Scope

1.    Purpose

This policy is a blueprint of the terms of creative thinking by both the employees and other stakeholders representing the Creative Thinkers Company. Its primary aim is to guide both the internal employees and those who want or work with the institution through creativity and innovation. The beneficiaries are all the company employees. It is a framework for ethics and helps the company in provision of any support that may be needed by the creative thinkers employees or the company affiliates. Adequate risk management provision to employees and other company stakeholders through informed decision making and well-planned activities is another essential thing that will be served by the policy. Also, meeting the judicial obligations of the organization and ensuring transparency and liability for creativity and originality events are the main reasons for developing the policy (Aydogan 2009).

1.    Scope

This policy applies to and not limited to the actions that concern the Creative Thinkers organization. It also applies to the creative works that do not directly affect the organization but associates the company in some way. It does not apply to practices of other organizations and those not involving or linking the organization at all.

It applies to every of Creative Thinkers staff, contractors, interns, all Creative Thinkers committees, adjuncts, members of council and other officers that might represent the organization on official capacities. It, however, excludes those attending the company’s interviews and is very flexible so as not to hurt the institution’s goals and vision as advised in the article ( “Are Your Policies and Procedures a Barrier To Growing Your Company?,” 2016)

1.    EFFECTIVE DATE 
2.    Legislative Authority

 “ Law and language policy in the United States “ (Piatt, Bill, 1992, p.16)

Creativity and Innovation Act 2013

The Technology and Application Development Act 2009

Policy

1.    Policy Statement

All creative thinkers staff as part of their employment may be needed to develop or undertake creativity activities or forums. Contractors, council members, interns, adjuncts, and other officers representing the company may be required to conduct the Creative Thinkers Innovation or creativity activities in the same way as the staff.

Official creative activities and forums entail the operations that affect the creation and development of the organization’s applications, designs, software, ideas and programs. Another activity in line with the creative activities is the  conferences and events on creativity by the company or affiliated companies that need to follow the guide as stipulated in the policy and the creativity and innovation discussions, benchmarks and International creativity and innovations days and events on involving the company.

Policy

All creativity and innovation issues ought to put the company’s value at the forefront. The matters should benefit the company’s primary intentions and align with strategic objectives and goals set by Creative Thinkers Company. Under no circumstances should creativity be compromised not even when it is dealing with a third party.

Ideas on creativity and innovate on must be approved and a written document issued before the launch or commencing on the development of a program or software.

Any unprofessional or unethical ideas or issues regarding originality and creativity is strongly and without favour discouraged by the institution. Failure to observe the requirement will attract severe penalties and may even lead to dismissal.

In times where circumstances allow, all innovations and creative ideas should be brought up and follow the institutions set procedures and only use the international standard equipment provided by the institution. Where it is necessary to use borrowed equipment, the company’s quality assurance will issue an official document showing that the material meets international standards.

There are issues that must be given consideration, with any arrangements given the go-ahead by the company’s concerned bodies before launching the actual programs. Firstly is the program, issue or application requirements and their roles. Also the needs of an individual area of creativity and the organization’s enterprise Agreement requirements are other  key points to be considered by the executives.

Originality, creativity, effectiveness and market suitability to the current market is the Creative Thinkers primary responsibility. Application developers, content creators, are tasked with practicable, reasonable and internationally accepted work for universality and effectiveness.

The developers and content creators must take responsibility for their works and make sure that their actions are in line with the specific International Standards Organizations (ISO) requirements in their area of innovation. They should also ensure that the content is effective and efficient in what the developed program are meant to achieve. Another thing for consideration is that creators are supposed to make sure that  they cater for any risks associated with their content be it to themselves, the consumers or even third parties

Before developing and launching one’s content, the creators must put into consideration any risks that may come up directly or indirectly because of their content. Risk assessment should be carried out comprehensively. The risk assessment should be in partnership with the organization safety department.

The Creative Thinkers strictly works by the international creativity and innovation program and ISO in the provision of resources and direction on unclear issues. Newbies should at all times refer to these guidelines.

Procedures

The organization should reveal in its annual report all the details on new programs and all the innovations. All details about the contents should be collected and submitted for record keeping.

All content must be prepared via the company’s preferred regulators and other hardware suppliers for natural follow-up and compensation in case of failures. In situations where the preferred supplier cannot provide a needed item, the purchase can be made from another organization-approved provider. The Director of sales marketing and procurement must sign the approval.

Content creators are advised to purchase the resources needed for their content through the organization’s corporate account or using the corporate cards to get offers and cost reduction purposes. All Creative Thinkers’ affiliates are advised to get the corporate Credit Card for the above reason.

Content creation and development is a management task and should be tracked through exemption of Corporate Credit Card statement

All content creation in violation of this policy and procedure is without discussion considered a breach of the institutional policy. Those found to have been non-compliant may face disciplinary action under the company’s code of ethics.

Procedures

Approvals

Creative Thinkers applies the following steps for the adoption of contents of creativity and innovations:

Step 1:  Content development request.  Innovators and content creators should fill submit content creation detailing its development and launching to accompany the application will be the estimated costs and budget.

Step 2:   Risk assessment. Before undertaking any content creation and development, those involved will be required to determine the risks that are associated with the whole ordeal. The risk should be assessed regarding how they will impact the primary developers, the organization, the consumers and other stakeholders.

Step 3: Approval for creation and development. Those involved in creation and development must get approval from their supervisors, managers and the relevant executives where required.

Step 4: Approval for funds commissioning. On top of getting the creation and development approval, the creators must obtain permission from the authorized and official personnel for the estimated costs.

Step 5: Expenditure acquittal. The creators must acquit all the expenditure for approval by their leaders or supervisors and authorized financial representative upon completion of their project.

