Creating a creative organization : Innovation dos and don'ts

Purpose – This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting‐edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach – This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings – Why is innovation like baking a cake? Because in both instances it all comes down to using the right ingredients. Get them wrong and the end result will inevitably disappoint. Having the right organizational culture provides the perfect recipe for successful innovation. Such companies have the potential to be more highly creative and better achievers than rivals that are fundamentally the same in most other aspects. But what constitutes the right culture? First and foremost, there must be realization that an organization is not merely a sum of discrete parts. Believing otherwise could signal the road to the poorhouse. On the contrary, everything is interlinked and actions in one area invariably impact somewhere else. This complexity also serves to limit control within the organization and thus create an environment more conducive to creativity and growth. Practical implications – The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations. Originality/value – The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to‐digest format.