‘The most creative organization in the world’? The BBC, ‘creativity’ and managerial style

Abstract

The managerial styles of two BBC directors‐general, John Birt and Greg Dyke, have often been contrasted but not so far analysed from the perspective of their different views of ‘creative management’. This article first addresses the orthodox reading of ‘Birtism’; second, it locates Dyke’s ‘creative’ turn in the wider context of fashionable neo‐management theory and UK government creative industries policy; third, it details Dyke’s drive to change the BBC’s culture; and finally, it concludes with some reflections on the uncertainties inherent in managing a creative organisation.

Keywords:

• BBC
• culture change
• creativity
• leadership
• management style
• UK government policy

Acknowledgements

This work is part of an AHRC‐funded research project on ‘Creativity: policy and practice’, ID No: 112152 (2006–2008). My thanks go to Dr Pille Petersoo for her research assistance in the early stages of this article. I am also grateful to my co‐investigators, Simon Frith and Richard Paterson, and the IJCP’s anonymous reviewers, for all their comments.