Where Is Creativity? ─ A Multi-Disciplinary Approach

There are many books which discuss what creativity is and how to do it but these are often pop-psychology oriented and border on being self-help manuals. There are many business studies related books which locate innovation as the key to business and economic success, discuss ways of organising and managing to encourage it and argue for industrial strategies to support it. But these debates pay insufficient attention to the nature, character and deep understanding of the creativity that underpins innovation. Jim Shorthose and Neil Maycroft offer both a multi-disciplinary overview of current conceptual insights into the nature of creativity and applied research ideas which enable its concrete practice. The flow of individual creativity and innovation will be better grasped and sustained through an engagement with numerous theoretical explorations and by taking a multidisciplinary approach. The processes involved in navigating the creativity-to-innovation route and the impact which different kinds of social and institutional contexts can have upon these journeys are explored in detail. The book will be useful for teaching staff and students; businesses and practitioners; professionals and policy-makers working within a wide range of creative and innovation-based industries.

Jim Shorthose is a university lecturer, freelance researcher and network animator for the creative industries. For several years he has consulted local, regional and international cultural policy institutions and has authored several books and journal articles. His recent work has developed in the cross-over terrain between philosophy, art and design disciplines and business development to bring interesting and useful debates from within these areas to bear upon the practical issues of being creative and doing business. To find out more about his work go to www.jimshorthose.co.uk. Neil Maycroft is a Senior Lecturer in Art and Design at Lincoln University, where he currently co-directs the Master’s Degree in Creative Practice and supervises doctoral candidates. He specializes in professional creative practice development and research design and strategies. He has worked in partnership with the Nottingham Creative Network. His BA and PhD were both gained at Nottingham Trent University.