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Routines and Creativity: From Dualism to Duality

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  • Scott Sonenshein

    (Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005)

Abstract

Whereas scholars have historically treated routines and creativity as contradictory concepts, I adopt a dynamic ontology of routines that recasts them as a duality. Using data from a case study at a midsize retail organization, I theorize that artifacts, auxiliary routines, and external comparisons shape the enactment of routines that accomplish seemingly contradictory patterns of novelty and familiarity. From this analysis, I theorize two mechanisms—personalizing and depersonalizing—to explain how enacting a routine can produce patterns that allow an organization to achieve recognizable creativity on an ongoing basis. The findings contribute to research by theorizing the routine as a central concept that explains the ongoing accomplishment of recognizable creativity. By theorizing routines as an inherent part of creativity, and creativity as an inherent part of routines, I shift the way that scholars have traditionally viewed how organizations foster creativity among employees. For routine dynamics research, this study elaborates on the agency of routine actors who skillfully integrate their idiosyncratic backgrounds and experiences with the routine in ways that create complex patterns. It also unpacks the pivotal role of broader contexts and nonroutine actors in shaping routines.

Suggested Citation

  • Scott Sonenshein, 2016. "Routines and Creativity: From Dualism to Duality," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 27(3), pages 739-758, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:27:y:2016:i:3:p:739-758
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2016.1044
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    Cited by:

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    2. Busch, Christian & Barkema, Harry G., 2020. "From necessity to opportunity: scaling bricolage across resource-constrained environments," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 106510, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Cunha, Miguel Pina e & Rego, Arménio & Clegg, Stewart & Jarvis, Walter P., 2021. "Stewardship as process: A paradox perspective," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 247-259.
    4. William A Jackson, 2024. "Dualities in the Organising of Markets," Discussion Papers 24/02, Department of Economics, University of York.
    5. Ana Carvalho, 2023. "A Duality Model of Dynamic Capabilities: Combining Routines and Improvisation," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-18, March.
    6. Heesun Chae & Jisung Park, 2023. "The Effects of Routinization on Radical and Incremental Creativity: The Mediating Role of Mental Workloads," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-15, February.
    7. John W. Gardner & Kenneth K. Boyer & Peter T. Ward, 2017. "Achieving Time-Sensitive Organizational Performance Through Mindful Use of Technologies and Routines," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 28(6), pages 1061-1079, December.
    8. Dehua Gao & Aliakbar Akbaritabar, 2022. "Using agent-based modeling in routine dynamics research: a quantitative and content analysis of literature," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 521-550, February.
    9. Canan Kocabasoglu‐Hillmer & Sinéad Roden & Evelyne Vanpoucke & Byung‐Gak Son & Marianne W. Lewis, 2023. "Radical innovations as supply chain disruptions? A paradox between change and stability," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 59(3), pages 3-19, July.
    10. Christian Busch & Harry Barkema, 2021. "From necessity to opportunity: Scaling bricolage across resource‐constrained environments," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(4), pages 741-773, April.
    11. Martha S. Feldman & Brian T. Pentland & Luciana D’Adderio & Nathalie Lazaric, 2016. "Beyond Routines as Things: Introduction to the Special Issue on Routine Dynamics," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 27(3), pages 505-513, June.
    12. Jackson, William A., 2024. "Markets as Dualistic, Semi-Decentralized Organizations," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 5(1), pages 153-172.
    13. Jörg Sydow, 2018. "From dualisms to dualities: On researching creative processes in the arts and sciences," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 50(8), pages 1795-1801, November.
    14. Lisa Balzarin & Francesco Zirpoli, 2021. "How organizational identity and organizational routines affect each other through agency," Working Papers 04, Venice School of Management - Department of Management, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia.
    15. Shah, Puspa & Thapa, Nischal, 2023. "Finding the sweet spot: Evaluating the role of structured idea-generation framework in generating high-quality new venture ideas," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 20(C).
    16. Haridimos Tsoukas, 2017. "Don't Simplify, Complexify: From Disjunctive to Conjunctive Theorizing in Organization and Management Studies," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(2), pages 132-153, March.
    17. Anja Danner-Schröder, 2021. "Without actors, there is no action: How interpersonal interactions help to explain routine dynamics," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 15(7), pages 1913-1936, October.
    18. Wen-Dong Lv & Dan Tian & Yuan Wei & Rui-Xue Xi, 2018. "Innovation Resilience: A New Approach for Managing Uncertainties Concerned with Sustainable Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-25, October.

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    routines; creativity; change;
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