ABSTRACT
When the original Theory of Goal Setting and Task Performance was published in 1990, there was no research on goals and creativity. Since that time there have been a number of studies focused on this topic, as well as related work that has implications for the effect of goals on creativity. In this chapter, we briefl y review all of the relevant empirical research published on goals and creativity, highlight gaps in the literature, and suggest potential areas for future work. First, we provide a brief general overview of the organizational creativity research area in order to provide a foundation for why it is important to examine the relationship between goals and creativity. Then we review the research conducted on goals and creativity by examining the mechanisms through which goals can impact creativity. Next, we discuss the infl uence of specifi c characteristics of goals on creativity, followed by a brief discussion of the effect of goal orientation on creativity. Finally, at the end of each section, gaps in our knowledge and areas for future research on goals and creativity are highlighted.
