Business co‐creativity with an eye towards MENA

Purpose - The purpose of the paper is multifold. First, an understanding for creativity in an organizational setting is elaborated. Second, the emergence of creativity as a universal phenomenon is discussed. Third, an integrated framework focusing upon processes and group composition to affect co-creativity is developed. Additionally, this paper begins an intercultural exploration for business and managerial purposes in the Middle East and North Africa (MEAN). Design/methodology/approach - The methodology is a literature search of theoretical and empirical plus cultural studies to support this paper that includes a process model for future application. Since there are cultural studies available mostly about individual countries in the Arab world the cultural variables will be isolated and they will be referred to in order to exemplify an assessment of creativity in MENA. Findings - This paper contributes to the literature by exploring answers to the business world's questions of what could be barriers and enhancers of creativity not only in the Western world but also in the Arab world. In order to stimulate co-creativity as quickly and as effectively as possible in the Arab world, there must be flexibility, generosity, loyalty, trust, fairness, shared communication and synthesized ideas. Most probably these factors are universal for co-creativity. Originality/value - Organizations are striving for transformation in order to be creative and/or innovative. Precisely, transformation needs co-creativity as most transforming acts in organizations are based on interactive situations. However until now, it is not clear what co-creativity is and how to foster co-creativity. The value of this paper is to integrate a universal definition and understanding of co-creativity while examining the cultural context of MENA.