Capturing and nurturing innovative practice

New and innovative approaches to development are essential in the field of organisational capacity. We explored which factors help and constrain creativity and innovation. These factors include creating the space and time for reflection, and encouraging experimentation and ‘risk taking’.

Exploring creativity and innovation

Creativity is often seen as the process of nurturing ideas, while innovation is seen as the usable results of these ideas. In nearly all parts of the world people consider creativity as positive and desirable.

Innovation does not necessarily have the same degree of positive correlation. People think of innovation as implementing new ideas to add value, and as often directed at problems and challenges. We can perceive this as new and worthwhile but also as difficult, or even destructive, when the changes that result from innovation might have negative impacts.

The importance of context and challenges

This idea of ‘newness’ and change can depend on the context and how it is perceived. What is normal practice in one context can be seen as innovative in another. There is a western tendency to perceive the creativity associated with innovation as geared to the individual. In some cultures creativity finds better expression through collective action and group goals.

While innovation is frequently claimed to be a key attribute of NGOs, there may be inbuilt resistances to change, learning, experimentation and risk taking, or to allow failure. There may be added tension about balancing the needs of a wide range of stakeholders (donors, partners, beneficiaries) with individual and organisational priorities.

Many agencies continue to insist on project frameworks that are inappropriate for capacity development because of their emphasis on results, short time frames, and rigid implementation schedules.

How to encourage creativity and innovation

So how can development organisations, whether donors, international agencies or local NGOs, allow for more creativity?

Critical factors include providing the space, time and other resources to allow thinking and ‘incubation’ of ideas. While individuals will themselves influence the organisational culture, leadership can also provide direction and support. There must be openness to experimentation and risk taking, but also to the possibility of failure without blame.

External actors can also play a part. Donors and partners can provide mentoring and positive incentives, the necessary investment of resources, but also the flexibility to adapt processes rather than stick rigidly to pre-determined results. However, there remain fundamental challenges associated with finding a balance between old and new, traditional and modern, stability and change.