John Seely Brown

Internet technology in support of the concept of “communities-of-practice”: the case of Xerox

Abstract Work practices usually differ fundamentally from the way that organizations describe their operations in manuals, training programs, etc. This paper focuses on the way that certain work practices are supported at Xerox, and the conclusions of this effort are related to complementary investigations on learning and innovation. Here we propose that the combination of work, learning and innovation should be reconsidered within the framework of informal “communities-of-practice.” Information Technology tends to be used in order to reinforce the old work and study paradigms. This paper suggests a different use of IT, a use especially well suited to intra- and internets, with the aim of supporting informal structures rather than formal procedures. The case of Xerox Corporation is used as an example.

Seeing Differently: A Role for Pioneering Research

OVERVIEW:As the business environment becomes more turbulent and unstable, new opportunities are emerging for radical innovations that can shape markets. Yet the budgets for research that can produce this kind of innovation are under serious attack. Researchers need to demonstrate that their work contributes to enhancing a corporations ability to adapt to change. They must also understand the ways in which corporations resist change, particularly change that challenges the underlying mental models of a corporation. To be effective, research needs to be radical—that is, deeply grounded while involving a willingness to think “outside the box.” Pioneering research recognizes that invention alone is not enough; the larger challenge is invention–plus–innovation. Researchers also must learn how to engage in discourse with the rest of the corporation in order to facilitate the fundamental transformations that underlie breakthrough innovations.

The Evolution of Innovation

John Seely Brown has been at the center of many of the most profound shifts in R&D management over the past three decades. As Chief Scientist at Xerox Corporation and director of PARC, co-chair of the Center for the Edge, Silicon Valley board member, and prolifi c author, he has helped frame leading-edge thinking about the effective management of research and innovation. In this interview, he speaks about a wide range of topics, from the generative environment at PARC to its contributions to Xerox; from the emergence of sociotechnical approaches to technology design to the increasing importance of social media; from innovation at the edges of companies to the growing emergence of innovation ecosystems across corporations.