Flip the Possibility of Leisure: On the Effect of the Sociability of Leisure on Innovation

• Main Authors: Huang, Jie Shin, 黃捷昕
• Other Authors: Wu, Chyuan Yuan
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2016
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/5szdcr

碩士 === 國立清華大學 === 社會學研究所 === 104 === This study explores the effect of leisure on work and innovation, focusing on employees of the ICT industry in Taiwan. Since the 1980s, Taiwan’s high-tech industry, especially the ICT industry, has boosted economic growth and enhanced the industrial competitiveness. Its products have grabbed over half the global market share in semiconductor, optoelectronics, information and communication, to name just a few. However, the ICT industry has faced the threat of being marginalized over the past few years, after the rise of giant foreign firms which cut prices for competition. In order to change this situation, the industry is bound to be innovative. Innovation can not only maintain sustainable development, but also enhance competitiveness. This study aims to explore the contributions to innovation vis-a-vis leisure with its various connotations. The study suggests that the prime value of leisure lies on its “sociability”, which can enhance community identity, integrate individual and society, and increase satisfaction. In addition, it also brings creative inspiration and unexpected performance. Following the existing literature, we also confirm that the value of innovation comes from “interpretive conversation”, which brings new discoveries and insights through interactions among people from different backgrounds and perspectives. Consequently, innovation originate both from “sociability in leisure” and “interpretive conversation.” The study will show whether the leisure sociability can bring work innovation for employees of the ICT industry. The study applies in-depth interview to show that if actors interact with leisure members, or contact with members from different backgrounds, while engaging in leisure activities, are more prone to work innovation. Furthermore, “interpretive conversation” and “information stimulus” can link sociability and work innovation. In other words, “sociability” can gather information from different fields through interaction to enhance innovation.