There is a great discrepancy between what we know about the creative process, and our ability to use this knowledge to gain a creative edge. First, I would like to look at the ideal conditions that foster creativity in the individual. Then, I will focus on how I try to gain a creative edge in the real world

The creative edge

Agricultural communications is an academic program area that has evolved from its early beginnings in print-based agricultural journalism. Due to the changing nature of technology and the need to communicate to diverse, increasingly urbanized audiences, agricultural communications has evolved to include public relations, marketing, broadcasting and Webbased communications, consequently impacting the role and responsibilities of many professional agricultural communicators. Although most of the research that has been conducted on agricultural communicators has focused on their perceptions as to how to improve educational programs and curricula, few studies have looked at the job satisfaction of graduates once they leave the programs that prepared them for their subsequent careers. A descriptive survey of a population of recent graduates of the University of Florida’s agricultural communications program was conducted to assess how satisfied respondents were with their jobs, as well as explore the relationships between facets of job satisfaction and graduates’ perceptions as to the effectiveness of their educational preparation. Results of the study indicated that the majority of respondents were generally satisfied with their positions. Respondents’ perceptions of their opportunities for promotion, their co-workers and the work itself were also positively correlated with their evaluations of the effectiveness of the university’s educational preparation.

Job satisfaction as an outcome measure of the effectiveness of an agricultural communications academic program

Many marathon sentences and weak leads have been torn asunder since the first agricultural journalism class met 67 years ago this fall. Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. This article is available in Journal of Applied Communications: http://newprairiepress.org/jac/vol55/iss4/6 Broadening the Academic Base in Agricultural Communications*

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Broadening the Academic Base in Agricultural Communications

In this study we aimed to assess the perceptions of employees regarding the different   autonomy initiatives undertaken by managers to satisfy their employees and let them be more motivated in order to reach the organizational goals effectively and efficiently. We employed an exploratory study through a survey questionnaire addressed to 50 employees working in top five companies in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Our main finding show that the level of the autonomy in the sample companies is perceived as to be at moderated level especially concerning the goals or the strategies of the work since the majority of our companies are operating in banking sector. Nonetheless it seems that the autonomy provides a sense of self-determination for these employees even when freedom leeway and choice are trivial or illusory. Furthermore, it is very interesting to reveal that autonomy is one of the essential elements in building true employee engagement.

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Employee freedom: till what extent?

