Author: Shaun Coffey

Shaun Coffey is interested in future making and institutional building. He is an agricultural scientist who tries to integrate fragmented and sector-specific technical and scientific knowledge to address the wicked problems that characterise the real world.
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Leadership Quotes

“Whatever anybody says or does, assume positive intent. You will be amazed at how your whole approach to a person or problem becomes very different.” Indra Nooyi, former chair and CEO, PepsiCo

“Leadership is a serious meddling in the lives of others” Max de Pree, Furniture Manufacturer

“Becoming a leader is synonymous with becoming yourself. It is precisely that simple, and it is also that difficult.” Warren Bennis, Leadership Scholar

“Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.” John F Kennedy, 35th US President

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How to promote creativity in a research organisation

Five simple principles apply

Gleeson et.al. (1999) propose five principles for promoting creativity in R&D.  As they point out, these “are simple principles, indeed stunningly so, given the complexity of the creative process and of the institutional cultures within which R&D operates”.  The five principles are:

  • Goals:  Creativity is fostered by setting both creativity and productivity goals but not by prescribing R&D processes to attain them.
  • Bounded Freedom:  Creativity is affected by the psychic balance experienced by the researcher or field participant between what she/he seeks to achieve and what the organisation or group desires her/him to achieve.
  • Recognition:  Creativity is enhanced by reward and recognition, as long as it is experienced as an appreciative and/or informational event and not as a means to control or manipulate.
  • Social Interaction:  Appropriate peer and social interaction is an essential prerequisite to creativity.
  • Leadership:  The development and communication of insightful organisational visions and leadership help foster creativity.
Continue reading “How to promote creativity in a research organisation”
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Managing expectations – A managers goal is….

  • to establish, explain and assess reasonable goals.
  • to state goals positively.
  • to ensure goals are realistic, achievable and have some stretch to them.  (Achievement builds confidence.) Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound.
  • to negotiate all goals; win commitment.
  • to write down goals; convert dreams to tangible targets.
  • to align goals with the corporate mission.  (Requires regular review to prevent goal conflicts.)
  • to FOCUS time and effort on the important but not urgent issues that have long-term impact; the issues which make the big difference.
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Industry doesn’t need “pure” research, nor does it need “applied” research.

Industry needs research that will answer its’ questions. What industry needs is research that is appropriate to solve the problem at hand, or exploit the opportunity recognised.

Much is written about the divide between industry and academia, especially when it comes to investment of public funds. Should funding should be provided for pure research, or for applied research?

This is a common, ongoing dichotomy in many debates over research, particularly that funded from the public purse.   The reality, however, is that this debate is based on the erroneous assumption that industry benefits only from applied research, and that research directed at assisting industry must be applied.  

Continue reading “Industry doesn’t need “pure” research, nor does it need “applied” research.”