Crossing the Bridge: Insights into enabling strategies for creative business development

1. Crossing the Bridge: Insights into enabling strategies for creative business development • The Context • Creativity and innovation are key drivers of business… bring associated skills and abilities “from the margin to the mainstream” (BERR, 2008, DTI, 2005) • The ‘silos’ mentality in our universities is counterproductive and restricts potential for transdisciplinary discovery (Ramsden to John Denham, 2008) • HEA-BMAF Entrepreneurial Learning SIG discussions consider that assessment may be a key issue

2. Crossing the Bridge: Insights into enabling strategies for creative business development Defining Creativity and Innovation • “Challenge assumptions, recognise patterns, see in new ways, make (new) connections, take risks, seize upon chance” (Herrmann in Vidal, 2004) • Why? • To improve competitiveness and capacity of organisations • To enhance problem solving skills • “Unless we can do this we are going to be in trouble as business educators” (Wilce, 2008)

3. Pause for thought - my domain What do graphic / advertising professionals do? Do businesses rely on them? Are their solutions wholly predictable? Or… are they employed for their creative input? Do they work for a single industry, business or service or… Are they expected to soak up the aspirations of each new business / enterprise and respond to their needs? Crossing the Bridge: Insights into enabling strategies for creative business development

4. Business School focus? When was the last time you predicted something creative so accurately that you could pre-define the outcome? Economics, finance, operations and marketing Entrepreneurial focus? Distinctive products, services and issues of communication Crossing the Bridge: Insights into enabling strategies for creative business development

5. Business School assessment? When was the last time you predicted something creative so accurately that you could pre-define the outcome? Analysis, case study observation, testing against texts / authorities, financial / numerical prediction. Entrepreneurial assessment? Ability to respond promptly and intuitively, ability to challenge accepted norms, ability to communicate and persuade. Crossing the Bridge: Insights into enabling strategies for creative business development

6. QAA Subject Benchmark Statement • These, “Describe what gives a discipline its coherence and identity, and define what can be expected of a graduate in terms of the abilities and skills needed to develop understanding or competence in the subject.” • The following extracts therefore guide design educator’s planning and assessment strategies… • Could these outcomes reflect what you assess? Crossing the Bridge: Insights into enabling strategies for creative business development

7. Sample of ‘Design’ QAA Subject Benchmark Statement • “Not only develop the ability to solve set problems in a creative way, but… redefine problems, and to raise and address appropriate issues.” • To “anticipate and accommodate change… work within the contexts of ambiguity, uncertainty and unfamiliarity” • “Source, navigate, select, retrieve, evaluate, manipulate and manage information from a variety of sources.” • “Make connections between intention, process, outcome, context and methods of dissemination.” Crossing the Bridge: Insights into enabling strategies for creative business development

8. Sample of ‘Design’ QAA Subject Benchmark Statement • Develop “Intellectual maturity, curiosity, personal innovation, risk-taking, independent enquiry, and effective management and planning skills”. • “Assessment strategies support students’ understanding of their learning processes and are designed to foster a deep approach to learning.” • “With staff and students sharing experiences as partners in the process of learning.” • “The notion of being ‘correct’ gives way to broader issues of value.” Crossing the Bridge: Insights into enabling strategies for creative business development

9. Conclusion? “Our ability to succeed in this new world will be defined first and foremost by our adaptability… Enabling entrepreneurial creativity and innovation will help the UK to respond to the challenges and opportunities of globalization.” (Brown, Darling and Hutton, 2008, 3) Can business schools meet the challenge?(Kirby, 2003) Could more two-way traffic between design and business educators solve many of these issues? (Penaluna, 2006) Crossing the Bridge: Insights into enabling strategies for creative business development

10. Dr. Andy Penaluna:Chair - HEA-BMAF Entrepreneurial Learning Special Interest Group Junior Vice Chair – Enterprise Educators UK Programme Director – Swansea Metropolitan University Kathryn Penaluna: Steering Group - HEA-BMAF Entrepreneurial Learning Special Interest Group Education Fellow – National Council of Graduate Entrepreneurship Enterprise Manager– Swansea Metropolitan University HEA-BMAF National Conference, Tuesday 28 April 2009 Crossing the Bridge: Insights into enabling strategies for creative business development