Comments on: Companies should promote creativity among employees http://blog.alvinlim.info/2008/10/29/companies-should-promote-creativity-among-employees/ Dare to dream ! Thu, 09 Sep 2010 02:07:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Alvin Lim http://blog.alvinlim.info/2008/10/29/companies-should-promote-creativity-among-employees/comment-page-1/#comment-3081 Alvin Lim Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:11:53 +0000 http://blog.alvinlim.info/?p=875#comment-3081 <b>@ Tipsie</b> That's why most of our companies never end up to be successful in the international arena. The local companies are actually struggling in the local or regional scope due to lack of creativity and innovation. They are just "another" company to the clients. <br/> <b>@ Damien</b> I think it has to do with the culture - the education we've received from our family and from school. I don't think there are many asians out there who dare to tell their parents they are going to stop studying in Harvard. And when the kids said they wanted to start their own business or be something creative, their parents will just tell them to give up and go earn some decent living, and stop dreaming. My parents aren't like that, but I know there are a lot of such people out there. That's why we're not as creative as we need to be. In Japan, they are creative, perhaps due to their culture. At least, they invent more stuff, come out with more high-tech gadgets, or artistic stuff. Better than Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and maybe even China - and maybe better than the combined efforts of all those countries. @ Tipsie
That’s why most of our companies never end up to be successful in the international arena. The local companies are actually struggling in the local or regional scope due to lack of creativity and innovation. They are just “another” company to the clients.

@ Damien
I think it has to do with the culture – the education we’ve received from our family and from school. I don’t think there are many asians out there who dare to tell their parents they are going to stop studying in Harvard. And when the kids said they wanted to start their own business or be something creative, their parents will just tell them to give up and go earn some decent living, and stop dreaming.

My parents aren’t like that, but I know there are a lot of such people out there. That’s why we’re not as creative as we need to be.

In Japan, they are creative, perhaps due to their culture. At least, they invent more stuff, come out with more high-tech gadgets, or artistic stuff. Better than Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and maybe even China – and maybe better than the combined efforts of all those countries.

]]> By: Damien Tan http://blog.alvinlim.info/2008/10/29/companies-should-promote-creativity-among-employees/comment-page-1/#comment-3080 Damien Tan Wed, 29 Oct 2008 05:21:25 +0000 http://blog.alvinlim.info/?p=875#comment-3080 Most Asian companies are heirarchical and are run like armies. Meaning when we give you orders to shoot, you shoot and don't argue with the boss. Respect for tradition, compliance and loyalty above all. It reverberates well with Asians because its how we run our societies and families. Creativity is the opposite. Its about breaking the rules, being different, taking risks. We Asians don't like that. I believe even Toyota builds their leading-edge R&D centers outside Japan. How do you break the rules when you're conditioned to preserve tradition at all costs. Of course for enough money, we'll do anything but with the amt of money a programmer earns, you'll understand why they don't bother. To me many factors contribute to the problem you describe. At the heart of it is culture - the culture of innovation - and the things that condition culture. You definitely need more than a corporate mission statement and annual dinner plaques to turn it on. This is a topic I may blog about. Most Asian companies are heirarchical and are run like armies. Meaning when we give you orders to shoot, you shoot and don’t argue with the boss. Respect for tradition, compliance and loyalty above all. It reverberates well with Asians because its how we run our societies and families.

Creativity is the opposite. Its about breaking the rules, being different, taking risks. We Asians don’t like that. I believe even Toyota builds their leading-edge R&D centers outside Japan. How do you break the rules when you’re conditioned to preserve tradition at all costs.

Of course for enough money, we’ll do anything but with the amt of money a programmer earns, you’ll understand why they don’t bother. To me many factors contribute to the problem you describe. At the heart of it is culture – the culture of innovation – and the things that condition culture. You definitely need more than a corporate mission statement and annual dinner plaques to turn it on.

This is a topic I may blog about.

]]> By: Tipsie http://blog.alvinlim.info/2008/10/29/companies-should-promote-creativity-among-employees/comment-page-1/#comment-3079 Tipsie Wed, 29 Oct 2008 02:02:54 +0000 http://blog.alvinlim.info/?p=875#comment-3079 I agree with you. In our "catching up" mentality in the corporate world, most companies do not see the value of innovation and doing things differently. Maybe they do, but they do not spend the effort to grow it. At the end of the day, it's only about profits and not how "Wow" you are. We have a long way to go! <abbr><em><abbr><em>Tipsies last blog post..<a href="http://www.usefultipsforlife.com/malaysias-1st-search-marketing-conference-happening-next-month" rel="nofollow">Malaysia’s 1st Search Marketing Conference happening next month</a></em></abbr></abbr></em> I agree with you. In our “catching up” mentality in the corporate world, most companies do not see the value of innovation and doing things differently. Maybe they do, but they do not spend the effort to grow it. At the end of the day, it’s only about profits and not how “Wow” you are. We have a long way to go!

Tipsies last blog post..Malaysia’s 1st Search Marketing Conference happening next month

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