Hungry Minds: Provoking and Sustaining Curiosity in Organizations

Previous research has examined the origins and benefits of curiosity, attributing it primarily to an inherent human capacity. However, there has been limited theoretical or empirical exploration of how organizations can shape work environments to encourage employees to be more curious. This article pioneers a fresh perspective by examining how curiosity can be constantly provoked and sustained in organizations. Using an inductive study of a highly creative organization in the gastronomy industry, we discover two types of provocations: codified and uncodified. Together, these provocations encourage individuals to challenge each other and consider novel interpretations. Moreover, our findings reveal a specific mechanism – ‘stretching’– aimed at sustaining the curiosity engine by continually renewing provocations and preventing them from potential rigidity and monotony. We also discover “relaxing practices” which help to alleviate the curiosity pressure among team members. Through the dynamic interplay between provocations and ‘stretching’, curiosity becomes an agentic force that extends beyond the confines of individual minds to impact the entire organization. Our discoveries reveal new research puzzles on curiosity, likely to stimulate further theorizing regarding its role in organizations.