Overview of Team Creativity and Innovation

In this chapter, we present an overview of some major topics and themes explored in the research on team creativity. We discuss the strengths and limitations of some primary methodological approaches to the study of creativity in teams, including short-term team settings, long-term team settings, and case studies. We also explore some of the major theories of collaborative creativity, which to varying degrees focus on contextual and organizational factors, as well as motivational, cognitive, and social processes involved in enhancing innovation in teams. We evaluate the sometimes conflicting findings from research on team size, participative safety, conflict, affective processes, and supportive versus constrained environments. At a broader level, we discuss interteam and network dynamics as they impact team innovation. Finally, we summarize some areas of research that seem to have conflicting or paradoxical effects, suggesting areas of future research focus.