Date of Award

2000

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Communication

Department

Business

First Advisor

Michael Castro

Second Advisor

Karen Johnson

Third Advisor

Myron Kozman

Abstract

This paper will explore the effect of the physical and human environment on office worker creativity and productivity.

The study will begin with a discussion of creativity, addressing questions such as: Why do we want creative employees? What value to they bring to an organization? Can the elements that enhance creativity in office workers also enhance productivity? How is creativity enhanced? Why is it that many organizations successfully stifle creativity, thus hampering employee morale and productivity?

Research has shown that the physical environment affects workers' ability to think and function effectively. There is a basic need for aesthetics as a basis for creativity, and a need for order, dissonance, and balance. Color, lighting and music are just a few elements that make up the entire package.

Brain research will be examined, including topics such as right-brain vs. left-brain, creative thinking and analytical thinking, as well as the effect of emotions and stress upon learning and upon the thinking process.

This paper will then focus on how corporations can benefit from creative employees and will explore methods of enhancing creativity as well as providing examples of the many ways in which organizations stifle it. The hypothesis is that the bottom line will ultimately improve in those companies that choose to foster creativity.

In the final two chapters the author creates an example of an optimum physical and human office environment designed, in this case, for an insurance claims office, but the principles will be applicable to most offices which have a combination of clerical and professional workers, as well as both inside and field representatives.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

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Business Commons

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