Organizational Culture and Effectiveness

P.1

Your team has been asked by Wordplay Greeting Cards to lay the groundwork for changing their culture and moving to one that fosters creativity and innovation. Specifically, Wordplay has asked your team to outline the important characteristics of a creative environment, and how it might impact their day to day operations. In your 3-5 page report for Wordplay, address these three areas:

*First, identify how managers and supervisors need to interact with employees in this type of environment. Discipline is still important, but it is managed differently. What are the important characteristics for managers to recognize and use when managing employees in a creative environment?

*Second, how are employees recognized and rewarded for innovation? Are there important considerations in each area that must be addressed?

*Third, how administrative procedures must be changed to facilitate this type of environment. That is, what types of support are most effective for those working in a creative environment? What types are least effective or stifle creativity?

In your 3-5 page report, you should discuss what works best for organizations trying to create this type of environment. You do not need to describe what Wordplay's organization is like today, but you should focus on what needs to be in place to support innovation and creativity in the future.

In addition, as with most consulting firms, your firm wishes to offer just a bit more than the client requires. Consulting firms often try and "under-promise" what they will do, but "over-deliver" on the end-product. During your research, you found an excellent resource that you also want to discuss in your report and share with your client. Here are the three pages of greatest interest.

*Better Living Thru Culture: (Page 1 of Article)
http://www.optimizemag.com/article/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=17700582&pgno=1

*Collaboration and Culture Do Mix: (Page 2 of Article)
http://www.optimizemag.com/article/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=17700582&pgno=2

*Flower Power: (Page 3 of Article)
http://www.optimizemag.com/article/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=17700582&pgno=3

As the final part of your report, prepare a ½ to 1 page overview on your thoughts and analysis of at least one of the article links above. Discuss how the article might be useful to Wordplay and identify the relevant aspects to their business. The purpose in doing this is to reinforce the project that is being undertaken, and your firm's role as an "expert" in this area.