Creativity in the 21st Century - Exploring Differences in Creative Virtual and Face-to-Face Meetings

Abstract: In a post-Covid-19 world, discussions regarding meeting virtually or face-to-face are more relevant than ever. Moreover, the ability to solve problems through creative thinking is crucial for students, not only for their personal performance but also for their contribution to the future development of organizations and societies. This study uses Media Richness Theory (MRT) and Guilford's measures of divergent thinking to investigate the impact virtual environments have on creative idea generation. The thesis aims to answer the following research question: To what extent is group creativity in the form of idea generation affected by virtual versus face-to-face meeting environments? The question is answered through a mixed methods abductive study. Data was collected through an experiment, whereby university students exercised Guilford's Alternative Uses Test including an evaluation on the following four criteria of creativity: Fluency, Flexibility, Originality, and Elaboration. In addition, qualitative data in the form of interviews and observations were used to capture and evaluate the subjective nature of creativity. The result of the study is that Fluency and Flexibility are negatively affected and Originality positively affected by a virtual environment. Findings regarding Elaboration are inconclusive. The results conclude that face-to-face is the overall optimal medium for creative meetings. Since MRT predicts only one of four criteria of creativity correctly, the results of this thesis restrict the use of MRT for the purpose of recommending which communication medium should be utilised for group meetings with the aim of generating ideas.