Additional policies for creative content creation and development

Purchasing policy

Use of content policy

Policy for the use of content

Policy Number: CCD032018

Policy Date: 02/02/2018

All staff, interns, stakeholders and company affiliates should read and operate as stipulated in the policy

Additional Policies

This policy gives direction on the use and the content created for all organization employees within the company to ensure that all content is appropriate. The purpose of free and patent content will be carried out under the same procedures outlined for commercial content.

•    All content terms and copyright of all licenses will be adhered to by all employees and other affiliates to the business.
•    In cases where the licensing is specific on usage limit, for example, a particular department only is allowed to use and get access to some content; then it is the duty of departmental heads and executives to enforce this policy.
•    The quality assurance and auditing delegate is responsible for auditing the content or programs developed at least twice a year to ensure license and copyrights conformity

1. Where required, all content must officially be registered with the business supplying it.

2 Creative Thinkers is to be the official registered owner of all content or programs.

6.5.3 Only content created and developed aligning with content creation, and development policy is to be allowed to be deployed for use by the institution.

Material that complies with creativity and innovation policy is to be let to the customers only.

•  Before the deployment of any content created or developed by Creative Thinkers, any user of the program must receive instructions on any available licensing agreement.
•    The users must receive training on all content/programs they are to use. This can be in the form of the user manual for geographically distanced customers.
•    The Creative Thinkers employees are discouraged from taking home with them the programs or company contents unless stated otherwise.
•    In situations where an employee has to use company content at home, written authorization from his/her departmental head or relevant delegate executive is mandatory.
•    Use of stolen solicited or cracked material is prohibited by the institution.
•    Use of program copies or unauthorized duplication is discouraged. Any staff, adjuncts, suppliers or any business affiliated persons who make or decides to use illegal content or programs will be referred to the administrative policy representative for reprimands, further consultation and any other disciplinary action deemed corrective by the delegate.

Additional Policies for content/program use

•    Technology Hardware Policy
•    Software Obtaining Policy

Policy Number: BYOD032018

Policy Date: 03/03/2018

At Creative Thinkers, the use of mobile technologies for improved productivity and institution communication is acknowledged .in wake of increased use mobile devices and the employees need to connect their devices to the Creative Thinkers network and equipment; all employees are required to read this policy carefully and act by the set guidelines.

This policy gives the instructions for the use of personal devices; smartphones, notebooks, iPods and tablets for official use. All employees who directly or indirectly use Creative Thinkers content or programs are bound by the code of this policy

Approved mobile devices for official use

The following personally owned devices are authorized to be used for content creation and development and other company use:

•    Notebooks
•    Smartphone
•    Tablets
•    iPhone
•    Smart watches
•    Removable media

Registration of personal mobile devices for official use

Employees will register their devices with the quality and safety assurance department for use while at the institution or for the institution outside the company.

The quality and safety department will record all devices registered and content that will be used.

However, personal mobile devices will only be allowed for the following official purposes:

•    Company internet access
•    Email access
•    Official telephone calls

Any staff who uses own mobile devices binds himself/herself to the following:

•    Desist from downloading sensitive company or even personal data to the device(confidential personal and business include and not limited to the intellectual property rights, employee details, suppliers or affiliates information )
•    Not to use their tools as the only repository for the company’s data.
•    To guard all Creative Thinkers information against being compromised. Use password protection for the devices.
•    To avoid sharing the content or programs with family, friends and all people not associated with Creative Thinkers for the sole reason of company data protection against access through the devices
•    To immediately notify Creative Thinkers in the event of loss or compromise of the devices
•    USB memory sticks from entrusted sources shall not be connected to Creative thinkers.

All staff who have registered their mobile devices for official use in the creative development of content program acknowledge that Creative Thinkers:

Has the right to access all data on the handset including personal data

Owns all the intellectual property created on the device

Can  buy the equipment in cases where the employee wants to sell the device

Will back up the mobile data regularly

Will erase all the data held in the mobile devices in compromising situations like device theft or loss

References

Aydogan, N. (2009). Innovation policies, business creation and economic development: A comparative approach. New York: Springer.

Content Licensing Experts – Content Licensing Agreement Services, 2017, January 19. Retrieved from https://wrightsmedia.com/why-choose-wrights-media/

Craig, A. R. (n.d.). The Development and Implementation of A Policy And Procedures Manual For Cornerstone Church. doi:10.2986/tren.056-0036

Deber, R. B., & Mah, C. L. (2014). Case studies in Canadian health policy and management.

IP and Creative Industries. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.innovationpolicyplatform.org/content/ip-and-creative-industries

Piatt, Bill. (1992). Only English?: Law and language policy in the United States. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press.

Policy Advice and The Policy Formulation Process. (n.d.). Handbook of Policy Formulation, 215-216. doi:10.4337/9781784719326.00020

Retrieved from https://www.mbaofficial.com/mba-courses/policy-and-strategy/what-is-the-policy-formulation-process-what-are-its-main-considerations/

Singh, K. J. (2016, May 29). Retrieved from https://www.mbaofficial.com/mba-courses/policy-and-strategy/what-is-the-policy-formulation-process-what-are-its-main-considerations/

The Five Stages of the Policy-Making Process [Web log post]. (2011, August 7). Retrieved from https://bizfluent.com/info-10040221-five-stages-policymaking-process.html

The Innovation Act Debate: How to Protect US Innovation. (2015, August 12). Retrieved from https://tech.co/innovation-act-debating-protect-us-innovation-2015-08

The Innovation Act Debate: How to Protect US Innovation. (2015, August 12). Retrieved from  https://tech.co/innovation-act-debating-protect-us-innovation-2015-08