Synonymously different: Examining business students' implicit theories of creativity versus innovation

In an effort to address the needs of twenty-first century businesses, academic institutions are developing courses on creativity and innovation. Students' capacity for learning such strategies are dependent upon implicit theories about creativity and innovation. Presented is an experimental study that examines the differences in 233 MBA students' implicit theories of creativity and innovation. The authors found that MBA students scored higher overall when the term innovation was used instead of creativity. Results indicate that MBA students' perceive innovation as a malleable skill and associate creativity as an innate talent. Implications for business education pedagogy and future research are presented.