Assessing the creativity of Kazakhstan business students
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3846/cs.2026.21600Abstract
Creativity is vital in business and even to prospective entrepreneurs because it facilitates innovative problem-solving and supports business people in finding distinctive solutions to challenges by offering a competitive edge and boosting productivity. However, the development of creativity among students with the support of formal education still needs more attention and is an under-researched topic in this part of the world. The researchers identified a median level of creative dexterities among Kazakhstan business students with their authentic assessment criterion, which ignited the authors’ curiosity in initiating the current research. The core purpose of the study is to assess the creativity tendencies of Kazakhstan’s business students from both undergraduate and graduate disciplines and to offer a pragmatic indication of how demographic variables (gender, age, and education) influence creativity tendencies. The researchers administered the Kaufman domains of creativity scale to measure the creative levels of Kazakhstan students by taking a sample of 300 and expanding a stratified and random sampling method after checking the reliability and validity using McDonald’s omega and Bartlett’s tests. The data gleaned from the subjects was reviewed and coded using RStudio and Microsoft Excel. Then, the factor extraction method and the dimensionality reduction technique of principal component analysis were used to analyze the data. The selected hypotheses were tested using Cochran’s Q test to validate the five hypotheses. The crucial findings are that creativity tendencies are more significant and influenced based on the age and category of the respondents. There is no substantial influence on acquiring creativity because of gender. An impressive 88 percent of Kazakhstan business students accepted that higher education institutions’ pedagogical business course curricula improve creativity, innovation, and research skills. The significant limitation of the study is that the research covered only higher education students of business discipline who were studying only in the city of Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Keywords:
business students, Cochran’s Q test, creativity, Kazakhstan, McDonald’s omega and Bartlett’s tests, measurement, principal component analysisHow to Cite
Share
License
Copyright (c) 2026 The Author(s). Published by Vilnius Gediminas Technical University.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
AACSB International. (2010). Business schools on an innovation mission: Report of the AACSB international task force on business schools and innovation. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
Amoozegar, A., Erasmos Esohwode, O., Yujiao, W., Pee, W. H., Ismaeil, A., Yadav, M., & Harun, M. T. (2025). Employee creativity and innovation in higher education institutions: Applying the dynamic componential model of creativity and innovation. Frontiers in Psychology, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1614751
Barbot, B. (2019). Measuring creativity change and development. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 13(2), 203–210. https://doi.org/10.1037/aca0000232
Boyles, M. (2022). The importance of creativity in business. Harvard Business School Online. https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/importance-of-creativity-in-business
Chen Tsai, K., & Cox, S. M. (2012). Business students’ beliefs about creativity. Journal of Business Studies Quarterly, 4(2), 1–10.
Chou, Ch.-M., Shen, T.-Ch., Shen, T.-Ch., & Shen, Ch.-H. (2023). The impact of CIE education integrated with the BIG 6 teaching strategy on students’ innovative motivation, creativity, metacognition, and self-perceived employability. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2023.101287
Collis, A. (2024). Why creativity is important for success in business. Thunderbird School of Global Management/Arizona State University. https://thunderbird.asu.edu/thought-leadership/insights/why-creativity-important-success-business
Cropley, A. J. (2000). Defining and measuring creativity: Are creativity tests worth using? Roeper Review, 23(2), 72–79. https://doi.org/10.1080/02783190009554069
Emami, M., Rezaei, S., Valaei, N., & Gardener, J. (2023). Creativity mindset as the organizational capability: The role of creativity-relevant processes, domain-relevant skills and intrinsic task motivation. Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Administration, 15(1), 139–160. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJBA-12-2020-0437
Forster, J. (2014–2015). The significance of creativity in our lives. International Journal for Talent Development and Creativity, 2(2)–3(1), 53–68.
Geer Hammershøj, L. (2014). Creativity in education as a question of cultivating sensuous forces. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 13, 168–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2014.05.003
Glaveanu, V. P., Hanchett Hanson, M., Baer, J., Barbot, B., Clapp, E. P., Corazza, G. E., Hennessey, B., Kaufman, J. C., Lebuda, I., Lubart, T., Montuori, A., Ness, I. J., Plucker, J., Reiter-Palmon, R., Sierra, Z., Simonton, D. K., Souza Neves-Pereira, M., & Sternberg, R. J. (2020). Advancing creativity theory and research: A socio‐cultural manifesto. Journal of Creative Behavior, 54(3), 741–745. https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.395
Graciano, P., Lermen, F. H., Maciel Reichert, F., & Domingos Padula, A. (2023). The impact of risk-taking and creativity stimuli in education towards innovation: A systematic review and research agenda. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2022.101220
Hannon, S., McBride, H., & Burns, B. (2004). Developing creative and critical thinking abilities in business graduates: The value of experiential learning techniques. Industry and Higher Education, 18(2), 95–100. https://doi.org/10.5367/000000004323051868
Kacerauskas, T. (2017). Kreativnost’ i koncepciya kreativnogo obshchestva v sociologii [Creativity and the concept of a creative society in sociology]. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya, 10, 26–35.
