The Innovation SuperHighway: Harnessing Intellectual Capital for Collaborative Advantage

410 Pages·2002·1.89 MB·English

by  Debra M Amidon

WhatpeoplearesayingaboutTheInnovationSuperHighway:
“Debramakesinnovationacentraltopicwithdecentralized(but)networkedorganizations.Thisparadigmis
animportantfinding,sincemostbigcompaniestendtore-centralizetheirinnovation-processestohavebetter
control!!!”
JoachimDoering,Sr.VicePresident,InformationCommunicationsnetwork,SiemensA.G.
“DebraAmidon—agloballyleadingknowledgepioneerfordecades—leverageshowpastexperienceisthekey
tovisualizingtheemerginglongitudepatternsoftheFuturethroughknowledgeinnovation.Thisbookisa
milestoneintheknowledgefield.Shehasputthespotlightonthetwomajordimensions—enterprisingaswell
asinnovations.Themethodologiesandinternationalnetworkoutlinedinthisbookrepresentatrueglobal
entrepreneurialspiritfornourishingintellectualcapital.”
LeifEdvinsson,CEOofUNICandauthorofIntellectualCapitalandCorporateLongitude
“If the 21st century is to be characterized by a profound shift towards a knowledge-based economic
infrastructurethenwecannotsimplyexpectknowledge,innovationandlearningtoemergeserendipitously.
DebraAmidonbringsclarityofthoughtandatimelycontributiontothisimportantdebateanddemonstrates
that we must develop strategies that connect hitherto compartmentalized components of our innovation
pipelines.
Dr.MichaelKelleher,Director,theEuropeanUnionKALiFProject
“This is truly a landmark book and highly recommended as essential reading for those needed to lead
innovationpracticesbetweenfunctionsofanorganization,companieswithinindustries,acrosssectorsofthe
economyandamongnationsoftheworld.Debrasuggests—andIconcur—thatinnovatingourfuturethrough
human creativity—beyond technology and beyond content—is the key for wealth-generation in the 21st
century.Inthisdecisivebook,Debrahasbeenexceptionallyskilledinbuildingconsensusandworkingcomplex
issuesthatrequirecollaboration—withsensitivityandresoluteness”
Dr.GeorgeKozmetsky,FounderofTeledyneandwinneroftheNationalMedalofTechnology
“Inthisbook,DebraAmidonprovidesasummaryofthenewfundamentalsofKnowledgeandInnovation—
plusthe‘howto’s’forLeadership/Leverageoftheseforcesintothefuture.Thisisamust-readforBoard
members and executives charged with the responsibility of choosing future directions and ensuring the
sustainabilityoftheirorganizations.”
DougMacnamara,CEO,BanffExecutiveLeadershipInc.
“Debraprovidesasustainablepathforwardinwhatisadefiningmomentinthehistoryofoursocietyaswe
determinethekindofworldourchildren’schildrenwillinherit.Weshouldalltakeheed.”
Dr.ThomasF.Malone,DistinguishedScholarEmeritus,NorthCarolinaStateUniversity
“Debra’scompellingvisionofTheInnovationSuperhighway—beyondKMandinformationmanagement—
connectsallmultidisciplinary,planetarytalentsandusescollectiveintelligencetobuildthefuture.Asmany
otherwordsintheglobalcontext,thedefinitionhasevolvedbeyondinventionintomulti-facettedinnovation:
comportmental(newattitudes),organizational(newstructures),educational(newwaysoflearning),economic
(newvalues),andmotivations.Noonecanstopourcollectiveimagination.”
Dr.EunikaMercier-Laurent,CEOofEMLConseilandProfessorofIAELyonUniversity
“DebraAmidoncombinesvisionandpracticeinthispioneeringbook.Hervisionaimsveryhighandher
examplesareveryconcrete.Sheherselfhasbeenpracticingwhatshepreachesandthebookisfullofliveand
powerfulexamples,manytakenfromherownexperience.Youwillfindoutwhyweallneedtomovefrom
knowledge management to innovation through collaboration and how it has already been done by an
internationalnetworkofexpertsledbytheauthor.”
Dr.EdnaPasher,authorofTheHiddenValuesoftheDesert:theIntellectualCapitalofIsrael,
andco-editorofFromKnowledgetoValue:UnfoldingtheInnovationCube
“This book is a milestone in the global evolution of thinking on growth and innovation. Full of
thought-provoking,visionaryknowledgenuggetsthatcannotbemissedbyanyonetryingtoshapethefuture—
