Author: Chris Bilton
Price: £17.45
Publisher: Blackwell Publishing
Pages: 256
ISBN: 1405119969
This was a real struggle to get through. I found myself counting the pages to the end and thinking of the washing-up mid-chapter.
It is not that the book is badly written it comprises a carefully considered and rational structure. It’s not that it lacks depth the book is expertly researched and well-referenced. Nor is it dry and inaccessible. This would be undeserved criticism, as easy-to-understand descriptions and well-reasoned arguments sit alongside explanations of complicated theories.
The book takes you through the process of identifying just what creativity is, discusses what constitutes creative behaviour, justifies the importance of creativity to industry, and explains, in practical terms, ways of generating that all-important creative edge.
Maybe the problem for me was just that the book challenged my understanding of what ‘creative’ means. Trouble is, every time I thought I’d got a grasp of just what the authors were talking about, I was forced to re‑evaluate and try again. Having completed the book, I am still none the wiser.
There is also the fact that this book sits on the periphery of the mainstay of HR theories. It is not strictly HR literary fodder, although several HR gurus get a mention, amid the numerous big chunks focusing on management techniques.
Maybe it’s just that it isn’t relevant to me? Surely not. Creativity is the key to a competitive success in this day and age, and the case studies on household names, such as Marks and Spencer and the BBC, mean that most can relate to what is being said.
I think I’ll try and read it again…
Useful? Three out of five stars
Well-written? Four out of five stars
Practical? Four out of five stars
Inspirational? Three out of five stars
Value for money? Three out of five stars
Overall Three out of five stars
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Reviewed by Alison Norris, HR consultancy manager, MHL Support
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