Browsing by Subject "Creative spaces"
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Item Open Access Enhancing creativity in activity-based offices: A critical incident study of knowledge workers(Life Science Publishing, 2021-10-18) Yekanialibeiglou, Sepideh; Demirkan, Halime; Denti, LeifThis study investigated the effects of activity-based offices (ABOs) on individual and group creativity. Adopting an interactionist perspective, we extended the theoretical framework of creative knowledge environments to find the link between ABOs and the concept of creative spaces. We employed the critical incident technique and collected data through interviews and participant observation methods for the case studies of three ABOs. The results show that privacy, noise level, and a distraction-free environment were the main factors supporting employees' individual creativity, as were open spaces with zones for different levels of noise and private enclosed spaces. For group creativity, the significance of providing suitable equipment and furniture in ABOs was observed—collaborative and disengaged spaces were found to be the recurring spaces for group creativity. Additionally, employee preferences were noted as an important component to consider when looking at environmental features, types of spaces and types of creative activities in creativity-enhancing ABOs.Item Open Access Influence of activity-based office environments on perceived individual and group creativity(2021-08) Yekanialibeiglou, SepidehThis study examined the impact of activity-based offices (ABOs) on individual and group creativity from the employees' perspective. The study was investigated in two stages to find the link between ABOs and the concept of creative spaces, and also to identify and examine mediating variables in this relationship. In the first stage, a qualitative approach was adopted and the critical incident technique was used to collect data from 50 knowledge workers through interviews. Participant observation methods were also conducted for the case studies of three ABOs. In the second stage, a quantitative approach was adopted to collect data from a total of 186 knowledge workers in two international companies based in Sweden. The mixed methods approach was used to triangulate the data from the two stages. The two sets of data were merged by combining the different findings in the section on practical relevance and suggestions for improving environmental designers’ and facility managers’ understanding to manipulate ABO spaces to promote creativity in the workplace. The results showed that privacy, noise levels, and distraction-free environments were the most important factors in fostering individual employee creativity, as were open spaces with zones for different noise levels and private enclosed spaces. For group creativity, the importance of providing appropriate equipment and furniture in ABOs was observed - collaborative and disengaged spaces were found to be the most recurring spaces for group creativity. In addition, employee preferences were found to be an important component to consider when looking at environmental features, space types, and types of creative activities in creativity-enhancing ABOs. Using regression with bootstrapping for quantitative data, it is found that job autonomy and organizational commitment serially mediate this relationship. Study results suggest that organizations with ABOs exert on employees a sense of control over their work, leading them to feel more committed to their organization and consequently improving creativity in the group.