Karpova, E., Marcketti, S. B., & Barker, J. (2011). The efficacy of teaching creativity: Assessment of student creative thinking before and after exercises. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 29(1), 52–66. https://doi.org/10.1177/0887302X11400065
Karunarathne, W., & Calma, A. (2024). Assessing creative thinking skills in higher education: Deficits and improvements. Studies in Higher Education, 49(1), 157–177. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2023.2225532
Kaufman, J. C., Plucker, J. A., & Baer, J. (2008). Essentials of psychological assessment series. Essentials of creativity assessment. A. S. Kaufman & N. L. Kaufman (Series Eds.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Kenesovna Jumasseitova, A., Potluri, R. M., & Smolyakova, E. (2024). Strategic role of alumni associations of Kazakhstan higher educational institutions in achieving sustainable development goals. International Journal of Asian Business and Information Management, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.4018/IJABIM.351246
Kottwitz, M. U., Montasser, J. S., Kampa, J., & Otto, K. (2024). The extra mile from extra-role creativity to innovation. Journal of Creativity, 34(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yjoc.2023.100073
Maki, P. L. (2004). Assessing for Learning: Building a sustainable commitment across the institution. Stylus/American Association for Higher Education.
McNeish, D. (2018). Thanks coefficient Alpha, we’ll take it from here. Psychological Methods, 23(3), 412–433. https://doi.org/10.1037/met0000144
Morris, Th. H., & König, P. D. (2020). Self-directed experiential learning to meet ever-changing entrepreneurship demands. Education + Training, 63(1), 23–49. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-09-2019-0209
Mirzaei, S., Nikmehr, H., Liu, S., & Marmolejo-Ramos, F. (2025). Creativity in learning analytics: A systematic literature review. Journal of Intelligence, 13(12). https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13120153
Muñoz-Salinas, Y., Caro-Zúñiga, D., & Jeria, I. (2025). Creativity and preservice teachers: A literature review of an underexplored field (2014–2024). Education Sciences, 15(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15030395
OECD. (2014). PISA 2012 results: Creative problem solving. Students’ skills in tackling real-life problems (Vol. 5). OECD Publishing.
Oktavio, A., Mitasari, R., Sinarta, Y., Kusumawidjaya, E., Wijaya, V., & Widyawati, Ch. (2023). Indonesian students’ entrepreneurial behavior: The effect of creativity, passion, alertness and intention. Journal of Eastern European and Central Asian Research, 10(2), 227–237. https://doi.org/10.15549/jeecar.v10i2.1039
Pink, D. H. (2013). To sell is human: The surprising truth about moving others. Riverhead Books.
Reimeris, R. (2016). Theoretical features of the creative society. Creativity Studies, 9(1), 15–24. https://doi.org/10.3846/23450479.2015.1088902
Revelle, W., & Zinbarg, R. E. (2009). Coefficients Alpha, Beta, Omega, and the GLB: Comments on Sijtsma. Psychometrika, 74(1), 145–154. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11336-008-9102-z
Sawyer, R. K., & Henriksen, D. (2024). Explaining creativity: The science of human innovation. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780197747537.001.0001
Sederevičiūtė-Pačiauskienė, Ž., Adomaitytė, G., Žilinskaitė-Vytienė, V., Navickienė, V., & Valantinaitė, I. (2018). Communication of creativeness in business media. Creativity Studies, 11(1), 201–212. https://doi.org/10.3846/cs.2018.3450
Silvia, P. J., Wigert, B., Reiter-Palmon, R., & Kaufman, J. C. (2012). Assessing creativity with self-report scales: A review and empirical evaluation. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 6(1), 19–34. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0024071
Singer, M., & McCallum, R. (2023). Creativity as a force for growth. Deloitte Insights. https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/marketing-sales/global-marketing-trends/2023/creativity-to-solve-marketing-challenges.html
Smith-Bingham, R. (2006). Public policy, innovation and the need for creativity. In N. Jackson, M. Oliver, M. Shaw, & J. Wisdom (Eds.), Developing creativity in higher education: An imaginative curriculum (pp. 10–18). Routledge.
