Development of creative thinking in the context of organizational culture

Abstract

This paper examines how organizational culture shapes the development of creative thinking in organizations operating under uncertainty, rapid technological change, and intense competition. Creative thinking is treated not only as an individual capability, but as a collective competence enabled (or constrained) by shared values, leadership behaviors, communication norms, and workplace practices. The study synthesizes key cultural drivers that support creativity: psychological safety that reduces fear of judgment and encourages idea-sharing; flexible (agile) management approaches that increase autonomy and initiative; cross-functional collaboration that combines diverse expertise to generate more original solutions; and systems of continuous learning and knowledge exchange that sustain creativity over time. The paper also highlights the role of transparency, experimentation, and tolerance for calculated risk as conditions that expand the range of problem-solving approaches. Overall, the findings suggest that creativity becomes sustainable when cultural elements are integrated into a coherent, self-reinforcing framework that normalizes experimentation, supports learning from mistakes, and accelerates the implementation of innovative ideas.