Influencing creativity in agricultural communications: Exploration of influential factors of creativity in agricultural communications

Technology has impacted how the world communicates in addition to modifying production agriculture and how the world grows food. To address the growing list of challenges the agricultural industry faces, creativity will be a skill to not only change production agriculture but to communicate these agricultural practices and changes with consumer audiences who have been removed from the farm. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of agricultural communications professionals on creativity and assess their thoughts on creative skills needed in future employees. Utilizing Rhodes’ (1961) four Ps model of creativity, participants evaluated the influencing factors of creativity throughout the creative product, process, person, and press (environment). This study utilized a phenomenological, qualitative research design to interview eight participants whom were board members of agricultural communications organizations. These participants expressed their views of creativity to understand the need to have a novel, appropriate idea that would connect with an audience, to utilize opportunities at the beginning of the creative process for good idea generation, to understand the specific personalities of the open-minded, risk-taking person, and to encourage a collaborate, supportive work environment. The findings of this study instructed the need for agricultural communications organizations to be aware of the influencing factors of creativity on employees and provide opportunities for creative enhancement as well as limiting the hindrances to these factors.