Central Library Community Room
Vanderbilt University
Casual Reception and Book Signing to Follow
Wednesday February 29th, 2:00 PM
Creative People Must Be Stopped: 6 Ways We Kill Innovation
Everybody wants innovation—or do they? Dave Owens demonstrates how individuals and organizations sabotage their own best intentions to encourage “outside the box” thinking. The antidote to this self-defeating behavior is identifying which of the six major types of constraints are hindering innovation. Once innovators and other leaders understand exactly which constraints are working against them, they can overcome them, creating conditions that foster innovation instead of stopping it in its tracks. Dave Owens, in a talk he describes as “edutainment,” will provide a conceptual framework and practical information for successfully creating a culture of innovation.
David A. Owens is professor of the practice of management at Vanderbilt’s Graduate School of Management where he also directs the Executive Development Institute. Specializing in innovation and new product development, he is known as a dynamic speaker and is the recipient of numerous teaching awards. He provides consulting services for a wide range of clients around the world, and his work has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, London Guardian and San Jose Mercury News, as well as on NPR’s Marketplace.
Owens has consulted for NASA, The Smithsonian, Nissan LEAF, Gibson Music, American Conservatory Theater, Alcatel, Tetra Pak, Tennessee Valley Authority, Cisco, LEGO, The Henry Ford Museum and many other organizations. He has done product design work for well-known firms including Daimler Benz, Apple Computer, Dell Computer, Coleman Camping, Corning World Kitchen, Steelcase and IDEO Product Development. He has also served as CEO of Griffin Technology, a global company that specializes in iPod, iPhone, and iPad accessories.
Owens earned his Ph.D. in management science and engineering through a joint fellowship program between Stanford’s Graduate School of Business and its School of Engineering. He holds an M.S. in engineering product design and is a registered professional electrical engineer (P.E). In his current work, Owens focuses on concrete strategies for creating positive change in all types of organizations.