Promoting Creative Interdisciplinarity in a Disciplinary World: Part I: Cold War Mindset in an Internet World David E. Goldberg Illinois Foundry for Innovation in Engineering Education University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Urbana, IL 61801 [email_address] ; www.Ifoundry.illinois.edu

Fast Times in Higher Ed Live in fast-paced era. A creative era. Advance of knowledge. Augmented by information technology. Institutional & information systems have not kept pace. Need historical & conceptual understanding of forces of change. Helps think about the institutions and IT needed for rapid advance.

Live in fast-paced era.

A creative era.

Advance of knowledge.

Augmented by information technology.

Institutional & information systems have not kept pace.

Need historical & conceptual understanding of forces of change.

Helps think about the institutions and IT needed for rapid advance.

Roadmap The world is flat & all that. From cold war to creative era. The technoeconomics of now. Promoting interdisciplinarity in a disciplinary world. Lessons from the IT landscape for creative interdisciplinarity.

The world is flat & all that.

From cold war to creative era.

The technoeconomics of now.

Promoting interdisciplinarity in a disciplinary world.

Lessons from the IT landscape for creative interdisciplinarity.

The World is Flat & All That Widely asserted that world is flat and returns to creativity are increasing. For example: Tom Friedman, The World is Flat. Richard Florida, Rise of the Creative Class. Dan Pink, A Whole New Mind. Implications of past and present for interdisciplinary work & IT. But university reborn in cold war.

Widely asserted that world is flat and returns to creativity are increasing.

For example:

Tom Friedman, The World is Flat.

Richard Florida, Rise of the Creative Class.

Dan Pink, A Whole New Mind.

Implications of past and present for interdisciplinary work & IT.

But university reborn in cold war.

Cold War Mindset in an Internet World? In final days of the Vannevar Bush era. Headed US wartime Office of Scientific Research and Development. Report, The Endless Frontier, set stage for NSF and ongoing funding of scientific research. Curriculum, funding, P&T, and institution adapted to this change. Hierarchical specialized industrial organizations. Universities follow suit with departments & isolated, specialized disciplines. Vannevar Bush (1890-1974)

In final days of the Vannevar Bush era.

Headed US wartime Office of Scientific Research and Development.

Report, The Endless Frontier, set stage for NSF and ongoing funding of scientific research.

Curriculum, funding, P&T, and institution adapted to this change.

Hierarchical specialized industrial organizations.

Universities follow suit with departments & isolated, specialized disciplines.

The Missed Revolutions Changes adopted in industry. Largely missed in the academy. We teach, but do not practice what we preach. Missed revolutions since WW2: Quality revolution (teamwork). Entrepreneurial revolution (startups). IT revolution (innovation at a distance). Teach the “revolutions,” but do not integrate lessons into academy or curriculum. (c) 2008 David E. Goldberg

Changes adopted in industry.

Largely missed in the academy.

We teach, but do not practice what we preach.

Missed revolutions since WW2:

Quality revolution (teamwork).

Entrepreneurial revolution (startups).

IT revolution (innovation at a distance).

Teach the “revolutions,” but do not integrate lessons into academy or curriculum.

The Technoeconomics of Now From cold war to creative era. How’d we get here? Technoeconomic effects: Transport and communication improvements. Network effects. Transaction costs. Small agile firms connected by communication/transportation networks. Karl Marx (1818-1883)

From cold war to creative era. How’d we get here?

Technoeconomic effects:

Transport and communication improvements.

Network effects.

Transaction costs.

Small agile firms connected by communication/transportation networks.

Implications for Creative Era Smaller organizations, sticking to knitting, interacting easily with others at a distance. Easily find/connect with others at distance. A recipe for creative action. Koestler’s term: bisociation. Creativity at the intersection of disparate disciplines. But all is not well.

Smaller organizations, sticking to knitting, interacting easily with others at a distance.

Easily find/connect with others at distance.

A recipe for creative action.

Koestler’s term: bisociation.

Creativity at the intersection of disparate disciplines.

But all is not well.

Dueling Departments/Disciplines Missed revolutions & power of departments/disciplines. University of Illinois as Italian renaissance experience. Warring factions in Venice, Rome & Florence. Fighting for treasure, loyalty, allegiance. Machiavelli would have been at home. Return to treasure allocation later. Niccolò Machiavelli (1469 – 1527)

Missed revolutions & power of departments/disciplines.

University of Illinois as Italian renaissance experience.

Warring factions in Venice, Rome & Florence.

Fighting for treasure, loyalty, allegiance.

Machiavelli would have been at home.

Return to treasure allocation later.

Promoting Creative Interdisciplinarity in a Disciplinary World: Part I: Cold War Mindset in an Internet World David E. Goldberg Illinois Foundry for Innovation in Engineering Education University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Urbana, IL 61801 [email_address] ; www.Ifoundry.illinois.edu