of his company, society or nation. In times when future is not anymore like it used to be, we all need a
crash-courseinmasteringvolatility.Debra’svisionofanInnovationSuperhighwayissocompelling,thatitcan
changethewaywethinkaboutstrategyintheknowledgeeconomy.”
TomaszRudolf,studentatWarsawInstituteofEconomics
“Inthistimelytext,Amidonaddressestheessenceofthekeychallengewefaceintheknowledgeera:the
constantneedtoinnovateforindividuals,organizationsandsocieties. Itsarchitect,DebraAmidon,inspires
andweavesaworldwideconversationthatembodiesthemessageshebringstolifeforsomanypeoplearound
theworld. ItisaprivilegetobepartofherNetworkandshareinitsevolution.”
HubertSaint-Onge,formerVPClarica,AdvisorforKnowInc.
andco-authorofLeveragingCommunitiesofPracticeforStrategicAdvantage
“DebraAmidonisourSherpaguidewhomovesusbeyond‘knowledgeasathingtobesliceanddiced’to
‘knowledgeasaprocessofdiscoveryincommunity.’TheInnovationSuperHighwayisaninvitationtousallto
rollupoursleevesandco-buildanewfoundationforaworldeconomy.Now,thetwintowersoftheWorld
TradeCentermaybereplacedbyanewfoundationofunderstandingsothatwecanenhancethe‘worldtradeof
ideas’onaglobalscale.Wehavelearnedtovalue,appreciate,andbeinspiredbytheuniquenessinoneanother
andoneanother’scultures.”
Dr.CharlesM.Savage,CEOofKnowledgeEraEnterprises,Inc.
andauthorofFifthGenerationManagement
“Thisisthebreakthroughinnovationbookofthedecade.Thoughtful,inspirational,visionary…thebookwe
haveallbeenwaitingfortohelpguideusintothefuture.Itiswhatyougetwhenyoucombineabrilliantmind
withawonderfulwriter.”
LynneSchneider,CEOESSIandco-authorof
Non-traditionalWarfare:21stCenturyThreatsandResponses
“Akaleidoscopeofpossibilitiesisrevealedinthisnewmasterpiece.DebraM.AmidonmaybethenextPeter
Druckerwithherownstrategicblueprintfortheknowledgetomorrowwithglobalvisibility,sustainabilityand
collaborativeadvantage.”
XeniaStanford,CEOofStanfordSolutions,Inc.andEditorofKnowMap
“Clearly a seminal work, laying a blueprint, and synthesizing two principal drivers, for the 21st century
economy:innovationandknowledgemanagement.”
MichaelStankosky,AssociateProfessorandco-director,InstituteforKnowledgeManagement,The
GeorgeWashingtonUniversity
The Innovation Superhighway
Harnessing Intellectual Capital for
Sustainable Collaborative Advantage
This Page Intentionally Left Blank
The Innovation Superhighway
Harnessing Intellectual Capital for
Sustainable Collaborative Advantage
(cid:2)
Debra M. Amidon
(cid:2)
Amsterdam Boston London NewYork Oxford Paris SanDiego
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Copyright©2003byDebraM.Amidon.Allrightsreserved.
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AbouttheCover
Theworldisnowourmanageablelandscape.ConnectionsaremadeEasttoWestandNorthto
Southwithmanynodesinbetween.ButTheInnovationSuperhighwayisnotonlyaphysical
infrastructure,albeitatechnicalandelectronicone.Itishuman—afunctionofinsight,interac-
tion,andimaginationresidentintheminds,hearts,andhandsofpeoplearoundtheglobe.
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Dedication
Dr.GeorgeKozmetsky
andhiswife,Ronya
Inappreciationofyour
inspirationtovalue
intellect,
innovation,and
internationalcollaboration.
Throughyourdemonstratedleadership,
guidinghandsandopenhearts,
youhavebothtouchedme
inwaystoonumeroustomention;
andIhavegrown,
bothpersonallyandprofessionally.
Thereisnosubstituteforgenuinecare,
supportingtheroadlesstraveled;
andithasmadeallthedifference.
This Page Intentionally Left Blank
Contents
Foreword xvii
Preface xxiii
Acknowledgments xxvii
Part I The Innovation Frontier 1
1 A Global Imperative for Sustainability—
1 The Knowledge Why 3
1.1 Austin Roots 4
1.2 From NII to GII 6
1.3 Frame For Progress 8
1.4 The Potential of Knowledge Societies 11
1.5 Foundation for Sustainability 14
1.6 Productivity Without Borders 16
1.7 Summary 17
Chapter Endnotes 18
2 The Knowledge Value Proposition—
2 The Knowledge What 19
2.1 Resolving the Paradox 20
ix