Creative Potential, Expertise, Social Desirability and Group Climate: Their relation in work teams dedicated to creativity and innovation

Abstract: Relationships between personal factors creative potential, expertise, social desirability, and the factor group climate studied in real life work teams dedicated to creativity and innovation. Sample of four groups, three with five members (n = 5), one with three members (n = 3), in total eighteen people (N = 18); nine women (n = 9), nine men (n = 9). Prominent instruments used: for creative potential, the Creative Functioning Test (CFT) (Smith & Carlsson, 1990a, 1990b); for expertise, a self-report questionnaire based on the Generalized Expertise Measure (GEM) (Germain & Tejeda, 2009); for social desirability, the Strahan-Gerbasi 20-item social desirability scale (Strahan & Gerbasi, 1972); for group climate, the Creative Climate Questionnaire (CCQ) (Ekvall, 1990). CFT measures according to CFT manual (Smith & Carlsson, 1990a), questionnaires answered via a survey server. Statistical calculations made using correlations, t-tests, ANOVA and ANCOVA. Three work teams judged having innovative climate, one as having a climate between innovative and stagnating. Significant correlation between creative function and social desirability (r = -.434, N = 18, p = .036, one-tailed). No significant influence on group climate by any personal factors. Results explained by small sample and larger influence on group climate by other factors. Future research could include development of the expertise questionnaire and a wider range of work teams.