The Flash Mob as a metaphor for creativity
and efficiency in the planning

Introduction
It is now common to see people acting in public spaces and even seeming
disconnection, are gradually emerging as the gradual increasing groups from "spontaneous" participants who
accurately develop an activity or performance involving somehow bystanders, who
are really going by where group activities are developed. In some cases, it
also directly involves people who really have nothing to do with the
intervention plan. When it comes to dance, known and upbeat music sets, real
observers become participants, in some cases, just a playful impulse or spirit
of participation, in other case, a direct invitation or suggestion.
This event is called a flash mob, a variety of ephemeral events that form and
break times in minutes or seconds, in the public space of a city, as a place, a
park, a street.
Alzamora and Alencar (2009, p.1) state that the origin of the flash mob is in
the existence of a network, allowing connection between the members of a city
and the creation of contemporary spaces, spaces that can be physical or virtual
and produce a shared aesthetic experience by allowing the gathering of people
in the space on transit or act.
According Cobo (2006, p.3) the phenomenon arises because
"The emergence of Web 2.0 is highly attractive because it allows a more
democratic and participatory Internet use. It is in this context that new
perspectives are configured to analyze social manifestations articulated by
communication technologies. This social phenomenon of groups of people
organized via digital devices has been called instantaneous or flash mob ...
mobilizations. "
The Flash mob is a gathering of "a group of people who meet simultaneously
transient and voluntarily, without the need to be aware of before, in a public
place to do something unusual or remarkable (usually symbolic actions) and then
disappear without warning. They are usually organized through the Internet or other
digital communication system "(Cobo, 2006, p.4)
The concept of smart mobs (Smart mob) or the speed with which form and
disappear, flash crowd (flash crowd) is also supported; In any case, whatever
the name used, and there are new characteristics due to the way society understands
its role in the world.
Naturally phenomena like this cannot be declared neutral, have advantages and
disadvantages, opportunities and risks; but there is discussion about the
purpose of this article is not to question the validity or social value of
flash mob, but to show from a management perspective the development of
synchronized activities, participants have their place, employing resources,
ending in a determined time and achieve a goal, generate surprise and transmit messages.
Alzamora and Alencar (2009, p.4) indicated in the "flash mobs are
configured as lines of flight, moments that interfere with the landscape of the
city," maybe it's valid to ask whether the flash mob interfere momentarily
or destabilize the city, or just accentuate something they already own.
In the link you can see one of the many possibilities of flash mob. The
Symphony Orchestra performs a Spanish city Ravel's Bolero. Completes execution,
ending collective meeting, but the effect was the creation of an aesthetic
feeling shared by actors and spectators.
The Flash mob Creativity as Metaphor and
its relationship with the Planning
Planning activities should not be viewed as a rigid processes and, in which the
executive sets the goal, decides that people and resources is achieved, decides
how, procedures, processes and orders the execution structure.
Creativity is important even if the task or goal is concrete and uncreative. To
ensure that staff participates in an efficient, fully and in a coordinated way
creativity is needed. What should be done? Who is involved? What resources are
available? In what order the activities take place? To achieve efficiency,
effectiveness and efficiency much creativity is needed.
The flash mobs, seemingly spontaneous are based on a creative plan, in a
script, like all plans, have a structure that reveals creativity. For example,
to perform flash mob suggested in Reference 2, Find your move (2014) with the
theme of dance listed the following activities:
1) Identify the place. A place where many people pass and where there is room
for development of the activity is suggested.
2) Choose the type of music. Knowing which is popular music in the country;
sometimes required to discuss and reach consensus among the creators of the
theme.
3) Creating the choreography. The success of the flash mob depends on
originality, vitality and attractiveness; for alleged copying or plagiarism of
events held elsewhere is prohibited. An important condition is to find who can
create the choreography and the dancers who will be needed to achieve
consistency and quality of the event.
The search for a person to create the choreography does not exclude the
possibility that those who have the idea of the
flash mob take care of this and other activities, which is displayed is the
possibility of increasing the quality, originality and options when engaged
more people multiplied by synergy potential flash mob.
4) Decide the number of participants and what makes each; while the leader of
the flash mob, should be chosen carefully. He may be one who besides being a
virtuoso dancer, well known choreography.
