1. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of a) individuals as innovators, b) firms as innovators, c) universities as innovators, d) government institutions as innovators, e) nonprofit organizations as innovators?
2. What traits appear to make individuals most creative? Are these the same traits that lead to successful inventions?
3. Could firms identify people with greater capacity for creativity or inventiveness in their hiring procedures?
4. To what degree do you think the creativity of the firm is a function of the creativity of individuals, versus the structure, routines, incentives, and culture of the firm? Can you give an example of a firm that does a particularly good job at nurturing and leveraging the creativity of its individuals?
5. Several studies indicate that the use of collaborative research agreements is increasing around the world. What might be some of the reasons that collaborative research is becoming more prevalent?