Creativity in research

• Vincent SCHÄCHTER
  Founder, R&D department in biotechnology, Total
  President, DESIR (Développement de l'enseignement supérieur, de l'innovation et de la recherche en Europe: Development of higher education, innovation and research in Europe)
  
• François TADDÉI
  Director of research, Inserm
  Founder, Centre de recherches interdisciplinaires (Centre for interdisciplinary research)
  

Summary

There are certain researchers who have a creative "spark". Whether these sparks are put to use depends on each organisation, its ways of working, its scale of values, and its criteria for assessment. According to Vincent Schächter and François Taddéi, French institutions tend to stifle creativity. The authors claim that being creative and investigating unexplored areas present a risk for researchers. The situation is quite different in British or American research organisations where atypical and creative personalities are seen to be attractive, and receive support and encouragement from colleagues. These different approaches towards creativity lead us to debate the role given to creativity in national cultures and education on a wider scale.

Summary translated from French by Rachel MARLIN.

• The entire article was written by Sophie JACOLIN.

To obtain this article, you can :

• download it for free in French (PDF help) or contact ecopar@paris.ensmp.fr (Reference CR161209).

The entire article appears in French in the Journal de l'École de Paris du management N° 83.