How does self‐direction within learning operate to affect idea generation in small‐medium enterprise contexts?

Abstract

Extant literature draws numerous links between aspects of human resource development (HRD) activity and organisational creativity/innovation, noting that investments in learning positively impact creative output. Within this research base, studies suggest that the ability to self-direct learning activity can influence creative performance, but we do not yet understand how such processes operate, particularly in small-medium enterprise (SME) contexts. Given the positive economic and social impacts generated by SMEs, themselves often being sources of breakthrough product or service innovation, this is an important research problem which requires our collective attention. This paper argues that while the ability to self-direct learning activity does contribute to the generation of ideas in SME contexts, the presence of multiple stakeholder voices in the learning conversation suggests that learning is better conceptualised as co- rather than self-directed. This study finds that co-directed approaches to learning operate through a mechanism termed ‘participative dialogue’, whereby both employees and managers contribute to learning conversations. It also highlights the role of employee critical self-appraisal in driving self-directedness and contributing to the generation of ideas. Findings ultimately suggest that co-direction of learning benefits idea generation because such approaches facilitate the emergence of unexpected patterns of thinking, which drive the divergence that creativity depends upon.