According to research, environmental factors have the potential to inhibit or enhance creativity, particularly in a work setting. This research is available in Journal of Applied Communications: https://newprairiepress.org/jac/vol78/iss3/2 The Creative Work Environment: Manager and Employee Perceptions of Factors t hat Influence Creativity Within Land-Grant Communication Units Sherrie R. Whaley Janet L. Henderson According to research, environmental factors have the potentitil to inhibit or enhance c reativity, particularly in a work setting. for \\hi$ study, survey methodology was used to deterrrdne manager .:ind employee perceptions of factors that inhibit or enhance creaHv· ity in land-g rant un iversity communication units. An overall response rate of 86% was ac hieved. A major finding was that managers and employees have differing perc e ptions of their wot1<. environment. Managers tend to view their part of the organization fn a more idealistic manner than do employees. Additionall y, manage rs revealed that adminis tratjve support and staff teamwork/interaction tire the most important factors supporting their cceativlty, whereas employees cited freed om and managerial support. Both groups identified a lack of resour ces, excessive workload. and bureaucracy as important factors inhibiting their creativity at work. The communkation unit manager has the potential to influence worker creativity by encouraging and nurturing a creaUve work environment. Ma.nagers can use flndjngs from this resear ch lo design a setting in which indiv iduals exercise their creative talents. Sherrie R. Wha ley, o 14 ·y~ r AC E mtmbcr , Is the 11c11dtffl'lic edvi$0t' &/'Id ev.i!u11 • tion coord i nator fQI' I.he 04pattmcnt of Agrlcultural Communkotion secvke a,t Putd'-'C tlt1h~1'llit y. Jantt L. Htndenon Is 11n auochue ptof'eS'\"..()r In lh@ OEpartmeni d -\"irl,cu!Nrel Educa-tkln. Ohio Suto (lnlw: r,!ty , Co!umbln, OH. Thh e..nlde W O$ edeptNI lro 11\\ Wha!ey's dis~l'Ultlon rHe.11n:h and we.s prUE,r\\te<I et tM 1994 \"G,ricul• turol Ccl'l'ltnunieotor• itl educ.Dtlon Con fe rence in Mosc: ow, 10, J(x,m•f of Applli:d Commu n k .tllolu, Vol. 78, Ho. J , I '94/1 1 Whaley and Henderson: The Creative Work Environment: Manager and Employee Perceptions o Published by New Prairie Press, 2017 Introduction Creativity generally IS recogniied a$ one of the hottest topics of the '90s (Gehrt, 1991 ). It hes been touted tis the cure for what ails Ame,ican education, business orgtinlzations. and society at lotge. The creativity \"'era~: as Gordon (1986) termed it , is a direct result of the '90s cmphesis on quality, inn ovation, and cost cutt i ng-three areas lhot m~n o bull market f r good ideas and, consequently, creativity (Hequet, 1992). In recent years, interest in developing and maintaini\"9 orgllniu· tionoJ creotivity hos ristn dramotically. Executives ond administrators of profit and nonprofit o,g.,nizatioris alike are seeking ways to make themselves and their employees more creative and to stimulate cre3th-ity through a more conducive work environment. Several authors have highlighted how creative performance is intertwined with environmental setting (Bailyn, 1985: Oelbecq S. Mills, 1985; Drucker, 1985: Geis, 1985; K•nter. 1983). Higher education is o special \\\\o'Otk setting where creative outcomes are expect4Xf. lnstitutlons or higher teaming are charged wit h the cretition or new ideas and knowledge, with each component within the Institution providing it$ own contribution to the stat e<I educ.ational outcomes. Communication units are components within most universities th3t disseminate Ideas. information, and knowledge In creative ways. The,e units play an integral role in fulfilling the missionaS of Institutions or higher education. Although the lan d ,g rant universi ty system is an established lnstitu· tion, the S}'Stem is faced with many challenges as It searches for new tind better woys to serve clientele through its outrea ch arm of the Exten$ion Service. Raymond ( 1987) observed that Extension's ability to surv ve to the year 2000 will depend on its ability to market Its educational programs. Boyle ( 1989) criticized Extension'$ out-of · date image and emphasi.tcd the Importance of good public rellltlons. The importance or lhis public relations/information £unction has been well•chrorilcled In a number of studies. Warner and Christenson ( l984) noted that '\"Extensio n has been and continues to be an lmpor· tant information agency ..... (pp. 146-147). Hussey ( 1985) catego· riled Extension functions as information delivery. educational deliv• ery, and prob!em,sotving. Swanson and Claar ( 1984) concluded that there were two important dimensions to agricultural Extcnsion-4

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The Creative Work Environment: Manager and Employee Perceptions of Factors that lnfluence Creativity Within Land·Grant Communication Units

A sample of 254 ACE members was surveyed to determine the components of a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Communication. Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. This research is available in Journal of Applied Communications: http://newprairiepress.org/jac/vol75/iss2/5 Perceptions Of A Master Of Science Degree In Agricultural Communication By Agricultural Communicators In Education (ACE): A National Study Colleen Wilson Curtis E. Paulson Janet L. Henderson A sample of254 ACE members was surveyed to determine the components of a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Communication. The highest ranked components included: writing. communication technology, understanding and evaluating research. and mass conununlcation theory. The majority of ACE members indicated that a Master of Science degree was needed. that the degree should provide a broad spectrum of cormnunicaUon and agricultural subject areas. that introductory communication and agricultural courses should be taken as conditional requirements, that the primary focus of the degree should be conununicaUon skill development. and that the program should be housed in Agricultural Communication. INTRODUCTION Little Infonnation Is available concerning graduate level degree programs in agricultural communication. Undergraduate degree programs exist in numerous colleges and universities across the nation: however, only one university currently olTers a master's degree in Agricultural Communication. Several other schools offer graduate programs that combine agriculture and communication interests, but the majority of available courses are Colleen Willon is a graduate of the master's program In Agrteultural Education at The Ohio State University. Cwtls E. Pawon is an assistant professor, Agricultural Communication at The Ohio State University. Janet L, Hendenon is an associate professor, Agricultural EducaUon at The Ohio State University. The arucle was presented a s a paper at the 1991 International Meeting of the Agricultural Communicators in Education (ACE) Annual Meeting. Rapid City. South Dakota. June 29 -

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Janet L. Henderson

Papers

The Creative Work Environment: Manager and Employee Perceptions of Factors that lnfluence Creativity Within Land·Grant Communication Units

Perceptions Of A Master Of Science Degree In Agricultural Communication By Agricultural communicators In Education (ACE): A National Study