Creativity and Leadership in Science, Technology, and Innovation

Leadership is vital to creativity and successful innovation in groups and organizations; leadership is however seldom studied in the academic literature as a creativity driver. One reason for the lack of attention paid to leadership’s effect on creativity may be the common belief that creativity cannot and should not be managed. Creative individuals and groups are regarded as, and indeed often are, autonomous and self-driving. From this belief the erroneous conclusion is drawn that there is no need for leadership in creative environments and situations. The better conclusion, proposed by this book, is that leadership not only stimulates creativity, but that such a leadership in the science, technology, and innovation fields should specifically possess at least two features: a) expertise in the field(s), and b) an ability to create, support, and encourage individuals, groups, and creative knowledge environments.

A number of specialist authors in this volume offer original theoretical, empirical, and applied chapters that elucidate how to better organize and lead creative efforts in science, technology, and innovation. A number of important research questions are raised and answered, including: What kinds of leaderships are needed at different levels of S&T organizations for a creative output? What social and cognitive abilities and skills are needed for leadership in creative environments? How does leadership vary with different phases of the creative process? This book offers concrete analysis of how leaders and managers can facilitate, promote, and organize for creative performance in science, technology, and in innovating organizations, making it required reading for academic and industrial research leaders, scientists, and engineers.

Sven Hemlin is Professor of Psychology at Gothenburg Research Institute (GRI), School of Business, Economics and Law, and the Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. He has published in journals such as Leadership Quarterly, Science, Technology & Human Values and Creativity Research Journal.

Carl Martin Allwood is Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. He has edited several books and has published 70 articles in international scientific journals.

Ben R. Martin is Professor of Science and Technology Policy Studies at the University of Sussex, UK. Since 2004, he has been Editor of Research Policy.

Michael D. Mumford is the George Lynn Cross Distinguished Research Professor of Psychology at the University of Oklahoma where he directs the Center for Applied Social Research. He has written more than 300 peer reviewed articles on creativity, innovation, leadership, planning and ethics. Dr. Mumford has served as Senior Editor of the Leadership Quarterly and he sits on the editorial boards of the Creativity Research Journal, the Journal of Creative Behavior, the International Journal of Creative Problem Solving, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, and Ethics and Behavior among other journals.