Assessing creativity training as New Public Management Reforms in public sector organizations

Abstract

Currently, public sector organizations are implementing creativity training programs with the aim of enhancing employees' creative and innovative behavior. However, there exists a dearth of knowledge regarding creativity training in public sector organizations. Therefore, the present study seeks to investigate the adoption of creativity training programs as a form of reform in the public sector work context, drawing inspiration from the private sector. To gather data for this research, a qualitative approach utilizing one-on-one interviews was employed. Three organizations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were selected as the research sites. The sample consisted of nine key decision-makers who were queried about their conceptualization of creativity training, the primary types of creativity training employed, the effectiveness of creativity training at the individual level, and the work context factors that impact the effectiveness of these programs. A thematic analysis was employed to code the collected data. NVivo (version 14) was utilized for data analysis. The interviews successfully achieved the study's objectives and addressed the research questions. The results indicated that the definition of creativity training in the UAE aligns with previous research definitions. Furthermore, the most widely implemented creativity training programs in the public sector included brainstorming, creative problem-solving, the six thinking hats, and courses on creativity and innovation. Moreover, creativity training was found to be an effective tool at the individual level within the public sector. The findings identified eight work context factors that influence the effectiveness of creativity training programs. This study contributes to the existing literature on both the public sector and creativity training. Additionally, it demonstrates the applicability of the Climate for Creativity (KEYS) instrument, developed by Amabile et al. (1996) as a means of assessing the climate for creativity and innovation in the work context and evaluating factors that impact the effectiveness of creativity training in public sector organizations. The utilization of qualitative methodology in this field is an additional contribution of this research, as limited studies have employed such an approach. Furthermore, this study lays the foundation for future researchers interested in this field, particularly within a new regional context, such as the UAE.

Keywords: creativity training, public sector, New Public Management Reforms, the United Arab Emirates.

DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/16-5-01

Publication date: June 30th 2024