The corporate university: riding the third wave

摘要

The rise of corporate universities has been steady over the last 20 years, gradually building to a crescendo at the turn of the century. The requirements of the general organization have moved on from the "second wave" way of thinking, and have new targets, concentrating on innovating knowledge to stay one step ahead of the competition. Enemies of the corporate university are varied and widespread. Old-fashioned, second-wave thinking threatens its even existence, and the view that innovation can only exist in science and technology creates a serious skills gap in the university. A successful university has representatives from all disciplines, within and between organizations. The different types of university all bring an element of knowledge innovation to the table, be it creation, disseminator or redistributor. They can all link these attributes to corporate strategy. An increasingly knowledge-driven economy has created the corporate university a state of importance, and as such demands the attention of the entire organization. Organizations which ignore the concept of the corporate university are in serious danger of being left behind in the competitive market.