Creativity at the workplace: Comparative study of tourism organizations in Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden

PURPOSE: This study examines differences in creativity at the workplace across tourism organizations in Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden. The aim of this study is to identify (1) whether creativity at the workplace differs between Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden, and (2) whether Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden differ systematically in reported creativity-supporting practices. According to the Global Innovation Index 2024 (WIPO, 2024), these countries exhibit diverse innovation ecosystems and creativity cultures, making them suitable locations for comparative research. METHODOLOGY: The study uses a cross-sectional, quantitative, cross-country comparative research design based on the CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interview) survey method. Data were collected in 2024 from tourism organizations in Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden. The final sample includes 436 tourism enterprises. Creativity at the workplace was measured using Musek’s (2020) Creativity at Workplace Organization Scale. The surveys were conducted online in the respondents’ native languages, with their consent. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistica 13.1 PL software, applying nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis tests to compare countries and Multinomial Logistic Regression to examine relationships between countries and organizational practices. FINDINGS: The results show that creativity at the workplace varies greatly between Sweden and the other two countries, Lithuania and Poland. In Sweden, creativity at the workplace is significantly higher. The study identified different creativity-supporting practices: Sweden emphasizes innovation-based problem-solving, Lithuania focuses on reflective and customer-oriented practices, while Poland relies more on motivational and task-oriented methods. The results indicate that creativity at the workplace differs across the analyzed national samples and is associated with creativity-supporting practices. IMPLICATIONS: The study contributes to the literature on organizational creativity by providing cross-national empirical evidence on perceived creativity-supporting practices, which can be interpreted through the Componential Theory of Creativity, the Interactionist Model of Organizational Creativity, and Social Exchange Theory. In practice, this research highlights the need for country-specific strategies to promote creativity at the workplace in tourism: Sweden’s example demonstrates how integrated, leadership-driven innovation strategies can transform into perceived and actual creativity within organizations. Meanwhile, Lithuania and Poland may benefit from strengthening the national and institutional levels and from a more systematic implementation of creativity at the workplace. ORIGINALITY AND VALUE: This paper presents one of the first empirical, comparative studies covering three countries, examining creativity at the workplace in tourism organizations in one macro-region (the Baltic Sea region). The study provides empirical evidence of cross-national differences in creativity at the workplace and the associated creativity-supporting practices.