Snyder, H. T., Hammond, J. A., Grohman, M. G., & Katz-Buonincontro, J. (2019). Creativity measurement in undergraduate students from 1984–2013: A systematic review. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 13(2), 133–143. https://doi.org/10.1037/aca0000228
Soriano de Alencar, E. M. L., Souza Fleith, de D., & Fátima Bruno-Faria, de M. (2021). The measurement of creativity: Possibilities and challenges. In E. M. L. Soriano de Alencar, M. de Fátima Bruno-Faria, D. de Souza Fleith (Eds.), Theory and practice of creativity measurement (pp. 1–20). Prufrock Press/Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003238980-1
Soriano de Alencar, E. M. L., Souza Fleith, de D., & Pereira, N. (2017). Creativity in higher education: Challenges and facilitating factors. Trends in Psychology, 25(2), 553–561. https://doi.org/10.9788/TP2017.2-09
Statistics How To. (2026). Cochran’s Q Test. https://www.statisticshowto.com/cochrans-q-test/
Stensen, K., & Lydersen, S. (2022). Indre konsistens: fra alfa til omega? [Internal consistency: From alpha to omega?] Tidsskriftet: Tidsskrift for Den norske legeforening, 142(12). https://tidsskriftet.no/2022/08/medisin-og-tall/indre-konsistens-fra-alfa-til-omega
Sternberg, R. J., & Lubart, T. I. (1999). The concept of creativity: Prospects and paradigms. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed.), Handbook of creativity (pp. 3–15). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511807916.003
Sung, Y.-T., Cheng, H.-H., Tseng, H.-Ch., Chang, K.-E., & Lin, Sh.-Y. (2024). Construction and validation of a computerized creativity assessment tool with automated scoring based on deep-learning techniques. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 18(4), 493–509. https://doi.org/10.1037/aca0000450
Thornhill-Miller, B., Camarda, A., Mercier, M., Burkhardt, J.-M., Morisseau, T., Bourgeois-Bougrine, S., Vinchon, F., Hayek, el S., Augereau-Landais, M., Mourey, F., Feybesse, C., Sundquist, D., & Lubart, T. (2023). Creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration: Assessment, certification, and promotion of 21st century skills for the future of work and education. Journal of Intelligence, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence11030054
Tu, J. J., & Akhter, Sh. (2023). Exploring the role of entrepreneurial education, technology and teachers’ creativity in excelling sustainable business competencies. Economic Research – Ekonomska Istraživanja, 36(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677X.2022.2119429
Ungaretti, T., Chomowicz, P., Canniffe, B. J., Johnson, B., Weiss, E., Dunn, K., & Cropper, C. (2009). Business + design: Exploring a competitive edge for business thinking. SAM Advanced Management Journal, Summer, 4–43.
Valdez-Juárez, L. E., & García Pérez-de-Lema, D. (2023). Creativity and the family environment, facilitators of self-efficacy for entrepreneurial intentions in university students: Case ITSON Mexico. The International Journal of Management Education, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2023.100764
Velez, A., Kerstin Alonso, R., & Martínez-Monteagudo, M. C. (2024). Interventions to enhance creativity in the university context: A systematic review in the economics and business administration and management area. In A. Cortijo Ocaña, S. Mengual-Andres, & J. Roda Segarra (Eds.), Premier reference source. Educational innovation to address complex societal challenges (pp. 1–14). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-3073-9.ch001
Verzat, C., O’Shea, N., & Jore, M. (2017). Teaching proactivity in the entrepreneurial classroom. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development: An International Journal, 29(9–10), 975–1013. https://doi.org/10.1080/08985626.2017.1376515
Vincent-Lancrin, S., González-Sancho, C., Bouckaert, M., Luca, de F., Fernández-Barrerra, M., Jacotin, G., Urgel, J., & Vidal, Q. (2019). Educational research and innovation. Fostering students’ creativity and critical thinking: What it means in school. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/62212c37-en
Wach, K., & Bilan, S. (2023). Creativity of students in favour of their entrepreneurial intentions: Empirical evidence from Poland. Creativity Studies, 16(1), 211–224. https://doi.org/10.3846/cs.2023.15028
Wang, Sh., Sun, Zh., & Chen, Y. (2023). Effects of higher education institutes’ artificial intelligence capability on students’ self-efficacy, creativity and learning performance. Education and Information Technologies, 28, 4919–4939. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11338-4
Weiss, S., Wilhelm, O., & Kyllonen, P. (2024). An improved taxonomy of creativity measures based on salient task attributes. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 18(3), 429–448. https://doi.org/10.1037/aca0000434
Whiting, K. (2020). These are the Top 10 job skills of tomorrow – and how long it takes to learn them. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/2020/10/top-10-work-skills-of-tomorrow-how-long-it-takes-to-learn-them/
Yang, Y., & Green, S. B. (2011). Coefficient Alpha: A reliability coefficient for the 21st Century? Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 29(4), 377–392. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734282911406668
Zacher, H., & Johnson, E. (2015). Leadership and creativity in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 40(7), 1210–1225. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2014.881340
Zeng, L., Proctor, R. W., & Salvendy, G. (2011). Can traditional divergent thinking tests be trusted in measuring and predicting real-world creativity? Creativity Research Journal, 23(1), 24–37. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2011.545713
Zhang, X., Zhang, Y., Sun, Y., Lytras, M., Ordonez de Pablos, P., & He, W. (2018). Exploring the effect of transformational leadership on individual creativity in e-learning: A perspective of social exchange theory. Studies in Higher Education, 43(11), 1964–1978. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2017.1296824
Zheng, A., & Casari, A. (2018). Feature Engineering for machine learning: Principles and techniques for data scientists. O’Reilly.
View article in other formats
CrossMark check
Published
Issue
Section
Copyright
Copyright (c) 2026 The Author(s). Published by Vilnius Gediminas Technical University.
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.