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Immediately after the message went out about corporate Centers of Innovation and Creativity, we heard from a few more people whose centers were not listed in the first round. Here are some more reports from the innovation front lines:

From: sawilson@eastman.com
The Creativity & Team Center at Eastman Chemical Company in Kingsport, TN is a set of conference rooms dedicated to innovation. The center is the product of an informal group of volunteers who seek to improve the corporation's creative processes. We use various innovative tools and are big fans of software-based creativity resources like TRIZ software and Group Systems. Contact Steve Wilson at 423-229-2239 or e-mail: sawilson@eastman.com

From: tomwojcik@worldnet.att.net
About the Hoechst Celanese Office of Innovation (which Tom founded and is now closed), he says:
I think it actually has a "positive outcome." For example, it is being picked up on in the UK and with some companies in the USA. In fact, a major success has been with the development of IWorKS(c) at Wachovia Corp., one of the mega-banks based here in the Carolinas. Ken Rethmeier has been their senior executive responsible for its leadership. He has, in fact, recently expanded it to integrate IWorKS(c) into their Executive Leadership Program in partnership with UNC-Chapel Hill and O.I, Inc. So, you see, there are some good news stories out there.

From: Don.Masingale@Wichita.BOEING.com
I started a "Boeing's Innovation Center" about four years ago on my own time and using mostly my own resources ($). After the merger of McDonnell Douglas and their Phantom Works Division, I was asked by that division's senior staff to change the name of my self-ordained center to "Boeing's Innovation Resource Center." Dave Swain and his staff felt that "they" were now Boeing's Innovation Center.

The "Boeing's Innovators" newsletter is also about four years old and is provided to all of the Sr., Executive Corporate and many middle managers, as well as being sent to a total of 20,000 or so technical people within Boeing.

Although it is not a Corporate sanctioned or sponsored newsletter or Innovation Center, it has been operating for these time lines without being shut down by a management decision. Numerous presentations have been given to Corporate and Executive management on the merits of a funded Boeing's Innovation "Resource" Center, but so far has not stirred any more than an acknowledged need for this type of effort.

Aside from "Championing" numerous tools for innovation and creativity (TRIZ, DeBono, Toguchi, TOC, QFD, etc.), links to inside and outside the company are provided to readers of the newsletter. New and innovative products are introduced with sources for more information noted for those who have interest. Contributing articles are encouraged and a few have been presented to readers. The newsletters have provided many people (Corporate and technical) within Boeing inspiration to do things differently than in the past and to make some effort at helping innovation and creativity where possible.

It is interesting that when I write a heavy article on where we are and what tools and thinking Boeing and Industry in general must do to support a guaranteed future, several months later some Corporate Initiative comesdown with similar statements and direction. Of course, there is no credit given for the earlier inspiration source, perhaps it is not recognized at that point where the inspiration originated. That is ok I guess, as long as some of the directions are implemented. Of course not being recognized for being the source does not help my funding or support requests.

In the total effort expended, several user groups and trial efforts have been established in numerous divisions of Boeing. Training a larger technical community base in Innovative and Creative Tools is accelerating within Boeing due to my identifying the best tools to learn for given groups. Application of these tools by the students are good in class, but require on-going reinforcement sessions to keep them interested and challenged after leaving the class or workshop, hence User Groups are established to help in this support.

It is slow going, even though almost everyone talked with agrees we need innovation and creativity to stay alive and well in our future business activities. I subscribe to well over 100 monthly magazines and almost as many Internet Innovation and Creativity URL's. Reading yours is always a delight and often enlightens me with correlating thoughts, thank you for your effort. Quick reading of these publications, exhaustive research, intense data mining, visiting small laboratories and inventors (on my own vacation time and money), enables me to provide thought-provoking information for my readers.

My "day-job" demands every minute of the paid hours at Boeing, therefore the "Innovation and Creativity" effort is on my nickel. That may change some day.


For information on the Sept. 11-15 IU meeting in Lima, Peru, please contact Andrea Woodward at 805-563-1438 or email: andrea@thinksmart.com.

Andrea Woodward

Join the Innovation University Fellowship Group

Call Ruth Ann Hattori at 303-604-1981 or e-mail andrea@thinksmart.com for more information.

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