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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of personal resources on knowledge workers’ job engagement in the contemporary economy. Work itself and work environments are currently undergoing fundamental changes. As such, the focus of engagement research is shifting to an interest in personal resources and the psychological capital of knowledge workers. Design/methodology/approach This paper proposes a theoretical model based on a modern interpretation of the conservation of resources theory concerning the relationship between personal resources (self-efficacy, organization-based self-esteem and satisfaction with life) in relation to the three dimensions of job engagement (physical, emotional and cognitive). The proposed model is tested with structural equation modelling (LISREL). Findings The results from the analysis of data collected from Finnish university graduates (N = 103) show that the three dimensions of job engagement are strongly influenced by organization-based self-esteem and satisfaction with life but, surprisingly, not by self-efficacy. Practical implications Through understanding the impact of personal resources on knowledge workers’ job engagement, organizations can enhance their human relations management practices and develop better support mechanisms for their knowledge workers. Originality/value This paper provides empirical evidence for the influence of personal resources on knowledge workers’ job engagement. There is a lack of empirical studies on knowledge workers’ job engagement in the contemporary economy. The changing nature of the way work is being carried out in the contemporary economy raises the importance of personal resources as a key resource for knowledge workers’ job engagement.

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Even though the demand for innovation is widely articulated in both professional and academic press, there is still a lack of validated metrics for assessing organizational capacities for innovation as well as systematic methods for developing them. To bridge these gaps in the current literature, this paper presents a method for evaluating and developing innovation capabilities in organizations. The theoretical model underlying the method conceptualises innovation potential as organizational renewal capability, consisting of strategic competence, exploiting time, leadership, connectivity, learning orientation, and knowledge management. These can be quantitatively assessed with the ORCI (Organizational Renewal Capability Inventory) method, which enables a reliable diagnosis of the main organizational strengths and weaknesses in terms of innovation. The utilisation of the ORCI method and the related development process is illustrated with an indepth case study of an industrial organization.

Although organisational creativity has become an increasingly important performance driver, little is known about how it can be built and stimulated. The existing literature has mostly focused on techniques for improving idea generation in specific and occasional problem-solving situations. However, there is scarce research about how to improve creativity as a quality that pervades everyday operations throughout an organisation. This study explores how theatrical improvisation could foster organisational creativity. Qualitative action research shows theatrical improvisation as a promising method to stimulate both individual and collective creativity in an organisation. The study links theatrical improvisation to organisational creativity, understanding the former as a potential method for organisational development. This research extends the understanding about enhancing organisational creativity as a multilevel phenomenon, as well as the possibilities for applying arts-based methods to organisational development.