Our Purpose

Considerable work has been done on innovation, creativity, and science across a wide-range of disciplines, but there has been little cross-disciplinary interaction, and the work has received little public exposure. This website begins to gather this information.

The time is ripe for this discussion, with a critical mass for a rigorous science of innovation,  creativity and science emerging. While there is some tradition of work on creativity in history, sociology, and psychology, economists, including those in business schools, are increasingly studying creativity. Moreover, cognitive neuro-science has provided a new set of tools for analyzing the creative process at a finer level than has ever been possible. The messages from these wide-ranging disciplines are remarkably consistent.

The time is also right from a policy perspective. The United States increasingly sees its economic position challenged, and innovation are viewed as the most promising direction for us to maintain our position. Other countries also see innovation as a route to economic success. On the other hand, this increased interest in creativity and innovation may conflict with demographics – the workforce in the United States, Europe, and Japan has been aging and creativity and innovation have traditionally been regarded as linked to youth.