Product category:
General Print Supplies, Services for Printers
News Release from: Canon Europe | Subject: Digital printers
Edited by the Printingtalk Editorial
Team on 05 December 2006
Survey Reveals UK Firms Do Not Value
Creativity
Arts Council England and Canon UK yesterday announced the findings of a joint survey indicating a growing 'creativity gap' across all sectors of UK businesses.
Arts Council England and Canon UK - the principal partner of the Arts Award scheme - yesterday announced the findings of a joint survey indicating a growing 'creativity gap' across all sectors of UK businesses Canon and the Arts Council's survey, conducted amongst over 1,800 UK bosses and workers, shows that businesses do not value creativity and that creative people and practices are often misunderstood, which could have a negative impact on the country's long-term economic performance
This article was originally published on Printingtalk on 30 Oct 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
1,200dpi Digital Printers Ensure Smooth Colour
Canon UK has launched a new promotion aimed at customers predominantly in the CAD industry to help them share the cost of upgrading to new technology, said the company.
Digital Printer Centrepiece Of Canon's Showroom
The new Imagepress C7000VP digital printer from Canon is the centrepiece of the company's new GBP1 million UK Professional Print Showroom at its headquarters in Reigate.
Creative industries in the UK account for more than eight per cent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) - equivalent to GBP98 billion and two million jobs - and creativity in all businesses is crucial in increasingly competitive markets.
According to the survey's results, only four per cent of managers said that the first thing they look for in a prospective employee is artistic flair or creativity and 36 per cent believe that creativity is very important for the future of their businesses.
That is worrying when originality and innovation are key differentiators in today's competitive business environment, said Canon.
Further reading
Digital Book Production On Show From Canon
Canon UK will demonstrate short-run digital book production on its monochrome production systems and colour personalisation on its light production and colour machines during Digital Print World 2007.
Canon and EFI announce new print controller
New imagePass-M2 print controller offers greater speed
Canon delivers two new high-speed film scanners
Canon delivers two new high-speed film scanners
In addition, 18 per cent of employees feel that original thinking is not encouraged in the workplace and 64 per cent of workers see themselves as 'functional' rather than 'creative'.
Creativity also seems to be misunderstood - one in five managers shared the view that being creative means dressing unconventionally, participating in wacky stunts and even going as far as saying that creativity is 'unnecessary' in the workplace.
Peter Hewitt, chief executive of Arts Council England, commented: "If British business is to be a continued success then it is vital that it embraces creativity and creative thinking.
These results show that more needs to be done to emphasise to businesses the importance of this and to unlock people's creative potential." He added: "Recruiting creative employees in the workplace is essential for UK companies who want to maintain their competitive advantage - a view supported by the Government's recent Roberts report, which stresses the need for nurturing creativity in young people.
The Arts Award does just that, helping to develop individuals' creativity beyond the scope of the school curriculum.
It offers young people the chance to gain a national qualification, whilst allowing them to develop important skills, such as leadership, flexibility and initiative alongside creativity, making them ideal candidates for future employers." According to Canon, the creativity gap is most evident in large corporations where only per cent of bosses place creativity at the top of their skills checklist when recruiting.
Smaller businesses show more dynamism and individuality with 15 per cent stating creativity is the most important quality in a new employee.
By industry sector, it is sales and marketing people (12 per cent) who place the most value in creativity when considering new recruits, followed by retail (nine per cent).
But, Canon added, 50 per cent of organisations in the educational sector do not support the arts in any way and one in three will not look for qualifications that show creativity when recruiting, despite promoting its importance to young people in the classroom.
Andy Vickers, managing director, Canon UK and Ireland, commented: "Canon recognises the importance of encouraging creativity to drive innovation and growth within UK businesses, which in turn supports economic growth.
Creative people and processes are crucial to business success and something that Canon prides itself on inspiring throughout its global organisations." He explained: "These results highlight a growing creativity gap problem that needs to be addressed if we are to preserve our position as one of the most innovative nations in the world.
Canon's support of the Arts Award programme is an investment in our business future and we are delighted to be the principal partner in bringing this initiative to life." The Arts Award has been running in schools, arts organisations and youth settings since November 2005.
To date, it has trained more than 2,000 Arts Award advisers (artists, teachers and youth workers who act as mentors and assessors for young people's Arts Award work) and currently has 2,300 young people registered to participate in the award scheme.
• Canon Europe: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Printingtalk email newsletter
• Printingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
