Improving the reliability of three new scales which measure three new divergent thinking attitudes related to organizational creativity

Abstract

<p><br /> In an increasingly complex and changing business environment, creativity is becoming recognized as a critical success factor for organizations. The identification of attitudes towards creativity and the subsequent development of creative thinking are important mechanisms for organizations to encourage creativity across ail empioyees. Empioyee attitudes towards creativity can indicate their potential for behaving in a creative manner and organizations that can incorporate creativity into their organizational culture can further encourage creative thinking. This research extended previous research by Basadur and Hausdorf (1995) which identified three new dive rgent thinking attitudes related to organizational creativity: Valuing New Ideas, Creative Individual Stereotypes, and Too Busy for New Ideas. Three expanded and improved scales emerged. Reliabilities (internal consist ency) were increased sign ificantly for each scale. The scales remained independent of each other. Confirmatory factor analysis provided further evidence that the new set of items in each scale cluster together and relate to the underlying contract significantly. Future steps toward reliability validity and test-retest reliability are identified.</p>