The words ‘intellectual property’ is used to batter CRI’s and universities around the headaccording to Phillip Capper.
The director of Wellington-based WEB Research sayspart of the problem is the over-used and undefined word, innovation.
Innovation, as applied to New Zealand’s research centres, asks the questions of exactly whatthey’re supposed to do Capper says. Should researchers:
•Produce innovation
•Besupporters of innovation (and act to ginger up the private sector)
•Produce stuff
•Support the production of stuff
“The idea of innovation, productivity and sustainability are albatrosses around researchersnecks,” says Capper, an organisational and sector learning consultant who spoke at
He says, whether in a research environment, or in a company, introduction of new ideas, productsor concepts is not a straightforward exercise.
“If you ignore people, their culture, beliefs and values, as often as not you’ll fallover,” he says. “Peoples’ motivations are highly significant. Personal and social structuralconstraints are highly influential on how we do work.”
From that point of view, scientists’ behaviour is not free of the pressure put on them byresearch funders and universities aren’t free of their structural management systems, no less thanpeople making things Capper says.
“Therefore you need more than stuff to be innovative,” he says.
One of the most important things is to understand the structural context, and how people learnthings. Most adult learning takes place in “the spaces between people, not in their heads,” hesays.
“The belief that because a sexy new technology is introduced that the past is gone is dangerousnonsense. What is happening now is the result of accumulated history. You need to understand whythings are done the way they are, why people have beliefs.”
The introduction of new technology, ideas or software requires particular attention to be paid tothe ‘black box’ Capper says. That is, understanding the way people learn.
One particular challenge for New Zealand is a strong anti-intellectualism bent, which is a realproblem for the country.
He compares us to Finland, where he recently lectured to a large group of PhD students. Almostall the participants were private sector managers – a situation that’s very unlikely to be seenhere he says.