The role of computer support tools and gender composition in innovative information system idea generation by small groups

The climate in which business currently functions is marked by ever-increas ing complexity. As such, collaborative work and creative thought are essent ials in the operations of organizations. Computer software is available to meet these needs. Specifically, organizations can presently obtain Group Su pport System (GSS) software, which is designed to foster group collaboratio n, and Creativity Support System (CSS) software, which is designed to enhan ce creative performance. Use of these systems has the potential advantage o f minimizing problems related to gender composition and other limitations o f traditional group interaction. This paper investigates the effect of thre e different types of computer support - GSS, CSS, and no support - on small group performance with respect to the generation of innovative information system ideas. This study also compares the ideas of all-female, all-male, and mixed-gender groups in the three support settings. The innovativeness o f the information system idea was measured by its novelty, usefulness, feas ibility, and overall creativity (global measure) and by a composite novelty -usefulness-feasibility item. The results indicated that small groups using GSS and no computer software support tools generated ideas that were more useful and more novel-useful-feasible (composite) than those ideas generate d by groups using CSS, When group gender composition was considered, the st udy showed that same gender groups generated more novel and overall creativ e ideas when no computer software support was present. However, mixed-gende r groups generated their most novel ideas when using CSS, With respect to o verall creativity, mixed-gender groups performed equally well when using ei ther GSS or CSS. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights res erved.