creating as if was a product. A leader who is the industry of innovation, its means of production is people and their ability to think out brilliant ideas. But because creativity is a complex matter, intimately connected with human reflection and communication.

Innovation has been found to be Linchpin of economic growth and lies behind improvements in every aspects of modern life Tushman and Anderson, 1996:613).

As Chang (2001: 64) rightly point out, while size, scale and cost position are important aspect of defining competitiveness especially boils down to innovation. An organization’s ability to compete in a fast changing world is defined by its programme for continuous quick and inexpensive  innovation.  Regrettably,  it  is  observed  that many organizations due to short term pressures or lack of

understanding  about  how  to  innovate,  rely  instead  on increase  mental  improvement  to  existing  product  (HBR;

2001: 40).

The dictum innovative or perish, is yet to make an impression on many organizations the world over. As a matter of facts, poor performance on innovation has been given as one of the key reasons for Britain industrial decline (Frain, 1992:191). The case of Nigeria for example appears more pathetic. In 2000, for example, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) reported that manufacturing sector of the Nigeria economy recorded a miserly 0 – 4 rise in aggregate index of manufacturing production and the level of capacity utilization was given as only 36.1 percent.

Reasons   adduced   for   this   abysmal   performance include  weak  demand  for  local  manufactured goods  and influx of imports considered relatively cheaper and perhaps and  of  better  quality  than  locally  manufactured counterparts.

In an increasingly knowledge based economy pin pointing   the   factors   that   shape   the   ability   of   the organizations to produce influential ideas and innovation

has been long  a central issue for organizational studies. Among all organizational outputs innovation is fundamental not only in view of its direct impact on the viability of firms, but because of the profound effects on the paths of social and economic change (Sorenson, 2000:94).

1.2  STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The issue of creativity and innovation have posed a serious challenges in both private and public sector organizations in Nigeria, because leaders in these organizations   have   not   embrace   creative   thinking.   The complex nature of this subject matters makes it too difficult for many leaders and their staff (employees) to tackle this problem very appropriately due to the continuously increase competition and rapid change in the market share, products/services and customers tastes in. the globally competitive market. Leaders are required to have competence and ability to create and innovate in order to survive in the next millennium.

It is against this background that the researcher envisaged  the  following  problems  militating  against  the

leadership  role  in  promoting  creativity  and  innovation  in selected manufacturing organizations in Enugu urban:

      Leader’s  inability  to  embrace  on  the  new  way  of improving  on  their  product/service  or  generation  of ideas for product improvement.

      Leader’s        non        challant        attitude        towards supporting/assisting  workers  to  coping  up  with stressful situations in their work place in development/initiating new ideas.

      Inability  of  leaders  to  play  their  role  in  harnessing potential talents among employees.

      Inadequate  motivational  incentives  or  recognition  by leaders to their employees for improved performance

      Non consultation of employees by their leaders when taking decisions on key projects.

1.3  OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The objectives of the study include:

1.      To examine the effects of management practices on creativity and innovation.

2.      To ascertain how creativity and innovation promotes competitiveness among group members

3.      To identify those factors that is traits in promoting creating and innovation by leaders in a work place.

4.      To evaluate how the hidden talents and potentials in these organizations can be exploited and managed to create value for the share holders.

1.4  RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The  research  questions  that  the  study  is  meant  to address include:

1.      What are those factors affecting leadership role in promoting creativity and innovation in a work place?

2.      How has the organizational design affect leaders in promoting creativity and innovation?

3.      How can leaders manage the innovation process and barriers that prevent creativity and innovation in a work place?

4.      What are the impact of communication and value trust relationship between leaders and employees in encouraging creativity and innovation in an organization?

5.      Has creativity and innovation improved hidden and talented employees in these organizations?

1.5  HYPOTHESES FORMULATION

As  a  guide  in  the  collection  of  data  for  the  study, certain hypotheses have been formulated which include:

H1:   Motivational  incentives  for  creativity  and  innovation have encouraged the exploration of hidden talents in the work place.

H2:   There is significant relationship between managers and employees in promoting creativity and innovation in an organization.

H3:   Leaders   setting   unambitious   tasks   on   employees reduces stress and impact positively on creativity and innovation in an organization.

H4:   Involvement of employees in decision making process encourages spirit of team work in promoting creativity and innovation.

1.6  SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The research was conducted in Enugu Urban Enugu State capital and the concern was the role of leadership in promoting creativity and innovation in an organization, a

selected study of manufacturing industries in Enugu Urban because most companies operate and have their head office, so the researcher was convinced about getting the needed response bearing in mind that these companies which their work involves creating and innovating process styles.

The limiting factors of the study are that there has been no much literature in this area and based on the fact, that the writer made use of both direct and indirect adapted materials for the study.

Also incomplete response and some misleading information from the respondents constituted another limitation of the study. The researcher was so objective as possible in analyzing as possible in analyzing the data gathered.

Other limitations of the study were lack of finance and very short time which the researcher used in combining his academic  programme  and  office  duties.  However  non  of these limitations are considered so serious as to affect its validity.

1.7  SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study has a number of significant dimensions to it. The result of this study should provide information to the industrialists  on the  progress  so far  made  in  enhancing growth, sustaining competitiveness by leaders encouraging creativity and innovation in their work place.

The result should serve as a review of further literature for those academicians who want to embark on related work of study.

The study should also help government planners, top managers of manufacturing and service industries and even those  in  the  banking  sector  on  how  to  re-design  their product to meet the current competitive surge to avoid lost of market shares.

The policy makers, the students through this study will know how creativity and innovation create impact on the growth in the industry.

1.8  DEFINITION OF TERMS

1.      PARTICIPATIVE    LEADERSHIP:    This    involves consulting with subordinates and evaluation of their opinions and suggestions before the leader makes decision.

2.      MOTIVATION: The driving force within individuals by  which  they  attempt  to  achieve  some  goals  in order to fulfill some need of expectations.

3.      MANAGERIAL  ROLE:  Organized  set  of  behaviour associated with a manager which arises as a result of the formal authority states and activities of the leader.

4.      EMPOWERMENT: Is a situation  where employees are allowed greater freedom autonomy and self control over their work and the responsibilities for decision making.

5.      DIRECTIVE    LEADER:    This    involves    letting subordinates know exactly what is expected of them and getting specific directions.

6.      CREATIVITY:    This    is    the    appreciation    of imaginative thought which result in innovative solutions to many problems.



This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research


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