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I've enjoyed reading Hans Henrik's and Louise's thoughts about individual incentives and ideation.
I think it's worth questioning the effect of incentives. Alfie Kohn's fascinating book, Punished by Rewards, highlights many cases in which the use of incentives actually diminishes motivation. Many of his examples focus on education and learning; for example a test group solving puzzles without reward would work for longer and with more commitment than a contrasting group that was given an incentive.
Also, I think it's valuable to see creativity and innovation as inherently social processes, putting aside the stereotype of the genius in the attic. In my experience, creative ideas flow easily from teams of people who are willing to listen to each other and build on each other's thinking collaboratively. I often work with activities from the world of improv theatre, which is perhaps the ulitmate form of co-creation, where each player has to acknowledge and build upon the offers of his team mates.
The introduction of individual incentives would very likely undermine that kind of good-willed collaboration. I would argue that giving honest, specific and considered feedback to colleauges is one of the simplest and most effecitve ways to support the building of community and a spirit of collaboration.
I believe that is innately human to play with ideas and the use of individual incentives risks replacing this powerful, intrinsic motivation with something much less effective.
(Looking at Olivier Toubia's abstract, referenced by Hans Henrik (I've not read the full report) it's interesting that in his experiment, the most effective reward was one based on how many ideas others added to the individual's core idea. What isn't assessed, however, is a control group which isn't incentivised at all.)
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Hi Johnnie
I’ve mailed Olivier asking him to join the conversation – he answered with his recent paper, which I received. Right now it’s been evaluated and not yet published. The paper is interesting despite the fact that it’s highly mathematical. It brings me almost 15 years back when I studies economics at statistical analysis….;-)
Until final evaluation I recommend that you e-mail Olivier for a copy.
All the best
Hans Henrik
Posted by: Hans Henrik | Jun 23, 2005 6:39:04 AM
Hi Johnnie
I agree very much that individual incentives like monetary rewards and so are not the driving factor of innovative processes or behaviour. I very much believe in the social aspects of creating knowledge and ideas both in the aspect of being able to use the collective intelligence present and not least the motivation that social relations create.
The issue of reward systems is complex and not my speciality, but certainly to build what I would call an innovative system within an organisation the reward system should back up innovative work - which means back up teams and reward good ideas and initiatives more than final outcomes and financial success.
Best regards
Louise
Posted by: Louise Koch | Jun 24, 2005 10:51:56 AM
I think that innovations occur in environments that empower individuals to "own the process" thereby creating an intrinsic motivation to improve or create new ways of doing things...individuals naturally aspire to make their lives better and this process occurs of its own accord when the climate is right for this regardless of the material rewards.
To my mind it is about providing a sense of being valued, of encouraging experimentation and providing resources and support for this with clearly expressed support for the potential for failure. In a workplace culture that allows for this, people have the confidence to take risk, make mistakes, and learn from this...innovation is more likely to occur in a "learning environment"...
Posted by: Ian McArthur | Jun 26, 2005 4:23:20 AM
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