5) Details. Costumes, site characteristics (amplitude, restrictions, permits
authorities, security), promotional items (posters, ads in media network),
promotional material, equipment should be noted.
We can draw a parallel between the flash mob and planning, as shown in Table
Table 1 Analogy between Planning and flash
mob
Planning
|
Flash mob
|
Area of influence of the plan
|
Site identification
|
Project type (is assumed previous assessment)
|
Choose type of music (the best alternatives evaluated)
|
Plan development. Stages and processes. Trained staff involved in the
planning process
|
Creating choreography (originality, liveliness, attractiveness)
|
Determining people involved, leader election
|
Number of participants, flash mob
leader election
|
Details (Resources, media, limitations, contingency plans)
|
Details (restrictions, permits, promotion, equipment)
|
Source:
Own Creation. Carlos Rivas R., October 2014
Why not consider planning activities as part of a script in which players are
expected to perform their role to perfection, without apparently nobody forces
or controls? That would be the magic of a well-crafted and creative plan
designed and directed by a planner and creative leader.
In the development of Flash mob can be seen that the actions flow without
interruption, each participant takes his place and executes its task without
delays or errors, the planned script stick to it. At the end, the group
"spontaneous" disappears; no order, no correction, no further
interaction was observed. Maybe, just something that does not look, smile and
satisfaction of the organizers of the flash mob, who experienced the feeling of
success and triumph for achieving a successful social approach.
In an organization, regardless of size or sector, it is expected that the
operational or tactical plan developed by an executive are developed to
perfection in the expected time, with the right staff and strictly using disposable
resources; while they have achieved the goals or objectives. If everything ran
with the fluidity of the flash mob, we can say that the executive who developed
the plan, in addition to the conditions shown in the planning is a leader,
because it achieves the full, conscious, and total commitment of all to those
who corresponds.
In real life, some actors (employees of the organization) may express
disagreement, tune or out of tune with the team, blocking actions, sabotage,
preventing the full respect of the plan. To detect and exclude them or change
their minds, it would be much better; creativity and deployment of negotiation
and leadership skills are also required.

It is therefore advisable that managers as part of the formal management
training, learn to develop a flash mob, without having to take to the streets,
may be within the physical environment of the company; what matters is learning
to develop creativity, the ability to find relationships between different
activities, to find the right activity for each actor, the sequence, and
especially prior learning to good performance.
During the development of the flash mob, participants receive no instructions,
no one is questioned by mistakes because everything is done right one, no one
is treated in a special way because everyone is equal and everyone assumes and
fulfills its role. Why should not learn from these activities?
If the executive does develop a flash mob on the street, in public space, much
better, because in addition to creativity, he is showing courage and ability to
act in various scenarios. An organizational flash mob in public space could
lean on topics that relate to the products or services offered by the company.
Strategic plans may not strictly be regarded as analogous to the flash mob
because they involve longer and complex activities that overlap or develop
gradually, but nevertheless also require
creativity in design and execution.
The link is provided to appreciate another flash mob, a popular Greek dance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U2bdXZzel0
Conclusions
The flash mob, apparently spontaneous encounter and interaction of people in a
public space, are possible thanks to the support that enable technology in
social networks.
The flash mob, plus creativity, involves a planning process that can be
compared with the business planning.
It is advisable that managers understand the characteristics of the flash mob,
to apply then more relevant characteristics to specific situations in the
organization.
References
Alzamora, Geane; Alencar, Renara (2009) FLASHMOB:
REFLEXÕES PRELIMINARES
SOBRE UMA EXPERIÊNCIA DE REDE. V ENECULT - Encontro de
Estudos Multidisciplinares em Cultura 27 a 29 de maio de 2009, Faculdade de
Comunicação/UFBa, Salvador-Bahia-Brasil.
Cobo Romaní, Cristóbal (2006) LAS MULTITUDES INTELIGENTES DE LA ERA DIGITAL.
Revista Digital
Universitaria, 10 de junio 2006 • Volumen 7 Número 6 • ISSN: 1067-6079
NOW WE MOVE FLASH MOB 2014 . SET THE BASIS FOR A SUCCESSFUL
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