Intuitively, we'll all subscribe that technology is a tool: we use technology to do something, we employ technology to achieve a goal. And that's entirely in line with Brian Arthur's definition of a technology as the orchestration of phenomena to achieve a human purpose. But what are those purposes? With today's post, I'll try to find out whether there are some … Continue reading Technology – A multi-purpose tool
Tag: sloth greed and fear
Why innovation policy must be innovative
About a year ago I came across the work of the historian and archaeologist Ian Morris, who observed that "change is caused by lazy, greedy, frightened people looking for easier, more profitable, and safer ways of doing things". This Morris Theorem essentially presents human sloth, greed, and fear as the key drivers for our society's appetite for change – change of our environment to our own benefit. That is what we call innovation: the purpose is an easier, richer, safer life for all of us.
How to cultivate innovation? – Part 1
Cultivating innovation is what every business leader must achieve to stay in business for more than just one product cycle. However, innovation is more than business, and the existing writing often misses that essential part of reality: the fact that business is embedded in society. TIme to look at this societal context of innovation.
Does innovation need science?
Let's talk about science. But not from the perspective of what science is. Rather, let's look at the demand side: What roles does science play in innovation? Does innovation need science at all?
Is growth inevitable?
We all tend to believe that mankind is on a path of continuous progress and ever-increasing prosperity, driven by good fortune and human ingenuity. Is that just wishful thinking or could it actually be true?