Employee Creativity and Workplace Technological Innovation on Problem-Solving in Twenty-First Century Organizations

Abstract

The ultimate goal of every organization is for its employees to acquire the ability to solve complex problems and maintain high level of efficiency and effectiveness in the workplace to have maximum output and high level of productivity. To achieve these goals, the creative ability of individual employees within the organization and their adjustment to innovations, especially technological innovations is required. This study examined the influence of workplace creativity and technological innovations on problem solving ability of employees in service organizations in Nigeria. Respondents were N120 (52 males and 68 females). Age range of participants were 20-41 years with a mean of 1.57 and standard deviation of -.645, respectively. Three hypotheses were tested using the two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) statistics and the results of the analysis revealed a significant influence of creativity on problem solving ability of the participant’s F (1,119) = 108.602, p < 0.05. Improved technological innovation also has significant influence on problem solving ability of the participants’ F (1, 119) = 66.322, p < 0.05. Creativity and technological innovation have significant interactive effects on employees’ ability to solve complex organizational problems effectively F (1, 119) = 12.980, p < 0.05. Recommendations were that employee workplace creativity and organizational technological innovation should be encouraged not only in Nigerian organizations but in all 21st century organizations for efficient and effective customer service and the achievement of maximum production output by the organizations.

Keywords: Employee, Workplace Creativity, Organization, Technological Innovation, Problem-Solving Ability